1 Draft Environmental Review
Notice of Preparation and Urban Limit Line
City Council
April 19, 2022
General Plan Update
Project Description
• The City of American Canyon (City) is preparing an update to the General Plan to achieve the community's vision over the next 20 years
• Phase 1: Technical Update to bring the General Plan into consistency with current State Law
• Phase 2: Policy Update to re-envision new optional elements and programs
• The Housing Element is also being updated on its own schedule and CEQA review
2 Phase 1 General Plan Priorities
• Expedite updating current State Law into the General Plan • Include land use amendments to achieve consistency with existing use and short-term foreseeable land use needs
• Add West Side Connector to the Circulation Element
• Update Circulation Element with Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT) traffic analysis policies.
• Prepare a Program Environmental Impact Report to streamline new development review
• Update needed Implementation program
3 General Plan Elements
Circulation
• Incorporates
Vehicle Miles
Travelled
policies
consistent with
Senate Bill 743
(SB 743)
• Incorporates
the “West Side
Connector”
roadway
alignment
• Updates street
standards for
all modes,
including
pedestrians,
bicyclists, and
transit
consistent with
the California
Complete
Streets Act.
Community
Service
• Focuses on
goals and
policies related
to public
services,
including
police, fire, and
emergency
services.
Open Space and
Recreation
• Addresses the
wide variety of
parks, trails,
and open
spaces serving
the diverse
recreation
needs of
American
Canyon
residents,
particularly
youth, and
emphasize the
unique
features of the
City’s natural
environment.
Conservation
• Considers the
effects of
existing and
planned
development
on natural
resources
located on
public lands,
including
military
installations,
consistent with
Government
Code Section
65302(d).
• Addresses
State law
requirements,
including air
quality,
greenhouse
gas emissions,
and climate
change
adaptation.
Safety
• Covers seismic
activity, other
geologic
hazards, fire
hazards,
hazardous
materials,
flooding, and
other potential
hazards,
consistent with
Government
Code Section
65302(g).
• Addresses
resiliency and
risks from
natural hazards
in American
Canyon,
pursuant to SB
379.
• Requires a
vulnerability
analysis to
comply with
State law.
Noise
• Covers noise
element
requirements,
consistent with
Government
Code Section
65302(f)
• Includes
projected noise
contours based
on future traffic
volumes
projected to
arise from
improvements
planned for in
the Circulation
Element.
Housing
• Includes an
update for the
2022-2030
RHNA cycle,
consistent with
Government
Code Section
65583.
• The Housing
Element
update is
anticipated to
be completed
earlier than the
rest of the
comprehensive
technical
General Plan
update.
Implementation
• Includes a
comprehensive
implementation
strategy with
discrete,
tangible actions
that the City
will undertake
to carry out all
the Plan’s goals,
policies, and
objectives
4 Mandatory General Plan Elements
5 General Plan Study Area
6 General Plan Land Use Changes
Land use amendments limited to:
• achieve consistency with existing
use and
• foreseeable land use amendment
needs
7 Circulation Element - West Side Connector
Recommended by the
Circulation Element Committee:
Discussed during the June 15,
2021 Council meeting
Transition to Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) for Transportation Impact Assessment
• New State Law (SB 743, 2013) to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions • Promote land uses that reduce automobile use (i.e. ”Smart Growth”, housing near jobs, transit, services)
• Increase non-auto mobility alternatives
• Level of Service (LOS) still relevant as a local priority • Benefits –
• Promotes Health Equity
• Increases Infill/Reduces Sprawl
• Reduces Transportation Costs
• Improves Air Quality
8 Implementation
• Zoning Code Amendments
• VMT Ordinance
• Vision Zero, New Road Engineering Standards and other roadway safety programs
• Revised Traffic Impact Fee and other Fee Programs
• Capital Improvement Program initiatives
9 Notice of Preparation
• The General Plan Update requires review consistent with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
• An Environmental Impact Report is the appropriate level of CEQA review
• A Notice of Preparation starts describes the Project and potential environmental impacts
• A Scoping Meeting invites agencies and the public to identify environmental issues before preparing an EIR
• Scoping may also include feasible alternatives or mitigation measures to avoid potentially significant environmental effects 10 CEQA Environmental Analysis
• Aesthetics/Visual
• Agriculture/Forestry
• Air Quality
• Biological Resources
• Cultural and Historic
Resources
• Energy
• Geology and Soils
• Greenhouse Gas
Emissions
• Hazards and
Hazards Materials
• Hydrology and
Water Quality
• Land Use and
Planning
• Noise
• Population and
Housing
• Public Services &
Recreation
• Transportation/Traffic
• Tribal Cultural
Resources
• Utilities and
Service Systems
• Wildfire
• Cumulative Effects
11 Timeline
Early 2022
• Evaluate
Existing
General Plan
•Define Phase 1
General Plan
Update Scope
•Draft Housing
Element sites
identified
March-May
2022
•Begin
Environmental
Review
•Housing
Element
Outreach
•Prepare
Housing
Element
policies
Mid- 2022
•Prepare Draft
Housing
Element
•Prepare Traffic
Modeling for
GPU VMT
Analysis
•Conduct GPU
Housing
Needs
research
Late 2022
•HCD Reviews
Draft Housing
Element
•Draft General
Plan
•Prepare VMT
Policies
•Draft GPU EIR
Early 2023
•Obtain HCD
Housing
Element
Certification
•Draft GPU
Plan
•Begin GPU EIR
Public Review
Mid-Late 2023
• GPU Public
Hearings
• Revise General
Plan as needed
• Prepare zoning
code
amendments
and
implementation
12 Phase 1 General Plan/Housing Element Schedule
EIR Scoping Meeting: May 5, 2022 @ 6pm – 8 pm
Urban Limit Line
• Negotiated between City and County in 2008
• Intended to be the City’s ultimate boundary up to Year 2030 • Ratified by Citizens Initiative
• Facilitated an era of cooperation between City and County that facilitated annexations:
Since 2010, City Boundary increased from 4 sq miles to
6 sq miles
13 Watson Ranch
Napa Logistics Park
Eucalyptus Grove
AC High School
Clarke Ranch
Canyon Estates
City Limits
14 City Boundary
•City Corporate Limits
•Elected City Council
•Power to regulate land use
Sphere of Influence
15 • Outside or equal to City
Corporate Limits
•LAFCO Approved Boundary
•Area Outside City Limits is
acknowledged by LAFCO
that should be in City Limits
within 5 Years
• No power to regulate land
use
Sphere of Influence
Sphere of Influence
VS City Limits
16 •City has annexed most of
the Sphere of Influence
•Pending Application in
remaining SOI
Sphere of Influence
City Boundary
Urban Limit Line
17 •City/County Agreement
•Ratified by AC Voters
•Not a LAFCO Approved
Boundary
•Meaningful to LAFCO
•Annexation requires
LAFCO to amend the SOI
and Annexation
Urban Limit Line
Urban Limit Line VS
Sphere of Influence
18 Urban Limit Line
Sphere of Influence
•City has annexed most of
the Urban Limit Line
•Most remaining ULL is east
of Watson Ranch and
north of the High School
Urban Limit Line and Phase 1
• Pending ULL Initiative will have its own process – no specific action needed by City at this time
• Before 2030: Current boundary remains unless there is a new City/County Agreement and Citizens Initiative
• Amending the Agreement would take time to reach consensus on a new boundary and ratify by initiative.
• Due to time needed to consider ULL Amendments, ULL Post-2030 is earmarked for the Phase 2 General Plan Update.
19 Stay Involved
Website: amcan2040.org
20 Questions?
Contact: Brent Cooper, AICP, Community Development
[email protected]
(707) 647-4335
21