Yorba Linda's draft general plan lists city's 'build-out' numbers for low, medium, high density areas

One of the more interesting aspects of Yorba Linda's newly written General Plan – now in draft form – is an analysis of this city's anticipated growth and the “assumed build-out” for residential, commercial and industrial properties under existing land use policies.

The draft document, with 338 pages and 529 pages of appendices, has its next hearing at an Aug. 10 Planning Commission meeting, after hours-long discussion at a July 27 session, with possible City Council action scheduled Aug. 16.

City officials see the plan as “a long-term document that serves as a blueprint to guide the city's vision for land use and development over the next 20-plus years” and depict it as an expansion and update of the current 1993 plan.

The 1993 plan is the city's second, revising the original 1971 plan that established a low-density identity, which was voter-endorsed when placed on the 1972 ballot and approved 2,317 to 1,902 in a heated campaign.

The 2016 draft is considered “a minor amendment” because it “does not involve the rezoning of any property” or modify the current plan in a way that would trigger a public vote under the city's 2006 “right-to-vote” Measure B initiative, officials note.

Of course, such a massive document can't be summarized in one column, but readers might find the analysis of the city's eventual build-out informative, especially the residential figures.

The plan notes Yorba Linda's potential residential build-out could add 3,913 residences, consisting of single- and multi-family units, to the current 21,958 total. That includes development on land now in county territory but within the city's sphere of influence.

The plan also shows 72,244 square-feet of commercial development could be added to 14.5 vacant acres, supplementing the existing one million square-feet on 158 total acres in one of the city's three commercial-zoned areas.

And 1.8 million square-feet of non-residential space and 441 residential units could be added on 137 vacant acres in industrial manufacturing zoning, supplementing an existing 1.5 million square-feet on 275 total acres.

The most interesting numbers are in a breakdown of the city's five residential zones.

Low-density zones allow one unit per acre and now have a total 412 acres with 530 homes, with 31 more possible on 31 vacant areas. Medium-low density zones allow up to 1.8 units per acre and now have a total 2,356 acres with 4,031 homes, with 201 more possible on 112 vacant areas.

Medium-density zones allow up to three units per acre and now have a total 1,956 acres with 6,176 homes, with 168 more possible on 56 vacant acres. Medium-high density zones allow up to four units per acre and now have a total 1,169 acres with 5,791 homes, with 34 more possible on nine vacant acres.

Finally, high-density zones allow from four to 30 units per acre and now have a total 546 acres with 3,627 homes, with 2,365 more possible on 79 vacant acres.