The General Plan is one of the most important documents for city planning. Required for all cities by the State of California, it lays out the future of the City’s development in general terms through a series of policy statements depicted in text and maps. Sometimes the General Plan is referred to as a City’s “blueprint” for achieving residents’ vision for the future. City decisions related to development, growth, infrastructure and environmental management must be consistent with the policies contained in the General Plan. The General Plan is also called a “comprehensive plan” because of its holistic approach to addressing the interrelated building blocks of a city.

The San Marcos General Plan was last comprehensively updated in 1984 and 1987. The City has experienced some exciting changes in the 20+ years since the last update such as the opening of the Sprinter line and stations, new neighborhoods such as San Elijo Hills and the maturation of Cal State San Marcos. There are also some issues and needs that have emerged, such as increased traffic congestion and new environmental regulations. At the same time, San Marcos still enjoys many of the qualities enjoyed in earlier decades such as plentiful open spaces, peaceful views and a strong community identity.

The General Plan update is an opportunity for the San Marcos community to comprehensively evaluate and strategize on local opportunities, trends and needs. We expect the updated San Marcos General Plan will contain eight topical chapters or “elements:” introduction, land use, housing, mobility, conservation and open space, noise, safety, and parks and recreation. In addition to City-wide policies related to these topics, focused policies will address options for areas in the City that are ready for change. Special attention will also be paid to the City’s long-term strategies for greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint reduction and environmental sustainability.