Background:

The City Council firmly believes that the current General Plan, created and adopted in 1975, is a masterpiece of visionary planning that has served the City well over the past 31 years. However, the Council also acknowledges that certain portions of the General Plan are either outdated or factually incorrect and need a fresh look. Some portions of the Plan that need to be reviewed and updated include traffic, geology and open space from the aspect of existing conditions as well as a vision for the future.

Included in the 1975 General Plan is a list of 28 Goals and 190 policies. These goals and policies were generated by a “grass-roots” organization of over 200 City residents who formed themselves into thirteen committees to look at different elements of the General Plan including land use, recreation and parks, safety and fiscal policy and offer their ideas to guide the future of the City.

As a first step toward updating the General Plan the City Council created a 15-member General Plan Update Steering Committee. The purpose of the committee was to review the existing Goals and Policies of the General Plan and determine which Goals and Policies need to be eliminated, revised or maintained, and if any new Goals and Policies should be proposed, and what technical areas of the General Plan need updating. After over two years of work, on November 4, 2004, the General Plan Update Steering Committee completed their task of reviewing all of the existing goals and policies of the 1975 General Plan. The Steering Committee’s recommendations, along with a General Plan Update Program, were presented to the City Council on December 21, 2004. To find out exactly what changes have been proposed by the Steering Committee, you can access the most recent copy of the "General Plan Goals and Policies - As modified by the General Plan Steering Committee" by clicking below.

At the December 21, 2004 City Council meeting, the Council (1) Directed Staff to proceed with drafting proposed amendments to the General Plan Goals and Policies as recommended by the General Plan Update Steering Committee for future review by the Planning Commission and City Council; (2) Directed Staff to proceed with an update of the factual information within the General Plan for future review by the Planning Commission and City Council; (3) Directed Staff to proceed with the proposed improvements to the general format of the General Plan and the mandatory elements for future review by the Planning Commission and City Council in order to make the Plan more user friendly; (4) Directed Staff to release an RFQ to obtain consultant assistance with updating portions of the General Plan; and (5) Disbanded the General Plan Update Steering Committee.

Progress on the General Plan Update was delayed since the December 21, 2004 Council meeting while Staff focused its attention on a variety of high profile development projects and other issues. In April 2006, Staff sent out a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to obtain consultant assistance with updating the General Plan, and on February 20, 2007, the City Council entered into an agreement with three consulting firms to assist Staff with the update.  Since 2007, Staff has been working with the consultants on revising the document.  

On September 29, 2009, the City Council and Planning Commission held a Workshop with the main purpose of providing a “Kick-off” to the General Plan Update process.  At the Workshop, the Council provided direction to Staff on various items regarding the update process including providing direction on the process.

Current Status Update and Schedule (As of November 30, 2011):

The Planning Commission has reviewed the updated text of all of the “Draft” Elements (Introduction, Land Use, Circulation, Conservation and Open Space, Visual Resources, Safety, Housing and Social Services, Fiscal and Noise).  Currently, the Planning Commission is reviewing various proposed changes to the General Plan Land Use Map to clear up any ambiguities between the General Plan Land Use Map and the City’s Zoning Map and Coastal Specific Plan Map.

Once the Commission has completed their review of the proposed Map changes, Staff will bring back the “Draft” Elements to the Commission in one cohesive document with updated graphics, photographs and maps for their review and approval.  At that time, Staff will be recommending some additional text amendments to reduce redundancies and make the document read as one cohesive document.

Once the Planning Commission has finished with the document, then Staff will present the Draft to the City Council for their initial first review and request that they authorize Staff to begin preparation of the associated Environmental Impact Report (EIR). 

Upon completion of the EIR, both the Planning Commission and City Council will need to review and approve the finished General Plan along with the associated EIR.

Below is a current status report of each of the “Draft” elements and land use map:

• Introduction Element (“Draft”):
• Planning Commission approved the Sub-committee revised “Draft” at their December 8, 2009 meeting (Click here to view a copy).
• Housing and Social Services Element (“Draft”):
• Planning Commission approved the “Draft” on December 8, 2009.
• City Council adopted the “Final” on January 19, 2010. 
• State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) certified the “Final” on March 24, 2010.  To view a copy of the “Final” Housing Element, please click here.
• The completed General Plan will not include the entire Housing Element that was certified by HCD as the Housing Element is a technical document.  Instead the completed General Plan will have an insert that references the Housing Element.  However, along with the Housing Element insert, this section of the General Plan also includes Goals and Policies related to Social Services, including Senior Services.  The “Draft” text of this insert, titled Housing and Social Services, was approved by Planning Commission at their January 11, 2011 meeting.  (Click here to view a copy)
• Conservation and Open Space Element (“Draft”):
• Planning Commission approved the “Draft” Conservation and Open Space Element on May 25, 2010 (Click here to view a copy)
• Safety Element (“Draft”):
• Planning Commission approved the “Draft” Safety Element on June 8, 2010.  To view a copy of the June 8, 2010 version, please click here
• Fiscal Element (“Draft”):
• The Planning Commission approved the “Draft” Fiscal Element at their July 27, 2010 meeting.  To view a copy of the July 27, 2010 version, please click here
• Land Use Element (“Draft”):
• The Planning Commission approved the “Draft” at their July 27, 2010 meeting.  To view a copy of the July 27, 2010 version, please click here,
• Circulation Element (“Draft”):
• “Draft” Traffic Study has been completed and has been reviewed by the Traffic Safety Commission at their July 26, 2010 meeting.  To view a copy of the “Draft” Traffic Study, please click here. 
• The “Draft” Circulation Element was approved by the Traffic Safety Commission at their September 13, 2010 meeting.
• The Planning Commission approved the “Draft” Circulation Element at their January 11, 2011 meeting.  To view a copy of the “Draft”, please click here.
• Visual Resources Element (“Draft”):
• Planning Commission approved the “Draft” Visual Resources Element at their September 28, 2010 meeting.  To view a copy of the “Draft” September 28th version, please click here.
• Noise Element (“Draft”):
• Planning Commission approved the “Draft” Noise Element on November 9, 2010 (click here to view a copy).
• Proposed General Plan Land Use Map Changes (“Draft”):

Over the past few months, the Planning Commission has also reviewed and approved various “Draft” changes to the General Plan Land Use Map.  These changes were categorized into various geographical areas within the City (Areas “A” through “Z”).  To view a copy of each of these changes, please click here.

At their December 13, 2011 meeting, the Planning Commission will be considering additional “Draft” General Plan Land Use map changes (Areas “1” through “15”) pertaining to the location of Overlay Control Districts.  To view a copy of each of the public hearing notices that describe the specific changes, please click here.

More Information:
The City’s project manager overseeing the General Plan Update is Deputy Community Development Director Gregory Pfost. He may be contacted by telephone at (310) 544-5228, via e-mail at gregp@rpv.com, or via U.S. Mail at City of Rancho Palos Verdes, 30940 Hawthorne Blvd., Rancho Palos Verdes, California, 90275.

If you would like to be placed on an "interested parties" list to receive any future notices related to the General Plan Update project via e-mail, you may subscribe by joining the list server group here.

“Draft” General Plan Element (text) Documents:
Click here to view a copy of the most current “Draft” Introduction Section of the General Plan
Click here to view a copy of the most current “Draft” Conservation and Open Space Element
Click here to view a copy of the most current “Draft” Safety Element
Click here to view a copy of the most current “Draft” Fiscal Element
Click here to view a copy of the most current “Draft” Land Use Element
Click here to view a copy of the most current “Draft” Circulation Element
Click here to view a copy of the most current “Draft” Visual Resources Element
Click here to view a copy of the most current “Draft” Noise Element

“Draft” General Plan Land Use Map Changes:
Click here. to view a copy of the proposed “Draft” General Plan Land Use Map Changes.

“Draft” General Plan Background Studies and Schedule
Click here to view a copy of the most current “Draft” General Plan Update Traffic Study
Click here to view a copy of the most current “Draft” General Plan Update Noise Study
Click here to view a copy of the most current “Draft” General Plan Update Air Quality Study
Click here to view the “General Plan Goals and Policies - As modified by the General Plan Steering Committee"
Click here to view a copy of the “Grass-Roots” Goals Report, which is a non-City sponsored Report prepared by volunteers.

Existing Documents
Click here to view a copy of the certified Housing Element
Click here to view a copy of the existing Rancho Palos Verdes General Plan.
Click here to view a list of all of the Goals and Policies contained within the General Plan.
Click here to view a list of the General Plan Amendments that have been adopted by the City Council since the original General Plan was adopted in 1975.