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  • PlanSolvang
    Embracing our Heritage | Planning our Future
  • PlanSolvang
    Embracing our Heritage | Planning our Future
  • PlanSolvang
    Embracing our Heritage | Planning our Future
  • PlanSolvang
    Embracing our Heritage | Planning our Future

The General Plan Process

Welcome

The General Plan Update is a pivotal opportunity to shape the future of Solvang. Through the Update process, the City and its consultants (General Plan Team), with input from the public and stakeholders, will consider new, pertinent topics, such as climate change and resiliency, environmental justice, and public health, to ensure Solvang is positioned to achieve its vision for the future.

As the Update progresses, this website will be your primary source for information. Please check back for drafts of project documents and opportunities to engage in the Update process­— including dates and times of events and meetings.


Revised HCD Draft Housing Element Available Now!

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. 

Next Steps:

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. 

Public Review Draft 2045 General Plan Available Now!

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 (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), or send written comments to the following address:

City of Solvang
Planning Division
Attn: Sophia Checa, Planning Manager
411 Second Street
Solvang, CA 93463

Community Workshop #3

Thank you for those that attended Community Workshop #3, held virtually on January 13, 2022. For those of you that missed it, or were unable to attend, the workshop focused on potential land use changes as part of the General Plan Update. These land use changes are outlined in the Land Use Alternatives Report, available to download by clicking on the "Land Use Alternatives" tab at the top of this page. The presentation can be accessed by clicking on the link to the right. 

Alternatives Community Survey: Thank You For Your Participation!

Thank you for all of you who participated in the Alternatives Community Survey. For those of you that were unable to take the survey, there will be more opportunities in the future to participate. Your responses will be used to help choose a Preferred Land Use Alternative and guide the General Plan Update process. Please click on the link below to view a summary of the survey results.

Land Use Alternatives Report Available for Review!

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. The Report outlines a range of scenarios and the impact of each for the community’s consideration. The community was provided 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.


Adopted Guiding Principles

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.


Newsletter #2

Newsletter #2 provides an overview of the Existing Conditions and Trends Workbook. Click here to view the Newsletter.

Boletín Informativo #2: El Cuaderno de Trabajo sobre las Condiciones y Tendencias Existentes
Haga clic aquí para descargar el boletín en español.


You can also view the Workbook as a flipbook on screen below.

Existing Conditions and Trends Workbook

As part of the General Plan Update, the City is happy to announce the publication of the Existing Conditions and Trends Workbook.  The Workbook tells 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. 

Existing Conditions and Trends StoryMap

Want to look at the information in a new way that lets you explore the maps and zoom into your neighborhood?  Try our online StoryMap, an interactive version of the Workbook that includes video, photos, and interactive maps. 

Click here to use the StoryMap version.

To read the clearer, click the double arrow ↔ symbol on the bottom of the flipbook page.  Click it again to zoom back to normal.
Use the arrows on the left and right edge to turn pages.

Join the Conversation

Provide your email address to stay up to date on meetings and key milestones. The General Plan Team will send out timely emails throughout the process regarding upcoming events, workshops, meetings, and project documents.

Click the orange "eMail List" tab on the right edge of this website to sign up.

PlanSOLVANG
City of Solvang
Planning Division
Attn: Rafael Castillo, AICP, Planning Manager
411 2nd Street
Solvang, CA 93463

Phone: (805) 688-5575
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

PlanSOLVANG

City of Solvang
Planning Division
Attn: Rafael Castillo, AICP, Planning Manager
411 2nd Street
Solvang, CA 93463

Phone: (805) 688-5575

eMail List

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By clicking the "Send" button below, you are requesting to be added to the e-mail list for the General Plan update. You will be sent e-mail announcements about upcoming meetings, events, and documents.

Comments
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By clicking the "Send" button below, you are requesting to be added to the e-mail list for the General Plan update. You will be sent e-mail announcements about upcoming meetings, events, and documents.