Legislation Details

File #: 26-0083    Version: 1
Type: Consent - Report Status: Filed
File created: 2/3/2026 In control: Orange City Council
On agenda: 5/12/2026 Final action: 5/12/2026
Title: 2025 General Plan Annual Progress Report
Attachments: 1. Staff Report, 2. Attachment 1 Planning Commission Staff Report dated April 20, 2026, 3. Attachment 2 2010 General Plan Vision Statement, 4. Attachment 3 2025 General Plan Annual Progress Report, 5. Attachment 4 2025 Annual Housing Element Annual Progress Report

TO:                                          Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council

 

THRU:                     Jarad Hildenbrand, City Manager                                          

                                                                                                          

FROM:                     Russell Bunim, Community Development Director

                                          

                     

1.                     Subject

title

2025 General Plan Annual Progress Report

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.

end

4.                     Fiscal Impact

None.

5.                     Strategic Plan Goals

Not applicable.

6.                     Discussion and Background

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. The annual report must be provided to the City Council for review and acceptance. As a procedural matter, staff took the annual report to the Planning Commission at its April 20, 2026, meeting (Attachment 1) for receipt and acceptance prior to the City Council action given the role of the Commission as advisory to the Council in planning matters.

General Plan implementation supports the quality of life objectives for the community that serve as the foundation for the General Plan (Attachment 2). 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 3) 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, and Yorba Park dog park improvements.

                     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 method of reporting Housing Element implementation is established by the Department of Housing and Community Development (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 4.

In summary, the City issued building permits for a total of 172 housing units, and 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 continues 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. Overall, these efforts reflect continued advancement of Housing Element goals and Policy Action 2A: Annual Review of Housing Element (Attachment 4).

At their April 20, 2026, meeting, the Planning Commission voted 6:0:1 with Commissioner Martinez absent to receive and file the report with no changes before City Council consideration.

7.                     ATTACHMENTS

                     Attachment 1 Planning Commission Staff Report dated April 20, 2026

                     Attachment 2 2010 General Plan Vision Statement

                     Attachment 3 2025 General Plan Annual Progress Report

                     Attachment 4 2025 Annual Housing Element Progress Report