SCH Number 2018031066

Project Info

Title

General Plan Review and Zoning Ordinance Update-Final EIR

Description

The revised General Plan is intended to build on the major policies of the current 2000 General Plan but expand and strengthen them to meet the challenges and community needs through planning horizon year 2042. The revised General Plan would accommodate County population growth projected through 2042. The revised General Plan seeks to preserve agricultural land and natural resources; conserve public spaces and recreational resources; promote the wellbeing of County residents; maintain economic vitality and balance; and direct land use policies that enable sustainable and forecasted growth in the County. The major themes of the current 2000 General Plan have been retained in the General Plan Review and include directing urban growth to existing communities, limiting the intrusion of development and incompatible land uses onto productive agricultural land, and limiting rural residential development. The revisions include only minimal changes to the land use designations and land use maps in the existing 2000 General Plan. The majority of revisions are to goals, policies, and implementation programs of the General Plan. The revision also includes addressing laws affecting the General Plan, including the addition of an Environmental Justice Element to the General Plan Policy Document. Section 65860(c) of the Government Code requires that when a General Plan is amended in a way that makes the Zoning Ordinance inconsistent with the General Plan, “the Zoning Ordinance shall be amended within a reasonable time so that it is consistent with the general plan as amended.” However, the Government Code does not define a specific time period that would constitute a reasonable time. In this instance, the proposed project includes updating the Fresno County Zoning Ordinance to be consistent with the proposed revisions to General Plan Policy Document included in the General Plan Review. Components of the Zoning Ordinance update that could result in physical changes to the environment include the revisions to the regulations for accessory dwelling units, density bonus and other State-mandated changes to California Zoning law which became effective since the adoption of the 2000 General Plan.

5 documents in project