This is where we will post all published General Plan products and documents. We will update this page as documents related to this project are released. Please check back regularly!
On May 16, 2023, the City received a comment letter from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) outlining the changes needed to achieve certification. The Project Team has updated the document and submitted the Revised HCD Review Draft to HCD for informal review. Please use the link below to download the Revised Draft, as well as a matrix of HCD's comments and the City's response.
To comment on the Draft, please use the green "Comments" button on the right hand side of this website.
Following HCD's informal review, the City will revise the document to address any remaining comments and will submit it to the Planning Commission for recommendation and the City Council for consideration of adoption through public hearings. Both the Planning Commission and City Council hearings will include opportunities for public input.
Upon adoption, the City will resubmit the Adopted Housing Element to HCD for formal review and certification.
The Solvang 2045 General Plan is a long-range plan that guides decision-making and established rules and standards for new development and city improvements. It reflects the community's vision for the future and is intended to provide direction through the year 2045. The 2045 General Plan process, which began in December 2020, included several community engagement events where community input was solicited to help guide the future of the City.
To submit comments on the Public Review Draft 2045 General Plan, please either use the green comments button on the right hand side of the website, email the City of Solvang Planning Division (
City of Solvang
Planning Division
Attn: Sophia Checa, Planning Manager
411 Second Street
Solvang, CA 93463
The HCD Review Draft Housing Element was submitted for initial 90-day HCD review on February 15, 2023. The Draft consists of two parts: the Policy Document and the Needs Assessment. For ease of use, these have been combined into a single PDF for the HCD Review Draft.
The Draft Housing Element consists of two parts: the Policy Document and the Needs Assessment. For ease of use, these have been combined into a single PDF for the Public Review Draft.
The Land Use Alternatives Report contains a series of potential land use alternatives, specifically related to future land use choices (alternatives) and circulation/mobility options. The potential land use alternatives are based on community feedback collected at the beginning of the project. This Report outlines a range of scenarios and the impact of each for the community’s consideration. The community will have an opportunity to weigh in on the findings during Community Workshop #3, where all comments, suggestions, and ideas will be presented to City Council for their consideration. Decision-makers will then be asked to weigh the costs and benefits of each alternative presented in the Report and to select a “preferred land use alternative.” The preferred land use alternative will be combined with community input and the City’s Guiding Principles, to guide the development of General Plan goals, policies, and implementation programs through the conclusion of the update process.
On August 23, 2021, at a Joint Study Session, the City Council and Planning Commission adopted a set of General Plan Guiding Principles for the Solvang General Plan Update. The Guiding Principles express the key values and aspirations for Solvang's future and serve as guideposts for the goals, policies, and implementation programs contained in the General Plan. All General Plan goals, policies, and implementation programs will need to be consistent with Guiding Principles.
The City of Solvang GPAC met on Wednesday August 4, 2021, to review comments and recommendations on the Draft Vision Statement and Guiding Principles from the Design Review Committee (DRC). As part of their final review the GPAC are recommending a Vision Statement and Guiding Principles for consideration to the Planning Commission and City Council. The recommended Vision Statement and Guiding Principles is a compilation of community aspirations collected from two community workshops and online engagement on the General Plan website (plansolvang.com). The Planning Commission and City Council will review the recommended Vision Statement and Guiding Principles from the GPAC at their August 23, 2021, meeting and finalize a Vision Statement and Guiding Principles for the General Plan.
Click here to download the document.
This document provides a summary of the community outreach events and community input received during Spring 2021. The following document is divided into four sections. The Stakeholder Interviews section summarizes the feedback and input provided by community stakeholders during interviews facilitated by the Consultant team. The Workshop #1 – Community Study Session and Workshop #2 sections provide an overview of each workshop, including activities and discussion questions, and lists all feedback and responses received during the events. Lastly, the Online Engagement section provides an overview of the feedback received on the Solvang General Plan website (PlanSolvang.com) and summarizes the responses from all online engagement activities.
Click here to download summary.
As part of the General Plan Update, the City is happy to announce the publication of the Existing Conditions and Treands Workbook. The Workbook twlls a story of Solvang – where it has been, where it is today, and the trends that will shape its future.
Click here to download the Workbook.
Want to look at information in a new way that lets you interact with the maps and zoom into your neighborhood. Try our online StoryMap, and interactive version of the Workbook
Click here to use the StoryMap version.
Newsletter #2 provides an overview of the Existing Conditions and Trends Workbook. Click here to view the Newsletter.
Haga clic aquí para descargar el boletín en español.
Newsletter #1 provides an overview of the General Plan Update. Click here to view this newsletter.
Haga clic aquí para descargar el boletín en español.
City of Solvang
Planning Division
Attn: Rafael Castillo, AICP, Planning Manager
411 2nd Street
Solvang, CA 93463
Phone: (805) 688-5575