SOLANA BEACH — The draft program environmental impact report for the Solana Beach general plan update is now available for review and public comments on the city website at ci.solana-beach.ca.us, in the Community Development Department at City Hall, at the Solana Beach Branch Library and at La Colonia Community Center.
The general plan serves as a “blueprint” to guide new development and direct policy actions to further the long-term vision for the community.
The draft program EIR analyzes the environmental effects of the implementation of the general plan, evaluates alternatives and includes appropriate mitigation measures.
Comments, which will be accepted until 5 p.m. Oct. 10, must be submitted in writing.
Written comments may be submitted at 635 S. Coast Hwy. 101, Solana Beach, CA 92075, electronically to [email protected] or by fax to (858) 792-6513.
At the end of the public review period, the project team will review and respond to all comments received. Based on those comments, revisions to the EIR may be made.
City officials also make findings regarding environmental impacts. If an impact cannot be avoided or mitigated to below a level of significance, the city could consider a statement of overriding considerations, which says that even though there are unavoidable adverse impacts, there are specific economic, social or other benefits that are sufficient enough to warrant project approval.
State law requires cities and counties to have a general plan. The housing element portion must be updated every eight years but there is no mandate on how often the rest of the document should be revised.
The state attorney general recommends the plans be updated every 10 to 20 years. Solana Beach’s general plan was adopted in 1988, two years after it became a city. It has been amended since then but this is the first comprehensive update.
The draft EIR, comments and responses to the comments comprise the final EIR, which will be presented to City Council members, who will discuss the document and listen to additional comments from residents during a noticed public meeting.
The final EIR and general plan update will come before council at a later date for approval.
The land use and circulation elements are being revised in this phase of the general plan update. Drafts of those documents are also available for public review on the city website.
Contact Wendé Protzman at (858) 720-2440 for questions.
