City presents Vision Salinas 2040 general plan draft, highlights outreach and new elements

City planning staff presented the draft Vision Salinas 2040 general plan update, describing its scope, structure and community outreach to date.

Grant Leonard, planning manager, said the draft is the city's first comprehensive general‑plan update since 2002 and organizes policy into three pillars: the built environment, environmental sustainability and socioeconomic systems. The update incorporates priorities from recent efforts such as the downtown vibrancy and Chinatown revitalization plans and adds the city's first climate action plan and an environmental justice element.

Leonard said the city has conducted extensive public engagement—more than 22 workshops and webinars, working groups and multilingual outreach that included indigenous languages—and has formed a citizen steering committee to help draft chapters. He noted the housing element was updated in 2023 to comply with state law and that a phased zoning‑code update launched in June is intended to follow the general plan update.

Staff said the economic development chapter, climate action plan and an environmental impact report required under the California Environmental Quality Act are still being finalized and expected to be released in the spring. Leonard described an implementation focus; each chapter includes actions and suggested timelines to move from vision to code and projects. The board asked how to access the historic‑preservation portion; staff responded it is included in the community design chapter attached to the packet and was released December 19.

Board members asked for access and review time for the historic materials and for outreach to continue through study sessions and community meetings as the plan moves toward formal approval later in the year.