Overview

What is a General Plan?

A general plan acts as the "constitution" for making rational decisions regarding a city's long-term physical development. The general plan expresses the community's development goals and incorporates public policies relative to the distribution of future public and private land uses. California State law requires that each city adopt a general plan "for the physical development of the city and any land outside its boundaries which bears relation to its planning." Typically, a general plan is designed to address the issues facing the city for the next 15-20 years.

The general plan is presented as a collection of chapters or "elements," of which seven are mandatory. The seven State-mandated elements are: Land Use, Circulation, Housing, Conservation, Open Space, Noise, and Safety. In addition to these mandated or statutory elements, the City will also adopt the following "optional" elements: Economic Development, Public/Quasi-Public Facilities and Services, Recreation, and Administration and Implementation.

For more information on the structure and legal requirements of a General Plan, or to see a list of planning related terms and acronyms, please view the following sites:

• A Citizen's Guide to Planning; Published by the Governor's Office of Planning and Research
• The California General Plan Glossary; Published by the California Planning Roundtable

What are the objectives of the General Plan Update?

The City of South Lake Tahoe is updating its 1999 General Plan to create a comprehensive and integrated policy framework with seven key objectives:

1. Reflect the unique values and aspirations of South Lake Tahoe residents;
2. Integrate Plan Area Statements and Community Plans in an intelligible and consistent manner;
3. Incorporate Smart Growth principles and place-based planning concepts;
4. Ensure compliance with California planning law;
5. Implement the Bi-State Compact and TRPA Regional Plans and Regulations;
6. Minimize duplication of planning and regulatory requirements and processes between TRPA and the City of South Lake Tahoe; and
7. Create a systematic and integrated framework for implementation.

When was the General Plan Last Updated?

The City of South Lake Tahoe last comprehensibly updated its entire General Plan in 1999. In 2003 the City adopted an updated Housing Element as required by California planning law and pursuant to a legislatively established deadline. The Housing Element was formally found in compliance by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and must be updated next by July 2008.

How is the General Plan Update Integrated With TRPA's Pathway 2007 Process?

In conjunction with the adoption of the 1999 General Plan, the City adopted Tahoe Regional Planning Agency's (TRPA) system of twenty-four Planning Area Statements and three Community Plans as part of its General Plan and in lieu of its previous traditional zoning. This action eliminated inconsistencies between the City's zoning and TRPA's standards and permissible uses.

While the City of South Lake Tahoe General Plan is not directly subject to approval by TRPA, the General Plan Update will need to be closely coordinated with TRPA to ensure that the new General Plan policies and standards do not create conflict with TRPA policies and regulations.

Concurrent with the City's General Plan update, TRPA is updating its Regional Plan Framework, including: Regional Goals and Policies, Code of Ordinance, and TRPA-approved Plan Area Statements and Community Plans. This effort is known as Pathway 2007. The City will be working closely with TRPA during the 25 month update process to coordinate policy integration between the two planning efforts.

How can I get involved and provide input?

Please refer to the feedback page.

Why is an Update Needed?

The City of South Lake Tahoe is comprehensively updating the 1999 General Plan to meet the changing housing, environmental, economic, and growth needs of the city and to incorporate the community's vision for the future into TRPA's Pathway 2007 project. South Lake Tahoe's update of the General Plan will serve several purposes:

• To provide a description of current conditions in the city that can be used to assess the current state of development and highlight trends impacting the city;
• To provide the public with information on South Lake Tahoe and opportunities for meaningful participation in the planning and decision-making process;
• To identify planning issues, opportunities, and challenges;
• To ensure that the General Plan is current, internally consistent, and consolidated for ease of use;
• To improve coordination between the City and TRPA, and other local, State, and Federal agencies regarding land use and resource issues; and
• To provide guidance for City departments in the planning and evaluation of future land use and resource protection decisions.

How long will it take to update the General Plan?

The General Plan is scheduled to take 25 months to update, starting in October 2007 and concluding in November 2009. The update is being conducted in three parts as follows:

• Part I - Policy Confirmation (October 2007 - January 2008)
• Part II - Housing Element Update (October 2007 - June 2008)
• Part III - General Plan Update (October 2007 - November 2009)

What is the Next Step?

The next step for the General Plan Update will be to develop a range of alternatives based on identified issues and opportunities (10/2008 through 02/2009). The following step will be to prepare the General Plan's Policy Document, which will include goals, policies, and actions to implement the preferred land use alternative.

Last Update: September 29, 2008