Advanced Planning Division
About the Division
The Advanced Planning Division translates the collective vision of the community into actionable plans, through expeditious, comprehensive, and responsive long‐ range planning services. Core services include: implementation and maintenance of the General Plan and other long‐range planning documents such as the Zoning Code, Subdivision Ordinance, Housing Element, and Specific Plans, annexations, and coordination with local, regional, state, and federal agencies on land use, housing, environmental and long‐range planning initiatives.
Accomplishments
In 2018 the Division:
- Completed an Administrative Draft of the Guiding Principles for the upcoming General Plan Update and other neighborhood planning processes
- Initiated 10 Popups, 4 stakeholder meetings, and facilitated a Community Survey to refine Draft Guiding Principles based on Community feedback, priorities and input
- Staff continues to process West Area Specific Plan (WASP) EIR and Central Area Specific Plan (CASP) EIR. WASP EIR expected to be released to the public in January 2019; CASP EIR expected to be released to the public in mid-late 2019.
- Completed the Farmworker Housing Study and Action Plan for the Salinas Valley and Pajaro Valley and hosted a regional forum with over 220 stakeholders in attendance
- Assisted with the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Salinas Travel Stop development adopted in July 2018
- Coordinated the Census LUCA (Local Update of Census Addresses) in preparation for the 2020 Census in conjunction with the GIS Division
In 2015 the Division:
- Completed the 2015‐2023 Housing Element, which was praised as a model for other cities by the California Housing and Community Development Department and winner of a 2016 Award of Excellence by the California Chapter American Planning Association.
- Guided the adoption of the Reasonable Accommodation Ordinance to facilitate development that is designed for people of all abilities.
- Initiated the environmental process for the West Area Specific Plan, part of the Future Growth Area located north of Boronda Road.
- Finalized a new City/County Downtown Government Center MOU to ensure coordination of governmental facilities development.
What We're Working On
Advancement of our Economic Prosperity through:
- The entitlement and development of the North of Boronda Future Growth Area (FGA) through the processing of the West Area Specific Plan (WASP) and Central Area Specific Plan (CASP).
- Implementation of funding mechanisms in the FGA for critical City infrastructure and services to be incorporated into a Development Agreement (DA).
Creation of a well-planned city with excellent infrastructure and high quality housing for all residents through:
- Collaboration with various partners to establish a Housing Trust Fund for the Region.
- Initiation of a comprehensive Farm worker Housing Study to develop regional solutions for affordable housing for farm workers.
- Removal of regulatory barriers to housing production.
Creation of a well-planned city with excellent infrastructure and a high quality of life through:
- Drafting of Guiding Principles based on prior community feedback for the General Plan Update and Neighborhood Planning Processes.
- Comprehensive update of the General Plan in 2019, which was last revised in 2002.
- Ensuring a complete count of all City residents in the 2020 U.S. Census in coordination with Public Works and the Salinas Public Library.
Visión Salinas and the General Plan Update
Visión Salinas is a unified and coordinated effort of three Salinas Planning Initiatives (the Alisal Vibrancy Plan, the Parks, Rec, & Libraries Master Plan, and the Chinatown Revitalization Plan), the community, and between various city departments. The Visión Salinas website will offer information and an event calendar on other related projects such as the El Gabilan Library Project, the new Public Safety Center Project, the Intermodal Transit Center Project, and the Carr Lake Visioning (a Big Sur Land Trust Initiative). Visión Salinas will also collect the public feedback comments from these planning processes and synthesize it into the guiding principles of the City’s General Plan Update! Its crucial that we hear from YOU about your vision for the City’s future. You can stay up to date by adding your contact information here (Vision Salinas “Get Involved” page), or check the Vision Salinas Calendar to see events that you can come to and help translate your vision into city policy. Please use this link to see the Vision Salinas calendar.
Salinas City Council Supports 2020 Census Efforts
May 1, 2019
On April 16th, the Salinas City Council unanimously passed a resolution supporting, and thus kicking off Salinas' 2020 Census Efforts. The resolution supports the City's recently formed 2020 Census Salinas Action Team, and the City's participation in the Monterey County Complete Count Committee. Recent news from the Action Team, which had its third meeting on April 23rd, includes the formation of an outreach hub at the City of Salinas that will provide local volunteers with materials to do Census Outreach. The Action Team will also be participating in the Take it Outside/Vamos Afuera Salinas event...
Draft West Area Specific Plan and Draft EIR Released for Review
March 6, 2019
Staff released the Draft West Area Specific Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Report for the West Area Specific Plan project for the required 45-day public review period pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15087 and Government Code Section 65453. The 45-day review period is February 27, 2019 – April 15, 2019. The documents can be found on the City Website at the following link:
The West Area Specific Plan project is identified as a portion of the North of Boronda Future Growth Area by the Salinas General Plan (as shown...
City Initiates Salinas Action Team for 2020 Census Count
February 20, 2019
As a part of the countywide Monterey County Complete Count Committee, the City of Salinas has initiated an Action Team to ensure all Salinas residents are counted in the 2020 Census. The Census is crucial to ensure the City receives proper funding from the Federal and State Governments for services like healthcare, the SNAP program, transportation infrastructure, and education - in fact, the Census Bureau says that for every 5 residents uncounted, $100,000 of money is lost toward the aforementioned services. The City of Salinas has 38 percent of the County's Hard-to-count (HTC) population, so...
