City Council Agenda Report
December 2, 2025
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager
BY: Alex Hamilton, Interim Director of Community Development Carlos Rojas, Senior Planner
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION NO. 25-58 – FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT STATE CLEARINGHOUSE NO. 2024040140 / RESOLUTION NO. 25-59 – GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 2025-02 / RESOLUTION NO. 25-60 – GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 2025-03 / ORDINANCE NO. 25-1765 – ZONE CHANGE NO. 2025-02 / ORDINANCE NO. 25-1766 / ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT NO. 2025- 04 TO ESTABLISH SPECIFIC PLAN AREA NO. 18, THE “HEART OF NORWALK SPECIFIC PLAN”
Background:
The Heart of Norwalk Specific Plan (“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.
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 the Norwalk community. In order to implement this vision, staff initiated the development of a Specific Plan that will establish zoning regulations and development standards to make this vision reality.
There are 407 parcels within the Specific Plan area.
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Additionally, the development of the Specific Plan will help the City accomplish its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) of 5,034 units in accordance with the 6th Cycle Housing Element (HE) Program No. 1.1. The HE accounted for many of the sites within the Heart of Norwalk Specific Plan area as residential inventory sites available for development. Therefore, the HE contains a program that commits to adopting the Heart of Norwalk Specific Plan, which would allow residential use at higher density.
Staff is requesting approval of the following entitlements and items for the Heart of Norwalk Specific Plan (Specific Plan):
1. Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) (SCH No. 2024040140): To approve and adopt the environmental findings pursuant to the California Environmental Impact Act and certify the Final Environmental Impact Report (SCH No. 2024040140) for Specific Plan, the “Heart of Norwalk,” approving a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program and adopting a Statement of Overriding Considerations for the project;
2. General Plan Amendment (GPA) No. 2025-02: To amend the General Plan to add a Specific Plan land use designation and change several land use designations of the project area to Specific Plan Area No. 18 (SPA No. 18);
3. General Plan Amendment (GPA) No. 2025-03: To amend the General Plan Circulation element to reclassify several street classifications within SPA No. 18;
4. Ordinance No. 25-1765: To approve Zone Change (ZC) No. 2025-02 to amend several zoning designations to SPA No. 18; and
5. Ordinance No. 25-1766: To approve Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) No. 2025-04 and establish SPA No. 18, the “Heart of Norwalk Specific Plan”.
Community Feedback
The project team have received robust and consistent input for the project since the beginning of the Vision Plan outreach 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. Further community workshops and social media engagement took 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 and 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 has been identified as a focal area for local business and nightlife, preserving older buildings and the historic feel of the street, and possibly catering to the younger population of the community. Norwalk Town Square, on the other hand, is seen as a place with shopping, family entertainment, and easy parking. Multi-family residential uses were supported as an appropriate part of these districts, especially as they help make the desired commercial City Council December 2, 2025
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amenities possible. Finally, through surveys and workshops, members of the public also expressed a desire to connect these districts through streets that prioritize walking, biking and public space over traffic movement.
Planning Commission and City Council Study Sessions
On June 25, 2025, staff held a study session with the Planning Commission to provide a refresher on the proposed plan, review the status of the Specific Plan, and gather feedback from the Commission. The primary concerns raised during the session related to parking—specifically, the adequacy of parking supply in relation to the proposed land uses. Additionally, Commissioners expressed concern about the level of outreach conducted with property owners within the project area. Furthermore, there were comments and questions about truck routes, comments about the master bike plan and landscape palettes.
Following the Planning Commission session, staff conducted a similar study session with the City Council on August 19, 2025, presenting the same information. After the presentation, the City Council directed staff to engage directly with property owners to provide an update on the Specific Plan and to discuss the potential impact the plan may have on their property.
Property Owner Feedback
To engage property owners within the project boundary, staff initiated a series of outreach meetings during Summer 2025. A total of 228 customized flyers were sent via certified mail to property owners within each district and corridor. Each flyer highlighted the specific property and included the following information: property address, current zoning, proposed zoning, existing development standards, and proposed development standards.
Staff used these meetings as an opportunity to clarify questions from property owners. One recurring question was whether the City was purchasing properties or requiring the discontinuation of existing uses. The table below summarizes the three property owner meetings hosted by staff as part of this planning effort.
Date Heart of Norwalk
District/Corridor
Participants
August 7, 2025 Front Street Historic District
& Firestone Corridor
13 September 18, 2025 San Antonio Corridor &
Norwalk Railway Trail
11 September 25, 2025 Town Square and Triangle
District
7 Overall, the comments received during the meetings were positive, though some concerns were raised regarding truck routes and existing land uses that may become legal non-conforming.
Staff clarified that the City is not acquiring any land as part of this process and is not currently undertaking any projects on the sites within the project area. Regarding existing uses that may be made non-conforming by adoption of this plan, staff explained that current operations may City Council December 2, 2025
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continue until the business owner voluntarily discontinues the use for a period of one year or the property is sold. The new regulations outlined in this plan will only be triggered when a new development and/or land use is proposed.
Specific Plan
A specific plan is a zoning tool available to local jurisdictions to guide development over a defined area. The specific plan has been identified as the appropriate zoning tool for the project area due to its unique historic characteristics and prime location for new development, the desire to introduce new commercial and residential uses, and to ensure high-quality streetscape, open space, architecture and landscape design. The Specific Plan encourages excellence in site planning while allowing for flexibility to respond to market conditions in accordance with community values and priorities. It allows for a more context sensitive design that benefits the property owners and the community in a myriad of ways.
The Specific Plan will contain the minimum components required by the State of California Section 65451 of the Government Code mandates that a specific plan includes text and a diagram of diagrams that specify all the following:
The distribution, location and the extent of the uses of land, including open space within the area covered by the plan (Chapter 3-8 of the Specific Plan). The proposed distribution, location, and extent and intensity of major components of public and private transportation, sewage, water, drainage, solid waste disposal, energy, and other essential facilities proposed to be located within the area covered by the plan and needed to support the land uses described in the plan (Chapter 9 of the Specific Plan). Standards and criteria by which development will proceed, standards for the conservation, development, and utilization of natural resources, where applicable (Appendix A of the Specific Plan).
A statement of the relationship of the specific plan to the General Plan. (Section 1.4 of Specific Plan).
The proposed Heart of Norwalk Specific Plan, contains the required components. The Specific Plan details the site’s context and setting, including its relationship with the surrounding community and its intent of transforming the project area by allowing additional commercial and residential uses in the area and community-enhancing activation.
Implementation
The Specific Plan includes an Implementation Chapter (Chapter 10), which identifies potential funding sources for public improvements - such as Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFDs) and various grants available to the City and/or private developers. EIFDs are particularly well-suited for areas expected to experience significant private development and that require substantial infrastructure investment, such as the capital improvements outlined in Chapter 10.
EIFDs leverage the City’s (and potentially the County’s) share of property tax revenue generated from new development to finance public infrastructure projects—without imposing new or increased taxes. Notably, the EIFD Public Financing Authority adopted a resolution on November 18, 2025, approving the Norwalk EIFD Infrastructure Financing Plan and forming the City Council December 2, 2025
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Norwalk Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District
Additionally, as previously mentioned, the Specific Plan will serve as a strategic tool for pursuing state and federal grant opportunities, as well as other funding sources. It will also support efforts to secure resources and foster public-private partnerships for the development of future projects within the Specific Plan area.
Mitigation Measures
The City has prepared a Mitigated Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) for the Specific Plan. The MMRP contains 17 mitigation measures covering eight environmental impact categories including Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Geology and Soils, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Noise, Transportation, and Tribal Cultural Resources. With the incorporation of mitigation measures, the identified potentially significant environmental impacts can be reduced to less than significant levels. The Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) identifies a significant and unavoidable impact regarding cumulatively considerable net increase in emissions of criteria air pollutants during construction and potential exposure to sensitive receptors; temporary increases in ambient noise during construction that would expose sensitive receptors to increased noise levels; and construction activities that would intermittently generate vibrations that exceed the residential annoyance threshold.
The proposed Specific Plan would generate a considerable net increase of any criteria pollutant, that would have significant impact on the environment despite implementation of Mitigation Measure AQ-1 through AQ-8. Additionally, the proposed Specific Plan would generate a substantial temporary or permanent increase in ambient noise levels in the vicinity of the plan area and excessive groundborne vibration or groundborne noise levels, that would have a significant impact on the environment despite implementation of Mitigation Measure NOI-1 through NOI-3. If the Norwalk City Council decides to approve the Specific Plan, the City must cite their findings in accordance with Section 15091 of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and prepare a Statement of Overriding Considerations in accordance with Section 15093 of CEQA.
On November 10, 2025, prior to the Planning Commission meeting staff received comments via e-mail from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) - District 7 regarding the City’s response to a comment received during the circulation of the document. To address these concerns, the City’s consultant, Impact Sciences, prepared a response memorandum, which is included as Attachment 14 to this report.
On November 12, 2025, the Planning Commission held a public hearing for review and consideration of the Heart of Norwalk Specific Plan (Attachment 6) and recommend City Council approval with a 4 – 0 vote.
Additionally, staff has incorporated a global revision to the Draft Specific Plan related to the Height Limits sections in Chapters 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Specifically, the terms “Base Limit” and “On-Menu Concession” have been revised to “Maximum” and “Maximum with On-Menu Concession,” respectively. These changes are intended to clarify the allowable building heights within each District and Corridor. The revisions can be found on pages 81, 115, 143, 180, 218, and 242 of the Draft Specific Plan.
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Summary
Based on the analysis in this report, Planning Commission and staff are supportive of General Plan Amendment No. 2025-02, General Plan Amendment No. 2025-03, Zone Change No. 2025- 02, and Zoning Text Amendment No. 2025-04. The proposed project has been analyzed by the EIR, which finds that two significant and unavoidable impacts related to Air Quality and Noise would result from implementation of the project. With the incorporation of mitigation measures, all other potentially significant environmental impacts can be reduced to less than significant levels. Should the City Council approve the proposed Specific Plan, it would have to adopt a statement of overriding considerations and findings of fact identifying that the benefits of the project outweigh the unavoidable significant environmental effects. The proposed Specific Plan will implement zoning regulations that accommodate both housing and targeted commercial uses, ensuring that new development actively contributes to the city’s long-term community goals. This effort will support economic diversification and expand housing options to meet current and future needs. Furthermore, the project advances the City’s sustainability and climate resilience objectives by fostering a more walkable environment and reducing reliance on vehicles within the specific plan area.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no direct fiscal impact on the City by adopting the recommended Specific Plan. Costs related to some implementation action programs are expected to be partially or fully offset by grant funding as available. The recommended Specific Plan is designed to encourage and spur additional development and public realm improvements within the Specific Plan area, which may result in increased revenue to the City's General Fund helping to offset costs related to public realm improvements.
Citizens Advised:
The public hearing notice was posted at the City’s three designated posting places on November 7, 2025, and published in The Norwalk Patriot on the same date. The public hearing notice was posted online and mailed to 16 interested parties. The City’s social media accounts also promoted notification of the project for the hearing.
Strategic Plan 2023 Implementation:
The recommended actions will further the City’s Strategic Goals 3 and 4 to create and sustain a resilient and economically prosperous city and support sustainability and climate resilience throughout the community.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommend City Council:
a. adopt Resolution No. 25-58, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
NORWALK ADOPT ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS PURSUANT TO THE CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT, CERTIFY THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (SCH #2024040140) FOR SPECIFIC PLAN NO. 18, THE “HEART OF City Council December 2, 2025
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NORWALK,” APPROVE A MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM AND ADOPT A STATEMENT OF OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS;
b. adopt Resolution No. 25-59, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWALK APPROVING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 2025-02 TO ADD A
SPECIFIC PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION AND CHANGE SEVERAL LAND USE DESIGNATIONS OF THE PROJECT TO SPECIFIC PLAN;
c. adopt Resolution No. 25-60, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWALK APPROVING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 2025-03 TO AMEND THE
GENERAL PLAN CIRCULATION ELEMENT TO RECLASSIFY SEVERAL STREET CLASSIFICATIONS WITHIN THE SPECIFIC PLAN AREA;
d. introduce by title only Ordinance No. 25-1765, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF NORWALK ADOPTING ZONE CHANGE NO. 2025-02 AMENDING SEVERAL ZONING DESIGNATIONS TO SPECIFIC PLAN AREA NO. 18; and
e. introduce by title only Ordinance No. 25-1766, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF NORWALK ADOPTING ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT NO. 2025-04 ESTABLISHING THE SPECIFIC PLAN AREA NO. 18, THE “HEART OF NORWALK SPECIFIC PLAN”, and schedule for adoption.
Attachments:
1. Resolution No. 25-58 – including Exhibit A Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program and Exhibit B CEQA Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations
2. Resolution No. 25-59 / General Plan Amendment No. 2025-02
3. Resolution No. 25-60 / General Plan Amendment No. 2025-03
4. Ordinance No. 25-1765 / Zone Change No. 2025-02
5. Ordinance No. 25-1766 / Zoning Text Amendment No. 2025-04
6. Planning Commission Staff Report dated November 12, 2025 (without attachments)
7. Vicinity Map
8. Final Environmental Impact Report
9. Program Environmental Impact Report Errata
10.Technical Memorandum in response to the Caltrans Letter received prior to the Planning Commission
Copies of the Specific Plan and Final Environmental Impact Report are on file and available in the Community Development Department, Planning Division or can be accessed electronically at the following URL:
https://www.norwalk.org/departments_services/community_development/heart_of_norwalk.p hp