Article 6. Preparation, Adoption, And Amendment Of The General Plan of California Government Code >> Division 1. >> Title 7. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 6.

Cities and counties shall prepare, adopt, and amend general plans and elements of those general plans in the manner provided in this article.

Before the adoption or any substantial amendment of a city' s or county's general plan, the planning agency shall review and consider all of the following:
  (a) An adoption of, or update to, a groundwater sustainability plan or groundwater management plan pursuant to Part 2.74 (commencing with Section 10720) or Part 2.75 (commencing with Section 10750) of Division 6 of the Water Code or groundwater management court order, judgment, or decree.
  (b) An adjudication of water rights.
  (c) An order or interim plan by the State Water Resources Control Board pursuant to Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 10735) of Part 2.74 of Division 6 of the Water Code.

During the preparation or amendment of the general plan, the planning agency shall provide opportunities for the involvement of citizens, California Native American Indian tribes, public agencies, public utility companies, and civic, education, and other community groups, through public hearings and any other means the planning agency deems appropriate.

(a) Before a legislative body takes action to adopt or substantially amend a general plan, the planning agency shall refer the proposed action to all of the following entities:
  (1) A city or county, within or abutting the area covered by the proposal, and any special district that may be significantly affected by the proposed action, as determined by the planning agency.
  (2) An elementary, high school, or unified school district within the area covered by the proposed action.
  (3) The local agency formation commission.
  (4) An areawide planning agency whose operations may be significantly affected by the proposed action, as determined by the planning agency.
  (5) A federal agency, if its operations or lands within its jurisdiction may be significantly affected by the proposed action, as determined by the planning agency.
  (6) (A) The branches of the United States Armed Forces that have provided the Office of Planning and Research with a California mailing address pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 65944, if the proposed action is within 1,000 feet of a military installation, or lies within special use airspace, or beneath a low-level flight path, as defined in Section 21098 of the Public Resources Code, and if the United States Department of Defense provides electronic maps of low-level flight paths, special use airspace, and military installations at a scale and in an electronic format that is acceptable to the Office of Planning and Research.
  (B) Within 30 days of a determination by the Office of Planning and Research that the information provided by the Department of Defense is sufficient and in an acceptable scale and format, the office shall notify cities, counties, and cities and counties of the availability of the information on the Internet. Cities, counties, and cities and counties shall comply with subparagraph (A) within 30 days of receiving this notice from the office.
  (7) A public water system, as defined in Section 116275 of the Health and Safety Code, with 3,000 or more service connections, that serves water to customers within the area covered by the proposal. The public water system shall have at least 45 days to comment on the proposed plan, in accordance with subdivision (b), and to provide the planning agency with the information set forth in Section 65352.5.
  (8) Any groundwater sustainability agency that has adopted a groundwater sustainability plan pursuant to Part 2.74 (commencing with Section 10720) of Division 6 of the Water Code or local agency that otherwise manages groundwater pursuant to other provisions of law or a court order, judgment, or decree within the planning area of the proposed general plan.
  (9) The State Water Resources Control Board, if it has adopted an interim plan pursuant to Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 10735) of Part 2.74 of Division 6 of the Water Code that includes territory within the planning area of the proposed general plan.
  (10) The Bay Area Air Quality Management District for a proposed action within the boundaries of the district.
  (11) A California Native American tribe that is on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission and that has traditional lands located within the city's or county's jurisdiction.
  (12) The Central Valley Flood Protection Board for a proposed action within the boundaries of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Drainage District, as set forth in Section 8501 of the Water Code.
  (b) An entity receiving a proposed general plan or amendment of a general plan pursuant to this section shall have 45 days from the date the referring agency mails it or delivers it to comment unless a longer period is specified by the planning agency.
  (c) (1) This section is directory, not mandatory, and the failure to refer a proposed action to the entities specified in this section does not affect the validity of the action, if adopted.
  (2) To the extent that the requirements of this section conflict with the requirements of Chapter 4.4 (commencing with Section 65919), the requirements of Chapter 4.4 shall prevail.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section to foster improved communication and coordination between cities, counties, and school districts related to planning for school siting.
  (b) Following notification by a local planning agency pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 65352, the governing board of any elementary, high school, or unified school district, in addition to any comments submitted, may request a meeting with the planning agency to discuss possible methods of coordinating planning, design, and construction of new school facilities and schoolsites in coordination with the existing or planned infrastructure, general plan, and zoning designations of the city and county in accordance with subdivision (d). If a meeting is requested, the planning agency shall meet with the school district within 15 days following notification.
  (c) At least 45 days prior to completion of a school facility needs analysis pursuant to Section 65995.6, a master plan pursuant to Sections 16011 and 16322 of the Education Code, or other long-range plan, that relates to the potential expansion of existing schoolsites or the necessity to acquire additional schoolsites, the governing board of any school district shall notify and provide copies of any relevant and available information, master plan, or other long-range plan, including, if available, any proposed school facility needs analysis, that relates to the potential expansion of existing schoolsites or the necessity to acquire additional schoolsites, to the planning commission or agency of the city or county with land use jurisdiction within the school district. Following notification, or at any other time, the affected city or county may request a meeting in accordance with subdivision (d). If a meeting is requested, the school district shall meet with the city or county within 15 days following notification. After providing the information specified in this section within the 45-day time period specified in this subdivision, the governing board of the affected school district may complete the affected school facility needs analysis, master plan, or other long-range plan without further delay.
  (d) At any meeting requested pursuant to subdivision (b) or (c) the parties may review and consider, but are not limited to, the following issues:
  (1) Methods of coordinating planning, design, and construction of new school facilities and schoolsites in coordination with the existing or planned infrastructure, general plan, and zoning designations of the city and county.
  (2) Options for the siting of new schools and whether or not the local city or counties existing land use element appropriately reflects the demand for public school facilities, and ensures that new planned development reserves location for public schools in the most appropriate locations.
  (3) Methods of maximizing the safety of persons traveling to and from schoolsites.
  (4) Opportunities to coordinate the potential siting of new schools in coordination with existing or proposed community revitalization efforts by the city or county.
  (5) Opportunities for financial assistance which the local government may make available to assist the school district with site acquisition, planning, or preparation costs.
  (6) Review all possible methods of coordinating planning, design, and construction of new school facilities and schoolsites or major additions to existing school facilities and recreation and park facilities and programs in the community.

(a) (1) Prior to the adoption or any amendment of a city or county's general plan, proposed on or after March 1, 2005, the city or county shall conduct consultations with California Native American tribes that are on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission for the purpose of preserving or mitigating impacts to places, features, and objects described in Sections 5097.9 and 5097.993 of the Public Resources Code that are located within the city or county's jurisdiction.
  (2) From the date on which a California Native American tribe is contacted by a city or county pursuant to this subdivision, the tribe has 90 days in which to request a consultation, unless a shorter timeframe has been agreed to by that tribe.
  (b) Consistent with the guidelines developed and adopted by the Office of Planning and Research pursuant to Section 65040.2, the city or county shall protect the confidentiality of information concerning the specific identity, location, character, and use of those places, features, and objects.

For purposes of Section 65351, 65352.3, and 65562.5, "consultation" means the meaningful and timely process of seeking, discussing, and considering carefully the views of others, in a manner that is cognizant of all parties' cultural values and, where feasible, seeking agreement. Consultation between government agencies and Native American tribes shall be conducted in a way that is mutually respectful of each party's sovereignty. Consultation shall also recognize the tribes' potential needs for confidentiality with respect to places that have traditional tribal cultural significance.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that it is vital that there be close coordination and consultation between California' s water supply or management agencies and California's land use approval agencies to ensure that proper water supply and management planning occurs to accommodate projects that will result in increased demands on water supplies or impact water resource management.
  (b) It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature to provide a standardized process for determining the adequacy of existing and planned future water supplies to meet existing and planned future demands on these water supplies and the impact of land use decisions on the management of California's water supply resources.
  (c) Upon receiving, pursuant to Section 65352, notification of a city's or a county's proposed action to adopt or substantially amend a general plan, a public water system, as defined in Section 116275 of the Health and Safety Code, with 3,000 or more service connections, shall provide the planning agency with the following information, as is appropriate and relevant:
  (1) The current version of its urban water management plan, adopted pursuant to Part 2.6 (commencing with Section 10610) of Division 6 of the Water Code.
  (2) The current version of its capital improvement program or plan, as reported pursuant to Section 31144.73 of the Water Code.
  (3) A description of the source or sources of the total water supply currently available to the water supplier by water right or contract, taking into account historical data concerning wet, normal, and dry runoff years.
  (4) A description of the quantity of surface water that was purveyed by the water supplier in each of the previous five years.
  (5) A description of the quantity of groundwater that was purveyed by the water supplier in each of the previous five years.
  (6) A description of all proposed additional sources of water supplies for the water supplier, including the estimated dates by which these additional sources should be available and the quantities of additional water supplies that are being proposed.
  (7) A description of the total number of customers currently served by the water supplier, as identified by the following categories and by the amount of water served to each category:
  (A) Agricultural users.
  (B) Commercial users.
  (C) Industrial users.
  (D) Residential users.
  (8) Quantification of the expected reduction in total water demand, identified by each customer category set forth in paragraph (7), associated with future implementation of water use reduction measures identified in the water supplier's urban water management plan.
  (9) Any additional information that is relevant to determining the adequacy of existing and planned future water supplies to meet existing and planned future demands on these water supplies.
  (d) Upon receiving, pursuant to Section 65352, notification of a city's or a county's proposed action to adopt or substantially amend a general plan, a groundwater sustainability agency, as defined in Section 10721 of the Water Code, or an entity that submits an alternative under Section 10733.6 of the Water Code shall provide the planning agency with the following information, as is appropriate and relevant:
  (1) The current version of its groundwater sustainability plan or alternative adopted pursuant to Part 2.74 (commencing with Section 10720) of Division 6 of the Water Code.
  (2) If the groundwater sustainability agency manages groundwater pursuant to a court order, judgment, decree, or agreement among affected water rights holders, or if the State Water Resources Control Board has adopted an interim plan pursuant to Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 10735) of Part 2.74 of Division 6 of the Water Code, the groundwater sustainability agency shall provide the planning agency with maps of recharge basins and percolation ponds, extraction limitations, and other relevant information, or the court order, judgment, or decree.
  (3) A report on the anticipated effect of proposed action to adopt or substantially amend a general plan on implementation of a groundwater sustainability plan pursuant to Part 2.74 (commencing with Section 10720) of Division 6 of the Water Code.

(a) When the city or county has a planning commission authorized by local ordinance or resolution to review and recommend action on a proposed general plan or proposed amendments to the general plan, the commission shall hold at least one public hearing before approving a recommendation on the adoption or amendment of a general plan. Notice of the hearing shall be given pursuant to Section 65090.
  (b) If a proposed general plan or amendments to a general plan would affect the permitted uses or intensity of uses of real property, notice of the hearing shall also be given pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 65091.
  (c) If the number of owners to whom notice would be mailed or delivered pursuant to subdivision (b) is greater than 1,000, a local agency may, in lieu of mailed or delivered notice, provide notice by publishing notice pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 65091.
  (d) If the hearings held under this section are held at the same time as hearings under Section 65854, the notice of the hearing may be combined.

The planning commission shall make a written recommendation on the adoption or amendment of a general plan. A recommendation for approval shall be made by the affirmative vote of not less than a majority of the total membership of the commission. The planning commission shall send its recommendation to the legislative body.

(a) A city or county with a planning agency, other than the legislative body itself, which has the authority to consider and recommend the approval, conditional approval, or disapproval of a proposed amendment to a general plan, shall establish procedures for any interested party to file a written request for a hearing by the legislative body with its clerk within five days after the planning agency acts on the proposed amendment. Notice of the hearing shall be given pursuant to Section 65090.
  (b) The legislative body may establish a fee to cover the cost of establishing the procedures and conducting the hearing pursuant to subdivision (a). The legislative body shall impose the fee pursuant to Section 66016.

Prior to adopting or amending a general plan, the legislative body shall hold at least one public hearing. Notice of the hearing shall be given pursuant to Section 65090.

The legislative body shall adopt or amend a general plan by resolution, which resolution shall be adopted by the affirmative vote of not less than a majority of the total membership of the legislative body. The legislative body may approve, modify, or disapprove the recommendation of the planning commission, if any. However, any substantial modification proposed by the legislative body not previously considered by the commission during its hearings, shall first be referred to the planning commission for its recommendation. The failure of the commission to report within 45 calendar days after the reference, or within the time set by the legislative body, shall be deemed a recommendation for approval.

(a) A copy of the adopted general plan or amendment to the general plan shall be sent to all public entities specified in Section 65352 and any other public entities that submitted comments on the proposed general plan or amendment to the general plan during its preparation. Failure to send the adopted general plan or amendment as provided in this section shall not affect its validity in any manner.
  (b) Copies of the documents adopting or amending the general plan, including the diagrams and text, shall be made available to the general public as follows:
  (1) Within one working day following the date of adoption, the clerk of the legislative body shall make the documents adopting or amending the plan, including the diagrams and text, available to the public for inspection.
  (2) Within two working days after receipt of a request for a copy of the adopted documents adopting or amending the plan, including the diagrams and text, accompanied by payment for the reasonable cost of copying, the clerk shall furnish the requested copy to the person making the request.
  (c) A city or county may charge a fee for a copy of the general plan or amendments to the general plan that is reasonably related to the cost of providing that document.

(a) If it deems it to be in the public interest, the legislative body may amend all or part of an adopted general plan. An amendment to the general plan shall be initiated in the manner specified by the legislative body. Notwithstanding Section 66016, a legislative body that permits persons to request an amendment of the general plan may require that an amount equal to the estimated cost of preparing the amendment be deposited with the planning agency prior to the preparation of the amendment.
  (b) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (c) or (d), no mandatory element of a general plan shall be amended more frequently than four times during any calendar year. Subject to that limitation, an amendment may be made at any time, as determined by the legislative body. Each amendment may include more than one change to the general plan.
  (c) The limitation on the frequency of amendments to a general plan contained in subdivision (b) does not apply to amendments of the general plan requested and necessary for a single development of residential units, at least 25 percent of which will be occupied by or available to persons and families of low or moderate income, as defined by Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code. The specified percentage of low- or moderate-income housing may be developed on the same site as the other residential units proposed for development, or on another site or sites encompassed by the general plan, in which case the combined total number of residential units shall be considered a single development proposal for purposes of this section.
  (d) This section does not apply to the adoption of any element of a general plan or to the amendment of any element of a general plan in order to comply with any of the following:
  (1) A court decision made pursuant to Article 14 (commencing with Section 65750).
  (2) Subdivision (b) of Section 65302.3.
  (3) Subdivision (b) of Section 30500 of the Public Resources Code.

Any specific plan or other plan of the city or county that is applicable to the same areas or matters affected by a general plan amendment shall be reviewed and amended as necessary to make the specific or other plan consistent with the general plan.

The legislative body of a newly incorporated city or newly formed county shall adopt a general plan within 30 months following incorporation or formation. During that 30-month period of time, the city or county is not subject to the requirement that a general plan be adopted or the requirements of state law that its decisions be consistent with the general plan, if all of the following requirements are met:
  (a) The city or county is proceeding in a timely fashion with the preparation of the general plan.
  (b) The planning agency finds, in approving projects and taking other actions, including the issuance of building permits, pursuant to this title, each of the following:
  (1) There is a reasonable probability that the land use or action proposed will be consistent with the general plan proposal being considered or studied or which will be studied within a reasonable time.
  (2) There is little or no probability of substantial detriment to or interference with the future adopted general plan if the proposed use or action is ultimately inconsistent with the plan.
  (3) The proposed use or action complies with all other applicable requirements of state law and local ordinances.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, upon application by a city or county, the Director of Planning and Research shall grant a reasonable extension of time not to exceed two years from the date of issuance of the extension, for the preparation and adoption of all or part of the general plan, if the legislative body of the city or county, after a public hearing, makes any of the following findings:
  (1) Data required for the general plan shall be provided by another agency and it has not yet been provided.
  (2) In spite of sufficient budgetary provisions and substantial recruiting efforts, the city or county has not been able to obtain necessary staff or consultant assistance.
  (3) A disaster has occurred requiring reassignment of staff for an extended period or requiring a complete reevaluation and revision of the general plan, or both.
  (4) Local review procedures require an extended public review process that has resulted in delaying the decision by the legislative body.
  (5) The city or county is jointly preparing all or part of the general plan with one or more other jurisdictions pursuant to an existing agreement and timetable for completion.
  (6) Other reasons exist that justify the granting of an extension, so that the timely preparation and adoption of a general plan is promoted.
  (b) The director shall not grant an extension of time for the preparation and adoption of a housing element except in the case of a newly incorporated city or newly formed county that cannot meet the deadline set by Section 65360. Before the director grants an extension of time pursuant to this subdivision, he or she shall consult with the Director of Housing and Community Development.
  (c) The application for an extension shall contain all of the following:
  (1) A resolution of the legislative body of the city or county adopted after public hearing setting forth in detail the reasons why the general plan was not previously adopted as required by law or needs to be revised, including one or more of the findings made by the legislative body pursuant to subdivision (a), and the amount of additional time necessary to complete the preparation and adoption of the general plan.
  (2) A detailed budget and schedule for preparation and adoption of the general plan, including plans for citizen participation and expected interim action. The budget and schedule shall be of sufficient detail to allow the director to assess the progress of the applicant at regular intervals during the term of the extension. The schedule shall provide for adoption of a complete and adequate general plan within two years of the date of the application for the extension.
  (3) A set of proposed policies and procedures which would ensure, during the extension of time granted pursuant to this section, that the land use proposed in an application for a subdivision, rezoning, use permit, variance, or building permit will be consistent with the general plan proposal being considered or studied.
  (d) The director may impose any conditions on extensions of time granted that the director deems necessary to ensure compliance with the purposes and intent of this title. Those conditions shall apply only to those parts of the general plan for which the extension has been granted. In establishing those conditions, the director may adopt or modify and adopt any of the policies and procedures proposed by the city or county pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (c).
  (e) During the extension of time specified in this section, the city or county is not subject to the requirement that a complete and adequate general plan be adopted, or the requirements that it be adopted within a specific period of time. Development approvals shall be consistent with those portions of the general plan for which an extension has been granted, except as provided by the conditions imposed by the director pursuant to subdivision (d). Development approvals shall be consistent with any element or elements that have been adopted and for which an extension of time is not sought.
  (f) If a city or county that is granted a time extension pursuant to this section determines that it cannot complete the elements of the general plan for which the extension has been granted within the prescribed time period, the city or county may request one additional extension of time, which shall not exceed one year, if the director determines that the city or county has made substantial progress toward the completion of the general plan. This subdivision shall not apply to an extension of time granted pursuant to subdivision (b).
  (g) An extension of time granted pursuant to this section for the preparation and adoption of all or part of a city or county general plan is exempt from Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code.

Any city, county, or city and county whose application for an extension of time under Section 65361 has been denied or approved with conditions by the director may appeal that denial or approval with conditions to the Planning Advisory and Assistance Council. The council may review the action of the director and act upon the application and approve, conditionally approve, or deny the application, and the decision of the council shall be final. If the council acts on an appeal and by doing so grants a one-year extension, that extension of time shall run from the date of the action by the council.