General Plan

California law requires each City and County to adopt a comprehensive long-term general plan for its physical development. A City’s General Plan is its blueprint for the future and, through appropriate goals, policies and programs, it serves as a decision making tool to guide future growth and development.

 The General Plan represents an opportunity for a community to formulate a “vision “of what its residents would like to see in the future. This visioning process extends beyond the basic statutory requirements to adopt a General Plan. The Plan must offer innovative and creative solutions for the future that are consistent with the fundamental goal of preserving and protecting the positive and enjoyable aspects of Laguna Niguel. In addition, the Plan must offer preferred solutions for alleviating identified problems facing the City.

Specific General Plan Elements Address:

• Land Use - including residential and commercial density;
• Open Space and Parks - including both active recreation and the preservation of natural open space areas; 
• Circulation - including vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian circulation routes within the City; 
• Public Facilities - including water, sewer, flood control, solid waste, law enforcement, emergency medical, fire protection and educational facilities; 
• Noise - including existing and projected noise within the community and identification of appropriate noise restrictions and mitigation; 
• Seismic/Public Safety - including identification of potential natural hazards; 
• Housing - including projected future housing development in the community;
• Growth Management - including policies to ensure that future traffic conditions are acceptable and that transportation improvements keep pace with new development; and 
• Community Service Standards - including standards to ensure that all public facilities can adequately accommodate future growth