What is a General Plan?

General Plan Basics 

Every city and county in California is required by State law to prepare and maintain a planning document called a general plan. A general plan is designed to serve as the jurisdiction's "constitution" or "blueprint" for future decisions concerning land use, infrastructure, public services, and resource conservation. All specific plans, subdivisions, public works projects, and zoning decisions made by the County must be consistent with the General Plan.

A General Plan typically has three defining features:

• General. As the name implies, a general plan provides general guidance that will be used to direct future growth and resource conservation decisions.

• Comprehensive. A general plan covers a wide range of social, economic, infra- structure, and natural resource factors. These include topics such as land use, agriculture, housing, circulation, utilities, public services, recreation, biological resources, and many other topics.

• Long-range. General plans provide guidance on reaching a future envisioned for 20 or more years in the future (the proposed Revised General Plan will look out about 22 years to the year 2040). To help achieve this envisioned future, the Revised General Plan will include policies and actions that address both immediate and long-term needs.

What is Covered in the General Plan?

The Fresno County General Plan will be organized into the following topical areas, called "elements." 

• Economic Development:  This element addresses fiscal trends, employment growth, diversification of the County economy, future economic development, and attraction of new commercial and industrial entities to Fresno County.

• Agriculture and Land Use:  This element focuses on the future growth and physical development of the County. The element covers land use types, distribution, and intensity; population and building density; existing community and specific plans; public land ownership; and urban boundaries as well as preservation of agricultural lands. This element includes a land use diagram that will guide future land uses within the Planning Area.

• Transportation and Circulation:  This element provides guidance on the movement of people and goods in and through the County. The element addresses roads and highways, transit, airports, bicycles, pedestrians, and the movement of goods.

• Public Facilities and Services:  This element will address the following: public facilities and services, including water service; wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal; storm drainage and flood protection; schools; general government services; fire protection; law enforcement; solid and hazardous waste disposal; utilities; and the funding and financing of public facilities and services.

• Open Space and Conservation:  The Open Space and Conservation Element is concerned with protecting and preserving natural resources, preserving open space areas, managing the production of commodity resources, protecting and enhancing cultural resources, and providing recreational opportunities.

• Health and Safety:  This Element outlines Fresno County's strategy for ensuring the maintenance of a healthy and safe physical environment. The Health and Safety Element is divided into seven sections: Emergency Management and Response; Fire Hazards; Flood Hazards; Seismic and Geological Hazards; Airport Hazards; Hazardous Materials; and Noise.

• Housing:  The Housing Element is intended to provide residents, public officials, and the general public with an understanding of the County's housing needs and the goals, policies, and programs that are developed to help meet those needs. The Housing Element has been prepared separately and is not part of this review and revision.

• Environmental Justice:  As of January 1, 2018, California's cities and counties are required to either adopt an Environmental Justice Element in their General Plan or integrate Environmental Justice goals and policies into the elements of their General Plan when they adopt or revise two or more elements of their General Plan concurrently. This applies to jurisdictions with disadvantaged  communities and requires those jurisdictions to identify policies aimed at reducing the unique or  compounded health risks in disadvantaged communities by means of decreasing exposure to pollutants and promoting public facilities, food access, safe and sanitary homes, physical activity and participating in the public decision-making process.