ABOUT

Importance of Updating a General Plan

Located in the foothills of Ione Valley, the City of Ione has a rich past steeped in agriculture, railway transport and general goods. Throughout the years, the City has made a name for itself as a quaint, harmonious town that thrives on tradition and community togetherness. As the General Plan Update is processed, community input will be important for preserving the current quality of life while facilitating the City’s growth for a thriving future.

Through active participation with key decision makers at public meetings, residents can have a direct impact on the vision and goals achieved with this important community plan.

What Is a General Plan?

A General Plan is a blueprint which outlines the required elements needed to create a thriving, well-balanced and sustainable community. The Ione General Plan Update will be a significant tool for preserving the historic foundation upon which the City was developed, while also creating a community future generations will want to call home.

The following key issues will be addressed in the General Plan Update:

• Land Use — Ensures land is properly allocated for the purpose of urban revitalization, commercial facilities, agriculture and schools.
• Circulation — Addresses commuting and travel-related issues for residents, including air and land transportation.
• Housing — Addresses housing needs for all economic groups in the community.
• Natural Resources — Addresses water conservation, management of soil conditions and maintenance of other natural resources.
• Open Space and Recreation — Addresses effective ways to use open space and recreational facilities to meet community needs.
• Community Character — Addresses preservation of the historical charm and unique character of the City.
• Health and Safety — Ensures the City is equipped to maintain public safety and handle potential natural disasters.

General Plan Contents

California state law requires every city and county to adopt and regularly update their general plans. General plans typically include seven key elements: land use, circulation, housing, conservation, parks, trails and open space, community character, and health and safety.

These elements are outlined as follows:

The land use element covers population and employment, agricultural preservation, growth management, zoning, downtown revitalization and locations for homes, businesses, schools and facilities for mixed use and public use.

The circulation element identifies existing and future travel demands, traffic patterns, air transportation, the allocation of commercial and industrial roads and recreational trails. This element must correlate with land use.

The housing element is a comprehensive assessment of current and projected housing needs for all economic segments of the community. It sets forth local housing policies and programs to implement those policies.

The conservation element addresses the conservation, development and use of natural resources including water use, water conservation, soil conditions and surface to groundwater resources.

The park, trails and open space element details plans and measures for preserving open space for natural resources, the managed production of resources, protection and beautification of existing open spaces and outdoor recreation.

The community character element identifies the aesthetics within the environment such as views, scenic highways, historic structures and cultural entities which are specific to the City of Ione. Certain undesirable traits are also addressed that include noise, odors, light and glare.

The health and safety element addresses how the community prepares for and handles natural disasters such as flooding, hazardous substances and materials and potentially threatening situations that affect Homeland Security.

General Plan Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is comprised of two members from each of the following departments: The City Council, the Planning Commission, and the Parks and Recreation Commission.

Executive Committee
Andrea Bonham
Lee Ard
Joe Wylie
Mike McDermed
Rosemary Johnson
Fraser West