Salinas planning commission recommends council accept 2024 general plan progress report, advances Visio Salinas 2040 outreach

The Salinas Planning Commission on a unanimous vote recommended that the City Council accept the city's 2024 General Plan Annual Progress Report and continue work on the Visio Salinas 2040 comprehensive general plan update.

The report and update presentation were delivered by John Moore, senior planner, who told the commission the annual report is a state-required document and that the city is preparing a public review draft of the general plan for release this spring. "Visio Salinas 2040 is not just a general plan update," Moore said. "It's including some new elements in our climate action plan." He told the commission staff hopes to start adoption by the fourth quarter of 2025, depending on public comments and the environmental review process.

The presentation highlighted projects completed or underway in 2024, including circulation and active-transportation work, sidewalk repairs and traffic-calming projects, completed neighborhood playgrounds at Steinbeck and Ativanad parks, entitlement and site work for a new Hebbron family center, and phase 1 construction of Ensign Community Park in partnership with the Big Sur Land Trust. Moore also described investments in public safety, including renovations to Fire Station No. 1 and the graduation of 17 recruits from the Salinas Fire Academy, as well as completion of the Salinas Broadband Master Plan and several small-business support initiatives.

Commissioners asked staff to clarify timelines and maintenance funding. Commissioner Meeks asked about Closter Park; Graham (Library and Community Services staff) replied, "That project is soon to break ground. We have a contractor under contract, and Library and Community Services is leading that project," and said a groundbreaking or ribbon-cutting is expected in the coming months. On maintenance of Clean California grant-funded improvements, Moore said initial maintenance will be covered by the city's LSL vibrancy plan capital improvement program and that ongoing maintenance will be the subject of future funding requests to council: "We are using our LSL vibrancy plan CIP for the initial maintenance costs going forward." The commission also asked about study sessions and outreach for the public review draft; staff said they anticipate at least one study session with planning commissioners and one with the City Council, and that the zoning code update procurement will be run concurrently with the general plan work.

The commission voted to adopt a resolution recommending City Council accept the 2024 General Plan Annual Progress Report and to 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 was made by Commissioner Meeks and seconded by Commissioner Rocamora; roll call votes recorded yes from Commissioner Rocamora, Commissioner Alman Salarios, Commissioner Meeks and Vice Chair Purnell. Staff will schedule the matter for council consideration, where a final decision will be made.

Staff told the commission the general-plan steering committee remains paused until the final public review draft is available in late spring and that the zoning code update procurement is in the final selection stages.

The commission opened the presentation for public comment; no members of the public spoke on this agenda item at the meeting.