COMMENTARY | As populations grow and real estate requirements change, cities or counties should regularly evaluate their mix of land use designations so they get the kind of development they can live with long term.
Like most cities, Rancho Cucamonga, California, has a detailed, 20-year general plan that establishes a common ground for making decisions about the future. But because of the community’s evolving needs, values or long-term issues, such as climate change, health and wellness or land use, that plan is regularly reviewed.
One of the most important elements in the general plan is land use designation, which specifies the type, intensity and distribution of land used for a variety of public and private purposes, such as housing, business, industry, open space, education, public buildings and waste disposal facilities. Proper land use is critical because it shapes other significant planning decisions involving transportation, electricity, water demand and more.
As populations grow and real estate development requirements change, cities or counties must regularly evaluate their mix of land use designations to properly classify and distinguish the various land uses needed within their jurisdiction and allowable by code. This evaluation and its impact on land use planning directs how, where and what kind of development may occur. Plotting the distribution of these designations is referred to a land use map, controls or table.
Route Fifty
By John R. Gillison
APRIL 19, 2024