TO: Chair and Members of the Planning Commission
THRU: Hayden Beckman, Planning Manager
FROM: Arlen Beck, Associate Planner
1. Subject
title
2025 General Plan Annual Progress Report to the State of California.
body
2. Summary
California Government Code Section 65400 requires that cities submit an annual report on the status of their General Plan and progress in its implementation to the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation and the Department of Housing and Community Development each year.
3. Recommended Action
recommendation
Receive and file the 2025 General Plan Annual Progress Report
end
4. project background
The City’s 2010 General Plan was adopted on March 9, 2010. State law requires generalized annual reporting on General Plan implementation, with specific reporting requirements and forms related to the Housing Element.
5. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Over the course of 2025, the City undertook a number of activities that implement the goals and policies of the Land Use, Circulation & Mobility, Natural Resources, Cultural Resources & Historic Preservation, Infrastructure, Urban Design, Public Safety, Economic Development, and Housing Elements. These activities also reflect progress made on the programs of the General Plan Implementation Plan.
6. PROJECT analysis
General Plan Implementation
General Plan implementation supports the quality of life objectives for the community that serve as the foundation for the General Plan (Attachment 1). Activities undertaken by the City through its Capital Improvement Program, project plans and studies, facility maintenance and management, and inter-agency coordination each play a part in General Plan implementation. Annual report and tracking activities enable the City and State to track progress made on General Plan implementation.
Over the course of 2025, the City continued to make measurable progress in implementing important goals, policies, and programs that span a range of General Plan Elements. The General Plan Implementation Report (Attachment 2) details the key implementation actions that the City accomplished or made progress on in 2025. Some highlights of the City’s accomplishments in 2025 include:
• Completed a comprehensive General Plan accuracy update in January 2025 and adopted a Public Safety Element update in coordination with California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in compliance with State law.
• 2,006 code enforcement cases opened, and 1,981 cases closed, addressing property maintenance, zoning violations, and nuisance issues.
• Completed and advanced traffic signal and intersection improvements, including work at Chapman Avenue and Batavia Street.
• Continued implementation of Capital Improvement Program projects, including street rehabilitation, sewer replacement, ADA improvements, bridge rehabilitation, and park improvements.
• Replaced approximately 5,441 linear feet of sewer lines and reconstructed 14 manholes to improve infrastructure capacity and reliability.
• Initiated and advanced major parks and recreation projects, including the Hart Park pickleball courts, Grijalva Park skate park, Yorba Park dog park improvements, and a new park in West Orange along the Santa Ana River.
• Continued preparation of the Active Transportation Plan and secured grant funding for pedestrian and bicycle improvements.
• Adopted multiple Zoning Code updates, including updates to the alcohol permit process, Design Review Committee procedures, and regulations for farmworker and employee housing, and continued work on sign and landscape standards.
• Adopted the 2025 California Building and Fire Codes, with local amendments, to address updated safety standards.
• Continued CEQA review and development processing, including review of 17 traffic impact analyses and implementation of mitigation measures for development projects.
• Enhanced public safety services, including new emergency equipment, technology upgrades, and expanded police and fire programs.
• Expanded community services and outreach, including library programs, wildfire preparedness education, and public safety engagement initiatives.
Housing Element
The State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) requires the reporting of Housing Element implementation on specific state reporting forms. The reporting format of Housing Element implementation is established by HCD with the purpose of tracking overall housing production in a community, as well as a jurisdiction’s progress toward meeting its regional housing needs assessment (RHNA) allocation. The City’s Housing Element Implementation Progress Report is included in Attachment 3 of this report.
In 2025 the City issued building permits for a total of 172 housing units. In 2025, a total of 140 housing units completed construction and were issued a certificate of occupancy, 66 of which are Very-Low or Low-Income Deed Restricted units.
The City’s progress in meeting its Year 2021-2029 RHNA goals is summarized in the table below.
2025 Building Permit Issuance in Relation to RHNA
|
Income Level |
2021-2029 RHNA (# of units) |
2021 New Units (As of 10/15/2021) |
2022 New Units |
2023 New Units |
2024 New Units |
2025 New Units |
2021-2029 Remaining RHNA Need |
|
Very Low |
1,067 |
0 |
50 |
50 |
0 |
0 |
967 |
|
Low |
604 |
0 |
62 |
24 |
166 |
0 |
352 |
|
Moderate |
677 |
2 |
83 |
69 |
104 |
89 |
303 |
|
Above-Moderate |
1,588 |
1 |
50 |
1 |
4 |
83 |
1,449 |
|
Total |
3,936 |
3 |
245 |
144 |
274 |
172 |
3,071 |
In 2025, the City continued to make steady progress toward implementation of its Housing Element and Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation through ongoing residential development, including market-rate and deed-restricted affordable units, as well as continued strong activity in accessory dwelling units. While progress remains strongest in the moderate- and above-moderate-income categories, the City continues to focus on facilitating production of very low- and low-income units through implementation of Housing Element programs and regulatory incentives.
The City also maintained compliance with State housing law through ongoing monitoring, coordination with the California Department of Housing and Community Development, and preparation of the Annual Progress Report. The City also adopted a Farmworker and Employee Housing Ordinance and Single Room Occupancy Ordinance. Overall, these efforts reflect continued advancement of Housing Element goals and Policy Action 2A: Annual Review of Housing Element.
7. AUTHORIZING GUIDELINES
California Government Code Section 65400 requires that cities submit an annual report on the status of their General Plan and progress in its implementation to the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation and Department of Housing and Community Development. In addition to submittal to the State, the annual report must be presented to the City Council for review and acceptance.
As a procedural matter, staff is bringing this annual report to the Planning Commission for receipt and acceptance prior to the City Council action given the role of the Commission as advisory to the Council in planning matters, including implementation of the General Plan.
8. public notice
No public notification is required for this report to the Planning Commission.
9. ADVISORY BOARD ACTION
None.
10. ATTACHMENTS
• Attachment 1 2010 General Plan Vision Statement
• Attachment 2 2025 General Plan Implementation Report
• Attachment 3 2025 Annual Housing Element Implementation Progress Report