The purpose of this Chapter is to establish procedures for the Planning Commission to prepare and the City Council to adopt a comprehensive, long-term General Plan for the physical development of the City of Santa Monica. This Chapter also establishes procedures for adoption of Specific Plans for the systematic implementation of the General Plan for all or part of the City area covered by the General Plan. The planning principles, goals, objectives, policies, standards, and proposals contained in the adopted General Plan and any adopted Specific Plans must be considered by the City Council in allocating community resources including, but not limited to, the expenditure of City funds pursuant to the City Charter and Municipal Code.
(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015)
The General Plan must consist of a statement of development policies and shall include a diagram or diagrams and text setting forth planning principles, goals, objectives, policies, standards, and plan proposals. The General Plan must be a statement internally consistent, and compatible with City policies that accommodate local conditions and circumstances, while meeting the minimum requirements of the state law. The General Plan shall contain each of the Elements required by state law and such other elements that the City Council deems appropriate. The General Plan may be adopted as a single document or as a group of documents relating to subjects or geographic segments of the planning area (Area Plans).
(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015)
It shall be the function and duty of the Planning Commission, with the assistance of the Director of Planning, to prepare and recommend that the City Council adopt the General Plan, including any, all, or any combination of the Elements. In preparing the General Plan, or any element of the General Plan, the Planning Commission shall take such steps as they deem necessary or as the Director of Planning recommends. The General Plan guidelines prepared by the Governor's Office of Planning and Research must be considered in preparing or amending the General Plan. During the preparation or amendment of the General Plan, or any element thereof, the Planning Commission must provide opportunities for involvement of residents, workers, public agencies, public utility companies, and business, civic, educational, neighborhood organizations, and other community groups, through public hearings and any other means the Planning Commission or City Council deems appropriate. The General Plan and its Elements shall be prepared with the general purpose of guiding and accomplishing coordinated and harmonious development of the City which, in accordance with existing and future needs, best promotes the public health, safety, and general welfare, as well as efficiency and economy in the process of development.
(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015)
The City Council may amend all or part of the General Plan, or any Element thereof. Any Specific Plan or other plan of the City that is applicable to the same areas or matters affected by a General Plan amendment must be reviewed and amended as necessary to make the Specific Plan or other plans consistent with the General Plan.
(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015)
Except as otherwise provided herein, no mandatory Element of the General Plan shall be amended more frequently than 4 times during any calendar year. Subject to that limitation, an amendment may be made at any time, as determined by the City Council. Each amendment may include more than one change to the General Plan. The limitation on the annual number of amendments does not apply in the following circumstances:
A. 
A General Plan amendment requested and necessary for a single development of residential units, at least 25% of which will be occupied by or available to persons and families of low or moderate income, as defined by Section 50093 of the California Health and Safety Code. The specified percentage of low- or moderate-income housing may be developed on the same site as the other residential units proposed for development, or on another site or sites encompassed by the General Plan, in which case the combined total number of residential units shall be considered a single development proposal for purposes of this Section.
B. 
A General Plan amendment required by a court decision made pursuant to Article 14 (commencing with Section 65750) of the Government Code.
C. 
A General Plan amendment required by Government Code Section 65302.3(b).
D. 
A General Plan amendment required by Public Resources Code Section 30500(b).
(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015)
An amendment to the General Plan or any Element thereof shall be initiated in one of the following manners:
A. 
A resolution of intention initiated by the Planning Commission.
B. 
A resolution of intention initiated by the City Council directing the Planning Commission to initiate an amendment.
C. 
An application from a property owner or his/her authorized agent pursuant to Chapter 9.37, Common Procedures, provided that such application involves the development or modification of property located within the area affected by such amendment.
(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015)
A. 
Prior to recommending adoption or amendment of the General Plan or any Element thereof initiated pursuant to subsection 9.45.060(A) or (B), the Planning Commission must hold at least one public hearing. Notice of the hearing shall be given consistent with Chapter 9.37, Common Procedures. The Planning Commission must make a written recommendation whether to approve or disapprove the adoption or amendment of the General Plan or any Element thereof. A recommendation for approval must be made by a resolution carried by an affirmative vote of not less than a majority of the total membership of the Planning Commission. The Director shall promptly transmit to the City Council the Planning Commission's written recommendation, together with any maps, charts, studies, or other materials, including any required environmental analysis.
B. 
Prior to recommending amendment of the General Plan or any Element thereof initiated upon an application from a property owner pursuant to Section 9.45.060(C) and following any necessary investigation, a public hearing before the Planning Commission must be held and notice of such hearing given consistent with Chapter 9.37, Common Procedures. The Planning Commission must make a written recommendation on the proposed amendment whether to approve, approve in modified form, or disapprove. A recommendation for approval must be made by a resolution carried by an affirmative vote of not less than a majority of the total membership of the Planning Commission.
C. 
Planning Commission action disapproving a proposed General Plan amendment, initiated upon an application from a property owner pursuant to Section 9.45.060(C), may be appealed by any interested person, including a Commissioner or Councilmember, to the City Council provided such appeal is filed in writing within 14 consecutive calendar days of the Commission's action, pursuant to Section 9.37.130, Appeals.
(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015)
Prior to adopting or amending the General Plan or Element thereof, the City Council must hold at least one public hearing. Notice of the hearing shall be given pursuant to Chapter 9.37, Common Procedures. The City Council must adopt or amend the General Plan, or any Element thereof, by resolution carried by the affirmative vote of not less than a majority of the total membership of the Council. The City Council may approve, modify, or disapprove the recommendation of the Planning Commission, if any. The City Council may, but is not required to, refer any modifications to the Planning Commission for its recommendations.
(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015)
After the City Council has adopted all or part of the General Plan, the Planning Commission shall do the following:
A. 
Investigate and make recommendations to the City Council as appropriate regarding reasonable and practical means for implementing the General Plan or any Element of the General Plan, so that it will serve as an effective guide for orderly growth and development, preservation, and conservation of open space land and natural resources, and the efficient expenditure of public funds relating to the subjects addressed in the General Plan.
B. 
Provide a report to the City Council when requested by the Planning Commission or City Council on the status of the Plan and progress in its implementation.
(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015)
The City Council by resolution shall establish and from time to time amend a schedule of fees imposed for any amendment to the General Plan.
(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015)
Upon receiving an application for a Specific Plan or Specific Plan Amendment by any person living or owning property within the Specific Plan Area, or upon approval of the majority of the Planning Commission, the Planning Commission may, or if so directed by the City Council, must cause to be prepared Specific Plans or amendments thereto for the systematic implementation of the General Plan for all or a part of the area covered by the General Plan.
(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015)
A Specific Plan shall include text and a diagram or diagrams specifying all of the following in detail, and shall include a statement of the relationship between the Specific Plan and the General Plan:
A. 
The distribution, location, and extent of the uses of land, including open space, within the area covered by the Specific Plan;
B. 
The proposed distribution, location, and extent and intensity of major components of public and private transportation, sewage, water, drainage, solid waste disposal, energy, and other essential facilities proposed to be located within the area covered by the Specific Plan;
C. 
Standards and criteria by which development will proceed, and standards for the conservation, development, and utilization of natural resources, where applicable; and
D. 
A program of implementation measures including regulations, programs, public works projects and financing measures necessary to carry out the above paragraphs.
The Specific Plan may address any other subjects which in the judgment of the Planning Commission or City Council are necessary or desirable for implementation of the General Plan.
(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015)
Specific Plans shall be prepared, adopted, and amended in the same manner as the General Plan, except that a Specific Plan may be adopted by resolution or by ordinance and may be amended as often as deemed necessary by the City Council. No Specific Plan may be adopted or amended unless the proposed plan or amendment is consistent with the General Plan.
(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015; Amended by Ord. No. 2520CCS § 33, adopted June 14, 2016)
A. 
The City Council shall by resolution establish and from time to time amend a schedule of fees imposed for the adoption and amendment of any Specific Plan. The City Council, after adopting a Specific Plan, may impose a Specific Plan fee upon persons seeking governmental approvals which are required to be consistent with the Specific Plan. The fees shall be established by resolution pursuant to Chapter 9.37, Common Procedures, so that, in the aggregate, they defray, but as estimated do not exceed, the cost of preparation, adoption, and administration of the Specific Plan, including costs incurred pursuant to Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the California Public Resources Code.
B. 
Copies of Specific Plans shall be made available to local agencies and the general public. The City may charge a fee for a copy of a Specific Plan or amendments to a Specific Plan in an amount that is reasonably related to the cost of providing that document.
(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015)