1. Land Use Planning 101: Understanding the General Plan, Zoning and Entitlement Process Alexander P. Meyerhoff, AICP May 11, 2011 Department of Real Estate Development and Construction Management College of the Desert
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8. General Plans and Sustainability: Source: California Sustainability Alliance: http://sustainca.org/tools/green_general_plan_toolkit/ggp_introduction
47. Questions? Alex Meyerhoff, AICP Director of Development Services Escalante Architects and Planners 121 S. Palm Canyon Drive Suite 222 Palm Springs, Ca 92262 [email_address]
Editor's Notes
It is an honor to be here with you this evening. What is Land Use Planning?
Lets talk about General Plans, Zoning and Land Use approvals or entitlement. General Plan, Comprehensive plan, community plan The modern General Plan is a policy document with end state objectives about the physical development of a community. The general plan sets broad policy goals. The plan is a big picture document. A Macro document describing the desirable end state. Zoning, usually in the form of an ordinance, contains the standards for the physical development of a community. The types of land uses allowed in specific districts, building heights, setbacks, maximum floor area ratios and residential density. More about this later.
City’s have been planned for millennia, The earliest cities were planned through a process of trial an error to protect their inhabitants from climate forces, seasonal flooding and the marauding hordes of invading armies.
These cities included Mohenjo-Darro in the present day Indus Valley India and Pakistan, which exhibited paved streets, arrayed in right angles with a distinctive grid pattern. The ancient Romans employed City planning. For example Turin show the very logical way the Romans designed their cities. They would lay out the streets at right angles, in the form of a square grid. All roads were equal in width and length, except for two, which were slightly wider than the others. One of these ran east–west, the other, north–south, and intersected in the middle to form the center of the grid. All roads were made of carefully fitted flag stones and filled in with smaller, hard-packed rocks and pebbles. Bridges were constructed where needed. Each square marked by four roads was called an insula , the Roman equivalent of a modern city block.
Planned cities in the new world include Pennsylvania, and Washington DC. The modern era of City planning began with the garden City concept, which provided an outlet for development pressure through the creation of garden cities.
The state of California requires that every County (58) and every City (481) adopt a General Plan. The plan must have theses seven elements. They are board policy statements which includes a map of land uses. This describes the type of development that can occur in various places. The plan also sets goals for development for development of the street, road and transit network. The location and types of housing available to it residents. How noise is addressed and mitigated in the community. The desired level of public safety, including police, fire service, as well as any other safety issues such as wild fire and earthquakes. The plan addresses opportunities for the preservation of open space and recreation. The plan also addresses the conservation of natural resources, through habitat conservation planning. Lastly, communities are free to include other elements to address issues of local concern, including public arts, economic development, architectural preservation, community design, local coastal planning issues and many others.
How is a General Plan related to real estate development, construction management and architectural design? How can an understanding of the basic principals of land use planning help us to streamline the development review and approval process? Why can new development project generate controversy? How can we educate communities to be receptive? Why are some communities more receptive to new development?
General Plan’s can be used to implement sustainability at the city-wide level. Land use policies may be designed to encourage mixed use development and reduce sprawl, commute time, vehicle miles traveled and related air pollution. Circulation policies can provide developers with incentives to prioritize non-motorized transportation. Open space policies can help to reduce storm water run-off an recharge aquifers. Housing policies can stimulate new markets for green construction materials.
City planning enabling act: Formalized the local planning commission 2. Established master planning for the physical development of the territory 3. Established transportation planning master street plan by the governing body 4. Required approval of public improvements by the planning commission 5. Regulates the subdivision of land 6. Establishment of a regional planning
Here is a sample of a zoning map
Zoning established land use districts. Residential 80%, commercial, industrial, public, open space, institutional and other. Other zones may include Airports, Energy zones, Ports, Hillsides and other Conservation areas. Most important about zoning is that it regulates land use uses, scale, density and intensity. Zoning addresses the relationship between various land uses.
This slide illustrates zoning principals. Regarding height and massing
Land use entitlements are the permission to subdivide land, use land or develop land from a regulatory body such as a planning commission, city council or board of supervisors.
The entitlement process is intended to be transparent. Remember! The public is ALWAYS looking.
This slide outlines an over-simplified version of the Design Review process. 1. A conceptual design is submitted to the agency 2. The agency reviews the project. Redesign or enhancements may be required. A revised plan is submitted to the agency A public hearing occurs and the plan is approved. Detailed design documents are prepared. Building plan set is submitted to the agency. Plans are reviewed by the Building Official. Additional information or corrections are required. Plans are resubmitted to the agency. Permits are approved.
Pre-application meeting with city staff. Applicant submits plans and application. Agency circulates plans for internal review and to outside agencies. 30 day review period: Agency makes a determination regarding completeness. Application deemed complete, otherwise back to step #2 CEQA determination: Exempt, Initial Study or EIR Water quality plan review and approval Preliminary architecture review. Staff prepares draft report, conditions and resolution. Public hearing notice for Planning Commission meeting. Planning Commission public hearing. PC takes action. Appeal period (varies by agency) Public hearing notice CC public hearing and action Notice of approval. Process timeline: 14-20 weeks.
CEQA: analyze and mitigate environmental impacts of development. Various levels of analysis. Exemptions: Statutory and Catagorical. Initial Study: Negative declarations, MND Environmental Impact Report and Statement of Overriding Considerations.
An agency must review applications and make a determination within 30 days.
An agency must take action on a project within 180 days of approving an EIR and within 60 days of approving an Negative Declaration.
This concludes our discussion on land use planning. Thank you very much. Any questions?
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