Atascadero planners review General Plan 2045 update; EIR work, draft chapters and housing goals detailed

At its April 1 meeting, the Atascadero Planning Commission heard a staff briefing on the city's General Plan update, including the status of the environmental impact report (EIR) process, proposed place types and an expected timeline for draft chapters and public review.

The presentation outlined the plan's role as the city's long-range framework for land use, housing, safety, mobility and public services and reiterated that the update is intended to guide Atascadero for roughly the next 20 to 25 years. Community development staff said the EIR has begun and will follow state notification timelines; draft general plan chapters will be posted to the Atascadero General Plan 2045 website for public review "within a month," staff said, with a recommendation to the city council and EIR certification expected in late summer 2025.

Why it matters: the General Plan sets city policy on where housing, jobs and infrastructure can go and underpins future zoning, environmental review and permitting. Staff emphasized the plan aims to balance jobs and housing, improve mobility under the state's vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) framework and identify focused areas for future investment and mixed-use redevelopment.

Staff framed the update around "place types" (zoning-style categories that pair land use with scale and design) including single-family, three tiers of multifamily, mixed-use, general commercial, a new "innovation/flex" category for research and light industrial uses, and industrial and public-use designations. The presentation highlighted focus areas such as Ramona Road, Del Rio, Downtown/El Camino Real, Traffic Way/Sycamore and the Dove Creek/South Gateway area (Dove Creek includes planned commercial uses): "We're simply trying to make Atascadero whole," a staff speaker said, describing the goal of balancing housing and higher-wage jobs.

Staff noted these specifics: - The General Plan update began in July 2021 and has proceeded through multiple community-engagement phases; the city is now in a phase that allows initiation of the EIR. - The housing element will not be rewritten as part of this update; it follows a separate eight-year cycle and will be incorporated into the new general plan where applicable. - The update proposes modest increases in allowable density in selected areas close to infrastructure and wastewater; the West Side of the city was described as principally remaining rural residential because of topography, wildfire hazard and limited sewer availability. - The state's VMT standard replaces the older level-of-service approach for traffic analysis; staff explained the General Plan aims to reduce VMT by encouraging closer jobs-housing balance and more mixed-use nodes.

During questions, commissioners asked about childcare, wildfire insurance and the potential for transit service expansion. Staff said childcare is broadly allowed today in most districts and that the General Plan policies can be used to encourage it as an accessory use. On wildfire insurance and fire risk, staff said the city can adopt policies that support "fire-safe community" design and that much of insurance exposure is determined at the state level and by insurers' own criteria. On transit, staff said route changes would be a regional transit agency (RTA) decision and would require demonstrated ridership.

Public commenters and commissioners urged that the plan emphasize mixed-use redevelopment downtown and on major corridors, preserve industrial land where feasible, and include implementation steps for sidewalk and bikeway improvements in areas planned for greater density. Staff repeated that the map shown to the commission is a general plan diagram (fewer, broader designations than a final zoning map) and that zoning will be parcel-level and follow once the general plan is adopted.

Votes at a glance: The meeting opened and concluded routine procedural votes. Agenda and consent calendar items were approved by recorded roll call earlier in the meeting (both motions passed 7-0). (See actions[] for recorded motions.)

Staff next steps: release draft chapters and the preferred alternative for public comment, schedule one or more open houses, return to the Planning Commission for a formal recommendation, and then forward the plan and draft EIR to the City Council for consideration and EIR certification. Staff said draft chapters and supporting materials will be posted on the Atascadero General Plan 2045 website and that the commission will have time to review the full draft before a formal recommendation is requested.

Commissioners discussed possible follow-up requests for staff, including adding emphasis on family-friendly policies and public art investment as part of public infrastructure priorities.

Ending: Staff asked commissioners for feedback and said they will return with draft materials for review; the commission was told there is no formal recommendation request at the April 1 meeting and that future meetings will include opportunities to prepare a recommendation to council.