Newport Beach City Council to establish steering committee for general plan, discuss housing update

With the housing element update close to completion, the Newport Beach City Council will be considering establishment of a steering committee for the restart of the comprehensive general plan update.

The city in 2019 initially began the process for a comprehensive update to the general plan — a document that serves as the city’s planning blueprint and covers elements such as land use, traffic circulation, housing, public safety and open space — but needed to redirect resources to focus on the revision of the housing element.

The last comprehensive update to the general plan was done in 2006.

If the City Council approves, the steering committee is expected to be small, just three members who will be tasked with shaping the scope and overseeing the future policy advisory committee while making periodic reports.

An additional policy advisory committee is expected to be formed on recommendations given by the steering committee, but is expected to include 20 to 30 members of the community. They will be responsible for recommending changes to specific general plan policies and goals. That panel would report to the steering committee.

Staff will also be presenting recommended changes to the draft housing element — which details housing plans and policies within city borders — based on comments from the state’s department of housing and community development during study session.

Local jurisdictions are expected to update the element every five to eight years. The housing element update was supposed to be adopted by mid-October, but the state provides a grace period of 120 days.

The City Council will also be reviewing the contract of City Manager Grace Leung on Tuesday night.

Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber.