During this phase, the General Plan Team will review existing plans and collect new data needed to form the baseline existing conditions analysis for the General Plan. The General Plan Team will also engage the community to better understand what matters to residents. The goal is to get a good idea of where Rohnert Park is now so we can have a clear starting point for when we envision Rohnert Park in the future.
The existing conditions review will utilize mapping data, and land and community surveys to analyze the current conditions of the community and land in Rohnert Park. Input from the community is also essential for the next phases of the project and will be used to develop a vision of what Rohnert Park should become in the future.
The community visioning process will include several opportunities for the community to get involved by attending workshops and participating in online discussions. This input from the community is essential for the next phases of the project and will be used to develop a vision of what Rohnert Park should become in the future. The General Plan will be the City’s tool for reaching that vision of the future.
An important aspect of the General Plan is the land use diagram, which sets the direction for land use in Rohnert Park. The land use diagram will identify areas where the community wants land uses to change or to stay the same, and it will determine the types of land uses that will be allowed or encouraged in the future. During this step in the process, the City, with community input, will consider and analyze different land use scenarios compatible with the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) Initiative approved by voters in Rohnert Park. At the end of this phase, the City Council will choose a preferred alternative based on information gathered by the General Plan Team, future growth forecasts, and input from the community, General Plan Advisory Committee, and Planning Commission. Click here to view the Alternatives Report.
The goals and policies make up the heart of the General Plan. They are the mechanisms for achieving the community’s vision of the future. How will we build the community we envision in the future? It is this key question that the City will address at this point in the process, with input from Rohnert Park residents, businesses, and stakeholders. The General Plan Team will prepare a Public Review Draft General Plan for public comment. The Team will present this plan at an Open House where residents will be invited to learn about the different topics covered in the General Plan and provide feedback.
A General Plan is considered a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), so the City must analyze the potential environmental impacts of carrying out the General Plan. The General Plan Team will prepare an Environmental Impact Report, which will be released simultaneously with the Public Review Draft General Plan, with opportunities for community review and comment.
The General Plan will go to the Planning Commission and the City Council for public hearings. The City Council has the ultimate authority to adopt the General Plan. The community will have opportunities to provide comments to the Planning Commission and City Council during the final public hearings.