Page 16 - City of El Centro :: Winter 2021 Community Newsletter

General Plan 2040 Update
The City of El Centro is updating its General Plan to reflect the City’s future vision for the next 20 years. Every city is required to have a General Plan which is a big-picture policy document that provides a vision for our City’s future. These plans are updated every 15 to 25 years to reflect changes to the community. The project is being funded by a Caltrans Sustainable Communities Grant to update the Land Use, Mobility and Environmental Justice Elements. These plans, led by the City of El Centro and Caltrans, seek to improve the livability, sustainability and connectivity of the residents of El Centro.
The current update to the General Plan is titled “El Centro 2040” representing the planning period ending in 2040. The Land Use Element tells the City where and how different types of land use should be allowed. The Mobility Element outlines the transportation network for different types of travel within El Centro. The Environmental Justice Element identifies ways that the City can address pollution and other environmental concerns that impact people within El Centro.
A fundamental component of the plan are five Opportunity Areas throughout El Centro. The Land Use Element will provide policies and goals focusing on these Opportunity Areas with the vision of revitalizing existing areas or encouraging sustainable development in future growth areas. This is in addition to citywide goals and policies.
The Mobility Element will also include a citywide Thoroughfare Plan for major roadways in El Centro such as Imperial Avenue, 4th Street, and Dogwood Avenue among others. It will concentrate on ambitious improvements for vehicle, pedestrians, and bicyclists. In addition, it will incorporate beautification improvements like landscaping and signage.
Work on the El Centro 2040 update began in October of 2019 and will be completed by May 2021. Public input on the project is led by the Community Advisory Committee, a group of sixteen community members that have held several meetings to discuss the individual elements. Also an online public meeting attended by over 90 people was also held regarding changes to what uses are allowed in Downtown El Centro. Please visit www.elcentro2040.com for more information.
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