Tulare County General Plan Update 2030 Comment Period Closed

Tulare County's Draft General Plan Update 2030 60-day public review period closed yesterday, May 27, 2010.

At least 30 letters that contain written comments have been submitted to the Tulare County Resource Management Agency (RMA) - the county department in charge of drafting and circulating the document. The RMA plans to review, consider and provide responses to these written comments in a proposed Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) on this project, as required under law. 

Tulare County's General Plan 2030 Update provides a comprehensive, long-term plan for the physical development of the County related to planning. The County's General Plan 2030 Update consists of development policies that set forth objectives, principles and standards to guide future land use decisions within the unincorporated areas of Tulare County.

Residents, community and environmental groups, and cities located within Tulare County all submitted written comments regarding the draft General Plan Update, Chairman of the Tulare County Board of Supervisors Steve Worthley said.

"Tulare County appreciates the time spent by the public to review the draft General Plan document and comment," Chairman Worthley said. "RMA staff will look at each comment closely and determine whether or not each issue has been addressed."

Chairman Worthley said while RMA is reviewing written comments, Tulare County will continue to visit cities and unincorporated communities to provide informational presentations regarding the General Plan Update.

"RMA should be commended for its public outreach related to the General Plan Update," Chairman Worthley said. "Cities and communities have understandably taken great interest in this document."

The Council of Cities, representing incorporated cities in Tulare County, is among the groups who submitted written comments.  In addition, the California Attorney General's Office and local Sierra Club members have submitted comments.

County Administrative Officer Jean Rousseau said that the County's response to the comments from the public review period, including those from the Council of Cities, could resolve some of the concerns regarding growth and future land use decisions.

After the preparation of the FEIR, the Tulare County Board of Supervisors and the Tulare County Planning Commission plan to hold a joint workshop on the General Plan Update. The workshop, yet to be scheduled, will provide the Board of Supervisors and the Planning Commission with an opportunity to review of the preliminary responses to comments on the General Plan Update at either a regular or special public meeting. During the meeting, RMA will seek direction regarding the completion of the General Plan Update process.
 
To complete the formal General Plan Update process, the Tulare County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing, yet to be scheduled, where the public may again comment on the proposed General Plan update and FEIR before the Planning Commission submits its recommendations to the Tulare County Board of Supervisors.  The Tulare County Board of Supervisors will then hold a public hearing, yet to be scheduled, where the public may comment directly to the Board on this project.  Notice of these hearings will be published. 

For more information on the Tulare County General Plan, please visit http://generalplan.co.tulare.ca.us/