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City of Torrance Land Use Element and Safety Element Update
The City of Torrance has begun the process of updating the City’s Land Use Element and Safety Element to be consistent with the goals and programs established in the 2022 Housing Element Update (6th Cycle) and 2021 Strategic Plan, as well as ensuring compliance with current State law. The updated Land Use Element will reflect the policies and programs identified in the recently adopted existing Housing Element to provide a range of housing opportunities in the City. Concurrently, the Safety Element will be updated pursuant to Section 65302 of the California Government Code to provide updated policies addressing natural and man-made hazards and will integrate environmental justice goals and policies.
What is a Land Use Element?
The Land Use Element is one of the 10 State-required ‘elements’ or chapters that comprise the City’s General Plan and includes goals, policies, and programs to define and regulate the development of residential, commercial, industrial, open space, and public uses in the City of Torrance. Key features of the Land Use Element include:
- Land use policy map and designations
- Designation of land use categories
- Urban design and landscape standards
- Policies, programs, and quantified objectives
- Analysis of relationship with existing City documents including the City’s Municipal Code
What will be updated?
Updating the Land Use Element is a focused effort to ensure consistency with the programs and objectives established within the Housing Element. The undertaking will maintain the current framework of the element while updating specific text and figures necessary for successful implementation of the Housing Element.
What is a Safety Element?
The Safety Element is also one State-required ‘elements’ or chapters that comprise the City’s General Plan and includes goals, policies, and programs to minimize future natural and human-caused hazards and/or disasters. Key features of the Safety Element include:
- Defining response to natural hazards and man-made hazards objectives and policies
- Creating emergency response and public safety measures
What are the anticipated changes?
The Safety Element is required to be updated to address current topics such as fire hazards, climate adaptation, and resiliency strategies per Government Code Section 65302, established by Senate Bill 379 (SB 379). The purpose of addressing these relevant issues in the Safety Element update is to create policies that relate to identifying hazards and emergency response priorities as well as mitigating and avoiding hazards. The Safety Element update will include updated goals, policies, and objectives based on and in alignment with the County of Los Angeles All-Hazards Mitigation Plan (2020) vulnerability assessment.
Addition of Environmental Justice Policies
Communities may include underrepresented neighborhoods that experience unsafe living conditions, such as harmful pollutants or unequitable access to healthy food options, due to potentially discriminatory land use policies. To address issues related to environmental justice, Senate Bill 1000 (SB 1000) was enacted to require cities to update General Plan documents to address potential inequalities that exist within current policies. Additionally, SB 1000 requires cities to conduct public outreach and engagement activities to provide transparency regarding existing policies and ask residents for input to inform policy changes and strategies.
Where will the environmental justice policies be added?
Environmental justice goals, policies, and objectives are intended to be incorporated into the updated Safety Element within relevant topic sections. The objectives and policies may include language to assist in reduction of pollution exposure, improvement of air quality, and promotion of public facilities, food access, safe and sanitary homes, and physical activity.
Have Questions or Comments?
Contact Community Development Department Staff at the following:
Call 310-618-5990 or via email CDDinfo@TorranceCA.Gov
Kevin Joe, Planning Associate – KJoe@TorranceCA.Gov
Adrian Perez, Planning Associate – APerez@TorranceCA.Gov
Carolyn Chun, Lead Planning Associate - CChun@TorranceCA.Gov
Oscar Martinez, Planning Manager - OMartinez@TorranceCA.Gov
via mail: 3031 Torrance Boulevard Torrance CA 90503
Process and Timeline
The Land Use Element and Safety Element update process will entail research and analysis, community engagement, and public review and adoption. The City has initiated the update process which is anticipated to take approximately one year. Upcoming community engagement activities to provide information and collect feedback for these updates are anticipated to include pop-up outreach events, a community workshop, and an open house. Study sessions with decision makers are also planned. Community feedback will shape the development of recommendations and draft documents.
If you would like to receive notifications on the status of these update efforts and future events, please send an email to CDDinfo@torranceCA.gov.
Additional Resources
City of Torrance General Plan
- Land Use Element: https://www.torranceca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/2716/636302127515030000
- Safety Element: https://www.torranceca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/2724/636302127533630000
- Housing Element: https://www.torranceca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/78524/638041967311100000
County of Los Angeles All-Hazards Mitigation Plan