Basics of City Planning for community leader training June 2012 at Silicon Valley Leadership Group event.

1. Planning 101

2. “Make no little plans; they have no magic
to stir men’s blood.”
Daniel Burnham
(Plan of Chicago, 1909)

3. Why Do We Plan?
The Balancing Act:
– Reflect community values
– Enhance community livability
– Balance goals that are often competing
with one another

4. What is Land Use Planning?
Stakeholder process by which cities
and counties determine what gets
built and where.

5. Who Authorizes
Land Use Planning?
• Under California State Law, all cities and
counties must have a General Plan or
“blueprint” for land use development.

6. Regulatory Framework

US Constitution

California State Law

7. Regulatory Framework
• General Plan
• City Council Policies (and Design Guidelines)
• Neighborhood Plans
• Zoning Ordinance
– Land Uses
– Development Standards
– Permit Processes
• Subdivision Ordinance
• Sign Ordinance
• Environmental Review
– NEPA (National Environmental Protection Act)
– CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act)

8. General Plan
 Vision for City’s future
 Major Strategies
 Standards for City
Services
 Land Use Plan

9. General Plan
Under California State Law, all cities and
counties must have a General Plan or
“blueprint” for land use development.
The General Plan is
the City’s official policy
statement regarding
its future character,
land use patterns, and
quality of
development.

10. General Plan Required Elements

Land Use,

Circulation,

Housing,

Conservation,

Open Space,

Noise, and

Safety

11. Land Use / Transportation
Diagram

12. General Plan Major Strategies
General Plan 1990 (1975)
s Growth Management
s Transportation/Land Use Integration
s Economic Development
s Downtown Revitalization
s Urban Conservation/Preservation
Horizon 2000 (1984)
s Greenline
s Urban Reserves
San Jose 2020 (1994)
s Transit Corridors
s Housing
s Sustainable City

13. How is the General Plan
Implemented?
 Specific Plans are detailed plans for specific
areas of the City.
 Proactive approach to shaping development
 Prevents piecemeal development by linking
GP policies and individual development
proposals in defined area
 Provides more detail for implementation than
the General Plan

14. Other Tools for Implementation
Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
Specific Plans
The Zoning Ordinance
Subdivision Ordinance
California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA)
City Council Policies
Design Guidelines

15. Zoning
 Legislative decision by Council, which:
 Divides the City into districts,
 Prescribes what can and cannot be built
on each parcel,
 Regulates the use, placement, spacing,
and size of land and buildings

16. Conventional vs. Planned
Development Zoning
 Conventional Zoning:
 Districts identified in the Zoning Ordinance
 Planned Development Zoning:
 Tailors regulations to a particular site

17. Entitlement Sequence
 “Discretionary” Actions (require public
hearing)
 General Plan Amendments / Specific Plan
Amendments
 Rezoning (Conventional or Planned Development)
 Development Permit (Site Permit, Conditional Use
Permit, Special Use Permit or Planned Development
Permit)
 Tentative Subdivision Map

18. Entitlement Sequence
“Ministerial” Actions (no public hearing)
 Administrative Permits
 Public Works Clearance
 Building Permits
 Final Subdivision Map

19. Process Flow-chart

20. Roles in the Planning Process
The Rule makers:
Federal government
State of California
Regional agencies
Local government
The Participants:
Applicants
City Staff
Community stakeholders

21. Community Participation
• On-line Information
• Social Media
• City Hall
• On-Site Signs
• Neighborhood Associations
• Letters and E-mail
• Community Meetings
• Public Hearings

22. Content of Project Files
 Project files are available to Public
 The contents include:
 Plans
 Memorandums and correspondence
 Environmental review
 Staff reports and/or Permits
 Conditions of approval

23. San Jose CA
Building a City of Great Places