Green City Initiative—Land Use and the Future of Aliso Viejo

The crowd was small for Thursday night's Green City Initiative workshop, which offered residents a chance to get involved in the discussion of land use.

Albert Armijo, director of planning services for the city, outlined the importance of land use and how it determines city growth, transportation and housing issues.

Workshop participants were encouraged to draw their ideas on tracing paper that covered a large map of the city's land-use outline.

Van Stephens of Forma, the consulting firm for the Green City Initiative, presented details on land use issues and how it relates to the Green City Initiative. He provided a list of ideas the city may consider when forming the initiative:

• "Mixed used" spaces—brings commercial, residential and retail areas together.
• Consider appropriate spaces for "urban villages"—keeping things closer together to allow people to work, shop and live in the same city.
• Investment in "complete streets"—allow for every kind of transportation, e.g., walking, biking and cars.
• Walkable commercial spaces.
• Permit more organic gardens where feasible.
• Higher "floor area ratio." 
• Attract more entertainment use at Town Center.
• More youth recreation in Town Center. 

The city wants input from residents to find additional ways to rethink land use in Aliso Viejo. Attendees provided a few ideas, including using sloped areas around homes for organic gardening and allowing commercial-style growers to plant on unused land within neighborhoods.  

Armijo also spoke about how the comprehensive general plan update will start in July. The update will be an 18-month process with a 25-year outlook. The Green City Initiative will be incorporated into the plan.

Suggestions are welcome. email: greencityinfo@cityofalisoviejo.com.

The next workshop is scheduled for May 19. More information will be available soon.