Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is a General Plan?
Why is a General Plan required?
What goes into a General Plan?
What is the General Plan Update Study Area?
What is an Environmental Impact Report?
What does Sustainability mean, and why is it important to the General Plan process?
What does climate change mean, and what is its relationship to the General Plan?
How can I get involved?

 

What is a General Plan?

A general plan is the City's constitution—a set of policies and programs that form a blueprint for long-term development of the community. It consists of written text and diagrams that express how a community should develop, and is a key tool for influencing the quality of life. The plan is a basis for decision-making on land use, city services, and public works used by policymakers such as the Planning Commission and the City Council. All cities and counties in California are required by law to have general plans.

The General Plan Study Area is the area in which the City has a general planning interest. The Study Area can include rural, agricultural or natural resource land in addition to the urbanized land within city limits. It defines the broadest extent of land that will be researched and analyzed for the General Plan update. However, land within the Study Area will not necessarily be annexed to the City. View Map of the General Plan Study Area

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Why is a General Plan required?

State law mandates that each city and county in California adopt "a comprehensive, long-term general plan." The purpose is to plan for important community issues such as new growth, housing needs, and environmental protection. Furthermore, the general plan is used to project future demand for services such as sewer, water, roadways, parks, and emergency services. Finally, all zoning and subdivision approvals must be consistent with the general plan.

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What goes into a General Plan?

There are both State-mandated and optional elements in a general plan. State law requires that a general plan contain the seven mandated elements: Land Use, Transportation, Housing, Conservation, Open Space, Noise and Safety. The City of Visalia’s General Plan will also include elements for City Design; Historic Preservation; Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions; and Community Facilities and Public Services.

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What is the General Plan Update Study Area?

Map of the General Plan Update Study Area

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What is an Environmental Impact Report (EIR)?

Under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), a General Plan is considered a project, thus requiring that an EIR be completed in conjunction with the plan. The EIR presents ways to reduce or avoid environmental damage. It also identifies alternatives to the proposed project that may have different environmental impacts. Community members can provide input at two different phases in the EIR process: in response to the Notice of Preparation (NOP), declaring that an EIR is going to be prepared, and to the Draft EIR itself.

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What does Sustainability mean, and why is it important to the General Plan process?

Sustainability is a term used to address a wide range of issues that ultimately affect our quality of life. In its most widely recognized definition, it means making choices today that will not limit our children’s ability to have a high quality of life when they reach our age.
Sustainability relates to many things we have heard about for years – having readily available and safe drinking water, having clean air that we can feel comfortable breathing, avoiding toxic wastes and hazardous material use in our communities, and reducing the amount of garbage we send to the landfill.

In the General Plan update, choices about land use and development patterns will affect how much we drive, and how that impacts air pollution, time with our family, and in many cases, a loss of important agricultural or natural resource lands. Because the General Plan process creates policies that will shape the form of our community, striving for a more sustainable outcome means the General Plan needs to look carefully at how and where we grow.
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What does climate change mean, and what is its relationship to the General Plan?

Climate change is the term used to describe anticipated changes in weather patterns, caused by human actions. As we increase our use of energy, increase the miles we drive, or use excessive amounts of water, we increase the amount of ‘greenhouse gases’ (GHG) released into our atmosphere. Greenhouse gases (like carbon dioxide, which is a by-product of burning gasoline in our car) build up in the air, retaining the sun’s heat. This results in changing rainfall patterns, increased temperatures, worsening air quality, more severe thunderstorms, and loss of snow pack, which affects the amount of water available for our use and for irrigation.

The State requires the General Plan to include an element addressing GHG and climate change. The amount of GHG in the atmosphere is influenced by the choices we make in our day to day lives, and many of these impacts can be moderated by policies contained in the General Plan. Building more energy efficient homes, increasing availability of transit and making routes to schools safe and more walkable for our children all help to reduce GHG.
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How can I get involved?

We are soliciting citizen participation in all phases of the General Plan development process. Please visit the Meetings and Workshops page for details on upcoming events or contact us directly with your thoughts. We'd love to hear your input! You can submit your comments on-line and sign up for email updates to tell us what issues matter to you.

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