Land Use Element Table of Contents

The Land Use Element is a guide to future land use within Salinas and affects many of the issues addressed in the other General Plan elements. The Land Use Element identifies the type and location of future land uses within the City. The specific land uses and their location within the community in turn affect the remaining General Plan elements. For example, the location and type of land uses outlined in the Land Use Element affect the circulation system that is identified in the Circulation Element, and the land uses identified in the Land Use Element also reflect the community’s goals for its future form and character, as outlined in the Community Design Element. In addition to land uses, the Land Use Element also addresses how growth will occur, with special attention given to the public services and facilities and economic development.

Purpose of the Land Use Element

As a city, state law requires that Salinas prepare and adopt a General Plan as a tool to manage growth and development. The Land Use Element is a mandatory element of the General Plan.

The purpose of the Land Use Element is to describe present and planned land uses and their relationship to the community’s long-range goals for the future. The Land Use Element identifies the proposed general distribution, location, and extent of land uses such as open space, residential, commercial and office, industrial, and public/semi public. The element consists of text, maps, and diagrams that outline the future land uses within the City and how these uses are integrated with the other General Plan elements and policies. The Land Use and Circulation Policy Map (“Land Use Map”) is a particularly important feature of the element since it shows the location, and types of development within the City. The Land Use Map is located on page 27 of this element. The element also describes the intensity or density of development planned for the community. The general location of future growth is also defined in the element, and the City’s growth management plan is described. The Land Use Element also addresses the relationship between development and environmental quality, potential hazards, and social and economic objectives.

The Land Use Element of the Salinas General Plan represents the City’s desire for long-range changes and enhancements of land uses. Finally, the goals and policies contained in this element establish the framework for future land use planning and decision making in Salinas.

Scope and Content of the Land Use Element

The Land Use Element complies with the requirements of the General Plan Land Use Element mandated in Government Code Section 65302(a). The element is comprised of three sections: 1) Introduction, 2) Issues, Goals, and Policies, and 3) the Land Use Plan. In the Issues, Goals, and Policies section, major land use issues are identified and related goals and policies are established to address these issues. The goals, which are overall statements of community desires, are comprised of broad statements of purpose and direction. The policies serve as guides for reviewing development proposals, planning facilities to accommodate anticipated growth, and accomplishing community economic development strategies. To achieve the goals and policies, a logical, organized land use pattern is established in the Plan with standards for future community development. The Plan contains the Land Use Map that graphically identifies the planned land uses within Salinas. The land use designations are described, including the type and density of allowed uses, and a statistical summary of the future land use composition is provided. A growth management system is also included, with standards for public services that will be used to evaluate development proposals. An economic development strategy for the community is also outlined in the element. Specific implementation programs for the element are located in the Land Use Implementation Program section.

Related Plans and Programs

There are a number of related plans and programs that are considered in the formulation, adoption, and implementation of local land use policy. Related plans and programs are both local and regional in nature. Regional planning agencies, such as the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG), recognize that planning issues extend beyond the boundaries of individual cities. Efforts to address regional planning issues such as air quality, transportation, affordable housing, and water quality have resulted in the adoption of regional plans. The form and distribution of development in Salinas are affected by regional plans. Relevant regional and local plans related to the Land Use Element are discussed briefly in the following section.

Salinas Zoning Code

Salinas completed a comprehensive revision of its Zoning Code in 1993. The ordinance has since been updated to clarify and refine some of the content. The Zoning Code is the primary implementation tool for the Land Use Element. The Code identifies specific types of land use, intensity of use, and development and performance standards applicable to specific areas and parcels of land within the City. The Zoning Code will be updated to reflect the land use and development policies contained in this Element.

Salinas Redevelopment Plan

In the 1960’s and 70’s, Salinas created three Redevelopment Project Areas in accordance with the California Community Redevelopment Law to eliminate blight within the designated areas. The Sunset Avenue and Buena Vista Project Areas have been combined into a single project area for financing purposes. With the adoption of Assembly Bill 1290, the Salinas Redevelopment Agency prepared a five year implementation plan in 1999 for the Central City and Sunset Avenue/Buena Vista Redevelopment Project Areas. The Redevelopment Plan is one of the tools that the City uses to implement policies included in the Land Use Element.

Salinas Public Library Plan of Service

The Library Plan of Service identifies future need for library facilities and services for a five year period. To meet this need, goals and objectives are presented in the plan to address the issues of: staffing, collections, facilities, services, technology, and collaboration. The standards identified in this document are incorporated into the Land Use Element.

Greater Salinas Area Plan

The Monterey County General Plan, adopted in 1982, was updated by the Greater Salinas Area Plan (GSAP), adopted in 1986. The purpose of the GSAP is to amend the land use designations of the Monterey County General Plan and provide supplemental policies to guide land use decisions within the Greater Salinas Planning Area. Development occurring outside of the City limits is subject to this plan prior to annexation.

Rancho San Juan Specific Plan

The County of Monterey is processing the Rancho San Juan Specific Plan, a development proposal located north of Salinas, along Highway 101. The area is identified as a Community Area by the County and is proposed for a mixture of residential, employment generating, and recreational development. Since the Specific Plan area is located outside the City limits the County is responsible for planning for the area and ensuring that adequate public services will be available to meet the demand generated by the project.

Salinas Municipal Airport Master Plan

The Salinas Municipal Airport is subject to the Salinas Municipal Airport Master Plan 1990-2010. This plan identifies improvements for the airport to meet future aviation demand. The plan also addresses appropriate land uses for those areas surrounding the airport. The Land Use Plan has designated land subject to aircraft noise and safety issues for uses that are not negatively impacted by flight operations. Funding has been approved to update the Salinas Municipal Airport Master Plan in 2002-2003 and the General Plan will be reviewed for consistency with the revised plan once the master plan has been adopted.

Monterey County Airport Land Use Plan

The County of Monterey has adopted a County Airport Land Use Plan. The plan identifies areas impacted by aircraft operations and includes policies to allow for the continued operation of county airports, while protecting the public safety. The General Plan incorporates these policies. As the Land Use Plan is updated on a periodic basis, the City will review its General Plan to ensure consistency.

Sewage and Drainage Master Plan

The City of Salinas Sewage and Drainage Master Plan estimates future demand for City sewage and drainage. Based on an evaluation of both systems, an improvement plan is outlined in the plan to meet future demand. The City will continue to implement the Sewage and Drainage Master Plan to ensure that adequate service is provided.

California Water Code Sections 10910-10915

Sections 10910-10915 of the California Water Code identify consultation, noticing, and water assessment and provision requirements for proposed projects meeting the specific criteria identified in Sections 10910 and 10913 of the Code. The City must consult with local and regional water agencies to assess whether the water demand associated with the project is included in the agency’s most recent Urban Water Management Plan and whether existing supplies can meet the project’s demand for water. Based on the entire record, the City shall determine within an EIR whether projected water supplies available during normal, single-dry, and multiple-dry water years will be sufficient to satisfy the demands of the proposed project, in addition to existing and planned future uses.

School District Long-Range Facility Plans and Master Plans

To plan for future facility needs, school districts typically implement a long-range planning approach with Long-Range Facility Plans and Master Plans. These documents allow school districts to estimate the number of additional students that new development will generate and plan for needed improvements to meet the demand. The plans may also consider demographic trends, such as increased household size, that can affect the need for future school services. Coordination with the school districts to provide adequate educational facilities is an issue addressed in this element.

Urban Water Management Plans and Water Master Plans

Water purveyors use a variety of planning processes to plan for the provision of water within their service areas. Urban Water Management Plans and Water Master Plans are typically used to estimate future demand for water, and required improvements to meet future need. Sources of water, and other issues that affect the provision of water within the service area are addressed in the plans. The Land Use Plan addresses the need to coordinate with the water purveyors’ planning processes to ensure adequate water is available to existing and future development.

Monterey Bay Air Quality Management Plan

The Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District’s Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) includes transportation control measures that are either implemented by transportation planning agencies through the regional transportation planning process or by cities and counties on a voluntary basis. To comply with the AQMP, the Land Use Element organizes land uses in relation to the circulation system, promoting compact, pedestrian and transit-friendly development, and provides a balanced Land Use Plan that promotes a favorable relationship between jobs and housing.

California Environmental Quality Act and Guidelines

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) was adopted by the state legislature in response to a public mandate for thorough environmental analysis of projects that might affect the environment. The provisions of the law and environmental review procedures are described in the CEQA Statutes and the CEQA Guidelines. Implementation of CEQA ensures that during the decision making stage of development, City officials and the general public will be able to assess the environmental impacts associated with private and public development projects.

Relationship to Other General Plan Elements

According to state planning law, the Land Use Element must be consistent with the other General Plan Elements. Each element is independent and all the elements together comprise the General Plan. All elements of the General Plan are interrelated to a degree, and certain goals and policies of one element may also address issues that are the primary subjects of other elements. The integration of overlapping issues throughout the General Plan elements provides a

strong basis for implementation of plans and programs, and achievement of community goals.

The Land Use Element relates very closely to all of the other General Plan elements. This element establishes the planned land use pattern for Salinas based on the historic formation of the city and the community’s vision of the future. Additionally, the other General Plan elements ensure that future development occurs in an appropriate manner and that the unique qualities of Salinas are safeguarded and enhanced.

Because this General Plan emphasizes the application of New Urbanism principles in Future Growth Areas, the patterns of development shown in these areas on the Land Use and Circulation Policy Map are directly supported by policy defined in the Community Design Element. These two elements, in conjunction with one another, are designed to provide definitive direction for new development in the Future Growth Areas so that the benefits of New Urbanism can be realized.

The Circulation Element provides a Circulation Plan to accommodate increased traffic from planned development. The use of alternative transportation modes and reduction of automobile trips are addressed in the Circulation Element to meet the transportation demands from new development, and to promote a transit-friendly community.

A number of areas are designated for parks and open space on the Land Use Map and acquiring and maintaining such lands is a key to improving the quality of life in Salinas. The Conservation/Open Space Element provides policy and plans to maintain and enhance existing parks and recreational facilities and to develop new facilities to meet new demand from population growth. In addition, the Housing Element of the General Plan provides the basis for establishing housing stock that meets the affordability requirements and other special needs of the community.

The other elements are also connected to the Land Use Element since the Land Use Map is designed to avoid those areas with safety hazards,

as identified in the Safety Element, and those areas subject to noise impacts, as depicted in the Noise Element.

Issues, Goals and Policies

The Land Use Element addresses future land use within the community. The Element focuses on how vacant land will be allowed to develop, as well as how certain developed land may be redeveloped for other use. Future growth is visualized in a compact form, that is pedestrian and transit-friendly, with activity nodes located throughout the Future Growth Area (undeveloped areas targeted for growth). Additional growth is also visualized for Focused Growth Areas (existing developed areas targeted for redevelopment or revitalization) within the community. In addition, the element addresses the need to direct future growth, ensure that adequate public services and facilities are provided, and positive economic development occurs.

Four major issues are addressed in the goals, policies, and implementation actions of the Land Use Element. These major issues include: 1) balancing land uses within the City to ensure that revenue generation matches service provision responsibilities; 2) managing and directing future growth so that agricultural resources are protected; 3) promoting economic development within the community; and 4) providing necessary public services and facilities for existing and future development. Each issue and the related goals, policies, and implementing actions are identified and discussed in the following section.

Balance of Land Uses

Salinas currently has a substantial amount of its land devoted to residential use (about 33 percent) and commercial retail use (about 9 percent); however, the amount of land devoted to industrial use (about 6 percent) is limited and most industrial land is devoted to agricultural product processing. Achieving greater diversification of the City’s future economy and increasing City revenues to meet the service demands of population growth will require the provision of additional vacant land for industrial/business development. Serving the growing population will also require an increase in the amount of land devoted to parks and recreation and residential use. The following goal and policies are designed to achieve a balanced land use pattern in the community.

Goal LU-1: Develop a balanced land use pattern that provides a wide range of jobs, housing, shopping, services, and recreation.

Policy LU-1.1: Achieve a balance of land uses to provide for a range of housing, jobs, libraries, and educational and recreational facilities that allow residents to live, work, shop, learn, and play in the community.

Policy LU-1.2: Provide a plan for land uses that includes the capacity to accommodate growth projected for 2020 and beyond.

Policy LU-1.3: Make provision in residential areas for institutional uses that are needed near homes or which benefit from a residential environment, including places of religious assembly, day-care homes, homes for physically or developmentally disabled persons, and care facilities in accordance with the provisions of State law.

Policy LU-1.4: Create and preserve distinct, identifiable neighborhoods that have traditional neighborhood development (TND) characteristics. Specifically, development should:

Ø Connect in as many locations as possible to adjacent development, arterial streets, and thoroughfares;

Ø Provide a balanced mix of housing, workplaces, shopping, recreational opportunities, and institutional uses, including mixed-use structures (combined residential and non-residential uses), that help to reduce vehicular trips;

Ø Provide natural amenities that are fronted by thoroughfares or public spaces, and not privatized behind backyards;

Ø Commercial buildings should directly front on the sidewalk, with ample landscaping as a buffer between the building and sidewalk, and parking lots are to be located behind the buildings;

Ø Allow flexible parking requirements and arrangements within neighborhood activity centers to minimize the impact of the automobile and foster a pedestrian oriented streetscape;

Ø Provide second stories on commercial buildings to provide for other uses and encourage residential use;

Ø Allow small ancillary dwelling units in the rear yard for residential areas; and

Ø Decrease the front yard setbacks moving from the neighborhood edge to neighborhood center.

Management of Future Growth

Salinas has experienced substantial growth over the past 30 years, particularly during the 1990s when the population increased approximately 33 percent from about 108,000 in 1990 to almost 144,000 in 2000. The community is compact with a density of about 7,700 persons per square mile and is substantially built out within the present City boundary to accommodate future growth. Annexation of additional land to the City will be necessary to accommodate future growth. Annexed land will be converted from agricultural use to urban use, but loss of agricultural land can be lessened if the density and intensity of development in selected areas is increased to encourage more compact development and reuse/revitalization. The following goal and policies are designed to appropriately manage future growth within the community.

Goal LU-2: Manage future growth to minimize impacts to the existing community and surrounding agricultural lands.

Policy LU-2.1: Minimize disruption of agriculture by maintaining a compact city form and directing urban expansion to the North and East, away from the most productive agricultural land.

Policy LU-2.2: Apply a system of managing growth based on the timely provision of public services and facilities and general thresholds or standards for their adequacy.

Policy LU-2.3: Encourage clustering of development on sites within the Future Growth Area to minimize impacts on agricultural and open space resources.

Policy LU-2.4: Utilize well-designed in-fill development, and selectively increase density within Focused Growth Areas to maintain compact city form.

Policy LU-2.5: Ensure that negative impacts of future growth on environmental quality and quality of life are minimized and adequate levels and quality of urban services and facilities are maintained.

Policy LU-2.6: Avoid density increases or intrusion of nonresidential uses that are incompatible with the character of existing neighborhoods.

Policy LU-2.7: Encourage existing commercial and professional office developments to redevelop and reconfigure uses to incorporate new housing opportunities.

Economic Development

The current economy of Salinas is based on agriculture, agriculture-related businesses, retail sales, and governmental services. However, Salinas is strategically located south of the Silicon Valley and may be able to diversify its economy by encouraging high technology industry with higher paying jobs to locate in the area. To locate in Salinas, such industry will be seeking land for development, affordable housing prices, and an educated workforce. As part of Land Use Plan, land has been designated for industrial use, including agricultural processing. The following goal and policies address the need for a more diverse economy in Salinas.

Goal LU-3: Encourage a diverse economy that allows for the continued economic success of the community, while not sacrificing its agricultural base.

Policy LU-3.1: Maintain the agricultural industry as the primary industry while allowing for economic expansion and diversification.

Policy LU-3.2: Encourage the location of and community investment by high-tech and other diverse businesses that are ecologically compatible with Salinas and that promote stable, year-round higher paying employment opportunities.

Policy LU-3.3: Maintain a competitive supply of sites for businesses and manufacturers that want the type of business-park environment typically associated with high technology and light manufacturing industries.

Policy LU-3.4: Encourage development of the airport in accordance with the Salinas Municipal Airport Master Plan.

Policy LU-3.5: Promote training and educational opportunities to encourage a diverse and educated workforce and the upward mobility of the City’s residents.

Policy LU-3.6: Maintain downtown Salinas’ position as the region’s governmental center with primary county and city facilities located downtown.

Policy LU-3.7: Revitalize the existing commercial and industrial areas within the City including: the Central City and Sunset Avenue Redevelopment Project Areas; the commercial areas along North and South Main Streets, West Market and Abbott Street.

Policy LU-3.8: Encourage the production of housing that meets the needs of agricultural and other essential workers within the community.

Public Facilities and Services

Public facilities and services, such as fire protection, law enforcement, water and sewer, schools, libraries, and community and institutional facilities supporting development in Salinas are often provided by the City or other service entities. Other service providers include the California Water Service Company (CalWater), Alco Water Service,

various school districts, the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control District (MRWPCD) and the State of California. Such facilities and services will need to be expanded to accommodate future growth and development. Existing public facilities such as water and sewer lines will need to be replaced due to age and the need to increase capacity.

The following goals and policies are designed to ensure that public services and facilities are provided at acceptable levels of service to meet the community’s needs.

Fire Protection, Emergency Services, and Code Compliance

Goal LU-4: Provide effective and responsive fire protection and emergency response service.

Policy LU-4.1: Provide an effective and responsive level of fire protection, public education and emergency response service (including facilities, personnel, and equipment) through the Salinas Fire Department.

Policy LU-4.2: Improve the enforcement of regulations, such as zoning codes and building codes, to ensure existing and new development is constructed, occupied, and maintained to minimize potential fire and other hazards.

Policy LU-4.3: Support incentives and public education programs such as the Seismic Retrofit Program that encourage compliance with building code and fire safety requirements.

Police Protection

Goal LU-5: Provide effective and responsive police protection.

Policy LU-5.1: Provide an effective and responsive level of police protection (including facilities, personnel, and equipment) through the Salinas Police Department.

Policy LU-5.2: Implement alternative policing methods, such as

Community Policing, youth programs and crime awareness public education programs to reduce the incidence of crime within Salinas.

Water Supply, Treatment and Distribution

Goal LU-6: Work with water suppliers and distributors such as Cal Water and Alco to continue to provide quality water supply and treatment capacity to meet community needs.

Policy LU-6.1: Actively work with Cal Water and Alco, as well as regional water suppliers and distributors, to ensure that high quality water is available for the community.

Policy LU-6.2: Review development proposals to ensure that adequate water supplies, treatment, and distribution capacity is available to meet the needs of the development without negatively impacting the existing community.

Policy LU-6.3: Participate in and support regional programs and projects that target the improvement and conservation of the region’s groundwater and surface water supply.

Policy LU-6.4: Actively promote water conservation by City residents, businesses and surrounding agricultural producers.

Policy LU-6.5: Review projects subject, such as residential projects with 500 or more units, for compliance with Sections 10910-10915 of the California Water Code.

Sewer Collection and Treatment

Goal LU-7: Provide sewer service and maintain sewer facilities to meet community need for sewer

collection and treatment.

Policy LU-7.1: Provide a sewer system that meets the needs of the community for sewer collection and treatment and work with MRWPCA for sewer treatment needs.

Policy LU-7.2: Review development proposals to ensure that adequate sewer collection and treatment facilities are available to meet the needs of the development without negatively impacting the existing community.

Policy LU-7.3: Maintain the existing sewer system to provide a high level of service to existing neighborhoods.

Flood Control

Goal