CITY OF FAIRFIELD PLANNING COM M ISSION
RESOLUTION NO. PC2025-09
RECOM M ENDING THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE GENERAL PLAN AM ENDM ENTS (GPA2025- 0003) FOR THE FOLLOW ING FIVE ASSESSOR PARCEL NUM BERS (APN):
(1) APN: 0027-370-280 AT W ESTAM ERICA DRIVE AND SUISUN VALLEY ROAD FROM HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO COM M UNITY COM M ERCIAL; (2) APN: 0027-370-300 AT MANGELS
BOULEVARD AND SUISUN VALLEY ROAD FROM HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO COM M UNITY COM M ERCIAL; (3) APN: 0038-221-010 AT EAST TABOR AVENUE AND RAILROAD AVENUE, FROM HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO VERY HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL; (4) APN: 0034-050- 320 AT HEATH DRIVE AND PEACH TREE DRIVE FROM HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO VERY HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL; (5) 1351 EAST TABOR AVENUE {APN: 0037-010-120) FROM HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO VERY HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL;
AND APPROVE A ZONE CHANGE (ZC2025-0006) REZONING THE FOLLOW ING SEVEN PARCELS:
(1) 3066 TRAVIS BOULEVARD (APN: 0152-280-140) FROM COM M UNITY COM M ERCIAL DISTRICT TO MIXED COM M ERCIAL DISTRICT; (2) APN: 0027-370-280 AT W ESTAM ERICA DRIVE
AND SUISUN VALLEY ROAD FROM OFFICE COM M ERCIAL DISTRICT TO MIXED COM M ERCIAL DISTRICT; (3) APN: 0027-370-300 AT MANGELS BOULEVARD AND SUISUN VALLEY ROAD, FROM OFFICE COM M ERCIAL DISTRICT TO M IXED COM M ERCIAL DISTRICT; (4) APN: 0027-360- 070 AT CAM PUS LANE AND SUISUN VALLEY ROAD FROM INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS PARK DISTRICT TO RESIDENTIAL VERY HIGH DENSITY DISTRICT; (5) APN: 0038-221-010 AT EAST
TABOR AVENUE AND RAILROAD AVENUE FROM RESIDENTIAL HIGH DENSITY DISTRICT TO RESIDENTIAL VERY HIGH DENSITY DISTRICT; (6) APN: 0034-050-320 AT HEATH DRIVE AND
PEACH TREE DRIVE, FROM RESIDENTIAL HIGH DENSITY DISTRICT TO RESIDENTIAL VERY HIGH DENSITY DISTRICT; (7) 1351 EAST TABOR AVENUE (APN: 0037-010-120) FROM RESIDENTIAL HIGH DENSITY DISTRICT TO RESIDENTIAL VERY HIGH DENSITY DISTRICT; AND AM ENDING VARIOUS SECTIONS OF CHAPTER 25, ARTICLE I, ALSO KNOWN AS THE ZONING ORDINANCE, TO IMPLEMENT THE 2023-2031 HOUSING ELEMENT THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF FAIRFIELD HEREBY RESOLVES:
Section 1. On February 7, 2023, the 2023-2031 General Plan Housing Element was adopted by the City Council.
Section 2. On April 10, 2023, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) sent the City a letter indicating that the 2023-2031 Housing Element was in substantial compliance and met statutory state requirements.
Section 3. The implementation of the 2023-2031 Housing Element requires amendments to the Fairfield Municipal Code (FMC), Zoning Map, and General Plan Land Use Designation Map.
Section 4. The candidate sites identified to be rezoned to accommodate shortfall housing need will meet the requirements of Government Code §65583.2, including but not limited to a
RES. NO. PC2025-09
minimum density of 20 units per acre and zoned to allow ownership and rental housing by right in which at least 20 percent of the units are affordable to lower income households.
Section 5. Housing Element Action Plan actions 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 7.2, 7.6, and 8.2 commit the City to review and amend the City's Zoning Code to add incentives and streamlined review for infill and affordable housing, reduce development barriers to certain kinds of housing, establish by-right approval for qualifying projects, and incorporate standards for efficiency, special-needs, and farmworker housing to ensure state law compliance and support a wider range of housing options.
Section 6. The City initiated the proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendments, Map Changes, and General Plan Amendments pursuant to FMC Section 25.47.
Section 7. The proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendments, Map Changes, and General Plan Amendments are consistent with the City General Plan, as they are implementation measures of the 2023-2031 Housing Element and are therefore directly consistent with the General Plan.
Section 8. On October 22, 2025, notices were sent to property owners within a 500-foot radius from the subject sites, and the notice was published in the Daily Republic, specifying the date, time, and location of the public hearing for Zoning Ordinance Amendments and Map Changes (ZC2025-0006) and General Plan Amendment (GPA2025-0003).
Section 9. On November 12, 2025, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing.
City staff presented substantial factual information regarding the proposal in staff reports and through oral presentations before the commission, and the commission considered all public testimony and information presented during the public hearing regarding the proposed General Plan and Zoning Ordinance Amendments. To provide more time for analysis and discussion, the commission moved to continue the item to a date certain, December 10, 2025.
Section 10. On December 10, 2025, the Planning Commission resumed the public hearing. City staff presented substantial factual information regarding the proposal in staff reports and through oral presentations before the commission, and the commission considered all public testimony and information presented during the public hearing regarding the proposed General Plan and Zoning Ordinance Amendments.
Section 11. Pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of the Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq., (herein referenced to as "CEQA")), the State of California Guidelines for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act (14. Cal Code of Regs. Section 15000, et seq., (herein referred to as the "CEQA Guidelines"), the City is the "lead agency" for the preparation and consideration of environmental documents for "projects", as the term is defined in Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines.
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Section 12. The cornrnrssron reviewed environmental impacts and determined the following findings exist to support the adoption of the Zoning Ordinance Amendments and Map Changes and General Plan Amendments.
(a) Pursuant to Assembly Bill 131 (Government Code section § 65583(c), the Zoning Ordinance Amendments and Map Changes intended to implement the rezoning actions identified in the 2023-2031 Housing Element are statutorily exempt from CEQA. (b) Other proposed related amendments to the Zoning Ordinance to implement other Housing Action Plan programs (actions 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 6.3, 7.2, 7.6 and 8.2) are also exempt from CEQA because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the adoption of these provisions would have a significant adverse effect on the environment (CEQA Guidelines, 14 Cal. Code of Regs. Section 15061(b)(3)). These zoning amendments primarily modify organizational or administrative activities that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes to the environment (Public Resources Code section 21065; CEQA Guidelines, 14 Cal. Code of Regs. Section 15378).
(c) An Initial Study/Addendum to the Final Environmental Impact Report (ER2025-0026) for the project has been prepared pursuant to the CEQA, which found that potential impacts from implementation of the General Plan Amendment were previously analyzed and mitigated by the City of Fairfield General Plan Environmental Impact Report (SCH No. 2021080289). No subsequent environmental review is required in accordance with Public Resources Code Section 21166 and State CEQA Guidelines Section 15162.
Section 13. The commission adopts the following findings in support of the Zoning Ordinance Amendments and Zone Change:
(a) The proposed amendment is consistent with the goals, policies, and actions of the General Plan. These Zoning Ordinance Text Amendments are direct implementation actions associated with the 2023-2031 Housing Element and are therefore directly consistent. The Zone Change creates consistency between the adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element and the Land Use Element, in conjunction with the proposed General Plan Amendment, by allowing housing on sites identified in the Housing Element, and in compliance with requirements for sites rezoned to accommodate lower income units RHNA identified in Government Code § 65583.2{h).
(b) The proposed amendment would not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or welfare of the City. The proposed Zone Change and Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment would not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or welfare of the City. The amendments are required by State Housing Law
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to implement the Housing Element rezoning program for the 2023-2031 planning period and are intended to ensure the City provides adequate housing sites and supports the development of affordable housing. No specific development projects are proposed at this time, and any future residential proposals on these sites will be subject to separate City review and must comply with all applicable Zoning Ordinance standards, including those designed to minimize potential impacts on adjacent properties. The Zone Change and Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment promote public health, safety, and general welfare by providing housing opportunities for households at all income levels- very low, low, moderate, and above moderate- and by affirmatively furthering fair housing. These actions implement the Housing Element's goals and policies to accommodate the City's share of regional housing needs and facilitate redevelopment of sites identified as suitable for housing in the Housing Element.
(c) The site is physically suitable (including, but not limited to access, provision of utilities, compatibility with adjoining land uses, and absence of physical constraints) for the requested zoning designations and anticipated land uses/developments. The proposed amendment includes sites that are physically suitable for the requested zoning designations and anticipated residential uses. Pursuant to Government Code Sections 65583{a)(3} and 65583.2{a)- (g), the City's 2023-2031 Housing Element evaluated each site to ensure it is adequate in size, shape, topography, zoning, access, and availability of utilities, and is compatible with surrounding land uses. The sites proposed for rezoning meet these state-mandated criteria and are appropriate for the requested zoning designations and anticipated residential uses.
(d) The proposed amendment is in compliance with the provisions of CEQA. Pursuant to Assembly Bill 131 (Government Code Section 65583{c}), the Zoning Ordinance Amendments and Map Changes intended to implement the rezoning actions identified in the 2023-2031 Housing Element are statutorily exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Other related amendments to the Zoning Ordinance implementing Housing Action Plan Programs 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 6.3, 7.2, 7.6, and 8.2 are also exempt from CEQA under Section 15061{b){3} of the CEQA Guidelines, as it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility these actions would have a significant adverse eff ect on the environment. These amendments are primarily organizational or administrative in nature and will not result in direct or indirect physical changes to the environment, consistent with Public Resources Code Section 21065 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15378. As such, no additional environmental review is required.
Section 14. The commission adopts the following findings in support of the General Plan Amendment:
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(a) The proposed amendment is consistent with the goals, policies, and actions of the General Plan. The General Plan Amendment establishes consistency between the adopted 2023- 2031 Housing Element and the Land Use Element by applying Community Commercial and Residential Very High land use designations to sites identified in the Housing Element to facilitate residential development. The Housing Element requires rezoning of specific sites to allow for additional residential development, and the proposed Zone Change, together with the General Plan Amendment, ensures consistency among the 2023- 2031 Housing Element, the General Plan Land Use Element, and the Zoning Ordinance.
(b) The proposed amendment would not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or welfare of the City. The proposed amendment is mandated by State Housing Law, as the City is required to implement the Housing Element rezoning efforts for the 2023-2031 planning period. The General Plan Amendment implements Housing Element policy, providing housing opportunities for diverse households and facilitating the development of housing for all income levels, including very low-, low-, moderate-, and above moderate-income levels, on sites identified as viable for redevelopment. The proposed amendment will not be detrimental to surrounding properties because it will only consist of amendments to the General Plan Land Use Map. No developments are proposed as part of the Housing Element rezoning efforts. Furthermore, each future proposal on any of these sites will require a separate City review process. Any future proposed residential developments would be required to comply with applicable development regulations of the Zoning Ordinance, including those addressing minimizing potential effects on existing adjacent properties.
(c) The site is physically suitable (including, but not limited to access, provision of utilities, compatibility with adjoining land uses, and absence of physical constraints) for the requested zoning designations and anticipated land uses/developments. The proposed General Plan amendments apply land use designations consistent with the zoning changes required as part of the 2023-2031 Housing Element. As such, the sites have been evaluated and deemed suitable for residential development as part of the Housing Element development process.
(d) The proposed amendment is in compliance with the provisions of the CEQA. An Initial Study/ Addendum to the Final Environmental Impact Report (ER2025-0026} for the project has been prepared pursuant to the CEQA, which found that potential impacts from implementation of the General Plan Amendment were previously analyzed and mitigated by the City of Fairfield General Plan Environmental Impact Report (SCH No. 2021080289}.
No new significant impacts have been identified; therefore, now further environmental review is required.
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Section 15. Based upon the above findings, the Planning Commission hereby recommends that the City Council approval of:
(a) Proposed General Plan Amendment (GPA2025-0003) and Zone Change (ZC2025-0006) as contained in Exhibit "A."
(b) Proposed Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment (ZC2025-0006) as contained in Exhibit "B." (c) Proposed General Plan EIR Addendum and Statutory Exemption (ER2025-0027, ER2025- 0026) as contained in Exhibit "C."
Section 16. This Resolution takes effect on the date of its adoption and shall be transmitted by Planning Commission staff to the City Clerk for placement on the City Council meeting agenda for consideration by the City Council.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 10th day of December 2025, by the following vote:
AYES: COMMISSIONERS: KENNEDY /ALI-SULLIVAN/GREVE/~ -EW'S/PAUL/REESE/SI NGH NOES: COMMISSIONERS: -- ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS:
ABSTAIN: COMMISSIONERS:
GEORGE KENNEDY, CHAIR