What is a General Plan?

The general plan is a city’s basic planning document. It provides the blueprint for development throughout the community and is the vehicle through which competing interests and the needs of the citizenry are balanced. The general plan addresses all aspects of development, including housing, traffic, natural resources, open space, safety, land use, and public facilities (Talbert Barclay, Cecilia, and Matthew S. Gray. California Land Use and Planning Law. Solano Press, 36^th ed. 2018) City planning staff often refer to the general plan as their “marching orders”. Every city and county in California must adopt a general plan.

The City of Galt General Plan was approved and certified in 2009. It sets out a long-term vision for Galt’s growth and outlines policies, standards, and programs to guide day-to-day decisions concerning Galt’s development through the year 2030.

Organization of Galt’s General Plan and Document Links

Designed to meet State planning requirements, the General Plan consists of two documents: the Existing Conditions Report and the Policy Document. Individual chapters and elements of the two documents are available by clicking on the links below.

• Existing Conditions Report: inventories and analyzes the existing conditions and trends in Galt, and provides the formal supporting documentation for general plan policies.
  • Chapter 1: Introduction
  • Chapter 2: Economic Conditions
  • Chapter 3: Community Character
  • Chapter 4: Land Use and Demographics
  • Chapter 5: Circulation and Transportation
  • Chapter 6: Public Facilities and Services
  • Chapter 7: Housing
  • Chapter 8: Natural Resources
  • Chapter 9: Historic Resources
  • Chapter 10: Public Health and Safety

• Policy Document and Elements: divided into two main parts (Part I and Part II).
  • Part I: Summary of the General Plan describes the nature and purpose of the plan, highlights the guiding principles of the plan, and outlines the plan’s main proposals. It does not constitute formal general plan policy, but is rather a guide to understanding and interpreting Part II of the Policy Document.

     

  • Part II: Goals, Policies, and Implementation Programs contains explicit statements and quantified objectives that constitute the formal policy of the City of Galt for land use, development, and environmental quality. Part II is divided into ten elements (links available below), eight of which are mandatory*:
    • Circulation (mandatory)
    • Community Character
    • Conservation and Open Space (mandatory; combined)
    • Economic Development
    • Historic Resources
    • Housing (mandatory; 6th Cycle updated certified by HCD on May 12, 2022;annual progress report required. Detailed information available on the HE page)
    • Land Use (mandatory)
    • Noise (mandatory)
    • Public Facilities and Services
    • Safety and Seismic (mandatory)

*note: the eighth required element is Environmental Justice, and became a required element after the adoption of Galt’s 2030 General Plan. 

Environmental Impact Reports and Other Documents

• Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR)
  • Table of Contents
  • Executive Summary
  • Chapter 1: Intro & Project Description
  • Chapter 2: Economic Conditions
  • Chapter 3: Community Character
  • Chapter 4: Land Use and Demographics
  • Chapter 5: Circulation and Transportation
  • Chapter 6: Public Facilities and Services
  • Chapter 7: Housing
  • Chapter 8: Natural Resources
  • Chapter 9: Historic Resources
  • Chapter 10: Public Health and Safety
  • Chapter 11: Alternatives to the Proposed Project
  • Chapter 12: Other CEQA Considerations
  • Chapter 13: Report Preparation
  • Chapter 14: Acronyms
  • Chapter 15: Bibliography
  • Appendix A: Notice of Preparation
  • Appendix B: Existing Conditions Report (refer to top of this website page)
  • Appendix C: Policy Document (refer to top of the this website page)

  • Appendix D: Circulation and Travel Demand Model Update

  • Appendix E: Air Quality Emissions Calculator

• Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR)
  • FEIR Addendum October 2012
  • Table of Contents
  • Executive Summary
  • Chapter 1: Introduction
  • Chapter 2 Part 1: Comments on the Draft EIR
  • Chapter 2 Part 2: Comments on the Draft EIR
  • Chapter 2 Part 3: Comments on the Draft EIR
  • Chapter 2 Part 4: Comments on the Draft EIR
  • Chapter 3: Response to Comments on the Draft EIR
  • Chapter 4: Minor Changes and Edits to the Draft EIR
  • Chapter 5: Report Preparation with Appendix A: Final Traffic and Circulation Report

     

• Resolution 2009-28 which adopted the 2030 General Plan and Certified the EIR
• Land Use Map

Sphere of Influence (SOI) & LAFCo

A Sphere of Influence (SOI) is defined as a planning boundary outside of an agency's legal boundary (such as the city limit line) that designates the agency's probable future boundary and service area. Thus, the establishment of the SOI boundary is necessary to determine which governmental agencies can provide services in the most efficient way to the people and property in any given area, promote orderly land use and service, and protect agriculture and open pace.

In 2009, the City of Galt petitioned the Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) for a Sphere of Influence Amendment (SOIA) consistent with urban growth contemplated in the Galt General Plan 2030 Update. LAFCo is the agency that has approval authority over the City’s SOI amendment request. As an independent agency, LAFCo remains separate from the County with the sole purposes of promoting orderly growth, discouraging urban sprawl, preserving open space and prime farmlands, and promotion of the efficient extension of government services.

The Galt SOI Amendment was approved by LAFCo on Jan. 19, 2011. SOI documents and maps are listed below.

• Resolution 2011-01-0119-06-09 for Final EIR for 2030 Galt General Plan
• Resolution 2011-02-0119-06-09 for Final CEQA Findings of Fact
• Resolution 2011-03-0119-06-09 for Final Monitoring and Reporting Program
• Resolution 2011-04-0119-06-09 for Determination for MSR and Approved SOI
• City of Galt Municipal Service Review (MSR): July 2009, Revised November 2009
• Galt SOIA Final EIR
• Galt SOIA CEQA Findings of Fact
• Galt SOIA MMRP
• SOI Map (2011)

Housing Element Annual Progress Reports

Government Code section §65400 requires that each city, county, or city and county, including charter cities, prepare an annual progress report (APR) on the status of the housing element of its general plan and progress in its implementation. The APR must be submitted to the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR) on or before April 1 of each year. The APR covers the previous calendar year. In Galt, the Planning Division prepares the General Plan and Housing Element APR and presents it to the Planning Commission and City Council. The City Council provides direction to Planning staff on submittal of the General Plan and Housing Element APR. 

Helpful Links

Sac LAFCo (Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission)

SACOG (Sacramento Area Council of Governments)

HCD (California Department of Housing and Community Development)

OPR (Governor’s Office of Planning and Research)

California Government Code Title 7 Planning and Land Use