General Plan Advisory Committee Meets

The state of California requires every city and county in California to adopt a General Plan, which is the local government’s long-term blueprint “for the physical development of the city and any land outside its boundaries that bears relation to its planning.” The General Plan represents the community’s view of its future and expresses the long-term growth and development goals. It addresses issues that impact the entire city, such as how land is used, where buildings are built, the locations of roads and parks, safety, noise, and more

The General Plan contains the goals and policies upon which the City Council and Planning Commission will base their land use decisions. All city plans, zoning, and private development must be consistent with the diagrams and policies in the General Plan.

Three years after the City incorporated in 1991, Lake Forest adopted its first General Plan to help guide the City’s physical development. Since then, the City has undergone a number of significant changes including the annexations of Portola Hills and Foothill Ranch, the closure of the El Toro Marine Corps Base, and the launch of the Opportunities Study Area. The 1994 General Plan guided the decisions that led to the transformation of Lake Forest into a thriving, well-balanced and sustainable community. The General Plan promoted economic revitalization of aging commercial areas such as Heritage Square and The Orchard, street and landscape beautification efforts, modernization of traffic circulation systems, and expanded recreation opportunities.

Just as the City’s 1994 General Plan guided the City’s growth and development, the City’s 2040 General Plan will serve as a roadmap for the City’s future growth over the next 20 years. The goals, policies, and actions of the General Plan will serve as the City’s roadmap for future decision-making and provide the community, staff, and elected and appointed officials with clear direction on where the City wants to go and what needs to happen in order to get there.

The City of Lake Forest assembled a General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) to advise the City on the topics and issues addressed in the General Plan. The GPAC will serve as an important channel for the community to provide input and make recommendations regarding the General Plan Update. The Lake Forest General Plan will address the following topics: land use, mobility, open space, conservation, public safety, noise, community design, economic development, environmental justice, and community health and wellness.

The GPAC will meet on Thursday at 6:30 pm in the City Hall. You can attend or you can log-on using Facebook Live and participate fully from the comfort of your home.

Here is a partial list of the participants -

• Jim Bothwell (HOA - Lake 1)
• Stuart Crandall (Top Employer)
• Dennis Freed (Public Safety)
• Antonia Graham (Environmental)
• Laura Leach (HOA - Foothill Ranch)
• Brittany Roberts (Apartment Association)
• Jim Rosenberg (Senior)
• Jimmy Martin (HOA- Baker Ranch)
• Cindy Powalski (Residential Real Estate)

Remember - this is your City! It doesn't belong to the special interests. It doesn't belong to the GPAC. It doesn't belong to the staff. It doesn't belong to the Council. Get involved. Come to the meeting, Express your ideas and opinions. I hope to see you there.

PS - We will not be using FB-Live for this initial meeting but we do intend to use it for future meetings.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Jim Gardner is on the City Council for Lake Forest where he serves as Mayor. You can check him out on LinkedIn and/or Facebook and you can share your thoughts about the City at Lake Forest Town Square on Facebook His comments are not meant to reflect official City Policy.

Dr. Gardner has office hours every Tuesday from 4 pm to 6 pm at the City Hall. In addition, he holds a town hall meeting every quarter. The next meeting will be Oct 18 at 7 pm at the Lake 1 Clubhouse (Ridge Route).