General Plan/ Housing Element Update

The San Pablo General Plan 2035 has been Adopted!

The City of San Pablo has updated key parts of our long-range plan (called the General Plan) to expand housing and job options, address housing affordability, and improve quality of life in the city. As part of the General Plan update, we planned where new housing, employment, and shopping should be located and how to achieve other community objectives like increasing workforce training opportunities, improving neighborhood safety, and recreation programs for youth and seniors. General Plan 2035 was adopted by the San Pablo City Council on July 7, 2025!

For any questions please contact Planning@sanpabloca.gov or 510-215-3030

The full General Plan 2035 [click to open]
01 Introduction [click to open]
02 Economic Development [click to open]
03 Land Use & Physical Design [click to open]
04 Growth Management [click to open]
05 Circulation [click to open]
06 Parks, Schools, Community Facilities, & Utilities [click to open]
07 Open Space & Conservation [click to open]
08 Community Health & Environmental Justice [click to open]
09 Safety & Noise [click to open]
10 Implementation & Monitoring [click to open]
Appendix A: Rumrill Corridor Plan [click to open]
Glossary, Acronyms, & Authors [click to open]

General Plan 2035 EIR Addendum

The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Addendum for the General Plan update can be accessed below:
EIR Addendum Vol. 1 [click to open]
EIR Addendum Vol. 2 (Appendices) [click to open]

General Plan 2035 Land Use Map

A newly updated land use map for the General Plan 2035 shows new designations for over 135 sites, including many within the Rumrill Corridor Plan. These new land use designations set the stage for updated zoning designations, which will be implemented following the approval of the General Plan update.

General Plan Land Use Map

About the San Pablo General Plan 2035...
The City of San Pablo is currently in the process of updating its General Plan, an important document that helps guide long-range physical development in the City. The San Pablo General Plan 2030 was originally adopted by City Council on April 18, 2011. City staff are proposing a range of updates to every element of the plan to bring it up to date with the current conditions of San Pablo in 2025, and to project a future vision for the City out to 2035. The plan provides a vision of how San Pablo should be in the future by establishing guidelines that reflect City policies, goals, and efforts while enhancing quality of life. The public review draft for The San Pablo General Plan 2035 is now available for review and can be found above.

The General Plan is a document required under State law intended to guide physical development in the City of San Pablo. It serves as a ‘blueprint’ for the future, outlines policies that guide development and conservation, and provides the basis for establishing detailed plans and implementing programs, such as development standards and specific plans.

The San Pablo General Plan 2030 was adopted more than 14 years ago, and has been in need of a number of updates as the City and the region have changed and the plan nears the end of its horizon. The Plan has helped shaped the City to what it is today. Many of the objectives of the General Plan 2030 have been met but many new opportunities and challenges have emerged. The City decided that a targeted update was necessary to bring the document up to date with the current state of the City and the progress made towards achieving the goals and policies originally laid out. In addition to this update, the City has simultaneously worked to create the Rumrill Boulevard Corridor Plan. For more information on this document, please visit the plan webpage [click here to open].

The General Plan Update was a multistage process and a collaborative effort involving elected officials, city staff, and residents. The changes to the plan reflect feedback from across all of these groups, while maintaining the overall vision laid out through the plan’s original inception. The Public Review Draft is now available for residents to review and provide comment. The Draft will go before Planning Commission for review on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, and will be presented to the City Council for approval on Monday, July 7, 2025.


Housing Element

For more information about the City of San Pablo 2023-2028 Housing Element, [click here]

General Plan 2030

The General Plan 2030 will be superseded by the adoption of update to the General Plan 2035.  To access the San Pablo General Plan 2030 webpage, [click here]

GENERAL PLAN UPDATE - Existing Conditions Report

This report documents current conditions and trends that will frame the choices for long-term physical development of the city. It includes maps and information on land uses, natural resources, civic and transportation infrastructure, socioeconomic characteristics, pollution burdens, and more based on existing conditions in San Pablo. The data and findings of this report inform planning decisions for the general plan and housing element update and are used to document existing conditions for environmental review.

Cover and Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Economic Development
Chapter 3: Land Use, Physical Design, Growth Management
Chapter 4: Circulation
Chapter 5: Schools, Parks, and Public Facilities
Chapter 6: Open Space and Conservation
Chapter 7: Environmental Justice and Public Health
Chapter 8: Safety and Noise

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HOUSING ELEMENT

May 20, 2024, HCD letter certifying the City's 2023-2031 Housing Element 

San Pablo 2023-2031 Certified Housing Element Vol. 1     

San Pablo 2023-2031 Certified Housing Element Vol.2 Appendices A-G

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Precertification Review of the 2023-31 Housing Element was available for a 7-day public review period from May 8, 2024 - May 14, 2024. The City did not receive any public comments and submitted to HCD for final review on May 15, 2024.

Proposed further revisions to the Second Draft 2023-31 Housing Element were available for a 7-day public review period of February 16, 2024 - February 23, 2024. The City did not receive any public comments. Public comment will also be taken in advance of and during a public hearing to be held by the San Pablo Planning Commission on February 27, 2024 and at a City Council hearing to be held on March 18, 2024. 

Planning Commission 02/27/2024 Housing Element Presentation

Proposed revisions to the Second Draft 2023-31 Housing Element were available for a 7 day public review period November 8, 2023 - November 15, 2023. The City did not receive any public comments and the City submitted to HCD for further review.

Second Draft 2023-31 Housing Element was available for a 7 day public review period September 14, 2023 - September 21, 2023.  The City did not receive any public comments. On September 22, 2023 the City submitted to HCD for review.

First Draft 2023-31 Housing Element was available for a 30 day public review period August 19, 2022 - Sept. 19, 2022. The First Submittal Draft of the 2023-31 Housing Element was submitted to HCD for review on September 30, 2022. HCD has up to 90 days to provide comment back to the City.

COMMUNITY HEALTH & ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT

As required by State Law, the City has prepared an Environmental Justice Element of the San Pablo General Plan, which is combined with its Health Element as a new Community Health & Environmental Justice Element. Approved by City Council, March 18, 2024.

SAFETY & NOISE ELEMENT UPDATE

As required by State Law, the City has prepared an update to the Safety & Noise Element of the San Pablo General Plan to address evacuation routes for residential areas and other issues. Approved by City Council on March 18, 2024. 

EIR ADDENDUM

In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the City has prepared an Addendum to an EIR that was prepared for the General Plan 2023 and certified in 2011 (Resolution 2011-045). The addendum addresses the new Housing Element, Community Health & Environmental Justice Element and Safety & Noise Element Update. City Council approved on March 18, 2024.  

WAYS TO PARTICIPATE

Community engagement will be a vital component of the project. To learn more about the project, the process, and opportunities to participate, click on the FAQs below, or contact the Planning Department:

 Email: GeneralPlan@sanpabloca.gov or Phone: 510-215-3030

Or email us to join the mailing list for announcements and other updates: GeneralPlan@sanpabloca.gov