FOWLER CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA TUESDAY AUGUST 3, 2021 5:30 P.M. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER 128 SOUTH 5TH STREET FOWLER, CA 93625  In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance or accommodations to access the City Council Chambers or participate in this meeting, please contact the Clerk at (559) 834-3113x102. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the meeting will This meeting will be conducted pursuant to the provisions of the Governor's Executive Order N- The telephone number listed below will provide access to the meeting for those wishing to attend via teleconference. Please note: when joining the teleconference you will be asked your name  enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility. 25-20 which suspends certain requirements of the Ralph M. Brown Act. which will be used to identify you during any public comment period.  Telephone Number: 978-990-5175  Meeting ID: participation. 1. 2. 3. 4.  494026#  Itis requested that any member of the public attending while on the teleconference to have their phone set on "mute" to eliminate background noise or other interference from telephonic  Meeting called to order Roll call  Consider Land Use. Alternatives Summary & Recommendations report as presented by staff and SELECT a preferred land use alternative for the City of Fowler General Plan  Adjourn  CERTIFICATION: Angela Vasquez, Deputy City Clerk oft the City of Fowler, California, hereby certify that the foregoing agenda was posted for public review on Friday, July30,2021.  Ouafk Vavss Angela Vasquez Deputy City Clerk  1    ITEM 3 FOWLER CITY COUNCIL  1908  ITEMI NO: 3  REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL  August 3, 2021  FROM: SUBJECT  DAWN E. MARPLE, CITY PLANNER  Consider! Land Use Alternatives Summary & Recommendations Report as presented by staff and select  a preferred land use alternative for the City of Fowler General Plan Update.  STAFF RECOMMENDATION land use alternative.  Staff recommends that Alternative 4 with Tiered Urban Growth Boundaries be selected as the preferred  PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION  Planning Commission recommends that Alternative 4 with Tiered Urban Growth Boundaries (staff recommended land use alternative), with the removal of all Medium High Density Residential designations to be replaced with the Medium Density Residential designation, be selected as the  preferred land use alternative. BACKGROUND  The General Plan Update Process  The City of Fowler adopted its first General Plan in 1976. Since then, the City has grown and changed significantly. In 2004, the City updated certain parts of the General Plan, including the Land Use, Circulation, and Economic Development elements. Since then, new laws affecting General Plans have been passed, new social and environmental issues have emerged, and new planning strategies and In 2018, the City selected a consultant to prepare a comprehensive update to the City of Fowler General Plan. Since then, the consultant has been working with City staff, stakeholders, and the public to prepare the General Plan Update. An estimated timeline and each phase of the General Plan Update process is shown in Figure 1, below. As part of phase three of the update process, the consultant team has prepared an Alternatives Land Use Summary & Recommendations Report (Report), which summarizes the methodology and steps involved in the creation of alternative land use plans to be considered for the City of Fowler General Plan Update. The Report includes four alternative land use plans and identifies a staff recommendation for the preferred land use alternative for consideration by  best practices have been developed.  the City Council.    Figure 1: General Plan Update Project Timeline  :KICKOFF Outreach: PC/CCS Study Session Dellverobles: CommunityF Report  3 USIENING Outreach: CCWorkshop Keyl IssuesN Memo Vision Statement  3: VEITING Outreach: PCS Studys Workshops(2) Session CCStudy Session Deliverables: Polcy Assessment Climate Adaptationf Report Environmentall Justice Report Alternatives Summary Report  - DOCUMEMING 5:PRESENTING 1 5, 3 Deliverables: Admin DraftEIR  ADOPTING 55: 11:h.: PCH Recommendation: Hearing CCAdopticn Hearing Deliverables: FinalEIR nacenealPamDoument  OCT. 2018-MARCHZ 2019 at i: : DEC. 2019-AUG. 2021  JUIY2 2022-NOV.: 2022 Outreach: Public Workshop Deliverables: Public Draft Generalp Plan Pubkc Drafts EIR  Cityk Project Kickoff Roilout! (Website) Stakeholdert PCWorkshop interviews  PC/CCI Public' Joints Studys Session Admin DraftG Genera Plan  Summary of Recent Public Workshops  On April 28th, 2021, the consultant team conducted a virtual public workshop to present recommended land uses and potential growth areas and change areas, and solicit community feedback on proposed land use changes. Announcement flyers were emailed to a previously established participants list, and Fresno County Department of Public Health staff called, emailed, and assisted residents with signing up to participate. Workshop notices were also mailed to those who own property in areas identified for potential changes in land use. A total of 43 community members attended the virtual workshop.  The following General Plan Update topics were discussed at the workshop:  Project timeline  Summary of the public workshop held in November of2 2020 Introduction of the project story map and interactive land use map Invitation to provide feedback via the interactive land use map  Proposed land use changes Potential Growth Areas and Change Areas  Attendees at the April virtual workshop were also asked several poll questions to help guide the development of the General Plan Update land use plan. The questions generally focused on which supporting principles, planning priorities, and Growth Areas should be prioritized. The story map also included an interactive map exercise where residents were encouraged to leave parcel-specific feedback. The questions and poll results can be seen in Attachment. A: Workshop Summary. The results of the public comments and polling directly informed the alternative land use plans presented in the  Report.    Report Summary  Building on previous deliverables and public input, as well as the feedback received at the April workshop, the General Plan Update consultant reviewed public comments and poll results and developed a set of planning considerations and metrics to assist in the development and analysis of land use alternatives. The metrics considered in the analysis were selected for their association with the vision, supporting principles, and planning priorities established through previous research and public outreach efforts. Topic areas for each metric include jobs-housing balance, targets for commercial, residential, and industrial land use categories, and performance relative to recent State legislative directives. A summary of the identified target metrics and their comparison to the adopted land use plan can be reviewed on pages 8-13 of Attachment B: Alternative Land Use Summary & After analyzing the adopted land use plan and establishing planning considerations and target metrics, the consultant team began the land use planning process. This process consisted of confirming, and in some cases adding, revising, ord deleting land use designations, land use programming (i.e., the process by which land uses are assigned to a map), calculating build out assumptions, and presenting potential land uses to the public for review and comment at the April workshop. Each step of the land use The consultant team then developed four alternative land use plans for City Council consideration. Each alternative has the same overall planning area boundary and features the same potential land Each alternative focuses on prioritizing a different Growth Area. Growth Areas include land that is proposed to be converted from non-urban to urban uses. The main consideration when categorizing a Growth Area was not necessarily related to location but was related to size and whether proposed land use changes would result in the addition of considerable urban uses to the City of Fowler. There are Ina addition to Growth Areas, the consultant identified areas that are to remain unchanged (Unchanged Areas), where land uses will remain consistent with the 2004 General Plan land use designation. The consultant also identified Change Areas, which are parcels proposed for a change in land use that are within the existing City limits or SOI and are either currently planned for urban use or are in areas expected to be developed with urban uses relatively soon. There are four Change Areas identified on Figure 2. The Unchanged Area and Change Areas are consistent among all land use alternatives.  Recommendation Report.  planning process is described in more detail on pages 17-25 of Attachment B.  uses, but presents those uses in varying combinations, depending on location.  three potential Growth Areas identified on Figure 2, below.    Figure 2: Unchanged Area, Change Areas, and Growth Areas Map  MALAGA  %  AMERICAN S JEFFERSON NCOLN CLAYTON CARIER ADAMS WALIER SUMNER MOTI souni PARLER  Legend Growth. Area 1( (676acres) Growth Area 2( (697a acres) Growth Area 3( (282 acres) Change Area A( (0.18 acres) Change Area B( (19.8 acres) Change Area C( (191 acres) Change Areal D( (8.19 acres) Unchanged, Areas( (3,044 acres) City Limits Adopted! Sphere of Influence Proposed Planning Area  LEY  MANNING  SPRINGHELD DINUBA  Prepared By: PROVOST& PRITCHARD  0.25 0.5. Miles    The details of each alternative, including maps, land use breakdowns, acreages, and a summary of how each alternative compares to the established planning metrics can be reviewed on pages 26-34of Attachment B. A chart comparing how each alternative performs relative to the planning metrics is  provided below and can also be seen on page 35 of Attachment B.  Figure 3: Land Use Alternative Summary Comparison  Alternatives Comparison  Alternative 1 Atenatvr2 Alternative3 Alarnatlveat  "Adopted PlanningArec *Growth Areai  *GrowthA Area2 *GrowthA Areas 182 *AlGrowth Areas  Planning Metrics Jobs Housing Balance Target Metric 20 Commercial Land Target Metric: 8% oftotal Residentialland Target Metric 50% oft total Industrial Land Target Metric: 33% oft total Vehicle Miles Traveled Target Metric: Reduction Plan Demographics Housing Units Population Employees (  Closest tol Target Metric  3.5 5.5% 32.1% 36.6% Baseline 6,642 21,784 23.110  2.5 7.5%* 481% 403% Baseline 10,660 34,956 27.346  2.06 6.6% 54.1% 35.4% Baseline 13,917 45,647 28,600  2.0*  51.2%*  34.7%*  Staff Recommended Land Use Alternative  Of the various alternatives, Alternative 4 meets the targeted goals most often; thus, Alternative 4 is recommended to be chosen as the preferred alternative. The recommendation also includes establishment of tiered urban growth boundaries to help prioritize development in certain areas over others. The recommended urban growth boundaries, in order of priority can be reviewed in Figure 4. The order of priority in which development is recommended to occur is first within the current adopted Planning Area boundary (Urban Growth Tier 1) followed by development in Growth Area 1 to the west (Urban Growth Tier 2), then Growth Area 2 to the northleast (Urban Growth Tier 3), and finally Growth Area 3 to the south (Urban Growth Tier 4). A more detailed discussion of growth boundaries and  thresholds can be reviewed on pages 36-37 of Attachment B.    Figure 4: Recommended Urban Growth Boundaries  MALAGA  AMIKICAN  JEFFERSON  NCOLN GASION CARTER ADDAMS WAIRB SUMNIP SA077 SCUIH PARLER:  Legend Urban Growth Tier 1 Urban Growth Tier 2 Urban Growth Tier 3 Urban Growth Tier 4 Cityl Limits  MANNG MRINCHED  DINJBA BUNTSMAN  Adopted Sphere of Influence Proposed Planning Area  PreparedBy: PROVOST& PRITCHARD  0.25 0.5 Miles    Ai figure illustrating the Staff Recommended Land Use Alternative, including the land use diagram and comparison to target metrics is shown below in Figure 5. The land use and demographic breakdowns for this alternative are shown in Table 1a and Table 2, respectively. This information can also be reviewed  on pages 33 and 34 of Attachment B.  Table 1: Staff Recommended Alternative Land Use Analysis  Land Use Designation  TotalA Acreage 9of Planned %of1 Land Use  Urban Uses 15% 19% 15% 4% 2% 55% 1% 2% 4% 7% 12% 23% 35% 1% 3% 4% 100%  Category 27% 35% 27% 7% 4% 100% 8% 29% 62% 100% 35% 65% 100% 32% 68% 100%  Residential Land Use Category  Low Residential Medium Low Residential Medium Residential Medium High Residential High Residential Residential Subtotal Neighborhood Commercial Community Commercial General Commercial Commercial Subtotal Light Industrial Heavy Industrial Industrial Subtotal Parks/Open Space Public Facilities  716 938 740 189 108 2,691 28 98 208 334 599 1,105 1,705 56 123 180 4,909 0 4,909  Commercial Land Use Category  Industrial Land Use Category  Open Space and Public Facilities Land Use Category  Open Space and Public Facilities Subtotal TOTAL (planned urban uses only)  Urban Reserve Total Planning Area  Numbers may noto addu up due to rounding.  Table 2: Staff Recommended Alternative Demographics  Alternative Land Usel Plan Staff Recommendation (Alternative 4)  Housing Units 15,248  Population 50,013  Employees 30,539    Figure 5: Alternative 4 Land Use Plan ALTERNATIVE 4 LAND USE PLAN  AMERICAN JEFERSON LNCOLN CLAYION CARIER ADAMS WALIER SUMINER MOIT SOUTH PARLER    Planned Land Use Low Density Residential Medium Low Density Residential Medium Density Residential Medium High Density Residential High Density Residential Neighborhood Commercial Community Commercial General Commercial Light Industrial Heavy Industrial Parks/Open: Space Public Facilities Planning Area  MANNAG  0.25 0.5 Miles  LAND USE METRICS  Jobs Housing Balance Commercial Land  Residential Land Target: 50% 50% C 54.8%  Industrial Land Target: 33% 33%  Target:2.0 2.0 (  Target: 8% 8% a 6.8%  2.0  34.7%    Figure 6: Staff Recommended Land Use Plan with Tiered Urban Growth Boundaries  MALAGA  AIAERICAN JEFFERSON UNCO:N CLAYION CARIER ADAMS WALIER SUMATAFR MOIT SOUEH PARUIER  Legend Boundarles JUrban Growth Tier 1 Urban Growth' Tier2 2 Urban Growth Tier 3 JUrban Growth Tier 4 Planning Area Land Uses Low Density Residential Medium Low! Density Residential Medium Density Residential Medium High Density Residential High Density Residential Neighborhood Commercial Community Commercial General Commercial Light) industrial Heavy! Industrial Parks/Open! Space Public Facilities Prepared By: PROVOST& PRITCHARD  TAANMING SPRINGRELD DINUBA HNISMAN  0.250.5 Miles    Planning Commission Recommendation  On July 1, 2021, the project consultant and City staff presented the Alternative Land Use Summary Report to the Planning Commission for consideration and recommendation of a preferred land use The purpose of the workshop was to allow the public to review and participate in the discussion and for Planning Commission to make a formal recommendation to the City Council on a preferred land use After review, the Commission opted to recommend Alternative 4 with Tiered Urban Growth Boundaries (staff recommended land use alternative), with the removal of all Medium High Density Residential Af figure illustrating the Planning Commission-recommended alternative, including the land use diagram and comparison to target metrics is shown below in Figure 7. The land use and demographic breakdowns for this alternative are shown in Table 3 and Table 4, respectively. A map isolating the locations of the approximately 189 acres of land requested by the Planning Commission to be redesignated from Medium High Density Residential to Medium Density Residential is also provided in  alternative.  alternative.  designations to be replaced with the Medium Density Residential designation.  Figure 8, for ease of reference.    Table 3: Planning Commission Recommended Alternative Land Use Analysis  Land Usel Designation  Total Acreage 716 938 928 0 108 2,691 28 98 208 334 599 1,105 1,705 56 123 180 4,909 0 4,909  % of Planned oflandUse Urbant Uses 15% 19% 19% 0% 2% 55% 1% 2% 4% 7% 12% 23% 35% 1% 3% 4% 100%  Category 27% 35% 35% 0% 4% 100% 8% 29% 62% 100% 35% 65% 100% 32% 68% 100%  Residential Land Use Category  Low Residential Medium Low Residential Medium Residential Medium High Residential High Residential Residential Subtotal Neighborhood Commercial Community Commercial General Commercial Commercial Subtotal Light Industrial Heavy Industrial Industrial Subtotal Parks/Open Space Public Facilities  Commercial Land Use Category  Industrial Land Use Category  Open Space and Public Facilities Land Use Category  Open Space and Public Facilities Subtotal TOTAL (planned urban uses only)  Urban Reserve Total Planning Area  Numbers may not addu upo due tor rounding. Alternative Land Usel Plan Planning Commission Recommendation  Table 4: Planning Commission Recommended Alternative Demographics  Housing Units 14,433  Population 47,339  Employees 30,539    Figure 7: Planning Commission Recommended Land Use Plan PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED LAND USE PLAN  AAERGANE EHFERSC INGDN GATION SCARTER ADANS WALIFR SUMPER IAOU sOUR PAPLER :  Planned Land Use Low Density Residential Medium Low! Density Residential Medium Density Residential Hight Density Residential Neighborhood Commercial Community Commercial General Commercial Light Industrial Heavyl Industriai Parks/Open: Space Public Facilities Urban Growth1 Tier 1 Urban Growth1 Tier2 Urban Growth Tier 3 Urban Growth Tier 4 Planning Area  MAAERSC  0.25 0.5 Miles  LAND USE METRICS  Jobs Housing Balance Commercial Land  Residential Land Target: 50% 50%  1 54.8%  Industrial Land Target: 33% 33% ( 34.7%  Target:2.0 2.0  Target: 8% 8%  ) 2.1  6.8%    Figure 8: Proposed Medium High Density Land Use Locations  MALAOA  AMERICAN JEPHERSON UNCOIN 3 CLAYION CARISR ADAMS WALIER SUMNER MOI SOUIH PARIIFR  554747 - :  MANNNG SPRANGRELD DINUBA HUMTSMAN    Legend  Proposed Planning Area City Limits  Planned Urban Uses Under 2004 General Plan; Medium! High Density Residential (189a acres)  PreparedBy PROVOST& PRITCHARD  0.25 0.5 Miles    ENVIRONMENTAL FINDING  Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), an agency must complete environmental review prior to committing itself to a definite course of action in regard to a proposed project (CEQA Guidelines Section 15352). Environmental review must occur as early as feasible in the planning process to enable environmental considerations to influence project program and design, yet late enough to provide meaningful information for environmental assessment (CEQA Guidelines Section At this time, the City Council is not taking any action that would constitute approval of a General Plan Update. Rather, the City Council is being asked to select a preferred land use alternative that will be The City Council retains full discretion either to approve or disapprove the project. The selection of the preferred option for further study is therefore exempt from environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Section 15262 (feasibility and planning studies for possible future actions that have not been approved, adopted, or funded), as well as the general rule that CEQA only applies to "projects" that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA (CEQA Guidelines, Section 15061(b)(3)).  15004(b)).  evaluated in a Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR).  ATTACHMENTS:  A: Land Use Alternatives Workshop Summary, April 2021  B: Alternative Land Use Summary & Recommendations Report, June 2021    CITY OF FOWLER GENERAL PLAN UPDATE  LAND USE ALIERNATIVES WORKSHOP SUMMARY  April 30,2021  On April 28"h, 2021, the consultant team for the City of Fowler General Plan Update conducted a public workshop to present land use alternatives and solicit community feedback on proposed land use changes being considered as part of the update process. The workshop was held virtually, via Zoom webinar between the hours of 6:00 and 7:30 P.M. To generate interest and attendance at the workshop, announcement flyers were emailed to a previously established participants list. Staff with the Fresno County Department of Public Health also helped generate interest by calling and emailing residents and assisting them with signing up for the participant email list. Notices were also mailed to those who own The primary workshop activity consisted of a PowerPoint presentation, live polling, a live question and answer session, and the presentation of a project story map. The story map also includes an interactive  property in areas identified for potential changes in land use.  map exercise where residents are encouraged to leave parcel-specific feedback. The purpose of this memo is to provide as summary of these outreach efforts, including:  Live poll results PowerPoint presentation content Storyr map content and instructions  SUMMARY OF PRESENTATION  The PowerPoint presentation was given by the project team via video screen share during the live Zoom webinar. Each presentation slide was provided in English and Spanish and live verbal Spanish translation services were provided viat thei mtepetatonfunctonthough Zoom. Participants were ablet to pre-register or join at any time during the meeting. Participants were notified of the meeting and its content via the project website, mailed property owner notices, as well as via email. Participants were also able toj join via The presentation content included instructions on how to navigate the Zoom webinar, how to initiate  phone conference.  translation services, as well as the following General Plan Update topics: Summary oft the previous workshop held in November of 2020 Introduction oft the project story map: and interactive land use map  Project timeline Proposed land use changes  43 community members attended either by video or phone conference. All were able to view or hear the presentation and were given the opportunity to provide feedback via live polling. Participants were also able to ask questions or provide comments via online chat or live during several question-and-answer sessions. The voting results of each poll are summarized below. In some cases, not all participants responded to each poll question. Al live recording of the workshop is available on the project website.  City of Fowler General Plan Update  Page 11    Land Use Alternatives Community Workshop Summary  LIVE POLL RESULTS  Four poll questions were asked during the presentation. Each question was designed to confirmcommunity preferences expressed during thel November 2020 workshop activities around preferredp planning priorities, supporting principles, development of infill versus growth area properties, and preferred growth locations.  The poll questions and results are summarized in Figures 1-4 below.  Figure 1: Poll Question 1, Preterred Supporting Principle 1. Which supporting principle should be prioritized?/ Qué principio de apoyo debe priorizarse? (Multiple choice) Thriving economy: providingj jobs andi increasing local amenities Economia préspera: creacion de empleosy aumento de las comodidades locales Community character: facilitating growth in a way that complements Fowler's character / Caracter comunitario: facilitar el crecimiento de manera que complemente el  1130137%  17/30157%  caracter de Fowler  No preference / Noi tengo preferencia  123017%  Figure 2: Poll Question 1, Land Use Planning Priorities 1. Which land use planning priority should be prioritized?/ Qué prioridad debe darse a la planificacion del uso de la Healthy food options: facilitate larger markets with moret food options / Opciones de alimentos saludables: facilitar supermercados mas grandes con mas opciones de alimentos 13155%  tierra? (Multiple choice)  Amenities west of Highway 99: expand commercial options west of Highway 99, /Servicios al oeste del la autopista 99: ampliar las opciones comerciales al oeste de la autopista 99  12-31139% 12916%  No preference / Not tenge preferencia  City of Fowler General Plan Update  Page 12    Land Use Alternatives Community Workshop Summary  Figure 3: Poll Question 3, Development Type Priority 1.V What type of development should be prioritized? / Qué tipo de desarrollo debe priorizarse? (Multiple choice) Infill development concentrate growth int the existing City limits or Sphere of Influence boundary first/ Desarrollo de relleno: concentrar el crecimiento enl los limites actuales dela 19-31:61% Ciudad o Esfera de Influencia primero Growth areas: Allow development to occur in one (or more) area concurrent with or before infill development. / Areas de crecimiento: Permitir que ei desarrollo ocurra ent una (c mas) 13:3132% area de crecimiento concurrentes con C antes del desarrollo  de relleno  No preference/ / Not tengo preferencia  2:3116%  Figure 4: Poll Question 4, Preferred Growth Area 1. Should the City decide to add growth area(s), which one should be prioritized?, / Si la Ciudad decide agregar area(s) de crecimiento, cuil debe ser priorizada? (Multiple choice) Growth Area 1, located toi the west of the City / Area de crecimiento 1, ubicada al oeste de la ciudad Growth Area 2, located tot ther north and east oft the City /Area de crecimiento 2, ubicada al nortey y este del la ciudad Growth Area 3, located tot thes south of the City / Area de crecimiento 3, ubicada al sur de la ciudad No preference No tengo preferencia  1625164% 17:25128% 62540% 3.3518%  City of Fowler General Plan Update  Page 13    Land Use Alternatives Community' Workshop Summary  SUMMARY OF STORY MAP & INTERACTIVE LAND USE MAP  Astory mapi isac digital web-based: storytelling platform that combines text, graphics, maps, andi interactive multimedia content. The story mapf fort the Fowler General Plan Update was developed by the project team as a web-based companion to the live presentation. The story map link was posted to the project website All the content presented in the PowerPoint presentation was also formatted into a story map, including project background, timelines, summary of common terms, proposed land uses, growth areas, and a summary of proposed land use designations. Content is provided in both English and Spanish. The story map also includes an interactive land use map showing the proposed land use plan and the boundaries of each potential growth area and change area, as shown in Figure 5: Interactive Land Use Map. Users of the map can navigate to specific parcels by either zooming in and clicking on a parcel, entering an address into the search bar, or looking up a property's assessor's parcel number (APN). Once a specific parcel is selected, participants are able to view its current land use designation, its proposed land use designation, and its size, among other details. In addition, participants were encouraged to leave parcel- Links to the story map and instruction sheets were posted to the City's project web page the day of the workshop and will be available to the public to review and leave comments through May 5th, 2021. An additional reminder to make use of the interactive map was also included in a follow up email announcement: sent after the workshop. Once the publico comment period has ended, the project team will consolidate all comments and include them as part of the Land Use Alternatives Summary Report, scheduled tol be presented to Planning Commissionand City Council on. June 3rd andJ June 15",respectively.  and presented during the Zoom webinar.  specific feedback by entering comments into the dialogue box, as shown in Figure 6.  City of Fowier General Plan Update  Page 14    Land Use Altematives Communlly Workshop Summary  Figure 5: Interactive Land Use Map  General Plan Land Use Changes/e Eambios en el uso de la Tierra en el Plan General   - -  - a  Interactive Land Use Map  Earthstar Gesgraphisi Fresns County  Esi HERE Garrni  Figure 6: Interactive Land Use Map Comment Box  General Plant Landi Use Changes Camblos eneluodelal Tera ane aP Pion General  OCg OF FOWLER  Interactive Landusemap  City of Fowler General Plan Update  Page 15    u N  OPTONE Land Use Alternatives Summary &  Recommendations Report  CITY OF FOWLER  GENERAL PLAN UPDATE  JUNE 2021    CITY OF FOWLER  Califoria  Land Use Alfernatives Summary &  ecommendations Report  FOWLER GENERAL PLAN UPDATE  JUNE 2021  PREPARED FOR: City of Fowler 1285. 5ths Street Fowler, CA 93625  PREPARED BY: EST.196B PROVOST& PRITCHARD CONSULTING GROUP  Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  TABLE OF CONTENTS  Introduction. The Planning Process I. Outreach & Community Priorities Community' Vision.. Vision Statement Supporting Principles.. Planning Priorities. I. Land Use Analysis Adopted Land Use Plan Analysis Land Use Summary. Planning Considerations. Target Metrics Growth Management. Planning Boundaries & Site Selection. Proposed Planning Area Boundary. Change Areas & Growth. Areas. IV. Land Use Planning Land Use Designations. Summary of Proposed Changes.. Land Use Programming. Commercial Designations Residential Designations. Park and Open Space Designations Industrial Designations Vehicle Miles Traveled. Buildout Assumptions. Public Comment Period V. Land Use. Alternatives  12 14 14 14 17 17 17 23 23 23 24 24 24 25 25 26 27 Page li  Alternative 1: Growth Area 1 Plus Urban Reserve  June 2021    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Alteratives Summary & Recommendation Report  Alternative 2: Growth Area 2 Plus Urban Reserve. Alternative 3: Growth. Areas 18 &2 21 Plus Urban Reserve.  29 31 33 35 36 36 36 38 38  Alternative 4: All Growth. Areas.. Alternatives Comparison.. VI. Recommendations. Growth Boundaries. Growth Thresholds. Recommended land Use Plan. Staff Recommendation,  LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Adopted General Plan Land Use Map.. Figure 2: Growth. Areas and Change Areas.. Figure 3: Floor Area Ratio Figure 4: Alternative 1 Land Use Plan.. Figure 5: Alternative 21 Land Use Plan.. Figure 6: Alternative 31 Land Use Plan.. Figure 7: Alternative 41 Land Use Plan.. Figure 8: Alternatives Comparison. Figure 9: Recommended Growth Tier Boundary Map.. Figure 10: Recommended Land Use Plan. LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Adopted Land Use Plan Analysis. Table 2: Target Metrics and Considerations. Table 3: Summary of Change Areas and Growth Areas. Table 4: Proposed General Plan Land Use Designations. Table! 5: Alternative 1 Urban Planned Land Use Analysis Table 6: Alternative 2 Urban Planned Land Use Analysis Table 7:A Alternative 3 Urban Planned Land Use Analysis Table 8: Alternative 4 Urban Planned Land Use Analysis  16 18 28 30 32 34 35 37 39  12 15 19 27 29 31 33  June 2021  Page li    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  I. NIRODUCTION  The Alternatives Land Use Summary Report summarizes the methodology and steps involved in the creation of alternative land use plans for the City of Fowler General Plan Update. The report includes four alternative land use plans for consideration. The report will be presented to the Planning Commission for review and comment and the City Council for consideration and selection of a preferred land use alternative. Once confirmed byt the City Council, the preferred alternative will bei included in the updated General Plan document. Once the General Plan is adopted, the land use plan will guide development in Fowler over the planning horizon of 2040 and beyond. All policy and regulatory documents, including the Zoning Ordinance must be consistent with the General Plan. This report also identifies important terminology and reviews the site selection process for growth areas and areas planned for land use changes. Finally, this report describes and compares various land use alternatives and identifies a  recommended. alternative for consideration: and confirmation by the City Council.  THE PLANNING PROCESS  Identifying land use alternatives began with research of existing plans, policies, and technical studies relevant tol land usei int the City of Fowler. The research phase builds on previous deliverables, including the Fowler Community Report, policy papers on environmental justice and climate adaptation, and a policy review of the adopted General Plan. The project team, made up of City staff and consultants, then held stakeholder interviews which helped identify key issues, and hosted public workshops to share a new community vision, supporting principles, and identify planning priorities to be addressed during the  updated process. Additional public workshops were held to inform decision-makers of progress and key milestones in the process. Next steps included analyzing baseline conditions, establishing additional planning metrics and considerations, revising land use designations, and determining growth areas and areas of change. Once complete, these analyses  The Planning Process  000cO  O1:RESEARCH 02: APAr 03:PRIORITIES 04:/MALS 05: ALTERNATIVES Medeyaipe VRhyA V-FAT reasir Imp-As  1s Sap  ameis  dwDvin ANS  facilitated the development of alternative land use plans.  Staff is now: providing recommendations to the Planning Commission and City Council regarding changes to the City's overall planning boundary and land uses that align with the community vision, supporting principles, and overall planning priorities. These alternatives provide multiple road maps for planning the  City'sgrowth over the horizon of the General Plan Update.  June 2021  Page 11    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  ,OUTREACH & COMMUNITY  PRIORITIES COMMUNITY VISION  Ad community vision describes the values and aspirations a community has for its future. A community's vision statement is typically adopted as part of its general plan. Subsequently, all land use plans, goals, policies, and implementation measures found in the general plan should be designed in support of that The community vision for the City of Fowler was developed Craffing fhe Vision Stotement is supplemented with five supporting principles, which are The consultant teamo drafteda statements that provide more specific guidance for Fowler's ands stakehoider input, which was shared General Plan goals and policies. The vision statement and with residents and presented to botht the supporting principles have informed the development of the land Planning Commission and City Councilat use alternatives and all other components of the General Plan aseries of public workshops int the Fallof  vision.  following stakeholder input and keyi issues identification. The vision  community vision based on! keyi issues  2019.  Update. Vision Statement  The following statement identifies the vision for Fowler's future and expresses key characteristicsneeded The OlyofFowier isa a sofe. affordoble place to Ive with a small town feel Fowler'scommunty events and thriving schools create a place where you con roise your fomily and Know your neighbors. Fowier fosters 0 dynamit business friendly environment where shared gools and cooperotion support local bosinesses ond new economc investment. Thoughtful policies heip conserve naturol resources and provide wellmantained rostructore to support responsible growth and development while greserving thes unique,smal! town. identity thot makes Fowieras greut ploce to live, work, and, play.  tos sustain the communit/sidentity: and values, and achieve its potential:  Supporting Principles  The following statements are supporting principles which implement the broader community vision. The supporting principles are listed in order of their ranked priority according to polling conducted at previous  public workshops.  June 2021  Page 12    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Alteratives Summary & Recommendation Report  1. Protecting our Community's Character. We celebrate Fowler's unique small-town character and balance it with Determining Community the need to foster growth both physically and Values economically. Our commitment toi facilitating growth in a way complements our character is reflected in core supporting principles. Ap public workshop planning documents. Growth policies preserve our central was held on November 14th, 2020t0 commercial core, residential neighborhoods, and: support determine the community's priorities for local businesses that contribute to the fabric of our each: supporting principle through an 2. Our Economy Thrives and Businesses Provide Local supporting principles were most Amenities. We value and support businesses which important tot them. bolster the communitybyr providing jobs, services, goods, and recreational opportunities. Economic development All proposed land use plans have been focuses on supporting business expansion and designedi ins support oft the vision, and diversification. Our small-town character is preserved specific land usel locations consider the while also providing jobs and increased local amenities, community's most valueds supporting  that  The visions statement is reinforced by five  community.  interactive poster activity. Community members providedf feedback on which  ensuring residents the opportunity to live, work, and principles.  recreate all in one place.  3. Growth Occurs Thoughtfully and is Shaped by Our Community. A creative growth management strategy allows expansion to occur in a way that aligns economic needs, community' vision, and regional goals. There is a strong system in place to guarantee that as the community accommodates new neighbors and newj jobs, it continues to maintain and improve upon the lives of City residents, ensuring infrastructure and services successfully reach growth areas while continuing to serve established neighborhoods. New development is executed through land use decisions which involve careful research, coordination, and community outreach. 4. Our Community is Mobile and Connected. Our circulation system is complete, with amenities which make walking, biking, and transit use as safe, comfortable, and viable means of getting from place to place. Roadways are scaled appropriately for the types of land uses that surround them and provide access toj jobs, services, goods, and recreational opportunities. The central commercial core is contiguous, with a well-maintained streetscape. Our circulation patterns are shaped by urban design principles which value street design as a method of community connection and 5. Parks and Recreation are a Focal Point of Our Community. Our parks and recreation facilities are safe, accessible, and connected to the community they serve. Passive and active recreation opportunities are abundant and coordinated across local facilities and organizations.  placemaking.  June 2021  Page 13    City of Fowler General Plan Update PLANNING PRIORITIES  Land Use Alternatives Summary & Recommendation Report  Planning priorities are more focused and specific than the supporting principles. Because of their granularity and focus, planning priorities provide guidance when balancing competing land use goals. The following planning priorities were identified during the General Plan Update process andi informed by the community vision, publici input, and legislative considerations. The planning priorities are listed in rank  order according to polling conducted at previous public workshops.  1. More Healthy Food Options  Healthy food options include health food markets, farmers Prioritizing Land Uses healthy food options provides local opportunities to shop On November 14th, 2020, the consultant fore everyday essentials ands supports environmental equity team for the City of Fowler General Plan and public health by ensuring ease of access to fresh, Update conducted: a public workshop.  markets, and full-service grocery stores. Planning for  unprocessed, and affordable food. 2. Amenities' West of Hwy 99  They primary workshopa activity consisted ofi interactive posters where community members responded toa as specific  Many of Fowler's residents on the west side of Highway prompt. Thei interactive posters were (Hwy) 99 have noted a lack of amenities like shopping, designedt tos gain ant understanding of parks, ande entertainment compared tot those who live east which planning priorities arer most oft thel highway. Planning for non-residential land uses west important tot them. These priorities of Highway 99 would support the realization of additional face ofd competing goals.  helpedi inform land use choices int the  amenities in this part of the City. 3. More Retail Space  Planning for more commercial space can help facilitate more restaurants, entertainment, and retailers in Fowler. This would allow residents to utilize local resources for shopping and  entertainment rather than seeking them out from nearby cities.  4. Additional Trails and Parks  Additional trails and parks can provide venues for outdoor activities, opportunities for exercise, and can help create a more mobile and connected community. Well-distributed parks and trails alsos support healthy communities by providing active transportation options ande equitable access  to green space. 5. More Diverse Housing Types  Housing diversity can lead to increased economic stability, better affordability, and increased access to qualityhousing for families, children, oldera adults, andi those enteringt the housing market. Housing diversity is also being mandated through state legislation as well as local planning efforts sucha as the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA)process. Cities must plan for a diverse range of housing types and price points in their general plans to provide their fair share of housing stock  for the region.  June: 2021  Page 14    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  II. LAND USE ANALYSIS  After surveying the community, the consultant team conducted research, analyzed the adopted land use plan, established planning considerations and target metrics, and identified a proposed planning area boundary for consideration. Thei intent of this effort was to determine how effective the adopted land use plan is at achieving the stated planning goals and community priorities as well as provide a baseline against which new land use alternatives could be compared. The following sections summarize the findings from  each of these efforts and give additional technical background, as needed. ADOPTED LAND USE PLAN ANALYSIS  An important component of any general plan is the land use diagram. This diagram illustrates the location and extent of different land uses assigned to each parcel in a jurisdiction's planning area. These designations express the intended use of property and direct future land development. The land use diagram, or plan, also shows the boundaries of a city's planning area. The City's adopted land use plan including the City limits, Sphere of Influence (SOI), and planning area boundary is shown in Figure 1: The project team analyzed the adopted land use plan to determine how uses are currently allocated. The breakdown of land uses planned under the adopted General Plan is summarized in the Land Use Summary section below. The outcome of this analysis supports input received on the key issues (e.g., lack of commercial amenities) andi informed the development of planning priorities (e.g., more amenities west of Hwy 99), confirmed during the public outreach process. The relationship between the adopted land use plan and current community goals is described in more depthi int thel PlanningConsiderations: section oft this  Adopted General Plan Land Use Map. 1  report.  Land Use Summary  The adopted planning area includes a total of 3,939 acres. Based on the adopted land use plan, approximately 32 percent is planned for residential uses, 5 percent for commercial uses, 37 percent for industrial uses, and 4 percent for public facilities and parks and open space. It should be noted that additional park space is required as part of residential developments despite not being designated on the land use plan. An additional 22 percent of the planning area is designated for agricultural uses, which is Based ont these land uses, the adopted General Plan land usep plan could likely accommodate 6,642 dwelling units, a population of 21,748 individuals, and would result in aj jobs-housing ratio of 3.48 at buildout. A1 full quantitative breakdown of the adopted land use plan is provided in Table 1: Adopted Land Use Plan Analysis. For expanded details on the assumptions used in calculating buildout potential, see the Buildout  atypical and generally inappropriate within an urban planning area.  Assumptions section of this report under Section IV, Land Use Alternatives.  IAS Sphere ofl Influence is ane established boundary line adopted by the LocalA Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) to designate  the future boundary ands service area fora a city or special district.  June 2021  Page 15    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  Figure 1: Adopted General Plan Land Use Map   FFEPSEL iaoil CANTYN CAPILE A9A15 BIR SAEEAT 0i  99  Planned Land Use Low Density Residential Medium! Low Density Residential Medium Density Residential High Density Residential Neighborhood Commercial Community Commercial General Commercial Light Industrial Heavy Industrial Agriculture Parks and Open Space Public Facilities Boundaries City Limits Planning Area Sphere of Influence Prepored8y PROVOST& PRITCHARD  FARIFS  BA.  0.25 0.5 Miles  June 2021  Page 16    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  Table 1: Adopted Land Use Plan Analysis  Land Use Designation  Total Acreage 258 638 326 0 44 1,266 10 60 146 216 336 1,105 1,441 876 25 117 1,018 3,939  %of Planning oflandUse Area 7% 16% 8% 0% 1% 32% 0% 2% 4% 5% 9% 28% 37% 22% 1% 3% 26% 100%  Category 20% 50% 26% 0% 4% 100% 4% 28% 68% 100% 23% 77% 100% 86% 2% 12% 100%  Residential Land Use Category  Low Residential Medium Low Residential Medium Residential Medium High Residential" High Residential Residential! Subtotal Neighborhood Commercial Community Commercial General Commercial Commercial: Subtotal Light Industrial Heavyl Industrial Agriculture Parks/Open: Space Public Facilities  Commerclal Land Use Category  Industrial Land Use Category  Industrial Subtotal  Agriculture, Open Space, and Public Facliities Land Use Category  Agriculture, Open Space, and PublicFacilities: Subtotal  TOTAL  Numbers moy not add upo due tor rounding. here for consistency.  'The Medium High Density Residential designation is proposed as anew designation under the General Plan Update and! has been included  June 2021  Page 17    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Alternatives Summary & Recommendation Report  PLANNING LONSIDERAIIONS  After analyzing the adopted land use plan, it was necessary to evaluate how closely the adopted land use plan aligns with the community goals and priorities identified during the outreach efforts conducted for the General Plan Update process. To establish al baseline for comparison, a set of target metrics related to community priorities was established and then the adopted land use plan was evaluated against those metrics. Also considered during the planning process were growth management strategies and how they mayp provide for a framework to balance the development witha a demonstrated needt to ensurei that growth  iso occurring thoughtfully: and that services are provided relative to demand.  Target Metrics  The metrics considered in this analysis were selected for their association with the vision, supporting principles, and planning priorities established through previous research and public outreach efforts. Topic areas include jobs-housing balance and the overall mix of land uses, including commercial, residential, and industrial uses, as well as performance relative to recent State legislative directives. A summary of the identified target metrics and their comparison to the adopted land use plan performance, as discussed in further detail below, is shown in Table 2: Target Metrics and Considerations. Each! land use alternative was also evaluated witht these metricsi ini mind. The results oft the alternatives analysis can be reviewedi in Section  IV, Land Use Alternatives. Jobs-Housing Ratio Target Metric:2.0  The jobs-housing ratio is a measure of the number ofe employment opportunities compared tot the number of housing units within the  Jobs-Housing Balance supports the Supporting Principles  planning area. This ratio is one indicator that employees have the increasing the amount of housing opportunity to live where they work, and residents have the compared toj jobs int the community opportunity to work wheret theyl live. Ahighjobs-housing/ ratio (i.e., Planning Priorities morej jobs thanhousing units) indicatesaj jobs-rich areav while al low diverse housing options and the potential ratio (i.e., less jobs than housing units) indicates a housing-rich fore economic development. ha atso heips area. Many other factors, like labor force skills, available jobs, the City meet its Regional Housing Needs income,prelerence, andH housing prices adcomplealytohowwel Allocation (RHNA) andi is ins Support of residents. While the jobs-housing ratio may not reflect these nuances, it is a commonly used metric to While there is no adopted standard, a ratio of 1.5, which indicates that there are one and a half jobs for every housing unit, is generally considered balanced. The potential benefits of a balanced jobs-housing ratio include reduced driving and congestion, shorter commutes to and from work, and reduced air pollution emissions." Together, these benefits cant translate into al higher quality of life andal lower commute  and  by providing more  state housing-relatedi legislation.  this ratio represents the actual balance between jobs and  evaluate land use plans.  burden oni the local workforce.  June 2021  Page 18    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  A balanced jobs-housing ratio may also provide economic benefits. Businesses may consider the local workforce when choosing where to locate. Cities offering a high quality of life (i.e., offer ample services, recreational opportunities, less traffic, and affordable and diverse ousingoptonyohenhave the potential to attract more employers. In addition, mid- to larger-scale retailers generally choose to locate in areas with higher populations. Increasing the number of housing units in an area could attract retailers to the community, potentially bolstering the economy, increasing tax revenue, and providing residents with Under the adopted land usep plan, Fowler'sj jobs-housingr ratioisappro,imately, 3.5, whichi is considered very high. Thisi indicates that Fowler has planned for a substantially higher number of employment opportunities than housing opportunities. Recognizing that the adopted land use plan could result in such a high jobs- housing ratio, the new target moving forward must consider that any progress toward a ratio of 1.5 is beneficial. As such, the target jobs-housing ratioi for land use programming is 2.0. While the target ratio is still higher thani is commonly consideredi ideal, itisa areasonable goal given the sized of the proposed planning area and the mix of land uses planned under the adopted General Plan. Thet targetj jobs-housingratio of2 2.0 also recognizes Fowler's location along Hwy 99 which positions Fowler as an ideal city for opportunities in both industrial and regional commercial growth, which could result in a greater number of associated job  additional and more diverse services and amenities.  opportunities.  Commercial Land Use Target Target Metric: 8% of AllLand Uses  Throughout the public outreach process, lack of local retailers was  consistently stated as an issue to be addressed as part of the Commercial Land Use General Plan Update. Upon analysis oft the adopted land use plan, Opportunities itv was foundt that only five percent of land within the planning area Increasing the amount of commercial isc designated for commercial uses. This low percentage offerssome land use designations int the community explanation for why residents and stakeholders consistently cited Supports the Supporting Principles and lack of retail amenities as an obstacle for the community. Planning Priorities by providing additional Increasing the amount of commercial land in relation to all other throughout the Citya and provide an land uses will help facilitate the development of retail increased level ofs service for the establishments within the proposed planning area. The target community. metric for commercial land uses in total compared to all other planned land uses is eight percent.  opportunities for retailt tol locate ina areas  Residential Land Use Targets Target Metric: 50% of All Land Uses  Housing is a critical component of community planning. Planning for diverse housing options increases choice, affordability, and opportunity. By extension, diversel housing options increase personal andf financial stability by offering viable housing options to people across a range of ages, incomes, and life stages. For example, a retiree looking to downsize has different needs and preferences than younger adults with families, or those entering the housing market for the first time. Planning for various residential densities  June 2021  Page 19    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Alternatives Summary & Recommendation Report  allows the housing market to meet the needs of the entire community, responding to shifts in market Inaddition, California law recognizes that for the private housing market to adequately address demand, local governments must provide opportunities for and not unduly constrain housing development. As a result, housing policy implementation in California rests largely on local regulatory documents, such as the general plan. The primary process through which housing production is monitored at the state level is known as the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). The RHNA considers population projections and incomes by region and then assigns each local jurisdiction its share of the region's housing needs. In turn,  demand.  each local government must plan to meet those needsi ini its general plan. While the general planhousing elementisther main vehiclet for local  housing policy, the land use plan is the basis for a community's Residential Land Use Mix and housing capacity.? Itis with this legislative and planning context in supporting Targets mind that housing metrics have been developed for the Fowler Thep primary target metric ratio for General Plan Update. The total amount of land designated for residential land uses compared to all residential uses under the adopted land use plan is 32 percent of other designations is! 50%. Oft thats 50%, all land uses. Moving forward, the primary target metric for 10% oft land should be planned fora residential landi is 50 percent of total land uses. This will support to Density and another 40% for Medium jobs-housing ratio metric to bring more balance between Low Density Residential.  combination of Medium Higha and High increasing the overalla amount of housing opportunities inf Fowler supports ar more  employment opportunities and housing opportunities.  Additionally, recognizing that the mix of residential densities is an balancedj jobs-housing ratio, meeting important component of how the City willl be able to respond toi its Fowler's obligations under the RHNA, and obligations under the RHNA and provide for additional housing facilitates compliance with state housing opportunities across the range of ages, incomes, and life stages, laws. Ina addition, providing opportunities two supporting target metrics were identified and evaluated as for more diverse housing types increases land, approximately 10 percent should be planned for a combination of Medium High and High Density Residential, and; 2) of all planned residential land, approximately 40 percent should be planned for Medium  affordability across alls stages ofi life.  part of the land use planning process: 1) of all planned residential  Low Density Residential.  2Thel Housing Elementi is being updated: separately from this General Plan Update process. Thel Housing Element is required tol be updated everye eighty years with ther next (6th) cycle beingi initiated currently through a Mult-urisdictional Housing Element effort managed by the Fresno Council of Governments (Fresno COG). Though the Housing Element is being updated schedule for adoption generally aligns with the planned adoption oft the General Plan andi these efforts aret being coordinated. separately,  the Page 110  June 2021    City of Fowler General Plan Update Industrial Land Use Torget Target Metric: 33% of All Land Uses  Land Use Alteratives Summary & Recommendation Report  The City of Fowler'sa adopted land use plan allocates approximately  37 percent of total land uses to industrial designations. The high industrial Land Use proportion of planned industrial land is, in some capacity, Opportuniies appropriate due to Fowler's location along Hwy 99 and rail lines, Industrial uses will continue tot be: an as well as its proximity to agricultural. These circumstances make economic driver inf Fowler and willl be Fowler a logical and efficient location for industrial uses such as balanced with increases ink housing and warehousing, packing houses, storage uses, and freight services. commercial land use opportunities. Moving forward, land use planning should consider industrial uses as economic opportunities for the City while balancing the need for other uses, such as housing and commercial facilities. As such, the target metric for light and heavy industrial uses under each alternative land use plan is 33 percent compared to  all other land uses. Vehicle Miles Traveled Target Metric: Reduction of Baseline  Senate Bill (SB) 743 was adopted in 2013 to address four state priorities, including improving the transportation system, meeting  Vehicle Miles Traveled  climate targets, addressing housing needs, and reducing VMT focuses on how tor reduce environmental impacts. SB743 drctdamemehadimaars dependence on driving andi increase transportation impacts of land development and infrastructure efficiency oft the transportation system by projects under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) be analyzing the amount and length ofr new developed. This new method, measuring vehicle miles traveled development projects. ILG does this (VMT), was approved in 2018. A Technical Advisory was through evaluating the proximity of subsequently issued by the Governor's Office of Planning and future development to existing land uses, Research (OPR) to provide guidance on how' VMT analysis could be including housing. commercial, office, Prior to SB 743, traffic impact analysis focused on whether a issued by the OPR, thes goalf for alll land development project would increase congestion on the roadway, use alternatives is tor reduce the overall also known as level of service (LOS). Under an LOS analysis, ifa estimated. annual VMT for the General because of the vehicle trips it would likely generate, developers would be required to build new infrastructure tomitigate that congestion or pay mitigationi fees. Sometimes, this meant that the developer would be responsible for newi infrastructure, like widening intersections or building new roads. In some instances, the cost ofmitigation made projects infeasible andi in others, iti incentivized developerstoreduce project size or build in outlying areas, which contributed to less efficient land use patterns and longer Under SB 743, local agencies must now analyze transportation impacts through VMT analysis. Rather than focus on congestion and road conditions, VMT measures the amount and length of new vehicle trips  vehiclet trips generated by proposed  and other services.  evaluated under CEQA.  Consistent with thel Technical Advisory  Plan service area.  development were determined to create traffic congestion  commutes.  June 2021  Page 111    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  generated by proposed development projects by considering their proximityto existing land uses, including housing, commercial, office, and other services. The intentioni in measuring VMTist to reduce dependence of driving and increase efficiency of the transportation system, resulting in decreased greenhouse gas The goal for all land use alternatives is to achieve an overall reduction in estimated annual VMT for the General Plans service population."Each land use alternative was programmedi with thisi in minda anda attempts to reduce VMT by clustering new housing and services together, In addition, higher density housing opportunities are planned in closer proximity to retail, office, and service uses to maximize efficiency on  emissions.  the roadway. Metric Jobs to Housing Balance Jobs-Housing Ratio Commercial Land Uses Commercial Land Uses as % of Total Residentlall Land Uses Residentiall Land Use as % of Total Medium Low Density as % of Residential Medium High and High Density as % of Residential industrial Land Uses Industrial Land Uses as %0 of Total Vehicle Miles Traveled' population.  Table 2: Target Metrics and Considerations  Current 3.5 5% 32% 50% 4% 37%  Target 2.0 8% 50% 40% 10% 33% Reduction compared to baseline  Annual Estimated VMT for the General Plans service Baseline  'The VMT torget metric will bee evoluated qualitotively.. Forp purposes oft this anolysis, baseline estimates were developed using ColEEMod relyingo ond a series ofr model assumptions. Whilet these estimates ared appropriate to guide alternative. land use plonninge efforts, they shouldnot beu utilizedi in CEQAC onalysis. Further quantitotive analysis willl bec conducted as partoft the environmental: review process.  Growth Management  Growth management strategies encourage the orderly development of land to effectively manage municipal service expansion and maintain services for existing development. Additionally, they aim to balance growth with demand for new development, reducing the premature conversion of farmland and While various types of growth management strategies have been commonly used in the past, recent updates to! State law! havei impacted aj jurisdiction's: ability to limit growth. SB: 330, the Housing Crisis Acto of 2019, prohibits a city or county from enacting development policies, standards, or conditions that do any  other natural resource and open space areas.  oft thei following:  3Thes service population ist the sum oft the estimated resident population the estimated employee population at buildout.  June 2021  Page 112    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Alternatives Summary & Recommendation Report  Reduce the density or intensity (also known as downzoning) of al land use below what was Impose a moratorium on housing development for any reason other than to protect against an Limit the number of land use or permit approvals allowed to construct housing. Cap the number of units that can be approved or constructed annually or for some other period, unless the limit was approved by voters prior to 2005 and the city or countyi isi in ap predominantly  allowed under the establishedi regulations in effect January 1, 2018.4  imminent threat to health and safety.  agricultural county. Limit population growthrate.  Asaresult, many cities and counties, including Fowler, must adopt a new approach to growth management that does not enact Limifations moratoriums, permit caps, or otherwise limit development of  Legisialive Context and  residential units. Fowler adopted agrowth management ordinance 5B330, the Housing Crisis Act of 2019, inJ June 2004 to implement adopted General Plan policy. The has limited the abihty ofj jurisdictions to ordinance limited the population and housing growth rate to 6 establish ore enact growth management percent per year, or 3 percent over ai five-year period, which does caps, and downzoning. This limitation will not comply with the intent of SB 330. This resulted in the City bei ine effect until. january 1,2025.  policies, including moratoriums, permit Atp present, Fowler has a growth management ordinancer whichi limits the population and housing growthratet to  suspending enforcement oft the growth management ordinance in  February 2020.  As an alternative to Fowler's adopted growth management 6% per year, or 3% over at five-year strategy, which has been suspended due to its inconsistency with period. This ordinance does not comply the intent of SB3 330, other growth management strategies may be with SB 330. Adopting a tiered approach considered. One such strategy that complies with the intent of SB togrowth managementi is one method to 330 is the use of urban growth boundaries. Urban growth boundaries delineate locations where development should occur first, often prioritizing infill over expansion. Establishing multiple growth boundaries allows for a tiered approach, wherein development within a specific growth boundary is prioritized over development in subsequent growth boundaries. Thresholds are established to determine when development may occur within the next growth boundary and are typically structured around building permit issuance to ensure that expansion aligns with demand. Once development thresholds within a specific growth tier have been met, additional growth tiers are opened, allowing infrastructure to expand only after a majority of development potential within existing urban areas has been realized. In addition to managing growth, this strategy allows a city to maximize efficiency by establishing a comprehensive blueprint for future land development and infrastructure phasing early in the planning process. This approach meets the intent of SB 330 because there is no cap on the allowed number of permits that may be issued within any one growth boundary - only a threshold to meet, which may be  exceeded, that then dictates where development may continue.  4SB: 330 does not prohibit an affected county or ana affected city from changing al land use designation or zoning ordinance to a lessi intensive usei ifthed city or county concurrentlychanges: thec development standards, policies, and conditions applicablet to other  parcels withint thej jurisdiction toe ensure that therei isr nor net lossi inr residential capacity.  June 2021  Page 11 13    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Alternatives Summary & Recommendation Report  PLANNING BOUNDARIES & SITE SELECTION  When comparing the adopted land use plan to the General Plan Update planning priorities and metrics, it was determined that these goals could not be met within the current planning area boundary. To do sO would require implementing a significant and potentially undesirable amount of land use changes. In addition, it was determined that a considerable amount of land within the planning areal had already! been developed or was progressing through the development review process, limiting the opportunity for land use changes that would not affect existing development or projects in process. To redesignate large amounts ofl landint the existing planning area would resulti in many planning andi regulatory inconsistencies, alsol known as nonconforming uses. To avoid this, it was found that expanding the planning area boundary would be necessarytofulfill the vision, principles, and planning priorities fort the community as wella as meet  thei identified target metrics.  Proposed Planning Area Boundary  To determine: the extent oft thep proposed planning area, ar memorandum: summarizing potentiall boundaries was delivered to City staff in August of 2020. In that memorandum, three separate alternatives were summarized, including retaining the existing planning area boundary, expanding the planning area to the Multiple considerations informed the ultimate extent of the proposed planning area boundary, including public feedback, LAFCo policies, City staff recommendations, and property owner requests. The proposed planning areal boundary includes 4,909 acres andi is inclusive of all potential expansion areas submitted to  west, and expanding the planning areat to both the west and the south.  stafft for review.  Change Areas & Growth Areas  Once the proposed planning area was determined, locations for potentiall land use changes werei identified, including changes to land uses currently designated on the adopted General Plan land use map. All areas identified for a potential land use change were then organized into one of two categories: growth areas or change areas. Each category is described in further detail below and is shown on Figure 2: Growth Areas and Change Areas. Table 3i includes a summary ofa acreage fore each growth area and change area. Land use designations for properties not identified as a growth area or a change area would remain as currently planned and are identified collectively as the unchanged area. It should be noted that additional land use changes while not anticipated may occur, specifically around park space as park types, definitions, sizes,  and policies are refined throughout the General Plan Update process.  Change Areas  Parcels identified as change areas are located within the existing City limits or SOI and have either been planned for urban use or are ina areas expectedt tol be developed with urban uses relatively soon. There are  four change areas identified on Figure 2: Growth Areas and Change Areas.  June 2021  Page 114    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  Change Areas A and B are currently planned for urban uses but are identified as parcels that should be Change Area Cis within the adopted! SOI boundary buti is currently planned for agriculture, which is atypical and not consistent with LAFCO policies. Area Chas been identified as a change area because it is currently planned for agricultural use, is already in the City's SOI, and represents a logical continuation of growth Change Area D is currently planned for park space but has been developed as a water retention basin. Moving forward, this Area will be redesignated as public facilities, consistent withi its current use.  updated to alternative urban uses based on site context.  already being experienced within the City.  Growth Areas  Growth areas include land that is proposed to be converted from non-urbans to urban uses. The main consideration when categorizing a growth area was not necessarily related to location but was related to size andy whether proposed land use changes would result ini the addition of considerable urban uses toi the City of Fowler. There are three potential growth areas identified on Figure 2: Growth Areas and Change Growth Areas 1 and 3 are outside of the City's adopted planning area and 50I to the west and south, respectively. Growth Area 2is located within the adopted planning area and SOI butp planned for non-urban uses. Proposed land uses for each growth area are reviewed in greater detail in Section IV, Land Use  Areas.  Alternatives oft this report and can! be viewedi inl Figure 3 through Figure6.  Table 3: Summary of Change Areas and Growth Areas  Location Acreage Change Areas A B C D Growth. Areas 1 2 3  Current General Plan Designation Medium Density Residential Medium Density Residential General Commercial Agriculture Parks/Open Space No Designation (County). Agriculture No Designation (County).  Proposed General Plan Designation? Community. Commercial Community Commercial Various Urban Uses Public Facilities Various Urban Uses Various Urban Uses Various Urban Uses  0.18 19.8 191 6.19 676 697 282  "Totald acreage, for Change Areas based onp parcelb boundaries, noti including roadways. Total acreage) for Growth Areas is gross and 2Proposedk landu used designations are reviewedino detoil in Section M, Land Use Altematives oft this report and cant bey viewedinF Figure  includes roadways withino overall area boundary.  3through Figure 6.  Non-urban land uses refer tol land planned for agriculture under the adopted land use plan.  June 2021  Page 115    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  Figure 2: Growth. Areas and Change Areas  MLAGA  AMEPICAN : 0 5 a EFFCESON LOAR CASIN CARTER ADAMS WAILTER SUMAMER MOB SoG- PARIER  Legend Growth Area 1 Growth Area2 Growth Area 3 Change Area A Change Area 8 Change Area C Change Area D Unchanged Areas Cityl Limits Adopted Sphere ofl Influence Proposed Planning Area  MANNNG SPRINOAELD DINUBA  Prepareds 8y: PROVOST& PRITCHARD June 2021  0.25 0.5. Miles  Page 116    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Alternatives Summary & Recommendation Report  IV.LAND USE PLANNING  After analyzing the adopted land use plan and establishing planning considerations, including target metrics, the consultant team began the land use planning process. This process consisted of confirming, and in some cases adding, revising, or deleting land use designations, land use programming (ie., the process by which land uses are assigned to a map), calculating build out assumptions, and presenting possible land use plans to the public for review and comment. Each: step oft the land use planning process  is described in more detail below. LAND USE DESIGNATIONS  The next step in the analysis stage of the planning process included evaluating the adopted land use designations for consistency with planning metrics, community priorities, and state legislative requirements. Each land use designation has an associated description which defines the types of uses appropriate within the designation as well as quantifies the density (e.g., dwelling units per acre) or intensity (e.g., floor area ratio) of each designation, as required by State law. Each designation is then applied to a land use plan showing the proposed location and extent of future development in the City. Once adopted, all other local plans, policies, and ordinances are required to be consistent with thel land use  plan.  Summary of Proposed Changes  To ensure that the General Plan Update reflects the community vision, supporting principles, and planning priorities, each land use designation has been refined or revised. These revisions are summarized in Table 4: Proposed General Plan Land Use Designations. Revisions generally fall into one of three categories: Language revisions are proposed to either add clarity or flexibility to the land use descriptions. Typically, language refinements dor not change thei intent or function of the land use designation. In some instances, references to specific permitting or standards and requirements have been removed, as that type of oversight is more appropriate for general plan policies or implementation documents, such as the Zoning Proposed additions include the establishment of an Urban Reserve (UR) and a Medium High Density Residential (MHDR) land use designation. The UR designation is proposed to specify areas of land being held fort future urban expansioni but which are not anticipated tol be developed within the planningh horizon of the General Plan Update. Land Use Alternatives 1, 2, and 3, which are covered in Section V, Land Use Alternatives of this report, incorporate the UR designation. The UR designation would only become a The purpose of the MHDR designation is to provide a designation focused on providing for residential densities between 8.0 and 13.5 dwelling units per acre (du/ac). This density range is currently provided for  language revisions, proposed addition, or proposed deletion.  Ordinance.  relevant in the event that one of those alternatives is chosen for adoption.  June 2021  Page 117    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  under the adopted Medium Density Residential designation, which accommodates a range of 5.5-13.5 du/ac. While 8.0-13.5 du/ac is provided for under the adopted general plan, both historic and recent development patterns have favored lower densities characterized by single-family housing on average lot sizes of 7,000-8,000 square feet. Establishing the MHDR designation will designate areas specifically for development within the 8.0-13.5 du/ac density range, which will positively impact the jobs/housing balance, support the City of Fowler meeting its RHNA, increase the diversity of the housing stock, and Proposed deletions include the Agriculture and Office Commercial designations. The Agriculture designation is proposed to be deleted to maintain consistency with LAFCO policy, as agricultural uses are inappropriate forl long-term usei in urban areas. The Office Commercial categoryis proposed to be deleted because that development type is already accommodated in other commercial or light industrial designations and there are no properties currently planned for Office Commercial ont the adopted land use Ina addition to language revisions, deletions, and additions, it should be noted that all non-residential land use intensity guidelines have been updated from a percentage, with typically indicates maximum lot coverage allowances, to at floor area ratio (FAR). FARisar measurement of al building'sf floor areai in relation toi the size of the lot or parcel the building is located on. See Figure 3: Floor Area Ratioi for ac demonstration of how FAR differs from lot coverage requirements. The FAR is calculated by dividing the gross floor area of al building by the total area oft the lot upon which it is built. Higher FARs typically result in more intense (i.e., higher square footage) development while lower FARS typically result in less intense development. A full list of proposed revisions tot thel land use designations and descriptions is providedi in Table 2: Proposed  respond to current housing market demands.  plan.  General Plan Land Use Designations.  Figure 3: Floor Area Ratio  1.OFAR 100% Lot Coverage  1.OFAR 50%1 Lot Coverage  1.OFAR 25%Lot Coverage  June 2021  Page I 18            0    &    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Alternatives Summary & Recommendation Report  LAND USE ROGRAMMING  Land use programmingi is thef first stepi in creating al land use plan and is the process by which land uses are assigned to different locations within the planning areal boundary. Several factors impact the programming process and inform the location and extent of proposed land uses in each alternative plan. These considerations include the community vision, supporting principles and planning priorities, planning While community preferences and target metrics guide the overall acreage ofe eachl land use proposed, best practices and local context are the main drivers of specific programming considerations. The following discussion identifies the general objectives for why land use designations were programmed in certain  considerations. such as the target metrics, local context, and best planning practices.  locations.  Commercial Designations  Commercial designations are broken down by category and intent and are located accordingly. More intense commercial uses generally fall into the Highway or Community Commercial designations as they are intended to capture a larger market base and: should be generally located along major travel corridors and at major intersections. The uses accommodated within these designations tend toa attract more! people, which often results in more vehicle traffic. Highway Commercial uses, in particular, should be located proximal to regional travel corridors, such as Hwy 99. Smaller scale commercial development in the Neighborhood Commercial designation offers more efficiency and benefits when located near people, housing, and businesses. For this reason, Highway and Community Commercial uses are located along the Hwy 99 corridor and near the Clovis at Hwy 99 intersection while Neighborhood Commercial uses are Programming Considerations: Highway and Community Commercial designations are located proximal to major intersections and Hwy 99. Neighborhood Commercial designations are located near activity  located in closer proximity to activity centers like neighborhoods and the downtown.  centers, homes, and the downtown. Residential Designations  Residential uses are planned with best practices and context in mind. Higher residential densities are located near major commercial centers and the downtown. Lower-density residential, characterized by larger lots and single-family homes are most appropriate for the edges of the community bordering agricultural and open spacel land. rogammingresdentale usesi int this wayallows for compatible transitions from urban to non-urban areas. Housing of any type is generally not appropriate near environmentally hazardous uses, such as freeways and heavy industrial sites. Iti is alsoi important to ensure residentiala areas are near negnboroodserving commercial uses, schools, and parks for ease of access. Programming Considerations: Medium High and High Density Residential designations are programmed near commercial centers, downtown, and parks. Low and Medium Low Density Residential designations  June: 2021  Page 23    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  are located near the edges of the community and agriculture land to allow for compatible transition of uses. Medium Density Residential designations are programmed between the higher and lower densities toasa a transitional land use, as well as next to neighborhood commercial andp park space.  Park and Open Space Designations  Parks space is located equitablyt throughout the planning area and generally takesa advantage of thel locations of other uses benefiting from proximity to park space, including schools, and homes. While the ultimate location of parks is driven by land availability and acquisition, the land use alternatives indicate the general location and size of community parks needed to meet the needs oft the population at buildout. In the event that parks are not constructed in the locations shown, an alternate land use designation, typically residential, has been identified for those parcels. Neighborhood park space and other open space requirements to meet development standards for individual projects are not designated on the land use plan but will bei integrated into proposed residential developments to meet the minimum requirements. Programming Considerations: While land acquisition will ultimately dictate the location of parks throughout the planning area, the Parks/Open Space designation is located near residential uses and equitably distributed throughout the City to accommodate for planned growth. Neighborhood park space isn not programmed at the general plan level but will be incorporated as a permitting requirement as  development projects are approved throughout the entitlement process.  Industrial Designations  Industrial designations are broken down by type and intent and are located accordingly. Heavy Industrial uses, while economically beneficial, mayalso! pose certain public health and: safetyr risks, or may create land use compatibility issues due to noise, traffic, and aesthetic characteristics. As such, Heavy Industrial designations are most appropriate along major truck routes providing connections to larger regional markets. Industrial uses are also generally compatible with Highway Commercial uses but are typically not The Light Industrial designation, while it may also accommodate warehousing, packing houses, and other uses that generate higher amounts of truck traffic, also accommodates business park uses, which are generally lower in intensity. Light Industrial designations can be an appropriate transition between Heavy Programming Considerations: Heavy Industrial designations are generally programmed along the Hwy 99 and the Golden State Boulevard corridor. Light Industrial designations are also programmed along this corridor and provide a buffer between Heavy Industrial and non-industrial land use designations.  appropriate near sensitive uses like schools, hospitals, or homes.  Industrial land use designations and commercial or residential uses.  Vehicle Miles Traveled  All programming efforts must also consider how the land use plan will impact VMT. VMT has important implications for air quality, land use efficiency, and the environmental review process. As discussed in Planning Considerations under Section II, Land Use Analysis of this report, VMT analysis considers  June 2021  Page 124    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Alternatives Summary & Recommendation Report  efficiency of thet transportation system bye evaluating the amount and length of new vehicle trips generated Programming Considerations: An important goal of the General Plan Update is to achieve an overall reduction in VMT compared to the adopted land use plan. Creating synergistic land uses by placing homes near commercial development and other necessary services will reduce overall VMT as development  by proposed development projects.  occurs.  BUILDOUT ASSUMPTIONS  Several assumptions were made in the analysis of each alternative. All calculations related to density and intensity of specific land uses account for buildout potential. Buildout potential assumes a reasonable amount of development within a given range, rather than assuming land uses would build out to the maximum allowed density or intensity. For the purposes of this analysis, residential development is assumed at 80 percent of maximum density, commercial and industrial development at 50 percent of maximum intensity, open space at 10 percent ofr maximum intensity, and public facilities at 40 percent of maximum intensity. In addition, while park space is included in the land use alternative maps, it should be noted that open space is also required to be constructed as part of single and multifamily developments. The build out assumptions identified for each alternative only reflect park space that has been designated on the land use map, typically representing community-wide park facilities. The potential number of dwelling units, population, and resulting. jobs-housing ratio are summarized for each land use alternative  described below under Section V, Land Use Alternatives. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD  On April 28h, 2021, the consultant team for the City of Fowler General Plan Update conducted a public workshop to present land use alternatives and solicit community feedback on proposed land use changes. The workshop was held virtually, via Zoom webinar. The primary workshop activity consisted of a PowerPoint presentation, live polling, al live question and answer session, and the presentation ofa ap project story map. The story map: also included an interactive map exercise where residents were encouraged to leave parcel-specific feedback. A workshop summary was prepared following the event and was posted to Thei interactive mapi was available forp publici review and comment fora aweeki following the public workshop. During that period, the: story mapi was viewed over 100t times andi four comments were left. Approximately 15 additional meetings alsoi took place between City staff and the public to answer questions following the workshop. Public comments generally consisted of additional questions, confirmation of thet timeline over which land use changes would take place, and whether certain land uses were compatible. One property owner reached out tor request a change in designation fort their property. Public comments were responded  the City'sp project website and emailed directly to project stakeholders.  to and necessary changes were incorporated into the alternative plans.  June 2021  Page 125    Cily of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Alternatives Summary & Recommendation Report  V. LAND USE ALTERNATIVES  Development of land use alternatives included determining specific locations for each land use within the growth areas and change areas, based on they programming considerations detailedi in Section IV, Land Use Planning. The consultant team developed four alternative land usep plans tol be reviewed int this report. Each alternative has the same overall planning area boundary but offers different priorities for growth and is designed around certain Growth. Areas. Growth Areas 1a and 2 were each considered separately: as potential additions to the urban area since they were consistently preferred byt the public, while Growth. Area 3 was least preferred. For this reason, Growth Area 3 was not considered independently from Growth Areas 1 After land uses for each alternative were programmed, they were mapped and evaluated against the objectives for the General Plan Update and the target metrics discussed under Planning Considerations in Section III, Land Use Analysis. Each alternative land use plan can be seeni inl Figure 31 through Figure 6, along with corresponding quantitative breakdowns of each land use by category in Table 5 through Table 8. A summary of how each land use alternative performs relative to the quantitative target metrics in also included in the alternative land use plans. In somei instances, the land use alternatives feature a new land use designation known as Urban Reserve. For the purposes of buildout assumptions, Urban Reserve land  and 2 in the land use alternatives.  was not considered the same as planned urban uses.  June 2021  Page 12 26    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Alternatives Summary & Recommendation Report  ALTERNATIVE 1: GROWTH AREA 1 PLUS URBAN RESERVE Alternative 1 expands planned urban uses into Growth. Area 1, thereby adding 676 acres of planned urban uses to the proposed planning Area. Alternative 1 also plans Growth Areas 2 and 3 as Urban Reserve, as shown in Figure 4: Altemative 1 Land Use Plan. This results in an overall planning area of 4,909 acres with approximately 3,930 planned forv various urban uses and 979 acres planned as Urban Reserve. Performance of Alternative 1 land uses against the quantitative target metrics is also providedi in Figure4. Of the land designated for planned urban uses, approximately 48 percent is planned for residential uses, 7.5 percent for commercial uses, 40.3 percent for industrial uses, and 3 percent for public facilities and parks and open space. Of the residential land uses, 10.5 percent isp planned fore either Medium High or High Density Residential and 41.4 percent is planned for Medium Low Density Residential. Alternative 1 accommodates approximately 10,660 dwelling units, a population of 34,966 individuals, and has a jobs- housing ratio of2.57. A quantitative breakdown of proposed land uses is providedi in Table! 5: Alternative1 1  Urban Planned Land Use Analysls. Land Use Designation  Table 5: Alternative 1 Urban Planned Land Use Analysis  Total Acreage 485 783 425 110 88 1891 19 98 178 295 479 1105 1584 37 123 160 3,930 979 4,909  %of Planned %ofLand Use UrbanUses 12% 20% 11% 3% 2% 48% 0% 2% 5% 8% 12% 28% 40% 1% 3% 4% 100%  Category 26% 41% 22% 6% 5% 100% 6% 33% 60% 100% 30% 70% 100% 23% 77% 100%  Residential Land Use Category  Low Residential Medium Low Residential Medium Residential Medium High Residential High Residential Residential: Subtotal Neighborhood Commercial Community Commercial General Commercial Commercial: Subtotal  Commercial Land Use Category  Industrial Land Use Category  Light Industrial Heavy Industrial Industrial Subtotal Parks/Open! Space Public Facilities Subtotal (planned urban uses only)  Open Space and Public Facilities Land Use Category  Open Space and Public Facllities! Subtotal  Urban Reserve Total Planning Area  Numbers may not addu up due to rounding.  June 2021  Page 12 27    City of Fowier General Plan Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  Figure 4: Alternative 1 Land Use Plan ALTERNATIVE1 LAND USE PLAN  AMEPLAN EFFERSON IGCIN CLAYION CARTER ADAMS WAITER SUPANER MORT 50uht PARHEF  Planned Land Use Low! Density Residential Medium Low! Density Residential  Medium Density Residential Medium High Density Resldential High Density Residential Neighborhood Commercial Community Commercial Generai Commercial Lightl Industrial Heavyl Industrial Parks/Open Space Public Facilities Urban Reserve Planning Area  MAHING 0.25 0.5 Miles  LAND USE METRICS Target: 8% 8%  7.5%  Jobs Housing Balance Commercial Land  Residential Land Target: 50% 50%  Industrial Land Target: 33% 33% C7 40.3%  Target:2.0 2.0 (/) 2.5  48.1%  June 2021  Page 128    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  ALTERNATIVE 2: GROWTH AREA 2 PLUS URBAN RESERVE Alternative 2 replaces 697 acres of existing and planned agricultural uses with urban uses in Growth. Area 2, which is within the adopted Planning Area and SOI, and plans Growth Areas 1 and 3 as Urban Reserve, as identified in Figure! 5: Alternative 2L Land Use Plan. This results in an overall planning area of 4,909 acres with approximately 3,951 acres planned for various urban uses and 958 acres planned as Urban Reserve. Performance of Alternative 2 land uses against the quantitative target metrics is also provided in Figure! 5. Oft the land designated for planned urban uses, approximately 51 percent is plannedi for residential uses, 6 percent for commercial uses, 39 percent for industrial uses, and 4 percent for public facilities and parks and open: space. Of ther residential land uses, 7.1 percent is planned for either Medium High or High Density Residential and 41.7 percent is planned for Medium Low Density Residential. Alternative 2 accommodates approximately 10,868 dwelling units, a population of 35,648 individuals, and has aj jobs-housing ratio of 2.32. A quantitative breakdown of proposed land uses is providedi in Table 6: Alternative 2Urban Planned  Land Use Analysis. Land Usel Designation  Table 6: Alternative 2 Urban Planned Land Use Analysis  Total Acreage %of Planned %ofL Land Use  UrbanUses 13% 21% 13% 2% 2% 51% 0% 2% 4% 4% 11% 28% 39% 1% 3% 4% 100%  Category 26% 42% 25% 3% 4% 100% 8% 33% 59% 100% 28% 72% 100% 24% 76% 100%  Residential Land Use Category  Low Residential Medium Low Residential Medium Residential Medium High Residential High Residential Resldential Subtotal Neighborhood Commercial Community Commercial General Commercial Commercial Subtotal Light Industrial Heavyl Industrial Industrial Subtotal Parks/Open Space Public Facilities Open Space and Public Facilitles Subtotal  528 843 507 64 79 2022 19 80 144 243 420 1105 1526 38 123 162 3,951 958 4,909  Commercial Land Use Category  Industrial Land Use Category  Open Space and Public Facilities Land Use Category  Subtotal (planned urban uses only)  Urban Reserve Total Planning Area  Numbers may noto odd upo due tor rounding.  June 2021  Page I 29    City of Fowler General Plan! Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  Figure 5: Alternative 2 Land Use Plan ALTERNATIVE 2 LAND USE PLAN  AMERAN FERSCN ENCOIN CAION CARIEE ADAMS WAIFR SUMBER 3OIT 5013H PARULS  Planned Land Use Low Density Residential Medium Low Density Residential Medium DensityR Residential Medium High Density Residential Higho DensityF Residential Neighborhood Commercial Community Commerclal General Commercial Light Industrial Heavyl Industrial Parks/Open Space Publici Facilities Urban Reserve Planning Area  MANNENG  0.25 0.5 Mies  LAND USE METRICS Target: 8% 8%  Jobs Housing Balance Commercial Land  Residential Land Target: 50% 50% - 51.2%  Industrial Land Target: 33% 33%  Target:2.0 2.0 / 2.3  6.1%  38.6%  June 2021  Page 1 30    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  ALTERNATIVE 3: GROWTH AREAS 1 &2 PLUS URBAN RESERVE Alternative 36 expands planned urban usest tot the west, north, and east (GrowthAreas: 1 and 2) and proposes Growth. Area 31 to be programmed with Urban Reserve, as shown in Figure 6: Alternative 3 Land Use Plan. This results in an overall planning area of 4,909 acres with approximately 4,627 acres planned for various urban uses and 282 acres planned as Urban Reserve. Performance of Alternative 3 land uses against the Of the land designated for planned urban uses, 54 percent is planned for residential uses, 7 percent for commercialuses, 35 percent forindustrialuses; and4 4 percent for public facilities and parksando openspace. Of the residential land uses, 10.6 percent is planned for either Medium High or High Density Residential and 37.5 percent is planned for Medium Low Density Residential. Alternative 2 accommodates approximately 13,917 dwelling units, a population of 45,647 individuals, and has a jobs-housing ratio of 2.06. Ad quantitative breakdown of proposed land uses is providedi in Table 7: Alternative 3 Urban Planned  quantitative target metrics is also provided in Figure 6.  Land Use Analysis. Land Use Designation,  Table 7: Alternative 3 Urban Planned Land Use Analysis  Total Acreage ofPlanned %oftand Use  UrbanUses 15% 20% 13% 3% 2% 54% 1% 2% 4% 7% 12% 24% 35% 1% 3% 4% 100%  Category 29% 37% 23% 6% 4% 100% 5% 32% 58% 100% 33% 67% 100% 32% 68% 100%  Residential Land Use Category  Low Residential Medium Low! Residential Medium Residential Medium High Residential High Residential Residential Subtotal Neighborhood Commercial Community Commercial General Commercial Commercial Subtotal Light Industrial Heavy Industrial Industrial! Subtotal Parks/Open! Space Publicl Facilities Open Space and Public Facilities! Subtotal  716 938 584 159 108 2505 28 98 178 304 533 1105 1638 56 123 180 4,627 282 4,909  Commercial Land Use Category  Industrial Land Use Category  Opens Space and Publlc Facilities Land Use Category  Subtotal (planned urban uses only)  Urban Reserve Total Planning Area  Numbers may noto addi upo due tor rounding.  June 2021  Page 131    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  Figure 6: Alternative 3 Land Use Plan ALTERNATIVES 3 LAND USE PLAN  AMERGAT JEPAERSON UNGOIN CLAY-GN CARIER ADASAS VALTES SUAMER MI SOUTH PAVIP  Planned Land Use Low Density Residential Medium Low Density Residential Medium Density Residential Medium High Density Residential High Density Residential Neighborhood Commercial Community Commercial General Commercial Light Industrial Heavyl Industrial Parks/Open! Space Public Facilities Urban Reserve Planning Area  MAMANS Miles  0 0.25 0.5  LAND USE METRICS  Jobs Housing Balance Commercial Land Residential Land  Industrial Land Target:33% 33%  Target:2.0 2.0 I 2.06  Target: 8% 8% ( 6.6%  Target: 50% 50%  54.1%  35.4%  June 2021  Page I 32    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Alternatives Summary & Recommendation Report  ALTERNATIVE 4: ALL GROWTH AREAS  Alternative 4 proposes planned urban uses for all growth areas (Growth Areas 1, 2, and 3), as shown in Figure 7: Alternative 41 Land Use Plan. This results in an overall planning area of 4,909: acres with the entire acreage planned for various urban uses. Performance of Alternative 4 land uses against the quantitative Of the total proposed planning area, approximately 55 percent of land is planned for residential uses, 7 percent for commercial uses, 35 percent for industrial uses, and 4 percent for public facilities and parks and open space. Oft ther residential land uses, 11 percent is planned for either Medium High or High Density Residential and 34.9 percent is planned for Medium Low Density Residential. Alternative 4 accommodates approximately 15,248 dwelling units, a population of 50,013 individuals, and has a jobs-housing ratio of 2.00. A quantitative breakdown of proposed land uses is providedi in Table 8: Alternative 4 Urban Planned  target metrics is also provided in Figure7.  Land Use Analysis. Land Use Designation  Table 8: Alternative 4 Urban Planned Land Use Analysis  Total,Acreage %of Planned %ofl LandUse  Urban Uses 15% 19% 15% 4% 2% 55% 1% 2% 4% 7% 12% 23% 35% 1% 3% 4% 100%  Category 27% 35% 27% 7% 4% 100% 8% 29% 62% 100% 35% 65% 100% 32% 68% 100%  Residential Land Use Category  Low Residential Medium Low! Residential Medium Residential Medium High Residential High Residential Residential Subtotal Neighborhood Commercial Community Commercial General Commercial Commercial Subtotal Light Industrial Heavy Industrial Industrial Subtotal Parks/Open Space Public Facilities Open Space and Publlc Facilities Subtotal  716 938 740 189 108 2,691 28 98 208 334 599 1,105 1,705 56 123 180 4,909 0 4,909  Commerclal Land Use Category  Industrial Land Use Category  Open Space andl Public Facllitles Land Use Category  TOTAL (planned urban uses only)  Urban Reserve Total Planning Area  Numbers may not add upo due to rounding.  June 2021  Page 133    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  Figure 7: Alternative 4 Land Use Plan ALTERNATIVE 4 LAND USE PLAN  AMERKAN EFPERSON INCOIN CAYION CARTER ADANS WALER. SMNER MDE SOUR PAPLER.  Planned Land Use Low! Density Residenbial Medium Low! Density Residential Medium Density Residential Medium High Density Residential High Density Residential Neighborhood Commercial Community Commercial General Commercia! Light Industrial Heavy! Industrial Parks/Opens Space PublicF Facilities Planning Area  AAMNG 0.250 0.5 Miles  LAND USE METRICS  Jobs Housing Balance Commercial Land Residential Land  Industrial Land Target: 33% 33% - 34.7% Page 134  Target:2.0 2.0  Target: 8% 8% 0 6.8%  Target: 50% 50% 0 54.8%  2.0  June 2021    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Alternatives Summary & Recommendation Report  ALTERNATIVES COMPARISON  Itv was found that all the land use alternatives offered improvement towards meeting target metrics and planning goals when compared to the adopted General Plan. As shown in Figure 8: Alternatives Comparison, Alternative 1 performs the best in reaching commercial land use targets, while Alternative 2 most closely aligns with residential land use goals. Alternative 4 performs the best in relation to thej jobs- housing balance and industrial land use target metrics. Alternative 3 makes improvements in all metrics but didr not outperform any of the otheralternatives. Allf four alternatives offer some reduction of VMT over  the adopted land use plan.  Figure 8: Alternatives Comparison  Alternatives Comparison  suope M Alternative 1 Amnvez Alternative3 Aterv  "AdoptedPlonning/ Area "GrowthAreai 3.5 5.5% 32.1% 36.6% Baseline 6.642 71,784 23,110  "GrowthArea2 "Growth Areas1a2 *AMGrowthAreas  Planning Metrics Jobs Housing Balance larget Metric: 2.0 Commercial Land Target Merric: 8% oftoial Residentiall Land Target Metric: 50% of total Industrial Land Target Metric: 33% oft toral Vehicle Miles Traveled Target Metric: Reduchion Plan Demographics Housing Units Population Employees "P Closestt tol Target Metric  25 7.5%* 48.1% 40.3% Baseline 10,660 34,966 27,346  2.06 6.5% 54.1% 35.445 <Basehne 13,917 45,647 28,600  Z.0*  51.2%*  34.7%*  June 2021  Page I3 35    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Alternatives Summary & Recommendation Report  V.RECOMMENDATIONS  While each land use alternative features varied benefits, Alternative 4 met the target metrics most often. While Alternative 4 performed the best in terms of meeting the target metrics, it also adds substantial urban uses and population to the City's planning area. To provide the most balanced land use plan while still offering a responsible and strategic framework for urban growth, the consultant team recommends the Cityadopt Alternative 41 while also implementing at tiered urban growth management approach.  GROWTH BOUNDARIES  The proposed growth management strategy includes the creation of four separate urban growth boundaries. Each area is categorized into urban growth tiers. Growth Tier 1 indicates the top priority for growth and development, followed by Growth Tiers2, 3, and 4. Growth Tier 1f focuses oni infill development within and around the City limits and most closely aligns with the planning area boundary adopted in the current General Plan. Growth Tier 2 expands to include Growth. Area 1. The third and fourth tiers expand to Growth Areas 2 and 3, respectively. Each growth tier boundary can be seen in Figure 9: Recommended To determine growth priorities, the consultant team relied on public input and key stakeholder feedback, which confirms that the community values infill development and prefers Growth Area 1 as the most desired location for expansion, followed by Growth Area 2, with Growth Area 31 the least preferred area for expansion. In addition, Growth Area 1 offers the most balanced and immediate opportunity to increase commercial space within the planning area. Prioritizing Growth Area 1 as the first area of expansion after current capacityi is met supports key community goals and providesf fori increased local retail amenities. The recommended land use plan, reflecting Alternative 4 land uses with growth tier boundaries, is shown in  Growth Tier Boundary Map.  Figure 10: Recommended Land Use Plan. GROWTH THRESHOLDS  Growth thresholds must consider that the City is not allowed to implement or enforce moratoriums or similar policies that limit the number of permits approved or population growth. However, the City can implement a tiered development plan where development within certain tiers is prioritized over development in subsequent areas as long as the number of permits is not limited. Development thresholds will be included as policies in thel land use element of the updated General Plan document. The policies will generally consider the number of building permits already issued, the amount of obligated land, and vacancy rates.6 Unique thresholds will be established for each major land use category to allow for  maximum flexibility.  6Obligatedi landi includes land witha an approved development; project thati is not yet constructed.  June 2021  Page I 36    City of Fowler General Plan! Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  Figure 9: Recommended Growth Tier Boundary Map  MAAGA  R,  AMRIGAIS EPFERSCN KOL SLAYOI CAPYER ADAMAS WALTER SMAER sO1 SOUTH PAPLIER  Legend Urban Growth Tier 1 Urban Growth Tier2 Urban Growth Tier 3 Urban Growth? Tier 4 City Limits Adopted Sphere ofl Influence Proposed Planning Area  MANRARG SPRINGRELD DINUBA PASMAN  PreporedBy: PROVST& PRITCHARD.  0.250 0.5 Miles  June 2021  Page I 37    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Alternatives Summary & Recommendation Report  RECOMMENDED LAND USE PLAN  The consultant team recommends the use of tiered urban growth boundaries for the variety of benefits the approach offers, including efficiency, the ability to forward plan, and increased predictability in the planning process. Assigning land uses to the entire planning area while focusing development to certain growtht tiers ahead of others allows the Cityto create at thoughtful, comprehensive blueprint forf future land development. This approach also facilitates other long range land use and infrastructure management projects, such as roadway, water, and sewer infrastructure and improvement needs. In addition, this approach also allows the City to responsibly manage growth while still meeting legislative requirements This approach may also facilitate development by ensuring higher levels of predictability: and streamlining future planninge efforts. Should the Cityrely on the use of an urban reserve designation,futuredevelopment in those areas would require a general plan amendment to progress through the entitlement and permitting process. General plan amendments tend tor require significant time and permitting fees, require publicl chearings, andi must be approved by City Council. Additional environmental review and analysiswould also be required.. Assigning land uses on the General Plan plan but prioritizing growth within certain areas through the establishment of growth tiers ensures consistencyand compatibility of land uses overt time and increases the predictability of the planning process, while still allowing the City to balance growth with  around the limitation of growth and development.  actual demand. Recommendation  To provide the most balanced land use plan while still offering a streamlined, responsible, and strategic framework for urban growth, the consultant team recommends the City adopt. Alternative 4 witha at tiered urban growth management approach, as shown in Figure 10: Recommended Land Use Plan.  June 2021  Page I 38    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Land Use Altematives Summary & Recommendation Report  Figure 10: Recommended Land Use Plan  IAALACA  AMERK.AN EFFEASON MNCOU : GAVION GARIES ADANS WALTER SUMANIR MOIT SOUM PARLER  Legend Boundarles Urban Growth Tier 1 Urban Growth Tier 2 Urban Growth Tier 3 L Urban Growth Tier 4 Planning Area Land Uses Low Density Residential Medium Low Density Residential Medium Density Residential Medlum High Density Residential High Density Residential Neighborhood Commercial Community Commercial General Commercial Light Industrial Heavyl Industrial Parks/Opens Space Public Facilities PreparedBy: PROVOST& PRITCHARD  MAINKS SPENCFLD DIUSA iiv VAALE  0.25 0.5 Miles  June 2021  Page 13 39    <  - 3 :  E 5  5 I  a  a    a 3S a a @ e e I 9 5 8 E 5 I I  @ E 8 @   - - I a 9 C @ C a -  0 @ e e I E E 9 @ E -  6 I  - - - a  L e -  - E  I  e 3 C    a  V    ec MonDa  I  B  C J I @ - C a 10 > e a 3 5 I  I  : : 0 9  3 &  a a  - - a  €  @    de I  €  de E 1 9 f 13  - V T  a E de lU a 9 @ a le @ @ E A € 0 de 6  C e 3 a C E n E a a $ 5 E 8 te DE 3 la o G la I  a  a    2  -   -  a  I  e - E 3  I @ ,  -  @  ) a 6  I  I  €  2    -  o - a I  2  o  A S  S  0 la o t E   5  - I  8 E C  G  0 - 2    00  a  2  9  f - I  5  U 8 E a S D e @ a e o  I  a  :  - 2  -  a    -  -  E  a  ) a  * a @ A - I 1 1  3 e E E  a 3 E 3 9 * a à  I  U C C 2  e    -  S e  o -  3 E  de a E  Im  a de e D n e  3 8 E 8 2 - bo  A 0 is 9 3 - 0 8 3 8 3 e U 0 0 6 L 1 A  de a  <  B 3 - I  - a 3 e  E a LE  e    2  3    3VM7 s5hh  0  3  3 9 & E  @ 5 m e 1S 8 E  6 L  I  0 a - 0  3  I       .  1 -  113933  i 55 :4 PhES  A  F : 4S  3  - -  D 1 a 6 e - , e a E - € A 8   e e 00 = 0O -  E 3 3 @  E a C 0 E  <    11  a 3  3  -  -  D E - @  - :  - - - - 3 de E D 8 @ a C o 9  <  a    E  A  - a    -  -::  -  *ss  3  .  4  2 5 I I  e   à  3    337353  B  F 1511 :  3  - < -  3 5 U 9 E I 1 0 1 I  €  C    9  d 3  < -  S @ 3 - I  U 0  0    9  :  :  -  e a = à  -  3 3 N 5  a - / N  I I    8  a <  X L I C -  o a N  A à    s  0  A  /  3  / - -    -  :  17 1i5 15-. -  an 8  A  e -  3 I  5 a a f E I $  E  E  8 a E 3  0 a E de - 3    6    a 3l  : : 51  3  -  n €  2 8 9 @ 8 2 8  I  @ E 00  8 9 I  I  B a  :  00 @  @ - @ 0 4 E  a    ..3445.  3  Lar  6 -  I  4  I  E  C  3S e lD t bo 0 1E 8 I  n  - a S  E :  00 a 3    1 :  a  3  8 5  B 3  a 3  8  8  @  3 0 R Y  3 e  E e  o     -  -  -  - -  -  A  o    -  s1 1CANr  5  6 E a  / - -  11 E I  <  3 de E 1 e a  E 9 3  6 -  0 a 5  a  a a  @ v  5  2 28      5 - 18    3  3 3  5  <  $  0 00  3 V -3 :  8  3  3 1  E  5  6  e a  @    a  0  2 - -  -  M  2