General Plan

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Every California jurisdiction must maintain a General Plan in accordance with State law. The General Plan represents the community's vision for future growth and development and establishes a policy framework for making decisions long-term. The General Plan is implemented through staff and elected official decisions, Capital Improvement projects, Municipal Code updates, programs, actions, and processes. The existing General Plan was last comprehensively updated in 2002. Core topics include land use and urban design, transportation, protection of Travis Air Force Base, public facilities and services, parks and recreation, conservation and open space, and economic development.

In December 2020, the City of Fairfield launched a comprehensive General Plan Update called Fairfield Forward 2050, which will enable the community to proactively plan for the future, addressing current needs and issues.

Fairfield Forward 2050 consists of a General Plan Update, Climate Action Plan, and Environmental Impact Report. The Climate Action Plan will outline strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and meeting State emissions reductions goals. The Environmental Impact Report will assess the General Plan Update and Climate Action Plan's potential adverse environmental impacts and includes measures to reduce these impacts.

Get Involved!

Get involved and help plan the future of Fairfield! Visit the project website at www.fairfieldforward.com and sign up for the mailing list today!

Fairfield Forward 2050

Fairfield Forward 2050 consists of a General Plan Update, Climate Action Plan, and Environmental Impact Report. Since project kickoff in 2020, thousands of Fairfield residents, business owners, property owners, and other stakeholders have engaged at all stages of the planning process, from initial visioning and exploration of land use and transportation alternatives to policy development.

The project website at www.fairfieldforward.com hosts up-to-date information about the project, schedule, and how to stay involved as well as all project documents. Visit the project website to learn more and subscribe to updates.

Public Review Drafts Released!

The City is pleased to release the public review drafts of the General Plan Update, Fairfield’s first Climate Action Plan, and the Draft Environmental Impact Report, a major milestone for the Fairfield Forward 2050 Project.

Together, these documents chart a path forward to achieve the community’s vision for the future to the year 2050. Fairfield decisionmakers will consider these documents for certification and adoption this winter.

Public comments were due by September 9th, 2024. City staff and consultants are currently updating the Public Review Drafts to incorporate and respond to public comments. All public comments will be published on Wednesday, October 9th, 2024.

Public Review Drafts

Cover and Table of Contents
01 Introduction
02 Land Use and Urban Design Element
03 Travis Protection Element
04 Circulation Element
05 Public Facilities and Services Element
06 Open Space, Conservation, and Recreation Element
07 Sustainability Element
08 Health and Safety Element
09 Environmental Justice Element
10 Economic Development Element
Glossary
Circulation Appendix

City of Fairfield Public Review Draft Climate Action Plan

City of Fairfield Draft Environmental Impact Report

THE DRAFT DOCUMENTS ARE STILL BEING UPLOADED TO THIS WEBPAGE. YOU MAY VIEW AND DOWNLOAD THE DOCUMENTS IMMEDIATELY AT WWW.FAIRFIELDFORWARD.COM.

Next Steps Through Adoption

City staff and consultants are currently developing Draft Final documents for consideration by the City Council. Next steps through adoption of Fairfield Forward 2050 are as follows:

Planning Commission Special Meeting (Public Hearing) on Wednesday, November 6th at 6:00 pm at the Harry T. Price Memorial Council Chambers
City Council Meeting (Public Hearing) on Tuesday, December 3rd at 6:00 pm at the Harry t. Price Memorial Council Chambers

What is a General Plan?

State law mandates that each city and county in California adopt a “comprehensive, long-term general plan.” The purpose is to plan for important community issues such as new growth, housing needs, and environmental protection. A general plan is used to project future demand for services such as sewer, water, roadways, parks, and emergency services.

Beyond serving as “the legal underpinning for land use decisions," the Governor's Office of Planning and Research casts the role of the General Plan in a more aspirational light: "It is a vision about how a community will grow, reflecting community priorities and values while shaping the future.”

There are both State-mandated and optional “elements,” or chapters, that go into a general plan. These elements make up the framework for decision-making regarding growth and development in the City. State law requires that a general plan address the following core topics:

Land Use
Circulation
Housing
Conservation
Open Space
Noise, Safety
Environmental Justice

Fairfield’s existing General Plan also contains additional elements that cover topics such as Travis Air Force Base Protection, Economic Development, Agriculture, and Urban Design.

General Plan Advisory Committee

The City has created a General Plan Advisory Committee or GPAC made up of a representative range of members of the Fairfield community to help shape the plan. The purpose of the GPAC is to provide input, feedback, and recommendations to city staff, the consultant team, and ultimately the City Council on key components of the General Plan as they are developed. The GPAC can help shape the goals and policies of the General Plan through recommendations, recognizing that the final determination ultimately rests with City Council. GPAC meeting agendas will be posted here and on the project website, www.fairfieldforward.com, 72-hours prior to each GPAC meeting.

Upcoming GPAC Meetings

Thursday, October 26, 2023 at 6pm - Fairfield Community Center Vista Room (1000 Kentucky Street)
- Agenda