National City, Calif. - Draft General Plan

Legal Disclaimer

Proposed General Plan 

In California, state law requires that each city adopt a long range “general plan.”  The general plan outlines a city’s vision for its future.  A general plan is like a blueprint for development over a period of several decades, and it provides the foundation for all land use and development policies in the city. Although the general plan is just a “vision” of the city, it is very important in later development and planning.  Once a general plan is adopted by the Planning Commission (and later the City Council), everything else must conform to it.  That means zoning and any area specific plans or redevelopment plans must be changed to follow what the general plan says. If your business is not part of the vision, you should say so and say that you want to be included!

According to California law, every city’s general plan must address several different topics, called “elements.”  The most important element in National City’s proposed General Plan is “Land Use and Community Character,” because it talks about how land in National City may be used, and how it may not be used.  Those uses are based on what kinds of residences and businesses National City would like to see, not what kinds of residences and businesses are currently there.  The proposed General Plan allows some kinds of commercial uses (like new and used automobile and truck sales and services), and some kinds of “service commercial” uses (like light manufacturing, wholesaling, and distribution).  However, National City’s proposed General Plan envisions mostly medium and high density residential development (condominiums), and mixed use development (buildings with retail, restaurant and office spaces on the ground floors and residential on the upper floors).

National City’s proposed General Plan lists policies and implementation measures that it will use to accomplish its goals, including: “phas[ing] out existing non-conforming uses” (proposed General Plan pg. 3-27); “continu[ing] to support the redevelopment and revitalization of downtown,” (proposed General Plan pg. 3-29); and “review[ing] and amend[ing] existing specific plans, . . . and the Redevelopment Plan as necessary to ensure consistency with the General Plan.”  (proposed General Plan pg. 3-39).  All this really means is getting rid of the homes and businesses that are currently in National City and replacing them with things like new condominiums, offices, and retail stores.

Area specific plans are incorporated into the general plan, so areas covered by specific plans are governed by both the specific plan and the general plan. If you have property in an area covered by a specific plan, both the general plan and specific plan are important for you.

If after reviewing the proposed General Plan you still have questions about how the changes will affect you, call the National City Planning Department at (619) 336-4310 and ask to speak to someone from the planning staff. It is very important that you understand how the changes will affect you before you go to the City Council hearing. The planning staff should be able to answer any questions you have.