MEMORANDUM
DATE: December 19, 2024
TO: City Council
FROM: Lisa Brinton, Director
THROUGH: Grant Leonard, Planning Manager
BY: Jonathan Moore, Senior Planner
SUBJECT: GENERAL PLAN VISIÓN SALINAS 2040 UPDATE
In the fourth quarter of 2024, staff revised the administrative draft General Plan, received technical studies needed to prepare the Climate Action Plan, and initiated the procurement process for a Zoning Code Update consultant.
General Plan Visión Salinas 2040
Completed internal writing of second administrative draft. Reviewed second draft with other departments and outside legal counsel supporting update (October- November).
Revised over 400 comments.
Climate Action Plan (CAP)
Completed internal review of draft Climate Action Plan (CAP) emission forecast and strategies. PlaceWorks completed greenhouse gas emissions forecasts based on draft General Plan buildout numbers and expected reductions from proposed policies. This will allow staff to resume CAP engagement on strategies and scenarios to reach said targets.
Zoning Code Update
Released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a comprehensive Zoning Code Update to follow General Plan. Goals of the Zoning Code Update include implementing General Plan land use changes, seeking to encourage flexibility and innovation, improving development review processes, and compliance with recent state laws.
Staff is reviewing the three proposals received by the December 6th deadline.
Engagement
General Plan engagement continued with presentations to the Historic Resources Board and the Rotary Club of Salinas Downtown in September.
Community Development staff supported the City Manager’s office in convening economic development stakeholders in November.
Staff will continue topic-specific outreach on land use, economic development, and the CAP, before moving to engagement for the broader General Plan again in Spring of 2025.
Target Schedule
The Target Schedule projects the General Plan Update process out to a completion at the end of 2025.
Certain components, such as response time to comments, may shorten or lengthen the anticipated schedule.
2025
January General Plan/Economic Development Element Council Study Session (1/28/25) Start of Environmental Impact Report (EIR) alternatives Zoning Code Consultant interviews
February Planning Commission - Pre-Public Review Draft General Plan Study Session and Annual Progress Report
Zoning Code Consultant selection approval by Council
March City Council – Pre-Public Review Draft General Plan Study Session and Annual Progress Report
General Plan Engagement
CAP Webinar
April Release public review draft General Plan
Edit EIR administrative draft
CAP study session
May-June Release formal draft EIR and CAP for public review and start 45-day comment period July Continue engagement
Receive Comments
Planning Commission and Council briefings on EIR and adoption process September Revise General Plan, CAP, and EIR according to comments Start preparing adoption documents
October-
November
Publish revised General Plan, CAP, and EIR
Start approval process at commission level
Monterey County Airport Land Use Commission (mandatory) Planning Commission (mandatory)
Traffic and Transportation Commission
December Consideration of EIR certification and General Plan and CAP adoption by City Council