ATTACHMENT NO. 2
RESOLUTION NO. 25-59
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWALK APPROVING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 2025-02 ADDING A
SPECIFIC PLAN AREA LAND USE DESIGNATION AND CHANGE
SEVERAL LAND USE DESIGNATIONS TO SPECIFIC PLAN NO. 18
WHEREAS, the City has received General Plan Amendment (GPA) No. 2025-02, a request initiated by the City of Norwalk (“City”) to amend the General Plan to add the Heart of Norwalk Specific Plan (“Specific Plan”) land use designation and change several land use designations of the project area to Specific Plan Area (SPA) 18. Under the Specific Plan, the following activities are anticipated: (i) 3,087 residential units and a net increase of 2,285,418 square feet of residential development; (ii) 275,747 square foot reduction in commercial uses; (iii) 18,310 square feet reduction in industrial uses; and 53,011 square feet reduction in institutional uses. The Specific Plan area consists of approximately 615 acres, roughly bounded by Imperial Highway to the north; I-5 Freeway to the east; Rosecrans Avenue to the south; and Pioneer Boulevard to the west. Regional access to the Specific Plan Area is provided by I-5, I-605, I-105, and U.S. Route 91. Local access is provided by Imperial Highway, Pioneer Boulevard, Rosecrans Avenue, and Norwalk Boulevard / San Antonio Drive; and
WHEREAS, GPA No. 2025-03, Zone Change No. 2025-02, and Zoning Text Amendment No. 2025-04 to establish Specific Plan Area No. 18, and Environmental Impact Report SCH 2024040140 were initiated by the City in conjunction with this request (the “Project”); and
WHEREAS, GPA No. 2025-02 is consistent with the 6th Cycle Housing Element Program 1.1, which requires the completion of zoning code amendments and rezoning to help the City accomplish its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) of 5,034 units. The 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 at higher density; and
WHEREAS, Section 17.02.105 of the Norwalk Municipal Code (NMC) requires a recommendation of approval by the Planning Commission to City Council on GPA No. 2025- 02; and
WHEREAS, the Specific Plan area will help establish a “Downtown” for the City, and will guide the City’s growth through development of the area over the next 30 years; and WHEREAS, the Project will include development standards, land use regulations and design guidelines to ensure quality and responsible development of the Specific Plan area; and
WHEREAS, the boundaries of the Specific Plan area were strategically created to provide protection to existing single-family neighborhoods and other adjoining properties; and Resolution No. 25-59 Page 2 of 5
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WHEREAS, the Planning Commission conducted a duly noticed public hearing on November 12, 2025, to consider GPA No. 2025-02, at which time oral and documentary evidence related to the Project were received and the Planning Commission adopted Planning Commission Resolution No. 25-16, 25-17, 25-18, 25-19 and 25-20, recommending that the City Council Approved GPA No. 2025-02, GPA No. 2025-03, Zone Change No. 2025- 02, Zoning Text Amendment No. 2025-04 to establish Specific Plan Area No. 18, and Environmental Impact Report SCH No. 2024040140
WHEREAS, the City Council conducted a duly noticed public hearing on December 2, 2025, to consider the Final EIR and the proposed Project, and to solicit comments on the documents from staff, the public, and the City’s consultant team; and WHEREAS, the City has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Report (“Final EIR”), which consists of the Draft EIR and its associated technical appendices, comments to the Draft EIR and its associated technical appendices, and written responses to comments on the Draft EIR, which analyzes the potential significant environmental impacts of GPA No. 2025-02 along with other aspects of the Specific Plan; and WHEREAS, all of the requirements of the Public Resources Code and State CEQA Guidelines have been satisfied by the City in connection with the preparation of the Final EIR, which is sufficiently detailed so that all of the potentially significant environmental effects of the Project have been adequately evaluated; and
WHEREAS, the Final EIR sufficiently analyzes the Project’s potentially significant environmental impacts and a reasonable range of feasible alternatives capable of reducing these effects to less than significant levels to the extent feasible.
WHEREAS, all other legal prerequisites to the adoption of this Resolution have occurred.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWALK HEREBY DETERMINES, FINDS AND RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1.The foregoing recitals are true and correct and are hereby incorporated as substantive findings in this Resolution.
Section 2.The General Plan contains a thorough inventory, assessment, and analysis of social, physical, and economic issues related to the long-range development of the community. The City Council has determined that the proposed General Plan Amendment is not detrimental to the public health, safety, and welfare of the community. It will improve the economic development of the area and surroundings.
Section 3. The City Council has reviewed and analyzed the Final EIR and the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (“MMRP”) and hereby certifies that (i) the Final EIR has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of CEQA and the State CEQA Guidelines, (ii) the Final EIR was presented to the City and the City has reviewed and considered the information contained in the Final EIR prior to considering adoption of the Specific Plan, and (iii) the Final EIR reflects the independent judgment and analysis of the City.
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Section 4.The City Council certifies the Final EIR, adopts the Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations, and adopts the MMRP.
Section 5.The proposed General Plan Amendment will be in the public interest and reflects the current and contemplated land uses of the area as well as between the General Plan Land Use Map and Zoning Map.
Section 6.The City Council approves GPA No. 2025-02, which amends the General Plan and Land Use Map to reflect changes contained in Exhibit “A”.
Section 7. The City Clerk shall certify the adoption of this Resolution and it shall go into effect immediately upon its adoption.
Section 8.The Mayor, or presiding officer, is hereby authorized to affix his signature to this Resolution signifying its adoption by the City Council of the City of Norwalk and the City Clerk, or her duly appointed assistant, is directed to attest thereto.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED on this 2nd day of December 2025.
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TONY AYALA
MAYOR
ATTEST:
_______________________________
THERESA DEVOY, CMC
CITY CLERK
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EXHIBIT "A"
PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN DESIGNATION
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HEART OF NORWALK SPECIFIC PLAN DISTRICTS