1 City of Fontana
General Plan Annual Progress Report
January 2023—December 2023
ATTACHMENT NO. 1
2 CITY OF FONTANA
2023 GENERAL PLAN ANNUAL
PROGRESS REPORT
Prepared by the
Planning Department
Vision Statement
Fontana is a dynamic, thriving community that supports education, growth, safety and a positive community fabric.
Our community is creating the opportunities that courage social and economic investment.
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3 PAGE
Table of Contents - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 Introduction - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 Background - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -5
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ORGANIZATION/PLANNING ACTIVITIES
General Plan Background- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 Planning Department - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7-8 Building and Safety Department - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9-10 Housing Element Reporting Requirements - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 11-12 Capital Improvement Project (CIP) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -13-14
General Plan Implementation Status- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -- - -- - -15 Chapter No. 5 – Housing Element - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -- - -- - -- 16 Chapter No. 7 – Conservation, Open Space and Trails - - - - - - - - - - - - - 17 Chapter No. 8 – Community Mobility and Circulation - - - - - - - - - - - - - 18 Chapter No. 15 – Land Use Zoning and Urban Design - - - - -- - -- - -- - -- 19
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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4 INTRODUCTION
Purpose of this Document
Section 65400 (b) of the State of California government Code requires planning agencies provide an annual report to their leg islative body, the Governor ’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR), and the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) of the status of the General Plan and progress in its implementation. The four basic purposes of the annual report are as follows:
• To provide information to assess progress on implementation of the General Plan in accordance with the stated goals, polices and implementation measures.
• Provide information to identify necessary course adjustments or modifications to the General Plan as a means to improve implementation.
• To provide a clear correlation between land use decisions made during the reporting period, and the goals, policies and implementation measures in the General Plan.
• To provide information regarding local agency progress in meeting its share of regional housing needs and local efforts to remove governmental constraints to the development of housing.
The General Plan Annual Progress Report summarizes the City of Fontana ’s progress towards implementing the goals, policies and programs of the 2015 -2035 City’s General Plan. It covers the period of January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023. The report provides for the annual review of the General plan to assess the level of implementation and effectiveness of the General Pla n as a guide for orderly growth and development. The General Plan Progress Report also provides information regarding the City ’s progress in meeting its share of regional housing needs.
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5 BACKGROUND
The City of Fontana was incorporated on June 25, 1952. Fontana is a general -law city governed by codes adopted by the legislators of the State of California. The City of Fontana is governed by an elected Mayor and four District Council Member s.
Located in the Inland Empire, Fontana is situated 110 miles north of San Diego, 50 miles east of Los Angeles, 50 miles northe ast of the heart of Orange County and 15 miles west of the City of San Bernardino.
The Fontana planning area encompasses approximately 52.4 square miles (43.1 square miles -city limits/9.3 square miles-sphere of influence area). Since the last comprehensive update to the General Plan in 2018, the population of the City has increase d from 209,895 (source: General Plan Chapter 2 and 2020 US Census —Quick facts) to 210,761.
The City of Fontana has extensively used the specific plan process for much of the undeveloped land in its planning area.
Currently, the City of Fontana has adopted twenty -seven (27) specific plans and community plans. The specific plans and community plans within the city limits encompass almost 12,000 acres, representing over 26,000 dwelling units, 700 acres of commercial development, and 2,700 acres of industrial property.
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6 GENERAL PLAN BACKGROUND
The General Plan is mandated by California Government
Code Section 65300, which requires each city and county to adopt a comprehensive plan for the physical
development of the jurisdiction. It addresses land use, transportation routes, population growth, open space,
air and water quality, noise, safety issues and other
related physical, social and economic development
factors. Through the identification of goals, objectives, and policies, a General Plan creates a strategy
framework for implementation. In addition to serving as a basis for local decision making, the General Plan
establishes a clear set of development rules for citizens, developers, decision -makers, neighboring cities and
counties, and provides the community with an
opportunity to participate in the planning and decision - making process.
In November of 2018, the City adopted a comprehensive
update to the General Plan that contains a shared vision for the future community of Fontana, a plan outlining
strategies on how to pursue and achieve that vision, and an action plan that assists in advancing the goals,
policies, and implementation measures outlined in the
general plan.
AMENDMENTS TO THE GENERAL PLAN
State law allows the city to amend its General Plan no
more than four times per year. Amendments may be
proposed and acted upon at any time during the year
and one action may include multiple amendments. Any
changes to the General Plan require a public hearing by the City Council and evaluation of the environmental
impacts as required by the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA).
In 2023, the City amended the General Plan four times,
to facilitate ten development entitlement applications.
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7 PLANNING DEPARTMENT
The Planning Department of the Development Services Organization is the initial contact for development through the land entitlement process. From inception to completion, Planning works to ensure the highest standards for the use and design of any project submitted, while meeting the applicant ’s needs as well. This section outlines the activities of the Planning Department from January 2023 through December 2023.
The day-to-day planning activities include:
Administering the City’s Zoning Ordinance (Development Code) Answering public inquiries
Processing planning applications for the Planning Commission and City Council Reviewing and approving business license applications for zoning compliance Preparing reports for the Planning Commission and City Council Reviewing development plans for compliance with City standards (Plan Checks) Review landscaping plan checks
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8 Telephone/Entitlement Activity
Telephone activity represents the number of people
calling for assistance to the Planning Department. Phone calls are kept and tracked on a monthly basis. In 2023, the total number of calls received were 4,694.
The Planning Department now offers government services
through an online permitting resource known as the Build Fontana Portal. Build Fontana is utilized to streamline the entitlement process for the applicant.
Planning Applications
The City of Fontana utilizes a Master Case Number (MCN) tracking system which is assigned to every unique formal entitlement request. The Master Case Number serves as a tracking mechanism for the number of projects that have been taken in the city. For example, a proposal for a new shopping development will be assigned an MCN.
Underneath the number there will be all required
entitlement applications for the project such as
Conditional Use Permit requests, Variances, and Zone
Changes. This number does not include amendments to
previous entitlements such as Conditional Use Permits
and Design Review Permits. Based on the Master Case
Number (MCN) tracking system, a total of 124 planning
entitlement applications were received during this review period. Also, during this review period a total of 71
planning entitlement were approved.
In addition to the applications, planning staff reviewed business licenses and conducted plan check review to
ensure the proposed business, improvement and new
construction are in compliance with the zoning code.
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9 BUILDING & SAFETY DEPARTMENT
The Building and Safety Department is responsible for a variety of tasks that include issuing permits, pro- cessing plan check submittals, and inspections. The Building and Safety Department provides professional plan checking, permitting, and inspections that assure adherence and compliance with the 2022 California Building Code. New building construction and tenant improvements require plan check review for zoning and Building Code compliance.
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10 Building and Safety
SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES
The City issued 469 permits for new single -family homes within calendar year 2023 and 139 for Accessory
Dwelling Units (ADU’s).
MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENCES
The City issued permits for 185 multi -family units within calendar year 2023.
COMMERCIAL
Commercial development for calendar year 2023
resulted in 13 new building permits issued for 45,703 SF square feet of new commercial area with an approximate
valuation of $12,722,456.98.
INDUSTRIAL
Industrial development during calendar year 2023
resulted in 11 new building permits that were issued for 2,542,493 square feet of new industrial area with an
approximate valuation of $204,733,172.11.
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11 HOUSING ELEMENT
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12 Housing Element Reporting Requirements
Housing Element law requires quantification of each jurisdiction ’s existing and projected housing needs for all income levels. The City’s Department of Housing and Business Development continues to administer the Community Development Block Grant Funds in accordance with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requirements. In addition, existing programs in the Zoning and Development Code (i.e.
Accessory Dwelling Units) provides the City with the flexibility and standards to encourage future development of low income housing.
The Housing Element is one of the seven State mandated elements included in the City of Fontana ’s General Plan. The purpose of the Housing Element is to identify and plan for the City ’s existing and projected housing needs; it contains a detailed outline and work program of the City ’s goals, policies, quantified objectives, and programs for the preservation, improvement, and development of housing for a sustainable future. On February 8, 2022 the City Council approved Resolution No. 2022 -011 for the adoption of a comprehensive update to the Housing Element (6th Cycle Housing Element Update) that will plan for the 2021-2029 planning period.
Each eight-year planning cycle, the City is allocated a specific number of housing units called the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) determined by the Southern California Association of Governments. The RHNA quantifies current and future housing growth within a City. The Table shows the median income limits established by HUD for the Fontana area with the associated affordable rent and affordable home sales prices for each income category along with number of building permits issued for years 2021 to 2029.
City of Fontana Housing Need by Income Category
Income
Category
Units
Needed
2021-
2029
Units
2021
Units
2022
Units
2023
Units
2024
Units
2025
Units
2026
Units
Built
2027
Units
Built
2028
Re-
maining
Needed
2021-
2029
Units
Built
2029
Very Low
(0-50%)
<$31,950
5,109 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5,109 0
Low
(51-80%)
<$51,100
2,950 60 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2,890 0
Moderate
(81-120%)
<$73,680
3,035 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3,035 0
Above Moder-
ate
(>120%)
>$73,680
6,425 1,122 658 803 0 0 0 0 0 3,842 0
Totals 17,519 1,182 658 803 0 0 0 0 0 14,876 0
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13 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
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14 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT
PROGRAM (CIP)
The State of California Government Code Section 66002
requires local agencies that have developed a fee program to adopt a CIP indicating the approximate location, size, timing and an estimate of the cost of all facilities or improvements to be financed by fees. The City of Fontana has such a fee program and the City ’s adopted seven -year Capital Improvement Program outlines the infrastructure needs for the future.
Projects and expenditures identified for future fiscal years are approved on a planning basis and do not receive
expenditure authority until they are part of the capital budget for that fiscal year. The public, City Council, Planning Commission, Engineering, and Parks and
Recreation Commission review of the overall seven -year program is performed annually for effective
implementation of the City ’s Vision Statement as well as the City Council’s more immediate goals and objectives.
The Seven -year Capital Improvement Program for FYs
2023/2024 through 2029/2030 sets forth infrastructure
needs and a capital plan involving 178 projects totaling approximately $995,192 million. Of this, all projects and expenditures identified for future fiscal years beyond
2023/2024 are approved on a planning basis and do not
receive expenditure authority until they are part of the capital budget for that fiscal year. A review of the seven - year program is performed annually by the Parks and
Community Services Commission, the Planning Commission
and the City Council in order to ensure effective
implementation of the City ’s Vision Statement as well as the City Council’s Goals.
The City ’s seven -year CIP continues to advance the “City Council ’s Vision” and strive to accomplish the “City Council ’s Goals and Objectives”. This vision statement and the goals and objectives adopted by the City Council will guide the development of policies, goals and objectives adopted in the City’s General Plan.
FY 21/22 – FY 27/28, 7-Year CIP Project Budget
CIP Category Amount
(Thousands)
No. Of
Projects
Flood Control & Storm Drain $19,824 3
Major Corridor/Interchanges $164,047 11
Open Space & Recreation $62,210 10
Other Capital Improvements $67,921 11
Public Building Improvements $62,522 10
Resource Mgt/Conservation $823 1
Sewer Improvements $13,333 8
Street Improvements $532,768 77
Technology $36,506 4
Traffic $35,238 43
Totals $995,192 178
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15 GENERAL PLAN
IMPLEMENTATION STATUS
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16 Chapter No. 5 – Housing Element
The State of California mandates that each county and city maintain a Housing Element in their General Plan. Section 65583 of the Government Code sets forth the specific components to be contained in a community ’s housing element, including the City ’s share of the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA).
In addition to providing assistance and guidance for the City ’s Housing Element, the Housing Department administers a variety of community development activities including affordable housing activities and neighborhood improvement programs. Following are programs and activities supporting the goals of the Housing Element:
Updates:
TEMPORARY REDUCTION TO DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEES (TRDIF) FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT (RESOLUTION NO. 2023-004)
The City Council approved a Resolution on January 24, 2023 for applicants to enter into an agreement for a temporary reduction to development impact fees for residential development that provides for a fifty percent reduction on development impact fees for all residential permits issued between the dates of October 1, 2022 to July 31, 2023, which resulted in lower fees. This agreement also specifies construction deadlines to ensure that the residential units will be built in a timely manner.
MINOR PUDs ALLOWED BY RIGHT (ORDINACE NO. 1936)
Ordinance No. 1936 was adopted by City Council on November 15, 2023 to include development standards for Planned Unit Developments (PUD) and provision for minor PUDs to be allowed by -right, which will remove the requirements for public hearings and streamline the process for the development of additional housing.
CORONAVIRUS AID, RELIEF, AND ECONOMIC SECURITY (CARES) ACT
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act, is a stimulus bill passed by Congress and signed into law that provides economic assistance for families struggling financially due to the effects of COVID -19 –19. Through an Emergency Rental/Mortgage Assistance program, the City was able to assist families struggling financially due to the effect of COVID -19 by paying up to six months rent or mortgage payments.
Other Housing Accomplishments
Provided Fair Housing Services to 85 residents
Acquired one single -family housing unit and seven multi -family units to add to the City Housing Authority’s rental inventory.
Approved the Design and Development Agreement (DDA) for a 106 unit multi-family affordable project
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17 Chapter No. 7 – Conservation, Open Space and
Trails
Open space and parks are key aspects to well being for Fontana residents.
Updates:
Goal 2: Large city parks and open spaces include planting, and natural areas attractive to birds and other wildlife.
Action C: Consider wildlife value when planting public spaces.
On July 26, 2022 the City Council approved Resolution No. 2022 -083, where the city accepted a dedication of a property of approximately 70 acres to include 55.34 acres of open space and 16 acres of land aimed at restoration of the Riversidian Sage Scrub located at southeastern portion of the City of Fontana, located on the north by a Southern California Edison (SCE) utility corridor, on the west by Jurupa Hills, on the south by residential properties located within the City of Jurupa Valley, and on the east near Armstrong Road near the San Bernardino County community of Bloomington. Within the last review period, the City has been working with biologist to coordinate restoration activities and installation of habitat fencing for this conservation area.
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18 Chapter No. 8 – Community Mobility and
Circulation
This element of the General Plan focuses on transportation policies.
Updates:
Goal 7: The City of Fontana participates in shaping regional policies to reduce traffic congestion and green house gas emissions.
Action D: Support the adoption and use of technologies that reduce emissions from passenger and transit vehicles.
Iwatani Hydrogen Fueling Station
During the last review period the Planning Commission approved a project that modify a site developed with a convivence store to include hydrogen fueling station by installing hydrogen fueling pumps along with associated equipment on a site located on the northwest corner of Sierra Avenue and Slover Avenue. This project facilitates the use alternative energy that will reduce green house gas.
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19 Chapter No. 15 -Land Use, Zoning, and Urban
Design
This element of the General Plan sets forth the policy framework for the physical development of Fontana. It is a guide for the decision -makers that sets the pattern, distribution, density and intensity of land uses that over time will assist the City in achieving the vision of Fontana for the future.
Updates:
Goal 2: Fontana development patterns support a high quality of life and economic prosperity.
Action A: Preserve, protect, and connect existing master - planned neighborhoods.
Downtown Core (SB 2 Grant)
During this review period, the City updated the General Plan to revitalize the Downtown. Land uses within the newly designated Downtown Core allow for higher density for residential development to meet housing demand and an opportunity for residents who prefer an urban setting. The Downtown Chapter of the General Plan was updated to promote denser housing, entertainment venues and exciting dining options. Lastly, the General Plan is implementing a strategy of closing a section of Sierra Avenue to make way for a pedestrian plaza with amenities and commercial destinations for the City and region.
Midland Plaza
A new shopping center that will host restaurants, drive -thru establishments, drug store, fueling station, and retail suites that is located on the southwest corner of Sierra Avenue and Baseline Avenue.
Fontana Square
A new commercial center with In N Out and a sit down restaurant, Hotel, along with a Banquet facility located at the northwest corner of South Highland Avenue and Citrus Avenue.
88 unit Multi-Family Project
During this review period a new 88 unit multiple family project with amenities that include a pool/spa, two -story club house with lounges, gym, tot lot, dog park, and private open space in the form of balconies and patios was approve at the northwest corner of Sierra Avenue and Ramona Avenue.
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