Barstow
General Plan Update
Planning Commission Briefing
February 12, 2024
Project Overview
2015
• City updated General Plan to guide growth and development through 2020
2020
• City initiated General Plan update on the topics of Housing, Safety, and Environmental Justice
2022
• City hired PlaceWorks to help conduct a comprehensive update of the entire General Plan
Project Overview
2023
• Community and stakeholder outreach
• Develop draft land use plan, goals, and policies
2024
• Additional outreach and environmental analysis
• Draft General Plan elements
2025
• Finalize Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
• Adopt General Plan and certify EIR
Current LU Plan
GROWTH AREAS
CURRENT GENERAL PLAN
2015 GP
2,000
homes
2,000 jobs
GROWTH AREAS
Development Interest
Devt Interest
4,000 homes
11,000 jobs
BNSF BIG
Casino
Logistics
Residential
Industrial
BIG Specific Plan
BIG Specific Plan
Rail Yard
• 1,125 employees
Transload Warehouse Center
• 9M square feet of warehousing
• 7,670 employees
Other Development Interest
Location Approximate Intensity
• East of I-15, north of Outlets 500 homes
• West of Barstow Community College 3,500 homes
• West of I-15 & Hwy 58 500 KSF warehousing
• South of I-15 & Old Hwy 58 700 KSF warehousing
• Casino south of Outlets 200 KSF gaming/hotel
Planning
Implications
• Built environment
• How to arrange existing and new land uses
• Improve and expand transportation, utility,
and other infrastructure systems
• Amount and type of new housing
• Natural environment
• Grow while preserving desert environment
• Energy, air, water, mineral resources
Planning
Implications
• Barstow community
• New jobs and training opportunities
• School, park, and recreation facilities
• Cultural and historic resources
• City of Barstow
• Prioritizing and budgeting improvements
• Providing community services / public safety
• Partnerships with public and private entities
Summary of Outreach
• Stakeholder interviews between
Aug 2022 and April 2023
• Town hall presentation April 26, 2023
• Public survey available from April to July 2023
• 221 participants
• Survey and GP Update advertised through
• Local radio (in English and Spanish),
• Chamber of Commerce
• Instagram, Facebook, and the City's website
Stakeholder Engagement
Organizations / Interest Groups
• Healthcare
• Education
• Students
• Youth Sports
• Seniors & Vets
• Homeless
• Ministerial
• Lenwood
• Silver Valley
• Small Business
• Real Estate
• MCLB
• Ft. Irwin
Top Priorities
• Encourage investment in community
• Create career opportunities
• Expand housing options
• Support local schools
• Improve public services & safety
• Increase recreation amenities
Survey Results – Top Priorities
Safe neighborhoods
More livable wage
jobs
More housing
opportunities
A vibrant downtown
Enhanced educational
resources
Current LU Plan
Draft LU Plan
Land Use Changes
Current Plan
• Patchwork of residential, commercial, mixed-use, and industrial designations
• No cohesive vision for future development
Draft Plan
• New Business Park designation encourages wide range of commercial/light industrial uses
• Create hub for local and regional businesses
Land Use Changes
Current Plan
• Planned industrial uses disconnected from I-15
• Intermingling of residential and industrial uses
Draft Plan
• Clustered industrial uses closer to I-15
• Leverage existing/planned infrastructure
• Truck-intensive uses away from core community
Land Use Changes
Current Plan
• Primarily vacant land planned for low-density residential with some clusters of diverse use
Draft Plan
• Increase residential capacity in an area with access to existing infrastructure and services
• Facilitates improvement of existing amenities
Land Use Changes
Current Plan
• Vacant land at Old Hwy 58 and I-15
• Limited development prospects under current Diverse Use designation
Draft Plan
• Property owner interest in logistics/warehousing
• Allows for expansion of commerce while minimizing impacts on core Barstow community
Draft LU Plan
Buildout
Households Residents Jobs
Existing (2023)
Growth (25 yrs)
Buildout (2048)
9K
7K
16K
25K
21K
14K
13K
46K 27K
Barstow has the potential
to roughly double in size
over the next 25 years
ROADWAY
CAPACITY
How does the anticipated growth
impact roadway function?
WATER / SEWER
SYSTEM
How does the anticipated growth
impact water and sewer service?
AIR QUALITY
How does the anticipated growth
impact air quality (vehicular
emissions)?
ENERGY How does the anticipated growth
impact energy demand?
CULTURAL, TRIBAL,
PALEONTOLOGICAL
How does the anticipated growth
impact cultural, tribal, and
paleontological resources?
Technical Analysis
Environmental Analysis under CEQA
CEQA is a process to inform decision makers and the public about the possible impacts of a decision on the environment CEQA is also a process to identify feasible ways to mitigate such impacts and evaluate alternatives
EIR evaluates the projected buildout of the land use plan compared to what is on the ground today
Topics ranging from air quality to hydrology to transportation Environmental Impact Report
• City is preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) • Comprehensive General Plan update
• Entire planning area (incorporated and sphere of influence) • BIG Specific Plan, including pre-zoning and annexation • GPU evaluated at a programmatic level (standard for planning documents) • BIG Specific Plan evaluated at a project level (clearance for entitlement and development) Project Timeline
Winter 2024 Spring 2024 Summer / Fall
2024
Winter / Spring
2025
Summer / Fall
2025 Winter2025
City Council
reviews
preferred land
use alternative
Public outreach
on land use
alternatives
Technical analyses
Update
General Plan
Elements
Public Review
Draft GP
Adoption
hearings
Public review
Draft EIR
Final
EIR
Note: estimated timeline subject to change
Next Steps
• Notice of Preparation (NOP) of the Draft EIR
• Released February 15, 2024
• 40-day public comment period through March 26, 2024
• City Council Briefing
• February 20, 2024
• Status update and Working Draft Land Use Plan
(same as tonight’s presentation)
• General Plan Open House & Scoping Meeting
• Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at 6:00 PM
Cora Harper Fitness Center