State law requires all cities (and counties in areas where there is no city) to exercise certain control over the land within its jurisdiction, including both public and privately-owned land. This is commonly referred to as “local land use control” and includes comprehensive, long-term planning for the physical development of land (also known as general planning) and designating the distribution, location, and extent of uses of land (also known as zoning). Cities generally have broad discretion to exercise local land use control in the interest of public health, safety, and welfare, except when preempted by superseding federal or state laws. Notable preemptions limit the local regulation of aviation, housing, and telecommunications matters.
State law requires all cities to adopt and maintain a “comprehensive, long-term general plan for the physical development of the […] city, and of any land outside its boundaries which in the [city’s] judgment bears relation to its planning” (California Government Code Section 65300). Most general plans are required to address a minimum of seven topics – circulation, conservation, housing, land use, noise, open space, and safety (California Government Code Section 65302).
Regulating land use through zoning is a key function of all cities. State law requires cities to designate “the proposed general distribution and general location and extent of the uses of the land” within city limits, including both “public and private uses of land” (California Government Code Section 65302(a)).
Zoning answers the question of “what can go where?” Zoning codes contain detailed regulations that identify what individual properties can and cannot be used for, and under what conditions. Zoning codes also include development standards that regulate the physical characteristics of development – things like how large buildings can be, where buildings can be constructed on properties, and how much parking is required.
The California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) generally requires public agencies to consider potential environmental impacts before approving plans, policies, or projects. In doing so, public agencies must adopt “objectives, criteria, and procedures for the evaluation of projects and the preparation of environmental impact reports and negative declarations” that are consistent with both Division 13 (Environmental Quality) of the California Public Resources Code and the State of California’s CEQA Guidelines. Such objectives, criteria, and procedures are commonly referred to as “Local CEQA Guidelines.”
Planning & Environmental Services Department
planning@lagunawoods.gov or (949) 639-0500
