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Planning commission recommends Sierra Gateway Neighborhood Plan to city council
Summary
The commission unanimously recommended (5‑0, one absence) that the City Council adopt the Sierra Gateway Neighborhood Plan, a 323‑acre update to the TOD zoning intended to simplify zoning, set density limits, and encourage walkable, transit‑oriented development near Lancaster’s Metrolink station.
The Lancaster Planning Commission voted on July 20 to recommend that the City Council adopt the Sierra Gateway Neighborhood Plan (SGNP), a proposed update to the city’s prior transit‑oriented development (TOD) zones for an approximately 323‑acre area adjacent to downtown Lancaster and the Metrolink station.
Associate planner Shannon Edwin told the commission the SGNP simplifies the TOD zoning into two commercial designations (mixed‑use and corridor), establishes maximum density allowances to make entitlement math clearer for applicants, introduces a three‑tier approach for projects (tiered requirements for minor tenant improvements up to major new development), and proposes rezoning an existing drainage basin to public use with a long‑term vision for open space and recreation. Edwin said the update responds to public outreach and a housing element program, and that preparation was supported by a grant from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Regional Early Action Planning Grants 2.0 and consultant assistance from Dudek.
Edwin emphasized there is no development or construction currently proposed by the plan itself; the document is a visioning and zoning framework intended to guide future projects. The draft plan was released for public review on June 30, 2026; the staff report notes three comment letters received to date and staff’s responses. If the City Council moves forward, staff said the City Council hearing is scheduled for Aug. 25, with a second reading in September and an anticipated effective date of October 2026.
A commissioner moved to adopt resolution 26‑10 recommending the City Council approve the SGNP, related general plan and zoning amendments and to find the project statutorily exempt under CEQA. The motion carried 5 yes, 1 absence.
The commission thanked staff for extensive outreach and for simplifying standards intended to support smaller‑scale redevelopment and safety and aesthetic improvements in the plan area. The plan remains subject to City Council review and final adoption.
