The Lakeport General Plan is the official document used by decision makers and citizens to guide and interpret the City’s long range plans for development of land and conservation of resources. All California cities and counties are required by State law to have a General Plan that addresses seven specific topics, called elements, which include: Land Use; Transportation; Housing; Open Space; Conservation; Safety and Noise. General Plans may also include optional elements dealing, for example, with design and community identity.
The Lakeport General Plan contains a land use map which describes the location and boundaries of each land use designation such as Industrial, Single Family Residential, or Park, and the specific restrictions that apply to each designation. The General Plan also contains policies and supporting information that apply to each designation. In addition, the Plan includes policies and supporting information adequate to make informed decisions concerning the future of the community. The Plan identifies methods for improving public facilities and services to meet the anticipated growth, and establishes a framework for the implementation of the City’s zoning, subdivision, and other land use regulations.
The General Plan represents an agreement among the residents of Lakeport on basic community values, ideals, and aspirations to govern a shared environment. The Plan has a long-term horizon. At the same time, it brings a deliberate, overall direction to the day-to-day decisions of the City Council, Planning Commission, and City staff.
The General Plan applies to both public and privately owned land within the City’s boundaries and its Sphere of Influence. The Sphere of Influence is unincorporated land representing the ultimate future boundaries of the City. This area is currently under County jurisdiction and regulated by Lake County’s General Plan and Zoning Ordinance. State law permits the City to plan for areas outside of its boundaries, if those areas have a direct relationship to the City’s planning needs. Although the County is not bound by Lakeport’s General Plan, the City will work with the County and strive to make County land use decisions within the Lakeport Sphere of Influence compatible with the Lakeport General Plan.
The General Plan will be used by the City Council and the Planning Commission to guide land use and planning-related decisions. The City’s staff will use the Plan on a day-to-day basis to administer and regulate land use and development activity. The public can use this Plan to understand Lakeport’s approach to land use planning and the community’s standards with regard to urban design, conserving natural resources, future developments, and neighborhood conservation. The development community can use the Plan to analyze proposed projects and for their marketing.
The General Plan is divided into chapters corresponding to Plan elements. Each chapter starts with a discussion of purpose, existing and future conditions, and the goals of the City as they relate to the chapter. These are followed by a brief overview and analysis of the major factors related to the issues and goals. At the end of each chapter are policies and implementation programs that will guide the City’s actions during the life of the Plan. Goals, policies, implementation programs, and standards are defined below:
A goal is a general expression of community values. It indicates, in a general manner, an ideal future or condition to which planning efforts are directed.
A policy is a specific statement that guides decision making and how a goal will be implemented and may include standards, objectives, maps, or a combination of these components. It indicates a clear commitment by the City Council.
An implementation program is a specific action, procedure, or technique to carry out policies of the General Plan.
The current Lakeport General Plan was adopted in 1992. In 2004, the City Council decided to update the General Plan to provide decision makers and private developers with clearer and more effective policy guidance. A General Plan Advisory Committee was established by the City and met a total of seven times in public sessions to work on the update. The Planning Commission and City Council are presently reviewing the draft General Plan. The next step in the process involves circulation and review of the General Plan Environmental Impact Report and public hearings on the draft Plan. A copy of the draft General Plan is available in .pdf format in the document section or by contacting the Lakeport Community Development Department at 707-263-5613 ext. 25.