The present City of Orange General Plan was adopted in 1989. Over the past 15 years, both the City and surrounding region have experienced significant growth and change. These changes have had implications on the physical, environmental, economic, social, and demographic characteristics of Orange. Community priorities have also changed during this time.

Early in 2004, the Community Development Department commenced a comprehensive update to the City's General Plan. The General Plan is a “blueprint” that documents the City's vision and provides goals, policies, and implementation measures that can be utilized by City staff and decision makers to proactively influence physical growth and change in a manner consistent with this vision. Private individuals and businesses seeking to invest in development or redevelopment within the City also use the General Plan. The comprehensive General Plan update will provide the City with the opportunity to craft an up-to-date community vision and establish a multi-disciplinary strategy for achieving that vision in the context of the land use, circulation, housing, open space, conservation, safety, noise, historic preservation, growth management, and urban design elements. Through public input and the integration of modern-day planning principles, an updated General Plan will enable the City to better define its image and position within the region, allow its commercial districts to better compete in the local and regional marketplace, maintain and reinforce existing neighborhood values, address local and regional environmental issues, and thus provide a better quality of life for the citizens of Orange.

Updating the General Plan is an important and complex effort that will take approximately two years to complete. In the coming months, the public will have opportunities to participate in the process and provide input on the community vision and General Plan through a series of community workshops, as well as the City's website. These events will be publicized on the City's website, in future editions of the Orange Progress, in local newspapers, and at the City's posting locations (City Hall, Main Library, and Police Department). You may also obtain information about the comprehensive General Plan update by contacting Anna Pehoushek in the Advance Planning Division at (714) 744-7220. Please click on the logo below to visit the General Plan website.