CALL OF SPECIAL MEETING
Special Joint Meeting of the Antioch
City Council and Planning Commission
Pursuant to Government Code section 54956, I hereby call a Special Joint Meeting of the Antioch City Council and Planning Commission. Said meeting shall be held on the following date, time and place:
DATE: Tuesday, October 21, 2025
TIME: 6:00 P.M. Special Joint Meeting
PLACE: Antioch Community Center
4703 Lone Tree Way
Antioch, CA 94531
The only items of business to be considered at such Special Joint Meeting shall be set forth on the Special Joint Meeting Agenda.
Dated: October 14, 2025
___________________________________
RON BERNAL, Mayor
City of Antioch
AGENDA
SPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF THE ANTIOCH
CITY COUNCIL
AND
PLANNING COMMISSION
Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Time: 6:00 P.M. – Special Joint Meeting
Place: Antioch Community Center
4703 Lone Tree Way
Antioch, CA 94531
PLEASE TURN OFF CELL PHONES BEFORE ENTERING THE MEETING.
Ron Bernal, Mayor Michael J. Mandy, City Clerk
Louie Rocha, Mayor Pro Tem (District 2) Jorge R. Rojas, City Treasurer Tamisha Torres-Walker, Council Member District 1
Donald P. Freitas, Council Member District 3 Bessie Marie Scott, City Manager Monica E. Wilson, Council Member District 4 Derek Cole, Interim City Attorney Planning Commission
Seth Webber, Chair Ramesh Suman, Commissioner
Courtney L. Jones, Vice-Chair Robert Martin, Commissioner Jennifer Perez, Commissioner William Spijker, Commissioner Kevin Riley, Commissioner
ANTIOCH CITY COUNCIL and
PLANNING COMMISSION -1- OCTOBER 21, 2025
ACCESSIBILITY: In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and California law, it is the policy of the City of Antioch to offer its public programs, services and meetings in a manner that is readily accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. If you are a person with a disability and require information or materials in an appropriate alternative format; or if you require any other accommodation, please contact the ADA Coordinator at the number or address below at least 72 hours prior to the meeting or when you desire to receive services. Advance notification within this guideline will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility. The City’s ADA Coordinator can be reached @ Phone: (925) 779-6950, and e-mail: [email protected].
Not
ice of Opportunity to Address Council and Commission
The City Council and Planning Commission can only take action on items that are listed on this agenda.
The public has the opportunity to address the Council and Commission on each agenda item. To address the Council and Commission, fill out a Speaker Request form and place in the Speaker Card Tray near the City Clerk before the meeting begins. Please identify the specific agenda item number you would like to speak on. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to speak. When you are called to speak, please limit your comments to the time allotted (up to 3 minutes, at the discretion of the Mayor).
The Speaker Request forms are located at the entrance. No one may speak more than once on an agenda item.
6:00 P.M. ROLL CALL – SPECIAL JOINT MEETING/STUDY SESSION – for Council Members and Pl
anning Commissioners
PL
EDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
STU
DY SESSION
1. GEN
ERAL PLAN DISCUSSION
Rec
ommended Action: It is recommended that the City Council and Planning Commission hear the presentation from De Novo Planning Group regarding the General Plan Update process and Provide staff and the consultant with input regarding priorities for the General Plan Update.
MOTION TO ADJOURN – The Mayor will make a motion to adjourn the Special Joint Meeting.
A second motion is required, and then a majority vote is required to adjourn the Special Joint Meeting.
1 Agenda Item #
ST
AFF REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION
DATE
: Special Meeting of October 21, 2025
TO: H
onorable Mayor and Members of the City Council and
the Planning Commission
SUBM
ITTED BY: Beth Thompson, De Novo Planning Group
Kevin Scudero, Principal Planner
APPR
OVED BY: Zach Seal, Community and Economic Development Director SUBJ
ECT: General Plan Update
RECO
MMENDED ACTION
It is recommended that the City Council and Planning Commission hear the presentation from De Novo Planning Group regarding the General Plan Update process and provide staff and the consultant with input regarding priorities for the General Plan Update.
FI
SCAL IMPACT
There is no direct fiscal impact.
DIS
CUSSION
Every city and county in California is required by state law to prepare and maintain a planning document called a G eneral Plan. A General Plan is designed to serve as the jurisdiction’s “constitution” or “blueprint” for future decisions concerning land use, social issues, circulation, recreation, infrastructure, public services, environment, and resource conservation. This General Plan Update will ensure Antioch addresses recent changes in state law, proactively plans for future challenges and opportunities, prioritizes economic growth and vitality, and builds upon the City’s unique heritage and community -focused atmosphere. The update, through each element, will provide a basis for local decision- making and involves the community in the process of identifying goals and policies to define how the City should respond to needs for physical development over time.
On A
ugust 26, 2025, the City selected the De Novo Planning Group team to prepare its General Plan Update. The team’s subconsultants will provide technical expertise: W-trans (traffic and circulation), EPS (economic development and fiscal sustainability), Kearns & West (community outreach), and Cogstone Resource Management (cultural and historical resources).
Com
munity Outreach and Participation
The cornerstone of this General Plan Update is a robust and inclusive community
Antioch City Council Report
October 21, 2025 Agenda Item # 1 2
outreach program. We believe that early and frequent public participation is critical to success. Our approach is designed to be creative and impactful, layering traditional outreach with modern digital tools to connect with all segments of the Antioch community.
We will work to proactively address concerns about growth and development by translating community feedback directly into policies for land use, economic development, circulation, and community health.
The consultant’s multi-pronged engagement strategy will be guided by a formal Community Outreach Program, developed in coordination with City staff. This outreach program will establish clear goals for participation and outline specific tools to meaningfully engage underrepresented and non-English speaking community members.
Key opportunities for public and stakeholder involvement throughout the update will include:
• Dedicated Project Website: A central online hub at
https://antioch.generalplan.org will provide regular project updates, serve as a library of all General Plan Update documents, provide information regarding meetings and workshop, and include polls and surveys to gather input.
• Joint Council & Planning Commission Meetings: The process will begin with a joint "General Plan 101" kickoff meeting and include at least three additional status updates to provide direction on key issues throughout the project.
• Visioning Workshops (2): Held at the beginning of the process, these workshops will invite the community to help identify a shared vision, core values, and key priorities that will guide the entire General Plan Update.
• Pop-up Events (6-8): We will develop materials and guides to support City staff in hosting popup events to increase General Plan Update awareness and provide informal opportunities for community participation and input. These events will be focused on the Visioning and Land Use Alternative phases of the project.
• Stakeholder Interviews: We will conduct targeted interviews and consultations with local and regional agencies, community leaders, business groups, and other key stakeholders to gather specialized input.
• Community Workshops & Open House (2): Later in the process, interactive workshops will focus on specific topics like proposed changes to the land use map.
A community-wide open house will be held to present the complete Draft General Plan for public review and comment.
• Public Hearings: Formal public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council will be held to consider and adopt the final General Plan and its accompanying environmental review.
Antioch City Council Report
October 21, 2025 Agenda Item # 1 3
General Plan Update Process
The General Plan update process includes three primary phases, which are described below.
Phase 1: Establish Baseline Conditions and Community Priorities Phase 2: Land Use Alternatives, Policy Options, General Plan Update Phase 3: Environmental Review and Final General Plan
Phase 1: Establish Baseline Conditions and Community Priorities This phase includes public engagement, including visioning workshops and a community survey; identifying the key opportunities and challenges heard through the public engagement process; and the completion of the Existing Conditions Report.
The Existing Conditions Report will serve as a comprehensive, policy-neutral "snapshot" of Antioch today. Using maps, graphics, and accessible language, it will document existing conditions and trends across a wide range of topics, providing the factual basis for the General Plan’s policies and the environmental analysis. The report will cover:
• Land Use: Identify land use patterns, community character, and demographics.
This section will provide historical context and a baseline of existing land use conditions to be considered in relation to potential changes to the City’s current land use pattern.
• Socioeconomic Trends: Analyze local socioeconomic characteristics, trends, fiscal factors, and growth projections. The analysis will consider demographic and economic data that inform land use opportunities and constraints in Antioch.
• Real Estate Market Assessment: Assess opportunities and constraints for residential, commercial, and industrial development.
• Circulation: Document the city's transportation network, including roads, rail facilities, transit, and bicycle/pedestrian facilities, and an analysis of Vehicle Miles Traveled.
• Community Services and Facilities: Document public services and utilities, including water, wastewater, education, public safety, parks, and schools.
• Hazards, Safety, and Noise: An assessment of risks from fire, flooding, climate change and resiliency, soils/geology, hazardous materials, and other hazards.
• Conservation: An assessment of conditions related to cultural and historic preservation, air quality, GHG emissions, biological resources, geologic resources, and hydrology/water quality.
• Environmental Justice: An evaluation of conditions in disadvantaged communities, building upon the City's recently prepared element.
Antioch City Council Report
October 21, 2025 Agenda Item # 1 4
Phase 2: Land Use Alternatives, Policy Options, General Plan Update This phase includes preparation and evaluation of land use alternatives , meetings with the City Council and Planning Commission to discuss key policy issues, update of General Plan Element goals and policies, and public input on the Draft General Plan.
Issues and Opportunities
A series of key issues and opportunities memos and/or white papers will be prepared, as a means of focusing the community’s attention on key issues and opportunities that have major policy implications as Antioch considers how it wants to grow in the next 20 years, while balancing the City’s economic development, housing, and natural resource needs.
Environmental and other constraints to be considered in the General Plan Update process will be identified and depicted on maps and figures. The issues and opportunities memos will summarize and proactively utilize information derived from the community visioning workshops, stakeholder interviews, Existing Conditions Report, City staff observations, and input provided by the Planning Commission, and City Council.
Land Use Alternatives Report
The De Novo team will work closely with City staff to identify targeted updates to the Land Use Map. This may include identification of strategic growth areas, areas suitable for increased density or mixed uses, areas for commercial growth and development, areas in need of conservation and preservation, and areas within the urban/wildland interface.
We anticipate conducting one or more study sessions with the City Council to review and discuss potential land use map and/or density changes within the City. We will also address any relevant land use changes that result from the City’s recent efforts to prepare the 6th Cycle Housing Element.
Draft General Plan
This phase is the heart of the project, where the community’s vision and the technical analysis are synthesized into the General Plan—the primary policy document that will guide Antioch for decades. Our commitment is to deliver a plan that is not only legally sound but also concise, user-friendly, and actionable.
The drafting process begins with a thorough review of the City’s existing General Plan to identify policies that remain relevant and effective, alongside areas that require updates to reflect new state laws and community priorities.
The General Plan will be organized into a series of distinct chapters, or “elements.” The proposed structure includes the following elements:
• Land Use
• Community Image and Design
• Economic Development
Antioch City Council Report
October 21, 2025 Agenda Item # 1 5
• Conservation and Open Space
• Circulation
• Public Services and Facilities
• Environmental Hazards (Safety)
• Environmental Justice
• Noise
• Administration and Implementation
This effort will also review and fully integrate the City’s recently adopted Environmental Hazards (Safety) , Environmental Justice, and Housing Elements to ensure internal consistency across the entire plan.
The Economic Development Element will establish a long-range strategy to attract, retain, and expand local businesses that contribute to the local economy and provide community benefits. The Economic Development Element would encapsulate the City’s long- range strategy for economic growth, including goals and policies that address a range of economic topics, such as job gr owth, economic diversity, real estate investment and development, fiscal sustainability, and community amenities. The element will complement the “Reinvest Antioch” Economic Development Strategic Plan that was adopted in 2022.
The development of the plan is an iterative process involving several stages of review , including check -ins at key points in the process with the City Council / Planning Commission for input on issues and a Draft General Plan that will be issued for public review and comment concurrently with the Environmental Impact Report.
Phase 3: Environmental Review and Final General Plan
The last phase includes the development of the E nvironmental Impact Report; public engagement; and a series of City Council and Planning Commission meetings for the adoption of the General Plan and implementation plan.
An Environmental Impact Report that meets the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) will be prepared for the General Plan. The Environmental Impact Report will identify direct and indirect adverse environmental effects that may occur with adoption of the General Plan and will recommend methods of mitigating significant impacts. Alternatives, including land use modifications as well as alternative policies and action items that reduce or avoid significant environmental effects of the project will be analyzed.
The Planning Commission and City Council will use the EIR during their consideration of
Antioch City Council Report
October 21, 2025 Agenda Item # 1 6
the Draft General Plan to understand the potential environmental implications associated with the General Plan.
This phase will conclude with a series of City Council and Planning Commission public hearings to consider the Environmental Impact Report and General Plan adoption.
City Council and Planning Commission Input
To help guide the initial phases of the General Plan Update, the project team respectfully requests your input on the following key questions. Your concise feedback will be invaluable in focusing our efforts on the topics of greatest importance to the City 's leadership and the community.
Opportunities, Issues, and Priorities
1. What are the top three most critical issues or opportunities you believe this General Plan Update must address to best serve Antioch's future?
2. Are there any specific geographic areas or corridors within Antioch (e.g., the waterfront, specific commercial districts, a neighborhood) that you feel require special attention or a focused vision during this process?
3. Beyond fulfilling state requirements, what key achievement or outcome will define this General Plan Update as a success for the City of Antioch?
General Plan Advisory Committee
To ensure the General Plan Update receives consistent and focused feedback, an advisory committee is often established. The structure of this committee is a key decision that shapes how community and technical input is integrated into the process. We seek direction on whether one should be established, and, if so, the preferred model for Antioch. Common options include:
• Option A: Community -Based Advisory: This is a committee appointed by the City Council, typically composed of 9 to 15 residents, business owners, and community stakeholders who represent a diversity of geographic areas, interests, and demographic backgrounds. With this approach, the GPAC would hold a series of public meetings to discuss General Plan topics and provide an opportunity for public comment. Locally, the City of Brentwood and Contra Costa County have used this approach for their General Plan Updates.
• Option B: Technical Advisory Committee: This approach relies on a committee of technical experts from City departments (e.g., Planning, Public Works, Economic Development) and key partner agencies (e.g., school districts, regional transit, utility providers). The TAC ensures the plan is technically feasible and coordinated. In this model, broader public input is gathered primarily through the visioning workshops, open houses, and focused community meetings rather than a standing citizen committee. The City of Pittsburg employed this approach for its recent General Plan Update.
Antioch City Council Report
October 21, 2025 Agenda Item # 1 7
• Option C: Hybrid Model with the Planning Commission: In this streamlined model, the Planning Commission serves as the primary advisory body, holding dedicated study sessions throughout the process to provide policy guidance. This approach prioritizes efficiency, leveraging the Commission's existing knowledge of land use issues and is often supplemented by a staff -level TAC for technical review.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
Antioch General Plan Update
Kick-Off
Joint City Council-Planning
Commission Meeting October 21, 2025
Kick-Off Overview
• Staff Presentation
• General Plan Team
• Purpose of the Update
• Summary of the Process
• Why is the Update Important?
• Community Engagement Plan
• Update Schedule
General Plan Team
CITY OF ANTIOCH
Community and Economic Development Department
DE NOVO PLANNING GROUP
Lead Consultant
Beth Thompson
Project Manager | Principal
Ben Ritchie
Co-Project Manager | Principal
Subconsultants
EPS
Economic Development and Fiscal
Sustainability
W-Trans
Traffic and Circulation
Cogstone Resource Management
Cultural and Historical Resources
Kearns & West
Community Outreach
Purpose of the Update
• Define a long-term vision for growth and resource
management
• Reflect community goals and values
• Prioritize economic vitality and fiscal sustainability • Balance growth, conservation, and quality of life
• Address State law, including mobility, climate
change, and economic justice requirements
Phase 1: Baseline
Conditions and
Community
Priorities
Phase 2: Land
Use Alts, Policy
Options, GP
Update
Phase 3: CEQA
and Final General
Plan
• Robust public engagement
and visioning program
• Visioning Workshops
• Community Survey
• Existing Conditions Report
• Real Estate Market
Assessment
• Community Vision
Summary
• Issues and Opportunities
Memos
• Land Use Alternatives
Report
• Draft General Plan Policy
Sets
• Draft General Plan
• Open House
• City Council / Planning
Commission Study
Sessions
• Notice of Preparation and
Scoping Meeting
• Draft Environmental
Impact Report
• Final Environmental
Impact Report
• Adoption Draft General
Plan
• Final General Plan
Summary of the Process
What is in a General Plan?
Required Topics
• Land Use
• Transportation
• Open Space
• Conservation
• Safety
• Noise
• Environmental
Justice
• Housing
Optional Topics
• Community Image &
Design
• Economic
Development
• Public Services &
Facilities
• Implementation
Why is a General Plan Important?
Community Vision
The General Plan serves as the City’s ‘playbook’ for
land use and planning decisions relative to:
• Land Uses (residential, commercial, industrial,
business parks, open space, etc.)
• Infrastructure Planning (roads, water, sewer, etc.)
• Public Services (police, fire, parks, libraries,
cultural activities, etc.)
• Resource Conservation (clean air, sensitive
habitat, waterways, groundwater, etc.)
Why is the General Plan Important?
• Establishes growth plans
• Provides strategies for economic growth
and fiscal sustainability
• Strategically identifies budget and capital
investment priorities based on realizing the
General Plan’s vision
• Serves as a management tool used by staff
and decision-makers
Growth, Budget, and Capital Investment
Coordination
Addressing Big Picture Questions
• Sustainable Growth
• Economic Vitality
• Infrastructure
• Education
• Jobs-Housing Balance
• Complete Neighborhoods
• Affordable Housing
• Traffic Reduction
• Walking and Biking
• Community Health
• Open Space Conservation
• Climate Adaptation
• Others?
Community Engagement
Community Engagement
Outreach Events: Quantity:
• Kick-off with City Council 1
• Visioning Workshops 2
• Pop-up Events 6-8
• City Council / Planning Commission Briefings 4
• Community Workshops / Open Houses 2
• Stakeholder Interviews 10
• Online Presence - website, online surveys/polls, newsletters, social media, etc. Ongoing
• EIR Scoping Meeting 1
• Planning Commission Hearings 2
• City Council Hearings 2
Current Work Status
Staff Kick-Off – Complete
Underway
• Launch of Project Website (Antioch.GeneralPlan.org)
• Parcel-level GIS Base Map
• Collection and review of relevant documents, programs, and policies related to all topics in the General Plan as required to prepare the Existing Conditions Report
• Detailed General Plan Update Schedule
General Plan Update Schedule
City Council Kick-off/Visioning Workshops October 2025 – March 2026
Existing Conditions Report & Real Estate Analysis May/June 2026 Issues and Opportunities White Papers As Needed
Land Use Alternatives & Capacity Report October 2026
Draft General Plan January 2027
Draft Environmental Impact Report January 2027
Adoption Hearings July/August 2027
City Council and Planning
Commission Input
1. What are the top three most critical issues or
opportunities you believe this General Plan Update
must address to best serve Antioch's future?
City Council and Planning
Commission Input
2. Are there any specific geographic areas or
corridors within Antioch (e.g., the waterfront,
specific commercial districts, a neighborhood) that
you feel require special attention or a focused
vision during this process?
City Council and Planning
Commission Input
3. Beyond fulfilling state requirements, what key
achievement or outcome will define this General
Plan Update as a success for the City of Antioch?
General Plan Advisory Committee Approach
• Option A: Community-Based Advisory Committee
• Option B: Technical Advisory Committee
• Option C: Hybrid Model with the Planning Commission
City Council and Planning
Commission Input