FAQ
What is a General Plan?
The State of California requires every city and county in California to adopt a General Plan, which is the local government’s long-term blueprint “for the physical development of the city and any land outside its boundaries that bears relation to its planning.” The General Plan represents the community’s view of its future and expresses its long-term growth and development goals. It addresses issues that impact the entire city, such as how land is used, where buildings are built, the locations of roads and parks, safety, noise, and more.
The General Plan contains the goals and policies upon which the City Council and Planning Commission will base their land use decisions. All city plans, zoning, and private development must be consistent with the diagrams and policies in the General Plan.
Why is the City updating it's General Plan?
The City’s current General Plan was last comprehensively updated in 2000. Atwater is facing important demands and challenges (some new, some long-standing) on its land use pattern, economy, budget, and infrastructure network. Changing demographics and economic conditions, changes to the agricultural economy, and new state legislation are some of the important reasons that the City has decided to update its General Plan.
What is included in the General Plan Update project?
The General Plan Update work program includes preparation of a variety of important plans that will guide the City through 2045. These include:
The Existing Conditions Report will describe current conditions and regulations affecting the City associated with land use and growth, circulation, environmental justice, community services and facilities, safety and noise, climate change, agriculture, natural resources, and conservation. The Existing Conditions Report is prepared early in the process and serves as a resource to City decision-makers, the public, City staff, and the consultant team throughout the project.
The General Plan document will describe current conditions and regulations affecting the City associated with land use and growth, circulation, environmental justice, community services and facilities, safety and noise, climate change, agriculture, natural resources, and conservation. The Existing Conditions Report is prepared early in the process and serves as a resource to City decision-makers, the public, City staff, and the consultant team throughout the project.
Environmental Impact Report – An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be prepared to address all potential environmental impacts associated with implementation of the General Plan. The EIR will serve as a “tiering document” to facilitate streamlined environmental review of subsequent development, planning, and infrastructure projects undertaken in the City that are consistent with the General Plan.
What topics are addressed in the General Plan?
General Plans are divided into elements based on specific topics. There are seven mandatory elements: land use, circulation, housing, conservation, open space, safety, and noise. Furthermore, when two or more General Plan elements are revised concurrently, cities must address environmental justice as part of the General Plan Update and can either adopt a new element or integrate environmental justice goals and policies into the other elements of the General Plan. State law allows local governments to organize and format their general plans however they desire, as long as the required topics or elements are addressed. Cities can also choose to include additional elements at their discretion, such as economic development.
We expect to address all of these topics, and more, in Atwater’s new General Plan. As a part of the preparation of the General Plan Update, the existing elements may be reorganized and new elements may be added to emphasize new planning issues that have arisen since the current General Plan was adopted.
What is the schedule for the General Plan Update?
The General Plan Update will take approximately three years, starting in 2023 and ending in 2026.
How can I get involved?
The General Plan Update 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, online surveys, and public hearings.
In order to collect community input in an open, engaging, and actionable way, the City has designed a series of community events where you will have the opportunity to participate in and be informed of the planning process. These include:
Visioning Workshops – Two Visioning Workshop will be held to introduce the community to the project and to provide opportunities for the community to identify their vision, goals and priorities, and land use and transportation preferences for the General Plan Update. Workshop dates and details will be posted to this website, under the Get Involved tab.
Open House Workshops – Three community-wide Open House Workshops will be held during the General Plan Update process. The first workshop will provide an overview of key opportunity areas as well as areas for future growth within the city. A second workshop will be held in order to receive community feedback needed to establish the preferred Land Use Map, prior to completion of the Draft General Plan. Once the Draft General Plan is complete and ready for public review, the third workshop will provide additional opportunities for the public to give feedback regarding the development of goals and policies, key points and ideas, and provide input on issues of concern identified within the Draft General Plan. Workshop dates and details will be posted to this website, under the Get Involved tab.
Stakeholder Interviews – Interviews of groups and organizations that represent various local and regional issues that affect Atwater will be conducted to ensure that a broad range of perspectives are included early in the General Plan Update process. Feedback collected during this stage will be subject to additional input from the broader community.
Community Surveys and Polls – The City will conduct online surveys to provide additional opportunities for members of the public to provide input on key issues, and give feedback to the City as draft documents are completed.
Public Review Draft General Plan – The Public Review Draft General Plan and Environmental Impact Report will be made available to the entire community for review and feedback before the plan is finalized.
Planning Commission and City Council Hearings – The City will conduct public hearings and study sessions before the Planning Commission and City Council to consider the update to the General Plan. Community members are encouraged to attend these meetings.
Why should I get involved?
The City of Atwater is committed to involving the community in the planning process. The General Plan Update process provides residents, businesses, and interested parties the chance to help guide the future of the community. A successful General Plan will reflect the community’s vision and priorities, and we believe that your voice is vital to producing a plan that will reflect your vision for the city’s future. Community input is needed to establish the long-term vision for Atwater and to identify key issues and priorities.
How will my feedback be used?
Public input from every engagement opportunity is meticulously reviewed and documented to ensure that planners, City staff, and decision-makers have a full understanding of public sentiment when drafting goals and policies. Public feedback on General Plan materials, including goals and policies, will be considered throughout the process.
How can I stay informed?
Visit the Get Involved page to view the dates of upcoming meetings and community events. If you wish to be added to the City’s mailing list to receive project updates and invitations to community events, use the contact form and request to be added to the mailing list.
The General Plan Update process is an opportunity for community members to discuss the City’s future. There will be many opportunities to participate, including meetings, workshops, and public hearings. All of these opportunities will be posted on this website.
