San Pablo General Plan, EIR, and Housing Element

Dyett & Bhatia prepared the City of San Pablo’s 2030 General Plan, which established a new vision for the city, one that fosters mixed-use development along the city’s transportation corridors and enhances environmental quality in the city. The project also involved preparation of the Housing Element and a Specific Plan for San Pablo Avenue, the City’s principal commercial corridor. The General Plan included a standalone Health Element - one of the first in California - and was recognized with a National Award of Achievement from the American Planning Association.

Dyett & Bhatia is currently preparing the City of San Pablo’s sixth cycle Housing Element update as part of a targeted update to the General Plan. An important focus of the project is on developing and implementing strategies that promote higher density infill development, “missing middle” housing options, and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in single-family areas. The ongoing project involves a comprehensive community engagement strategy that features an interactive map-based online survey, pop up outreach at events around the community, housing stakeholder focus groups, and community meetings. Background research completed to date includes a housing needs assessment and an analysis of fair housing issues using a variety of publicly available data sources. The ongoing Update has also triggered updates to the Land Use and Safety Elements of the General Plan and preparation of a new Environmental Justice Element, which Dyett & Bhatia is preparing in parallel with the Housing Element. Dyett & Bhatia is preparing a focused EIR for the project, tiering from the 2011 General Plan EIR.