Plan Orinda
Between 2019 and 2023, the City of Orinda embarked on multiple long-range planning efforts that will shape the future of Orinda. On January 31, 2023, the Orinda City Council adopted the Plan Orinda project. Since adoption, the City has been working on implementing the goals, policies, and actions of Plan Orinda.
Downtowns are seen as cultural icons, often serving as a community’s heart, its town center, and its commercial core. The complexities of a downtown demand special attention, and Orinda’s downtown is no exception. The intent behind the planning effort for Orinda’s downtown — the Downtown Precise Plan (DPP) — is to ensure that new investment supports and maintains what the Orinda community values.
Housing is a vital component of every community. Since 1969, housing elements have been a requirement of all cities and counties in California. Housing Elements provide analysis and strategies to meeting the housing needs for residents of all income levels. The Housing Element is the city’s framework for housing goals and policies over an eight year period.
The link between land use and local safety planning is known as the Safety Element. The goal of the Safety Element is to reduce the potential short and long-term unreasonable risk of death, injuries, property damage and economic impacts resulting from natural and human-made hazards. Safety Elements identify hazards and hazard abatement provisions to guide local decisions related to zoning, subdivisions and entitlement permits.
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
The Plan Orinda project (Downtown Precise Plan, Housing Element, and Safety Element) has the potential for future environmental impacts. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires public agencies to consider environmental impacts of a project before making a decision. A Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was prepared to analyze the potential impacts of the Plan Orinda project.
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