Draft Butte County General Plan 2040 (See links below)
A variety of factors contribute to the need to update the General Plan:
The existing General Plan 2030 was adopted nearly 12 years ago (October 26, 2010) -updates are needed to keep the plan topical and relevant to changing conditions
Redistribution of population and impacts and recovery needs of the Camp Fire, North Complex Fire and Dixie Fire
Legislative mandates from the State concerning climate change and adaptation policy, environmental justice policy, and fire hazard impacts
State law mandates an update of the Housing Element in 2022 for the next effective period until 2030
The role of the General Plan is to:
Establish the community’s long-term vision for the future, including where people in Butte County will live, work, shop, learn, and recreate.
Guide all zoning and land use decisions within the unincorporated County.
Shape future housing, support job growth, foster healthy and resilient neighborhoods, protect and manage natural resources and agricultural lands, ensure community safety, and promote social and economic equity.
"The General Plan is more than the legal underpinning for land use decisions; it is a vision about how a community will grow, reflecting community priorities and values while shaping the future" (Source: Governor's Office of Planning and Research, General Plan Guidelines).
Overall Goals of the General Plan 2040 Update
Support Camp Fire and North Complex Fire recovery and changes that have taken place to populations and settings
Address current and future needs of Butte County
Engage community members in discussions and input regarding adaptation, community resilience, public safety, and environmental justice
Comply with State regulations
The Public Draft General Plan 2040 is available below. You will see that each of the chapters, including each element of the Draft General Plan, have their own link for easy navigation. The Public Draft General Plan 2040 will be available for the public's review throughout 2022, with future public workshops planned in September where the the public will have the opportunity to learn more about the update process. Look for updates on when and where the workshops will be held on this webpage. Consideration of adoption of General Plan 2040 is not scheduled until January/February of 2023. Comments and questions on the Draft General Plan 2040 may be directed to Mark Michelena, mmichelena@buttecounty.net.
BUTTE COUNTY GENERAL PLAN 2040 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
BUTTE COUNTY GENERAL PLAN 2040 OPEN HOUSE WORKSHOPS
Oroville
Southside Oroville Community Center, September 20th
2959 Lower Wyandotte Road, Oroville, 5pm – 7pm
Chico
Lakeside Pavilion, September 21st
2565 California Park Drive, Chico, 5pm – 7pm
Butte County’s Draft General Plan has been made available for public review and we want your feedback! This important document will guide development in Butte County for many years to come. Please join us at our upcoming open house events to learn about the General Plan 2040 Update. Butte County Development Services and PlaceWorks Staff will be on hand to discuss the update, including information on the Environmental Justice, Health & Safety, Water Resources, Circulation, and Land Use Elements.
The two Open Houses are set up as informal settings where you can drop in anytime during the event to talk with representatives from our team. This is an opportunity for you to participate in the updating process of General Plan 2040. We are eager to hear your thoughts and feedback is strongly encouraged! Be a part of your Butte County General Plan!
August 11 Planning Commission Housing Element Workshop
The Butte County Planning Commission will hold a workshop to receive a presentation on the Draft 2022-2030 Housing Element. This workshop will be held via a hybrid (in-person and remotely online) format. In-person will be held at 25 County Center Drive, Oroville. To access the workshop online, the public is encouraged to to register in advance of the hearing by emailing PCClerk@buttecounty.net. Use the following information to remotely view and participate in the Planning Commission meeting, including the Public Hearing portions, online:
Link: https://bcdds.net/PlanningCommission or
Phone number: United States Toll Free: 1-844-992-4726 Event Password: Planning Meeting Number: 2552 278 493
At this workshop, County staff and consultants will provide an overview of State Housing Element requirements and the process for updating the Housing Element. The consultants will then make a presentation on the draft Housing Needs Assessment prepared to support the Housing Element Update process, as well as its implications for revisions to the existing Butte County Housing Element. The workshop will seek input and direction from the Planning Commission and the public to refine the draft Housing Element and associated strategies to be considered later by the Butte County Board of Supervisors.
2022-2030 HOUSING ELEMENT - PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT August 11 Planning Commission Workshop
The Butte County General Plan’s 2022 – 2030 Draft Housing Element is available for public review and comment for 30 days, from June 4, 2022, to July 5, 2022. The 2022-2030 Draft Housing Element is the County’s plan for addressing the housing needs of residents of all income levels in the unincorporated areas of the Butte County. The major updates and required changes are centered on the revised housing allocations based on the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), addressing Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing in accordance with State law, and a review of the success in meeting the goals and objectives of the previously adopted Housing Element. Public comment may be submitted in writing by email to Senior Planner Mark Michelena at mmichelena@buttecounty.net or by mail to the Butte County Department of Development Services, 7 County Center Drive, Oroville, CA 95965. Please provide comments by 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 5, 2022.
INTERIM TRANSPORTATION THRESHOLD FOR VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED (VMT) AND RELATED UPDATE TO BUTTE COUNTY’S ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW GUIDELINES
The Interim Transportation Threshold and the update to the Butte County's Environmental Review Guidelines were presented to the the Board of Supervisors on April 26, 2022. The Board, by resolution (No. 22-065), adopted the Interim Transportation Threshold of Significance under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for Vehicles Miles Traveled (VMT) and the update to Butte County's Environmental Review Guidelines.
OVERVIEW
Butte County is updating the General Plan. Since the current General Plan was adopted, the devastating Camp and North Complex Fires destroyed nearly 17,000 structures, including more than 14,000 homes, and displaced many more residents. The updated General Plan will support the County’s efforts to rebuild and create a more resilient future. We are also using the update as an opportunity to address issues related to climate adaptation and environmental justice, as well as other new State laws. To achieve these goals, the County is working closely with community members and stakeholders to ensure we fully understand community needs and opportunities and how to address them.
WHAT IS A GENERAL PLAN?
The General Plan establishes the community’s long-term vision for the future, including where people in Butte County will live, work, shop, learn, and recreate. It guides all zoning and land use decisions within the unincorporated County. It will shape future housing, support job growth, foster healthy and resilient neighborhoods, protect and manage natural resources and agricultural lands, ensure community safety, and promote social and economic equity.
PROJECT GOALS
- Support Camp Fire and North Complex Fire recovery
- Address current and future needs of Butte County
- Engage community members as key decision makers for adaptation, community resilience, public safety, and environmental justice
- Comply with State regulations
COMPONENTS
- The updated Health and Safety Element will address the life changing impact of recent disasters like the Camp and North Complex Fires and the Oroville Dam crisis and respond to community needs, values, and priorities that have emerged in their aftermath. It will also provide a framework for adaptation and resilience to climate change, as well as develop community evacuation modeling to assist in the development of future evacuation plans.
- The updated Housing Element will include a plan to ensure that residents of all income levels can find housing, including rebuilding fire-destroyed units.
- The new Environmental Justice Element will address the topics of pollution exposure and equitable access to resources and opportunities to advance environmental justice in the county, as required by Senate Bill (SB) 1000. Environmental justice means the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes in decisions about land use and other environmental regulations so that no communities are disproportionately burdened by pollution.
- The Land Use Element will be revised to manage development in a way that supports the community’s vision for the future of Butte County as well as updating information regarding equitable access to infrastructure and public services in compliance with SB 244.
- The revised Circulation Element will address how the County evaluates the transportation impacts of new development. It will also respond to new and emerging County priorities, including increased support for active transportation, and changing conditions like new transportation technologies.
- The updated Water Resources Element will focus on water conservation opportunities to sustain Butte County’s groundwater, as well as policies to support resilient water supply and infrastructure.
PROJECT DOCUMENTS
- Settings and Trends Report:
GET INVOLVED
- Workshop One (This meeting was held both in person and virtually on June 29, 2021 from 6-8:00pm)
- Workshop Two
- Focus: Safety, Resilience and Housing - Tuesday, September 21, 2021, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
- Focus: Environmental Justice and Housing - Wednesday, September 29, 2021, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
- Survey
- Environmental Justice Stakeholder Meeting (This meeting was held virtually on July 27, 2021 from 10-12:00pm)
- Other opportunities to engage [Coming soon]
Communities of Opportunity Survey - (Now Closed)
Butte County is updating its General Plan to include a new chapter on environmental justice, which is the basic right of all people to a healthy and clean environment. We want to ensure that the General Plan addresses the needs of Butte County’s Communities of Opportunity, which are the communities that experience the greatest impacts of environmental pollution and other health hazards in the unincorporated county: Palermo, South Oroville, and Thermalito. Please take the survey below to share your experiences and ideas.
Social Pinpoint | Butte-County-GPU-2040-CommunityofOpportunitySurvey
Workshop #2 - (Now Closed)
Join us for Workshop #2, a two-part, web-based meeting.
The first meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 21, 2021 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. and will focus on Safety, Resilience and Housing
The second meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and will focus on Environmental Justice and Housing
COMMUNITY SURVEY QUESTIONS (Now Closed)
1. What does a resilient, safe community mean to you?
Click here to view responses
2. What does a healthy community mean to you?
Click here to view responses
3. What do you see as the biggest issue related to housing?
Click here to view responses
TIMELINE
HELPFUL LINKS
Butte County is in the middle of three other concurrent advance planning projects, including the Climate Action Plan Update, North Chico Village Plan, and the Upper Ridge Community Plan. Visit each plan's website below to learn more about what the County is doing and get involved to have your voice heard!
CONTACT
Mark Michelena
Senior Planner, Butte County
(530) 552-3683
mmichelena@buttecounty.net
Specific, Area and Neighborhood Plans
Specific, Area and Neighborhood Plan