DATE: MARCH 19, 2024
DEPARTMENT: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
FROM: LISA BRINTON, DIRECTOR
THROUGH: GRANT LEONARD, PLANNING MANAGER
BY: JONATHAN MOORE, SENIOR PLANNER
TITLE: 2023 GENERAL PLAN ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT AND VISIÓN SALINAS 2040 UPDATE RECOMMENDED MOTION:
A motion to approve a resolution accepting the 2023 General Plan Annual Progress Report (GP APR) and authorizing its submittal to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The General Plan Annual Progress Report covers Salinas General Plan (2002) implementation activities during the calendar year 2023. General Plan Update engagement continued in 2023 with six (6) workshops, eight (8) Steering Committee meetings, transportation, and Climate Action Plan surveys, eleven (11) pop-up activities and direct farmworker engagement with the Center for Community Advocacy (CCA). Accomplishment highlights include updating the Housing Element, completing $4.5 million in sidewalk repairs and the Bardin Safe Routes to School project, and completing additional engagement/design work for the Hebbron Family Center and Closter Park improvements. The General Plan APR must be submitted within sixty (60) days of the April 1st deadline. Failure to submit the APR on time could make the City ineligible for certain State grant programs.
BACKGROUND:
Under California Government Code Section 65400, staff is required to prepare a General Plan Annual Progress Report (GP APR) for review by the City Council and submittal to OPR and HCD by April 1st of each year. The GP APR provides the City’s legislative bodies and the state with information regarding the implementation of the current General Plan and informs the public of the progress in meeting the community’s goals. The Draft 2023 GP APR is provided as Attachment 1 to this report.
There is no standardized form or format for the preparation of the General Plan APR. The GP APR is to provide enough information for decision makers to assess how the General Plan was implemented during the reporting period and should provide enough information to identify necessary “course adjustments” or modifications to the General Plan and means to improve local implementation. The GP APR is not required to incorporate all General Plan elements. For example, the Housing Element has its own Annual Progress Report that is overseen by HCD and prepared by the Housing Division. 2023 General Plan Accomplishments
In 2023, the City continued to upzone sites to encourage housing opportunities, rezoning City parking lots downtown to Mixed Use and an additional site north of downtown to High Density Residential. While the Housing Element is covered under its own separate report, the City did adopt a 2023-2031 Housing Element in December of 2023, which the State found in substantial compliance in February 2024. In addition to its continuing General Plan Update, the City also has undertaken preparation of an Active Transportation Plan, Alisal District Identity Masterplan, and Alisal Streetscape Masterplan. Multiple park and recreation center improvements and maintenance projects were finished in 2023, including new playgrounds and HVAC systems. Design work was also completed for a new Hebbron Family Center and improvements to Closter Park. Public Works completed $4.5 million in sidewalk repairs and construction of the Bardin Safe Routes to School project. 2023 Community Engagement
In 2023 General Plan engagement covered a variety of topics in multiple formats. The topics of public safety, housing, and active transportation and circulation were covered in six (6) community workshops. The City also conducted eleven (11) pop-up activities covering the Public Safety Element and Climate Action Plan. Pop-up activities and two online surveys (public safety/climate action) helped reach over one thousand (1,000) Salinas community members. Through the Sustainable Agricultural Land Conservation (SALC) Planning Grant, farmworker outreach continued with the support of the Center for Community Advocacy. In 2023, CCA General Plan Ambassadors led ninety-five (95) house meetings reaching over three hundred forty (340) community members. Nineteen (19) meetings were held in Mixteco, one (1) in Triqui and the rest in Spanish. Lastly, the Visión Salinas 2040 Steering Committee continued to meet and completed the review of all the draft goals, policies, and actions. 2024 Efforts and Next Steps
Engagement in early 2024 has focused on land use and circulation. The City held a Transportation Workshop on February 1, that combined materials from the Circulation Element, Active Transportation Plan, and Streetscape Masterplan. Additional engagement was done in commercial areas that may experience land use changes in the General Plan Update. Staff sent over 1,300 postcards to businesses and owners in identified areas with information. Staff also sent more detailed letters to over 100 businesses that may become legal nonconforming uses and followed up with direct canvassing. These mailers also invited recipients to three (3) virtual information sessions to discuss changes, held February 27-29, at 7 AM, 11 AM, and 6 PM respectively.
Future engagement will include a Climate Action Plan webinar and an Open House to support the public review of the draft goals, policies, and actions. The first quarter will be wrapped up with the development of the Draft General Plan document with an expected release for public review in June 2024. The Draft Environmental Impact Report and Climate Action Plan are expected to follow in August 2024.
DEPARTMENT COORDINATION:
Staff from multiple departments provided accomplishments for the 2023 GP APR. The GP APR was presented to the Housing and Land Use Committee (HLUC) on February 27 and the Planning Commission (PC) on March 6. Both the HLUC and PC recommended that Council approve a resolution accepting the 2023 General Plan Annual Progress Report (GP APR) and authorizing its submittal to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR).
Although the development of this report was led by Community Development, all departments, the City Council and City Commissions will be involved in the General Plan Update. The GPU also involves significant coordination with regional agencies, including but not limited to, the County of Monterey, Monterey-Salinas Transit, the Transportation Agency for Monterey County, and the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments.
CEQA CONSIDERATION:
The proposed action of accepting the 2023 GP APR and the administrative report on the GPU is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per Guidelines Section 15378. Because the matter does not cause a direct or foreseeable indirect physical change on or in the environment, this matter is not a project. Any subsequent discretionary projects resulting from this action will be assessed for CEQA applicability.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:
Given that the General Plan acts as the City’s guiding document for future growth and development, it will help meet all City Council Strategic Goals. However, the current work around the General Plan Update is specifically reflected as an objective under Effective and Culturally Responsive Government.
FISCAL AND SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT:
This report has no direct fiscal impact to submit the APR. When completed, it is anticipated that the current General Plan update process will cost approximately $3.4 million dollars. The City currently has approximately $2.6 million for this effort in the General Plan Fund (3701) budget with the balance coming from grants including the Local and Regional Early Action entitlement grants and the Sustainable Agricultural Land Conservation grant.
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution accepting the 2023 General Plan Annual Progress Report Draft 2023 City of Salinas General Plan APR
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CITY OF SALINASCOUNCIL STAFF REPORTCITY OF SALINASCOUNCIL STAFF REPORT
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