Updated Documents
The General Plan Review, Zoning Ordinance Update and the PEIR process is a multi-year project. As the General Plan review moves forward, documents will be available for public review and comment. These documents are described below.
Updated Background Report
This document provides a snapshot of the conditions, trends, and regulations that are influencing Fresno County today. Compiling this information will involve reviewing existing studies and documents (e.g., existing community plans, specific plans, special studies, environmental documents) and contacting appropriate agencies and organizations. The information on existing conditions will be used to better understand the issues facing the County and lead to the development of a plan that helps the County address each issue appropriately. This document will also be used as the environmental setting portion of the environmental impact report that will be prepared for the General Plan.
Revised Policy Document
This document is the essence of the General Plan. It contains the land use diagram, goals, and policies that will guide future development within the County. It also identifies a full set of implementation measures that will ensure the policies of the General Plan are carried out.
Updated, Revised and Reformatted Zoning Ordinance
The Fresno County Zoning Ordinance will be modified and modernized into a contemporary format. This will be the first comprehensive format update and will implement a new look from the existing decades-old format currently in use.
Steps in Review Process for General Plan and Zoning Ordinance
1. Revised General Plan and Zoning Ordinance Documents
The Background Report has been comprehensively updated to reflect the existing conditions which would identify issues facing the County and will be used as the environmental setting in preparing the PEIR. The Policy Document has been revised to ensure the document reflects the change of times and a new format and colored maps & diagrams to make it user friendly. The Zoning Ordinance has been comprehensively updated to reflect the change of times and make the document user friendly.
2. Release of the revised documents for public review
The General Plan and Zoning Ordinance documents will be released for public review and comments on those documents will be solicited from the public.
3. Community Meetings
Community meetings will be conducted throughout the County to receive comments.
4. Revisions to the General Plan Documents and the Zoning Ordinance
Based on the comments received from the public and agencies, appropriate and necessary revisions will be made to the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance documents.
5. Preparation and Release of PEIR and Documents for Public Review
The PEIR will be prepared to address the potential environmental impacts of implementing the General Plan and the Zoning Ordinance, and the revised General Plan and Zoning Ordinance documents along with the Draft PEIR will be released for a 60-day formal public review period.
6. Community Meetings
Community meetings will be conducted to receive comments on the PEIR, General Plan Background Report, General Plan Policy Document, and Updated Zoning Ordinance.
7. Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors workshops
There will be workshops with the Planning Commission and potentially the Board of Supervisors.
8. Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors Public Hearings
Formal hearings before the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors will be held for approval of the documents.