General Plan
(originally published April 23, 2015) A General Plan is the blueprint for a community's future. California state law requires that every city and county must adopt a General Plan and revise it from time to time as circumstances change. Goals, objectives and policies articulated within a General Plan are supposed to be internally consistent. Ordinances, such as a Zoning Ordinance, that implement a General Plan must also be consistent with the General Plan. Under California law, there are 7 required elements (chapters) of a General Plan: land use, circulation, housing, conservation, open space, noise and safety. The Governor's Office of Planning and Research promulgates Guidelines for preparation of General Plans.
"You got to be careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there."Yogi Berra
It can be a challenge to plow through Sacramento County's General Plan and the current (1980) community plan for Arden Arcade as amended (2006). Yet a thorough understanding of these documents is helpful for area residents and businesses that seek to reverse the downward spiral of land uses and property values in the community.
