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Council adopts general plan amendment to match Orange County arterial plan change for El Toro Road
Summary
The City Council unanimously adopted a general plan amendment modifying two El Toro Road segments from a six‑lane major arterial to a four‑to‑five‑lane primary arterial to align the city's mobility map with changes approved in the Orange County Master Plan of Arterial Highways.
The Lake Forest City Council on July 1 adopted a general plan amendment modifying map designations for two segments of El Toro Road so the city’s Mobility Network (Figure M‑1) aligns with amendments approved in the Orange County Master Plan of Arterial Highways.
Senior Planner Jennifer Manser explained the Master Plan of Arterial Highways is maintained by the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and coordinates arterial classification across jurisdictions. OCTA staff’s traffic forecasts to 2050 found projected daily trips did not warrant widening the two El Toro Road segments that run through Lake Forest and adjacent jurisdictions; OCTA and affected public works directors consented to downgrading the segments.
The amendment revises the two Lake Forest segments from a six‑lane major arterial to a four‑to‑five‑lane primary arterial, matching the current built configuration. Manser said the planning commission reviewed the amendment on June 5 and recommended council approval. Councilmember Doug Serbo characterized the item as “kinda an easy one,” and the council closed the public hearing before voting.
A motion to adopt staff’s recommended resolution passed 3–0 with Councilmember Yu and Mayor Pro Tempequeno absent. City staff said the amendment is contingent on all affected jurisdictions updating their general plans and that the OCTA approval required corresponding changes in local general plans.
No construction project or funding action was tied to the amendment in the presentation; the change documents that future widening is not planned for those segments based on OCTA’s forecasts.
