Westminster City Council
SUBJECT
Title
Strategic Plan Goal #2 - Implement and Support Effective Land-Use Policies that Encourage Quality Development.
Strategic Plan Objective: Provide an update on General Plan Amendments throughout the City and report back to the City Council on the status and timeline to execute the Environmental Impact Report process.
End
From: Christine Cordon, City Manager
Requested by: Administration
Prepared by: Steven Mendoza, Interim Community Development Director; Ken Fichtelman, Principal Planner
____________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Recommendation
Receive and file.
end
BACKGROUND
On April 28, 2025, the City Council held a strategic planning workshop to develop the City’s second three-year strategic plan and identify priorities for the City. These include:
• Goal #1 - Achieve Financial Stability
• Goal #2 - Implement and Support Effective Land-Use Policies that Encourage Quality Development
• Goal #3 - Attract, Develop, and Retain Well-Qualified Staff Members
• Goal #4 - Improve Customer Service to the Community
• Goal #5 - Enhance Quality of Life and Beautification Throughout the City
The new goals stem from the first set of goals adopted in 2022, which included:
• Goal #1 - Achieve Financial Stability
• Goal #2 - Develop and Implement Specific Plans for Little Saigon, the Downton District, and the Westside
• Goal #3 - Attract, Develop, and Retain Well-Qualified Staff Members
• Goal #4 - Improve Customer Service Delivery to the Community
The April 28, 2025 strategic planning workshop was an opportunity for the City Council to discuss the previous three-year strategic plan goals and objectives, reflect on lessons learned, and consider new priorities, concerns, and needs in establishing a new set of goals and objectives. The new three-year strategic plan includes previous goals that are being continued due to ongoing implementation of objectives, as well as new opportunities that have presented themselves since the previous planning period.
A follow-up strategic planning workshop was held on October 6, 2025 to evaluate the City’s progress in achieving goals through the strategic plan.
One of the objectives under Strategic Plan Goal #2 - Implement and Support Effective Land-Use Policies that Encourage Quality Development is to provide an update on General Plan Amendments throughout the City and report back to the City Council on the status and timeline to execute the Environmental Impact Report process.
In 2023, the City was awarded approximately $300,000 in Local Early Action Planning (LEAP) grant funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development. LEAP funding is intended to support housing production by accelerating preparation and adoption of planning documents and implementation measures.
On January 24, 2024, the City Council approved an agreement with Economic & Planning Systems, along with a consultant team including John Kaliski Architects and De Novo Planning Group, to conduct an economic analysis of the City’s Mixed-Use districts. The purpose of the study was to evaluate market conditions, test prototype development scenarios, and identify regulatory or development constraints affecting feasibility. The analysis focused on understanding appropriate residential densities and other development standards necessary to attract reinvestment while remaining consistent with the City’s Housing Element and Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) obligations. The resulting Mixed-Use Economic Analysis evaluated redevelopment scenarios across representative sites and provided recommendations intended to improve development feasibility, including potential adjustments to allowable residential densities and development standards.
On September 11, 2024, the City Council received the Mixed-Use Economic Analysis and considered its findings in relation to the Strategic Plan goals and objectives. After discussing the study and its findings, the City Council adopted a resolution directing staff to initiate changes to the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance to increase the density in the Mixed-Use districts from 30/40 du/acre, depending on the site. Modifications to the boundaries of some of the districts were also included. Per this recommendation, the City enlisted City Advisors to draft updates to the General Plan and Municipal Code. This work included both text and map amendments to the General Plan Land Use Element, amendments to multiple sections of the zoning code (Title 17 of the Westminster Municipal Code), and amendments to the zoning map. Per the recommendations of the Mixed-Use Economic Analysis, the proposed amendments allow for a density of up to 90 units per acre for residential projects, rezoning of 28.58 acres of Commercial-Industrial and Commercial zoned properties to Mixed-Use, and the removal of properties mobile home parks from the Mixed-Use zone. De Novo Planning Group was selected to produce all required environmental documentation. This effort culminated in the production of an Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report that was approved with the original implementation of the Mixed-Use zone. This work has been completed as of March 1, 2026.
On March 10, 2026, proposed changes to the Mixed-Use zone were presented to the Planning Commission, who, after discussion and considering both oral and written comments from the public, voted 3-0 to recommend approval of the project to the City Council. The proposed changes will next be scheduled and heard by the City Council during a public hearing on March 25, 2026. If approved at this time, the proposed changes would require a second reading by the City Council and would become effective 30 days after that date.
FISCAL IMPACT
Adequate funds have been included in the Department’s budget in Account Nos. 11501-43090 and 61050-43090 to fund the zoning text amendments described in Strategic Plan Goal No. 2.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed as to form.
CONCLUSION
Strategic Plan Goal #2 - Implement and Support Effective Land-Use Policies that Encourage Quality Development with an objective to “Provide an update on General Plan Amendments throughout the City and report back to the City Council on the status and timeline to execute the Environmental Impact Report process.” This report provides the City Council an update on the recently completed general plan and mixed-use zoning amendments. The Planning Commission recommended approval of the proposed changes on March 10, 2026 and the item has been scheduled to be heard by the City Council on March 25, 2026.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Strategic Plan Update Goal #2 - June 11, 2025
2. Strategic Plan Update Goal #2 - January 24, 2024
3. Strategic Plan Update Goal #2 - March 22, 2023
REVIEWED BY
Erin Backs, Finance Director
City Attorney’s Office
Christine Cordon, City Manager