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Long-range planning manager outlines WeHo 40 vision, housing element and climate targets
Summary
Francisco Contreras described the city's WeHo 40 long-range vision, the housing element (116 programs) and the WeHo Climate Action plan aiming for carbon neutrality by 2035, and said staff are evaluating SB 79 and potential Metro routing to assess local impacts.
Francisco Contreras, West Hollywood's long range planning manager, told a Civic Leadership Academy audience that long-range planning turns community aspirations into implementable policies "from bricks to bike lanes to tree-lined streets." He said the WeHo 40 strategic plan expresses a 15‑year community vision and feeds into the city's general plan and municipal code.
Contreras highlighted the housing element — described in the presentation as containing 116 programs — as the city's blueprint for accommodating regional housing needs and meeting state deadlines. "The housing element is basically the city's housing master plan," he said, adding that the state reviews and certifies housing elements and expects cities to meet the timelines included in those documents.
On climate policy, Contreras described WeHo Climate Action and said the city is aiming to be carbon neutral by 2035. He framed climate work as paired with housing and mobility goals: "From carbon neutral streets to housing that welcomes everyone," he said.
Contreras also discussed potential transit changes, including a Metro northern-extension proposal that could place one or more rail stations in or near West Hollywood. He said the city is studying SB 79, a recently signed state law that would require certain development standards near existing or planned rail and bus rapid-transit stations. "We currently do not have any rail stations in the city of West Hollywood," he said, and staff will share findings with the community and council as routing and station locations become clearer.
In audience questions, staff reiterated that state law often sets requirements that local codes must implement and that long-range plans are used to translate those state mandates into block‑level zoning and municipal-code changes. Contreras emphasized public engagement in shaping priorities and said the planning team relies on community input, commission review and state coordination to move programs toward adoption.
