General Plan

Recipient of the Northern California Chapter of the American Planning Association's 2017 Award of Excellence for a Comprehensive Plan, Small Jurisdiction

The City of San Leandro embarked on an extensive public planning process beginning in early 2014 to update its General Plan (2035 General Plan), which was last updated in 2002. The 2035 General Plan covers a 20 year period from 2015 through 2035. State law requires every city and county in California to prepare a long-range "General Plan" which guides decisions about future growth. State law also requires such plans to be periodically updated in response to changing conditions. The City Council, local boards/commissions (such as the Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Adjustments) and City staff use the adopted General Plan to guide its day to day decisions about the City's future.

The 2035 update involved the collective efforts of a broad and diverse range of individuals and organizations throughout the community. Between 2014 and 2016, the City conducted several dozen public and stakeholder meetings with the City Council, Planning Commission, other Boards/Commission, City departments, public agencies, public service providers, and community and business groups.

Housing Element

As required by State law, the Housing Element portion of the General Plan had to be adopted by January 2015. The City Council approved the Housing Element Update on January 20, 2015 and the State Housing and Community Development Department certified the Housing Element in February 2015.

Planning Commission

The Planning Commission played an active and regular role in reviewing draft portions of the 2035 General Plan and recommending it for adoption by City Council in late August 2016. The City Council approved the 2035 General Plan, along with the related California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) environmental impact report (EIR) and Zoning Code amendments on September 19, 2016.

Elements / Chapters

The 2035 General Plan is available (by "Element" or chapter). By State law, the Plan must cover the following mandated "elements": land use, transportation, housing, open space, conservation, safety and noise.

Optional elements include community services/facilities, community design, and preservation. The City's 2035 Plan includes all the above elements along with a new Economic Development Element.

2035 General Plan by Chapter

2035 General Plan Update Environmental Impact Report

Under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), cities and counties shall prepare an environmental impact report (EIR) in conjunction with their general plans. An EIR is a public document designed to provide the public and local and State decision makers with an analysis of potential environmental consequences of a "proposed project". The EIR assesses the environmental effects associated with adoption and implementation of the City's proposed project (i.e., 2035 General Plan and related Zoning Code amendments) through a public process which began in 2014 and ended on September 19, 2016, when the City Council certified the EIR and adopted the Plan and Zoning Code amendments.

The EIR document is divided into two parts: Draft EIR (DEIR) and Final EIR (FEIR). The DEIR, which was publicly released as Volume 1 (DEIR Main Document) and Volume 2 (Appendices) on June 1, 2016, represents the more comprehensive and detailed document that includes the project description, environmental analysis, significant/unavoidable impacts, and project alternatives. The Final EIR (FEIR), which was publicly release on August 19, 2016 and supplements the DEIR, includes revisions to the DEIR and summary of public comments and responses.