City of Fremont General Plan
Annual Progress Report
Calendar Year 2021
1 Table of Contents
Section 1. Introduction.......................................................................................... 2 Section 2. Compliance with State Law and General Plan Guidelines.............................. 2 Section 3. General Plan Amendments Adopted.......................................................... 5 Section 4. Implementation Highlights by General Plan Element................................... 6 Section 5. Conclusion............................................................................................ 7
Appendix A. Housing Element Annual Progress Report 2021................................ Attached
2 Section 1. Introduction
Government Code §65400 mandates that cities and counties submit an annual report on the status of the General Plan and progress on its implementation to their legislative bodies, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR), and the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) by April 1 of each year. The intent of this report is to demonstrate the city’s ongoing compliance with Government Codes §65300 - 65303.4 governing the required elements of a general plan and provide a summary of implementation actions that have occurred within the past year.
This report details the City of Fremont’s compliance with state law and highlights notable implementation measures that were adopted in 2021. The report is provided for informational purposes only, and therefore is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, in that the activity does not meet the CEQA definition of a “project”.
City of Fremont General Plan Annual Progress Report at a Glance
Date of General Plan
Adoption................................................
December 13, 2011
Date of Last Major
Revision...................................................
December 2, 2014
Date of Last Minor
Revision...................................................
June 9, 2020
Date of APR Presentation to City
Council.................................
March 15, 2022
Section 2. Compliance with State Law and General Plan Guidelines
The General Plan is often described as the constitution for a city's development. It sets priorities and goals for the future, and is the foundation upon which all development decisions are based. The City of Fremont General Plan 2030 was adopted on December 13, 2011. The City’s Housing Element was adopted on December 2, 2014 and certified by the Department of Housing and Community Development on February 4, 2015.
City of Fremont General Plan 2030
State law mandates that each city and county adopt a general plan containing at least seven “required” elements: Land Use, Circulation, Housing, Open Space, Conservation, Safety, and Noise. Additional “optional” elements may be included in the general plan at the discretion of the local jurisdiction. The City of Fremont General Plan includes the seven state-mandated elements as well as seven optional elements: Sustainability, Community Character, Economic Development, Parks and Recreation, Public Facilities, Community Plans, and Implementation. Table 1 demonstrates how the seven required element topics are distributed in the City’s adopted general plan documents.
The City did not complete any major revisions or updates to any of the elements of the general plan in 2021.
3 Table 1. Summary of the General Plan 2030
City of Fremont General
Plan Elements
Date of Last
Major Revision
State Required Elements
Land Use
Circulation
Housing
Conservation
Open Space
Safety
Noise
Sustainability December 2011 Optional Element
Land Use December 2011 X X
Mobility December 2011 X
Community Character December 2011 Optional Element
Housing December 2014 X
Economic Development December 2011 Optional Element
Conservation December 2011 X
Parks and Recreation December 2011 Optional Element
Public Facilities December 2011 Optional Element
Safety December 2011 X X
Community Plans December 2011 Optional Element
Implementation December 2011 Optional Element
Compliance with Other General Plan Regulations
In addition to reporting compliance with the seven basic general plan elements, OPR’s General Plan Annual Progress Report Guidelines also suggest that jurisdictions report on consistency with recent updates to state law regarding environmental justice considerations, collaborative planning with military lands and facilities, and consultation with Native American tribes. A short description of the City’s consistency with those laws follows:
Environmental Justice
SB 1000, which was adopted in 2016, requires cities that have disadvantaged communities to incorporate environmental justice policies into their general plans upon the concurrent adoption or revision of two or more elements. The City of Fremont does not contain any disadvantaged communities per the definition contained in SB 1000. Therefore, the City is not required to incorporate environmental justice policies into its general plan. However, the City has adopted an environmental justice policy in its Land Use Element to ensure that no single neighborhood or population group is disproportionately impacted by environmental burdens. The City requires special study of environmental hazards when reviewing 4 sensitive uses such as housing, schools, and assembly uses that are proposed near hazardous material users or sources of pollution.
Military Lands and Facilities
Various state laws, including SB1468, AB 1108, and AB 1462, now require local governments to notify and coordinate with the military when the proposed action has a potential to affect a military installation, special use airspace, or low-level flight path. The City of Fremont does not contain any military facilities, and does not have any land under its jurisdiction that is within 1,000 feet of a military installation, beneath a low-level flight path, or within a special use area that would require notification of the military during the development review process or general plan update process.
Native American Consultation
AB 52, which was adopted in 2014, specifies that a project with an effect that may cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a tribal cultural resource, as defined, is a project that may have a significant effect on the environment. When the City is the lead agency for a project, it must begin consultation with a California Native American tribe that is traditionally and culturally affiliated with the geographic area of the proposed project, if the tribe requests consultation.
The City of Fremont has incorporated the notification requirements of AB 52 into its Standard Development Requirements to Address Resource Protection, which are located in Section 18.218 of the Fremont Municipal Code. In compliance with AB 52, the City follows the notification procedures in the Municipal Code when acting as the lead agency for environmental review. In 2021, the City complied with Executive Order N-54-20 which extended tribal notification and consultation timelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Area Plans, Community Plans, and Specific Plans
The City has adopted one area plan and three community plans. The City has not adopted any specific plans. The adopted area and community plans supplement the vision, goals, and objectives contained within the general plan and serve as the tool for implementing general plan policies in the review of private development projects within a specific, smaller geographic area. Table 2 summarizes the City’s adopted area and community plans.
Table 2. Summary of Area, Community, and Specific Plans in Fremont Area or Community Plan Date of Adoption Date of Last Revision Irvington BART Station Area Plan July 2019 N/A
City Center Community Plan May 2015 N/A
Warm Springs/South Fremont
Community Plan July 2014 N/A
Downtown Community Plan September 2012 September 2018
The City did not make any major or minor revisions to an existing area or community plan in 2021. The City did not adopt any new area, community, or specific plans in 2021.
5 Section 3. General Plan Amendments Adopted
Under Government Code Section 65358(b), no mandatory element of the General Plan may be amended more than four times per year, although each amendment may include more than one change to the General Plan. Two resolutions were approved in 2021 authorizing General Plan Amendments, which is described as follows:
• Resolution No. 2021-09– Approved by City Council March 9, 2021. A General Plan Amendment to change the land use designation of a 6.08-acre site at 37899 Niles Boulevard from Service Industrial (Special Study Area) to Low-Medium Density Residential (8.8 to 14.5 units per net acre), a Rezoning from Service Industrial with Historical Overlay District (I-S)(HOD) to Medium Density Residential (R-3-14) (HOD), Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 8205, and a Private Street to facilitate development of 75 attached residential units in the Niles Community Plan Area.
• Resolution No. 2021-13 – Approved by City Council April 6, 2021. A City- initiated General Plan Amendment to make minor amendments to the General Plan Land Use Diagram to correct the boundaries of various land use designations so that they match existing easements, parcel lines, and previously approved Planned District boundaries.
Section 4. Implementation Highlights by General Plan Element
The General Plan contains a broad array of implementation measures and programs with various time frames for implementation. A summary of some notable achievements completed in 2021, as well as the corresponding implementation policies, is provided below.
MOBILITY
Adoption of Trails Strategy Plan. At the City Council meeting of September 7, 2021, Councilmembers voted unanimously to adopt the proposed Trails Strategy Plan which provides an overarching framework for implementing future trail projects in Fremont. The plan envisions more than doubling the City’s trail network from 61 miles to 140 miles over the next 30 years. The plan identifies 5 Tier 1, priority trail projects and 12 projects as near-term priorities over the next decade. The Plan was prepared in coordination with a new Parks and Recreation Master Plan which identified building more paved trails as a top priority to the community. Other community input was obtained through survey, focus groups and meetings with the City’s Mobility Commission and Recreation Commission.
• See Mobility Element Policy 3-1.5: Improving Pedestrian and Bicycle Circulation and Policy 3-5.2: Regional Trail Development
• See Parks and Recreation Element Implementation Action 8-3.1.A: Existing and Future Regional Parks and Trails
HOUSING
• See Appendix A, Housing Element Annual Progress Report 2021, for a comprehensive update of dwelling units produced and Housing Element Implementation Programs.
6 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Business and Economic Recovery Framework. On April 20, the City’s Economic Development Department conducted a Special Work Session with the City Council to present the Business and Economic Recovery Framework. The Framework provides strategies and guiding principles upon which the City will base its recovery efforts going forward. The City continues to operate popular recovery programs for small businesses, including the Gift Fremont and Pop Up Patio programs that began in 2020. During September 2021, the City partnered with the Fremont Chamber of Commerce to host the first Dine Out in Fremont program, which encouraged the community to support local restaurants and try new cuisine.
• See Economic Development Implementation 6-1.2.A: Streamlined Business Permitting; Economic Development Implementation 6-1.3.E: Small Business Retention Efforts; and Economic Development Implementation 6-6.3.A: Support Local Businesses
PUBLIC FACILITIES
Age-Well Center Opens to the Public. On September 15, 2021, the Age Well Center at South Fremont opened to the public. The Age Well Center at South Fremont is the City’s second building dedicated to services for adults 55+ and seeks to create a place to build community, connection, enrichment, and wellness. The Center will host a variety of classes and activities such as art, yoga, and technology classes; organize informational events on finances, legal assistance, and caregiving; provide health screenings, counseling, and support to access services; and provide access to many social and cultural opportunities, including community dances and networking events. The Age Well Center at South Fremont is the result of a development agreement approved by the City Council in March 2016 in association with an age-restricted community located on Mission Falls Court in South Fremont.
• See Public Facilities Implementation 9-12.2.A: Human Services Department programs; Public Facilities Implementation 9-12.3.B: Pathways to Positive Aging
Downtown Event Center Opens to the Public. The City of Fremont held a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Downtown Event Center and Plaza on October 8, 2021. With over 1,000 dignitaries and community members in attendance, the outdoor celebration was held in conjunction with Fremont Street Eats to showcase the City’s newest facility. Serving as the foundation of Fremont’s vibrant downtown, the Downtown Event Center and Plaza will deliver on the community’s desire to create a social and civic heart for the City.
• See Public Facilities Policy 9-1.3: Provide Library, Cultural, and Community Facilities
Safe Parking Host Sites Program. On June 15, the Fremont City Council voted to adopt an ordinance to allow safe parking at community-based host sites, such as religious facilities and nonprofits. The ordinance creates a City permitting process by which community organizations can apply to become a “safe parking host site” and host unhoused people in parking lots at their properties. A rotational safe parking program coordinated through the Human Services Department launched in early 2022.
• See Public Facilities Policy 9-12.2: Direct Services and Implementation 9-12.2.A:
Human Services Department programs
7 SAFETY
COVID-19 Response. The ongoing response to COVID-19 includes both relief efforts and direct responses to the pandemic, spanning multiple City departments. On April 1, the City launched the Keep Fremont Housed Rental Assistance Program. Made possible with funds from the U.S. Department of Treasury, the program provides financial assistance to low- income Fremont renters who are behind on their rent or utility bills due to COVID-19. City staff have also participated in a multi-agency effort to get the community vaccinated against COVID-19. Between February 3 and May 23, 2021, the Fremont Fire Department (FFD) and Haller’s Pharmacy partnered to host a COVID-19 weekend vaccination clinic at the FFD Tactical Training Center. Over 22,000 Pfizer vaccinations were administered to people who live or work in Alameda County throughout the course of the clinic.
• See Safety Element Policy 10-7.1: Government Operation during Emergency
Section 5. Conclusion
Staff submitted this 2020 General Plan Annual Progress Report to the City Council for review and acceptance on March 15, 2022. The report will subsequently be submitted to the Governor’s Office of Planning and research and California Department of Housing and Community Development, in compliance with statutory requirements.