Land Use Policy Programmatic Update (LUPPU)

What is the Land Use Policy Programmatic Update (LUPPU)?

The Land Use Policy Programmatic Update (LUPPU) is the project name assigned by the County to the review and revision of four distinct yet interrelated long-range planning issues:

2013-2021 Housing Element Update (HEU)
Travel Demand Model (TDM)
Targeted General Plan Amendment (TGPA)
Zoning Ordinance Update (ZOU)

The purpose of LUPPU is to implement the County’s General Plan. The implementation of a jurisdiction’s General Plan is required by State Law (Government Code §65860).

Who is in charge of this project?

The Board of Supervisors designated the County Chief Administrative Office (CAO) as the LUPPU project oversight. The CAO has delegated the project management to the Community Development Agency Assistant Director of the Long Range Planning team. The Board of Supervisors also directed the CAO to form an Executive Advisory Team consisting of representatives of the following county departments and organizations:

Community Development Agency Divisions: Development Services, Environmental Management, Transportation
Commissions: Agriculture, Parks, Planning
Other County Agency/Departments: Air Quality Management District, Agriculture, Health and Human Services
Advisory Committees: Community Economic Development Advisory Committee (CEDAC)

What is the relationship between LUPPU and currently proposed large development projects requiring General Plan Amendments?<

None. There is no relationship between LUPPU and currently proposed privately-initiated General Plan Amendment projects. Within the last year, a number of large development projects, totaling approximately 6,700 dwelling units, have been submitted to the County. These projects have been initiated by the landowners or developers of those properties and are NOT any part of LUPPU - - NOT the Housing Element Update, Travel Demand Model, Targeted General Plan Amendment, or Zoning Ordinance Update.

In fact, most of these projects, as proposed, are inconsistent with the General Plan, and would require approval of a General Plan Amendment, a Zone Change or a Specific Plan, and one or more tentative subdivision maps. Each application is also subject to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), including an assessment of the project impact on traffic, infrastructure and a range of resources.

Does LUPPU grant any approval or entitlement to those proposed projects?

Although a landowner or developer may submit an application requesting a General Plan amendment, the approval of such amendments is entirely within the discretion of the Board of Supervisors. In connection with the five-year update in 2011, the County has evaluated the distribution and pattern of development since General Plan adoption, and has concluded that the General Plan assumptions were still valid, and that no significant changes in land use were needed at this time.

Approval of LUPPU will not, in any way, predetermine the result of the large development projects. If the changes proposed in LUPPU were in effect today, these large development projects would still have to obtain approval of their project-specific General Plan Amendments, Zone Changes or Specific Plans, and one or more subdivision maps. Each would also be subject to the same level of environmental review under CEQA.

Is the Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan (INRMP) a part of this process?

No. The INRMP will be addressed through a separate process.

What is a Climate Action Plan?

The State of California has set a goal to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. The Air Resources Board is responsible for implementing the California Global Warming Solutions Act (AB32) in order to meet 2020 emission reduction goals. A Climate Action Plan is a set of policies and implementation measures adopted by a local jurisdiction or agency to assist in meeting State requirements.

Is a Climate Action Plan going to be adopted as part of this process?

There is no mandate that a jurisdiction must adopt a climate action plan. However, there is a mandate that a “project” as defined and subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) must analyze the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate impacts to protect against climate change. At this time the County is exploring options to meeting State objectives as it relates to climate change. Additional information can be found at the State of California Climate Change Portal.

What is Community ID?

The General Plan Statement of Vision and Plan Strategies encourages growth to reflect the character and scale of the community in which it occurs. General Plan Goal 2.4 promotes the enhancement of the character of existing rural and urban communities, placing an “emphasis on both the natural setting and built design elements which contribute to the quality of life, economic health, and community pride of the County residents.”

Will the community identity process affect allowable uses in a particular community?

Community ID does not change allowable uses. It only relates to the design and form of structures on commercial and multifamily lands. Community Plans and guidelines are required to be adopted by the Board of Supervisors. Project applications deemed complete following the adoption of a Community Plan would be subject to any established standards and guidelines.

Will community identity have any impact on proposed projects?

The General Plan land use map and zoning regulate the type and location of land uses within the County; however, these policies and ordinances do not fully address site design, urban layout and the appearance of the proposed development. General Plan Policy 2.4.1.2 directs the County, in coordination with the residents, to develop community design guidelines for the commercial and multifamily land uses of each community identified in General Plan Policy 2.1.1.1 (Community Regions) and 2.1.2.1 (Rural Centers).

What are the common misconceptions about the Land Use Policy Programmatic Update (LUPPU)?

Perhaps the most frequent misconception is that the LUPPU process includes privately-initiated General Plan Amendment development projects or that it, in some way, facilitates these projects. This is NOT the case. Projects that are privately-initiated and require both environmental review and multiple discretionary approvals by the Board of Supervisors are NOT addressed in the LUPPU process. There is extensive opportunity for public comment, and the both Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors are keenly interested in community input.

Another common misconception is that LUPPU includes changes in Land Use Designations. This misconception stems, in part, from a misunderstanding of the relationship between the General Plan and Zoning. While the Zoning Ordinance Update will modify the zoning of some parcels, those changes are the minimum necessary to comply with the requirement in State law that the County’s zoning must be consistent with the General Plan.

Another common misconception is that increasing allowable densities automatically entitles owners or developers to build more homes. Although potential allowable densities may be increased as a result of bringing the Zoning Ordinance map consistent with the General Plan land use map, it does not necessarily mean that the maximum allowable densities are achievable. For example, other General Plan policies, development standards in the Zoning Ordinance or physical constraints of the site could prevent development to the allowable maximum density.

LandUse

Land Use Policy Programmatic Update (LUPPU)