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Poway rezones 32 parcels, about 311 acres, to permanent open space under the city'9s Habitat Conservation Plan
Summary
The council approved a general-plan amendment and introduced an ordinance to rezone 32 parcels (about 311 acres) to Open Space Resource Management to match existing biological conservation easements and permanently preserve habitat under Poway's HCP; the project was found categorically exempt from CEQA.
The Poway City Council on Jan. 20 approved a resolution and introduced an ordinance (first reading) to rezone 32 parcels — totaling about 311 acres — to Open Space Resource Management (OSRM), formalizing long-standing biological conservation easements and permanent preservation under the Poway Subarea Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP).
Assistant Planner Jasmine Sanchez told the council the rezoning applies to 32 parcels or portions of parcels located inside the HCP boundary. For 25 parcels the rezoning would apply only to the portion subject to an existing biological conservation easement (BCE); seven parcels are owned by the city and would be rezoned to OSRM for permanent preservation. Sanchez said the HCP covers about 13,000 acres — roughly half the city — and requires land under a BCE to be rezoned to the OSRM designation to reflect permanent preservation status.
Staff recommended the council find the project categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as a Class 8 exemption and under the common-sense exemption because it can be seen with certainty there is no possibility of a significant environmental effect. The council approved the resolution making that CEQA determination and introduced the ordinance for first reading by title only, waiving further reading; the ordinance was titled to change zoning classification to OSRM or Natural Open Space (C25-0001). The council scheduled adoption of the ordinance for the Feb. 3, 2026 regular meeting.
Council members praised the action as a cost-efficient way to secure contiguous open space preserved under existing easements and to advance the HCP. Mayor Voss said the city now has more open space by percentage of land than other cities in the county and characterized the rezoning as a step that "lock[s] in preservation for generations to come." No public speakers addressed this item at the hearing.
Next steps: council scheduled the ordinance adoption for Feb. 3, 2026; staff will finalize maps and notices reflecting the OSRM rezones and proceed with the required procedural steps for adoption.
