As part of the Visión Salinas 2040 General Plan Update, the City is updating its Land Use Element. The purpose of the Land Use Element is to describe present and planned land uses and their relationship to the community’s long-range goals for the future. The Land Use Element was last updated in 2002, and is required by the State of California. This update will help accommodate Salinas’ projected growth, which is expected to increase by 15,000 people by the year 2045.

As required by the State, the City of Salinas must demonstrate efforts to plan for the current and projected housing needs. The State and regional planning organizations determine a region's housing needs, known as the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). Salinas is required to plan for 6,674 new homes by 2031. The Land Use Element will help identify opportunity sites for new housing, as there is a lack of vacant land within the City limits. 

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Salinas is an urban island surrounded by a sea of agriculture fields. Because of the local industry, vacant land to develop is difficult to find. For the most part, the City is entirely built out across its city limits, besides flood-prone Lower Carr Lake and the Future Growth Area. Therefore, to meet the current and future demands for housing the City must identify infill sites. 

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Through this General Plan Update, the City is proposing a new approach to land use designations and corresponding land use map that aims to create and reinforce quality places where people want to live, work, play, and learn. The Draft Place Types (full descriptions here) and Place Type Map were developed from community feedback received at the seven (7) land use workshops, Working Group and Steering Committee meetings, and the Community Design Workshop.  Draft Place Types incorporate land use policies and recommendations of other recent planning documents including the Alisal Vibrancy Plan and the Economic Development Element. In general, residents and stakeholders wanted to see more housing and mixed-use development, sufficient area for businesses to grow, and a variety of entertainment and recreation opportunities for all ages.

What does this mean?

• Some areas of the city will be open to new development opportunities

• existing businesses may become 'legal non-conforming'

• Legal non-conforming businesses continue to operate as normal until property owner wants to change use

• Existing businesses will not be required to close down

• Property will not immediately be redeveloped