Planning Commission To Discuss General Plan Implementation, Regional Planning

The Planning Commission is scheduled to review the annual General Plan Implementation Report at its .  The report is required by the state and goes to the City Council after review by the Planning Commission.

One major change in the General Plan implementation is in the housing element.  In the past the state required cities to update their housing elements every five years, but with passage of SB 375 the city’s housing element is being considered as part of the larger regional housing needs and will be tied in some way to the Regional Transportation Plan developed by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

The Solano Transportation Authority is responsible for the Solano County portion of the Regional Transportation Plan ensuring that transportation options available to residents of Solano County connect to regional transportation systems like BART and the ferry.

The Association of Bay Area Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission have been leading the effort to develop the regional housing needs assessment through their One Bay Area initiative.  One Bay Area attempts to tie together planning for jobs, housing and transportation on a regional level.

There has been , with critics saying it will take local land use decisions away from communities like Benicia and put them in the hands of bureaucrats who live in larger metropolitan areas.

Those wishing to comment on the implementation report can attend the Planning Commission meeting Thursday, April 12 at 7 p.m. at the City Council chambers in City Hall, 250 East L Street.

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