DATE: AUGUST 12, 2025
DEPARTMENT: ADMINISTRATION
FROM: LISA MURPHY, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER
SOPHIA ROME, COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER
TITLE: ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES MAP
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
This is an informational item only. No action is required.
Receive a report on the City’s Economic Opportunities Map.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City of Salinas is committed to fostering economic development, enhancing public engagement, and leveraging technology to improve transparency and accessibility. As part of this effort, the City Manager’s Office and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) team have developed an Economic Opportunities Map, an interactive tool designed to visualize key assets, such as development opportunities, recreational amenities, and plan implementation areas for previously approved specific plans. This map will serve as a dynamic resource for residents, businesses, and stakeholders to explore growth opportunities across Salinas, supporting informed decision-making and encouraging economic investment.
BACKGROUND:
The City Manager’s Office has worked with the GIS team to create an interactive mapping tool that allows the City, stakeholders, and residents to easily visualize relevant data on infrastructure and planning efforts. The goal is to help identify development opportunities and track ongoing projects in Salinas. The City of Salinas Economic Opportunities Map is designed to highlight areas with potential for economic investment and community development while breaking down information silos. This initiative directly supports the Council’s Strategic Goal of Economic Development by promoting and expanding opportunities across the City and supporting both new and existing businesses to drive economic growth and job creation.
The Economic Opportunities Map will help the City share information about where growth is happening and where new opportunities may emerge. By bringing together data on ongoing projects, parks and recreation amenities, approved specific plan areas, and business and retail locations, the map gives residents, business owners, and developers an easy way to explore development activity and understand how Salinas is growing.
Economic development is vital to Salinas as it fosters job creation, strengthens local businesses, and enhances community prosperity. Located on the City’s Economic Development webpage, the Economic Opportunities Map will be updated regularly to reflect new projects and information. This tool supports thoughtful, sustainable growth and ensures that Salinas remains a vibrant, forward-looking City.
Because the map is dynamic with links to information, it will be shared at the Council meeting before going live.
CEQA CONSIDERATION:
Not a Project. The City of Salinas has determined that the proposed action is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378). In addition, CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 includes the general rule that CEQA applies only to activities which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. Because the proposed action and this matter have no potential to cause any effect on the environment, or because it falls within a category of activities excluded as projects pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378, this matter is not a project. 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.
CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES:
No.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:
Economic Development
Support and engage both new and established businesses to drive economic growth and job creation Strategically explore and expand economic development opportunities throughout the City DEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION:
The development of the Economic Opportunities Map has been a collaborative effort between the City Manager’s Office and the GIS team. However, updating the data and content has been coordinated among all City departments.
FISCAL AND SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT:
Fund
Appropriation
Appropriation
Name
Total Appropriation
Amount for recommendation
FY 25-26 Operating Budget Page
Last Budget Action (Date, Resolution)
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
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