+ What is a General Plan?

All cities and counties in California are required to have a general plan, which serves as the “constitution” for urban development and preservation in the city. Last adopted by the City Council in 2002, the Lafayette General Plan lays out the city’s long-term (20-year) vision, and includes text and maps to communicate how the vision will be implemented.

In essence, the plan expresses how the community should develop over time and specifies locations for various land uses, transportation improvements, new parks and open spaces, and other public infrastructure. It guides urban development within the city limits — including development on both privately-owned and publicly-owned land — and is used as a basis for land use decisions by government officials such as the Planning and Design Commissions and the City Council.

+ What topics are included in the General Plan?

State law requires all general plans to include the following elements: Land Use, Circulation, Housing, Conservation, Open Space, Noise, Safety, Air Quality, and Environmental Justice. Each of these topics affects the quality of life in our community and is an important consideration for future development in Lafayette. In addition, Lafayettes’s current General Plan includes an element addressing Growth Management. This update will address all elements, except Housing, which follows a different State-mandated cycle and will be updated by 2022.

+ Why prepare a new General Plan?

A General Plan update is timely now considering the overall age of the existing Plan, regional activity, and changes in State law. There are several reasons to update our General Plan including:

Council Goals: City Council Strategic Goal #2 was established in 2019 with the intention to explore community values and provide for a strong base for the General Plan.

City Council Goal #2. Develop and define the City’s core values and corresponding key elements that represent Lafayette’s character.

State Laws: All cities and counties in California are required by State law to have a current General Plan which is used to guide the development of the city. Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances and specific plans must be in conformance with the General Plan. State law also requires each Housing Element to be updated every 8 years and the current cycle requires an update to be adopted by the end of 2022. Further, Assembly Bill 2923 requires BART TOD Standards to be locally adopted by the end of 2022.

Regional Plans: Plan Bay Area 2050 and the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) are currently being developed.

+ Why should I get involved? How will my feedback be used?

A successful General Plan will reflect the community’s vision and priorities. We believe that your voice is vital to producing a plan that will reflect a common vision for the City’s future. Community input is needed to establish the long-term vision for Lafayette and to identify key issues and priorities.

Everyone is a stakeholder and community members will play a key role in the visioning process. The process provides an opportunity for community members to discuss and weigh in on the City’s future. We encourage you to take advantage of the many opportunities to participate, including meetings, workshops, and public hearings.

In 2020, the City estalished a General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) to guide the overall development of the plan and each of its elements as well as a variety of methods to get involved including community events, walking tours, workshops, interviews, surveys that will allow for transparency and participation in this planning process. The draft plan will culminate with public hearings with the Planning Commission and City Council.

+ What is the General Plan Advisory Committee?

The General Plan Advisory Committee is a Council-appointed committee consisting of 11 volunteers that will serve the Lafayette community through the General Plan Process. The Advisory Committee supplements the community input provided at public workshops and provides feedback and guidance from their professional experience throughout the General Plan Update process.

Applications for the district representatives, at-large position, and non-profit representatives were accepted between August and October 2020. On October 5th, 2020, Mayor Mike Anderson conducted a lottery drawing for the residential district, at-large, and nonprofit seats.

To view the full GPAC roster, please visit the Overview page.

+ What is the Housing Element?

Visit our Housing Element Update page for more information.

+ What is the difference between the General Plan and the Zoning Ordinance?

The General Plan sets forth long-term policies that guide future development. It identifies the types of development that will be allowed, the spatial relationships among land uses, and the general pattern of future development. The Zoning Ordinance implements general plan policies through detailed development regulations, such as specific use types and building standards. However, the land uses specified in the General Plan will usually be reflected in the local zoning maps as well. State law requires that zoning be consistent with maps and policies in the General Plan. Development must not only meet the specific requirements of the Zoning Ordinance, but also the broader policies set forth in the General Plan.

+ When will the new General Plan be completed?

The current project timeline anticipates the plan will be completed, reviewed, and adopted by June 2025.

+ What is an Environmental Impact Report (EIR)?

Under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the potential environmental impacts of all major development projects must be assessed, disclosed, and appropriately mitigated. The results of this environmental review process are conveyed in the form of an environmental impact report or EIR.

As required by CEQA Guidelines, the new General Plan EIR will identify the potential environmental impacts associated with an implementation of the General Plan. This analysis will assess and, if necessary, include measures to mitigate potential impacts related to CEQA-required topics. These topics include: air quality; greenhouse gases; hazards and hazardous materials; hydrology; land use; noise; population and housing; public services; recreation; traffic and transportation; utilities; agricultural and forest resources; biological resources; cultural resources; geology, soils, and mineral resources; and aesthetics.