General Plan Update Process and Schedule
|
Why Update the General Plan?
The current General Plan for Sutter County was adopted in 1996 and
has not been comprehensively updated since that time. As the
County has continued to grow and evolve, much of the data, analyses,
and policies do not reflect the current conditions and priorities
in the County. Thus, a comprehensive update of the General Plan is
necessary to reflect these changes as well as guide the
community's vision for the future of Sutter County over the
next 25 years.
|
What is Involved in the Update Process?
The process began in the Summer of 2007, and the update process will
include the following steps over a period of approximately 30 months. (Click on the image for a larger view)
*Exact dates and locations for community workshops, study sessions,
and public hearings will be posted on this website. Stay tuned for
upcoming General Plan Update public events.
|
Step1: Document Existing Conditions Fall: 2007 – Winter 2008
The first step in updating a General Plan is to understand the existing
conditions and current issues. This involves an analysis of the current
conditions, including the County's land use, economy, housing, circulation
systems, etc. This information is compiled into a Technical Background
Report (TBR) that will be used as the basis for the formulation of the
updated General Plan as well as preparation of the Environmental Impact
Report. An Issues Report will be prepared that summarizes the key
findings identified in the TBR. A series of Issue Papers will also be
prepared to provide a more in-depth look at Sutter County's biggest
challenges. This information will help frame the issues around which
the updated General Plan will be organized.
|
Step 2: Conduct a Visioning Process: Spring 2008
During this task, the consultants and County staff will meet with
community stakeholders and the general public in Community Visioning
Workshops held throughout the County. These workshops will help to
establish a Vision Statement that will be used to guide preparation
of the updated General Plan. The Vision Statement will be confirmed
by the General Plan Advisory Committee (established by the County to
provide guidance for the General Plan Update process), Planning
Commission, and the Board of Supervisors. Following the visioning
process, a set of Guiding Principles will be developed. These
non-negotiable principles will guide formulation of updated
General Plan policies and will be defined in consideration of
the Vision Statement, the Technical Background Report, the Issues
Report and Discussion Papers, and public comment received. Check
the
Upcoming Events
section for details of the Community Visioning Workshop.
|
Step 3: Develop a Land Use Plan: Spring – Fall 2008
Based on the information from the Technical Background Report and
the Community Visioning Process, an updated Land Use Plan will be
prepared. Developing the Land Use Plan includes four key steps:
(a) identifying options for growth and conservation; (b) testing
these options according to their comparative impacts and benefits;
(c) selecting the preferred land use plan from the options; and (d)
formulating policies and programs that support the preferred land
use plan.
Determining the land use options will involve identifying areas of
the County where land will be conserved and areas where change such
as new development may be targeted. In areas where change may be
targeted, the Land Use Plan will specify what types of land uses
are appropriate, including the potential density and character of
these uses. The scenarios will be tested to determine their impacts
and acceptability to the community and a land use plan reflecting
the preferred growth and conservation scenario will be selected.
Once a preferred Land Use Plan is selected, goals, policies, and
implementation programs will be formulated for each element of the
General Plan to reflect the issues, vision, and planning principles
agreed upon by the community. Public input opportunities on these
draft goals and policies will be provided at community workshops,
and at meetings with the General Plan Advisory Committee, the
Planning Commission, and the County Board of Supervisors. These
General Plan events will be posted in the Upcoming Events section
once dates for these activities are determined.
|
Step 4: Prepare Updated General Plan: Fall 2008 – Spring 2009
Based on the input received from the previous task, a draft updated General
Plan will be prepared. This will be published for public review and
posted on this website along with all other General Plan
Project Documents
prepared throughout this process.
|
Step 5: Prepare Environmental Impact Report: Fall 2008 – Fall 2009
Before considering the updated General Plan, an Environmental Impact
Report (EIR) will be prepared to evaluate the potential impacts
of growth allowed under the updated General Plan on all affected
resources. These resources include, but are not limited to, air,
water quality and open space. For those resources that will be
negatively impacted, the EIR will recommend ways to reduce or
eliminate the impacts.
|
Step 6: Conduct Public Hearings for Adoption: Winter 2009
Upon completion of the draft General Plan and EIR, the Planning
Commission and the Board of Supervisors will conduct public
hearings during which the updated Draft General Plan will be
presented for adoption and the Draft EIR will be considered
for certification.
|
|