Salinas Planning Commission recommends council accept 2024 general plan annual progress report

The Salinas Planning Commission voted to recommend that the City Council accept the city's 2024 General Plan Annual Progress Report and authorize its submittal to the California Department of Housing and Community Development and the Governor's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation. The motion, which Commissioner Meeks moved and Commissioner Almanza Larios seconded, passed on a roll-call vote with Commissioners Rocamora, Almanza Larios, Meeks and Vice Chair Purnell voting yes.

The recommendation follows a presentation by John Moore, senior planner, who summarized the report and provided an update on the ongoing comprehensive general-plan update (referred to in the meeting as "Visio and Salinas 2040"). Moore told the commission that the annual progress report is a state-required document due April 1 and reviewed work completed in 2024 and planned next steps for the public review draft and environmental review.

Moore said the city's recent accomplishments include projects to improve circulation and active transportation (sidewalk and lighting repairs, traffic-calming and bikeway improvements), adoption of an Active Transportation Plan, park and recreation work (including entitlement work for a cluster-park improvement and early construction activity at the Hebron Family Center), and coordination with the Big Sur Land Trust on phase 1 of Ensign Community Park at the 73-acre Carr Lake project. He also listed public-safety investments such as renovations to Fire Station No. 1 and completion of the Salinas Fire Academy's graduation of 17 recruits; economic programs supporting small businesses; and adoption of the Alisal District identity master plan and a Broadband Master Plan.

Moore outlined outreach conducted in 2024 on the general-plan update: a transportation workshop, a land-use outreach month that included 3,000 mailers, canvassing and three online information sessions, presentations to the Historic Resource Board and other local organizations, and incorporation of more than 400 comments into administrative drafts. He said the city is finalizing consultant selection for the zoning-code update and expects to release a public review draft of the general plan and a draft climate action plan and environmental impact report this spring, with adoption targeted, depending on review and comment, toward the fourth quarter of the year.

Commissioners asked several follow-up questions. Commissioner Meeks asked about Closter Park; staff replied that a contractor is under contract, Library and Community Services is leading the project, and a groundbreaking or ribbon-cutting is expected in the next couple of months. Commissioners asked about maintenance of improvements funded by the Clean California grant; staff said initial maintenance would be covered by the city's livability/vibrancy CIP and future maintenance would be funded via future budget requests to council. On public-review sessions for the general-plan draft, staff said there would be at least one study session with the city council and one with the planning commission, with a more detailed engagement plan to be developed and announced.

The planning commission's formal action on the item was to adopt a resolution recommending the City Council accept the 2024 General Plan Annual Progress Report and authorize its submittal to the state; staff will place the matter on a future City Council agenda for final action.

Less critical details: commissioners had no additional substantive amendments to the report during the meeting. Staff emphasized the need to align the zoning-code update with state law and the new general plan as the two processes proceed concurrently.