City Council Agenda Report
July 1, 2025
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager
BY: Alex Hamilton, Interim Director of Community Development Carlos Rojas, Senior Planner
SUBJECT: HEART OF NORWALK SPECIFIC PLAN UPDATE
Background:
On July 6, 2021, City Council adopted The Heart of Norwalk Vision Plan for the future of San Antonio Village and the Firestone Corridor, two key neighborhoods in the center of the City. The Plan was developed in partnership with the City, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and the consulting firm, The Arroyo Group (TAG). This Vision Plan sets the overall tone for how the study area can grow in both the commercial and housing sectors, while balancing place making and open spaces. The Vision Plan emphasizes providing new commercial amenities, open spaces, complete streets, and affordable housing to support Norwalk residents. In order to implement this vision, staff initiated the drafting of a Specific Plan that will establish zoning regulations and development standards to make this vision into reality.
Discussion
The proposed Heart of Norwalk Specific Plan (“Specific Plan”) effort intends to establish zoning regulations that will permit housing and desired commercial uses while ensuring that each development contributes to community goals. It will also establish a program of street, open space, and infrastructure projects to support the vision of the plan and future growth and propose funding and implementation measures needed to implement the proposed Specific Plan.
The Heart of Norwalk Specific Plan area contains a wide variety of commercial and residential zoning districts. Staff notes that currently within the commercially zoned properties, housing is permitted in conjunction with a commercial development (mixed use) with an approved Conditional Use Permit. It is estimated that these commercial sites could reasonably be developed with 2,053 residential units under current zoning regulations. The Specific Plan is intended to be implemented over a 30-year period.
City Council July 1, 2025
Heart of Norwalk Specific Plan Update Page No. 2
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Additionally, the development of the Specific Plan will help the City in meeting its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) of 5,034 units. The current Housing Element accounted for many of the sites within the Heart of Norwalk area as residential inventory sites available for development. Therefore, the Housing Element contains a program that commits to adopting the Heart of Norwalk Specific Plan, which would allow residential use.
Community Feedback
The project team has received robust and consistent input for the project since the beginning of the Vision Plan process in fall 2020. The Vision Plan outreach campaign engaged approximately 5,300 residents between December 2020 and March 2021. Nearly 100 residents attended four online events that were held in February and March 2021, 363 surveys were completed by community members, and over 3,000 residents engaged with Heart of Norwalk social media content.
Outreach in the Specific Plan process consisted of virtual and in-person community workshops and participation at three Front Street events in the summer of 2022 and in the summer of 2024.
Further community workshops and social media engagement will take place prior to the adoption of the Specific Plan.
Throughout the outreach process, members of the public have consistently expressed the desire for high-quality local commercial options, places to enjoy in groups and spend time in public.
They desire an authentic center to the City, with local and national businesses, places to walk and spend time, nightlife, and spaces that can encourage and celebrate local culture, such as performance arts spaces.
Front Street, a focal area for businesses and nightlife, retains its historic feel by preserving older buildings. It caters to the community’s younger population. Norwalk Town Square, on the other hand, offers shopping, family entertainment, and convenient parking. Multifamily residential uses are also supported, as they contribute to the desired commercial amenities. Public surveys and workshops revealed a desire to connect these districts through streets, prioritizing walking, biking and public space over traffic movement.
On February 20, 2024, a Study Session was conducted with City Council to provide an update of the Heart of Norwalk Specific Plan and gather feedback from Council and the public.
Specific Plan Progress
The project team circulated the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) on June 23, 2025, for a 45-day public review period ending on August 7, 2025. Concurrently, the draft Specific Plan is also available for public review for the same duration. Although not required, staff plans to conduct meetings with property owners within the area of the Specific Plan in July 2025. These meetings aim to provide property owners with a refresher on the Specific Plan and address any concerns. The City will continue to receive public feedback and additional input regarding the proposed land use plan to finalize the Specific Plan’s zoning regulations and DEIR.
City Council July 1, 2025
Heart of Norwalk Specific Plan Update Page No. 3
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These documents can be found using the following link:
https://www.norwalk.org/departments_services/community_development/heart_of_norwalk.php Next Steps
Once the review period concludes, staff will commence preparing the associated Response to Comments (RTC) for the DEIR and incorporating any final modifications to the Specific Plan.
Staff anticipate scheduling the Specific Plan and the EIR for consideration to the Planning Commission in October 2024, and it is expected for consideration before the City Council in November 2025. The Arroyo Group will be providing a presentation of the draft Specific Plan during the July 1, 2025, City Council meeting.
Fiscal Impact:
N/A
Citizens Advised:
N/A
Strategic Plan 2023 Implementation:
The recommended action will further the City’s Strategic Goal 3: Objective 1 - Create dynamic neighborhoods, Objective 2 - Diversify and grow the economy, and Objective 3 - build great public destinations.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends City Council receive and file the Heart of Norwalk Draft Specific Plan and provide feedback.
Attachments:
N/A