Laserfiche WebLink
3.1 <br />Town of Los Altos Hills April 3, 2008 <br />Staff Report to the Planning Commission <br />RE: PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE GENERAL PLAN INCLUDING UPDATED <br />LAND USE AND PATHWAYS ELEMENTS WITH INITIAL STUDY AND NEGATIVE <br />DECLARATION <br />FROM: Leslie Hopper, AICP, Project Planner 4-+ <br />APPROVED BY: Debbie Pedro, AICP, Planning Director -i -IR <br />RECOMMENDATION That the Planning Commission: <br />Review the proposed amendments to the General Plan and the proposed Initial <br />Study/Negative Declaration and consider comments from the public. <br />2. Make a recommendation to the City Council to approve the Initial Study/Negative <br />Declaration and adopt the proposed amendments to the General Plan with any <br />modifications deemed appropriate. <br />BACKGROUND <br />In July 2005 the City Council established the Ad Hoc General Plan Committee and authorized it <br />to begin updating the General Plan. The broad-based Committee has six members, including a <br />member of the City Council and a member of the Planning Commission. The Committee has <br />been meeting twice a month to update six of the nine existing elements of the Town's General <br />Plan. <br />The project was divided into three phases: <br />• Phase 1—Introduction, Conservation Element, and <br />Open Space & Recreation Element <br />• Phase 2—Noise and Safety Elements <br />• Phase 3—Land Use and Pathways Elements <br />The City Council approved and adopted Phase 1 on April 26, 2007 and Phase 2 on November 8, <br />2002 Phase 3 is currently under review, and adoption of the updated Land Use and Pathways <br />Elements will complete the General Plan update project. <br />THE GENERAL PLAN <br />The General Plan is the Town's blueprint for the future. It provides policy direction for land use <br />decisions regarding the conservation of resources and the development of the community. <br />Sometimes described as a local constitution, the General Plan provides a legal foundation for <br />zoning, site development and subdivision ordinances, all of which must be consistent with the <br />General Plan. State law requires the General Plan to include at least seven elements: Land Use, <br />