What is the difference between zoning regulations and the General Plan?
The State mandates that every city and county in California prepare and adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan for its physical development. A General Plan contains long-term goals and policies addressing a range of required topics (such as land use, transportation, housing, conservation and open space, among others). It includes a color-coded map generally showing areas where housing, business, mixed uses, parks, and public uses are envisioned in the future. Oakland’s General Plan also includes a map showing the areas where the current land use pattern is to be maintained, and areas where the pattern might change in the future. Zoning is intended to implement the General Plan by interpreting its policies and maps on a parcel level; it is much more specific and prescriptive than the General Plan.
