Frequently Asked Questions

California law requires each City and County to adopt a comprehensive long-term General Plan for its physical development and update it periodically. A City's General Plan is its blueprint for the future and, through appropriate goals, policies, and programs, it serves as a decision-making tool to guide future growth and development. It addresses issues that impact the entire city, such as how land is used, where buildings are constructed, the locations of roads and parks, and how to keep the City safe and resilient. All city plans, zoning, and private development must be consistent with the diagrams and policies in the General Plan.

Temecula’s General Plan was initially adopted in 1993 and last comprehensively updated in 2005. However, there has been a great deal of change since 2005, including significant population and economic growth and new content requirements for General Plan Updates that must be addressed to comply with current State law.

In anticipation of the General Plan Update, the City has undertake various efforts to help set the stage for this comprehensive planning process.

Housing Element (6th Cycle 2021 – 2029)
The Housing Element serves as Temecula’s blueprint for meeting the housing needs of city residents at all economic levels and addresses segments of the population with special housing needs.

Quality of Life Master Plan (QLMP) Update
The updated QLMP was developed through an extensive public outreach process and shaped by a Blue Ribbon Committee appointed by the City Council. The QLMP identifies the City’s seven Core Values: Safe and Prepared Community, Transportation Mobility and Connectivity, Healthy and Livable City, Economic Prosperity, Sustainable and Resilient City, Accountable and Responsive City Government, and Equity. These Core Values will serve as the foundation for the General Plan Update project.

Transportation Discovery Existing Conditions Report
The Transportation Discovery Existing Conditions Report provides a comprehensive assessment of the City’s current transportation infrastructure and conditions.

Community Opinion Survey
The Community Opinion Survey provides a statistically reliable understanding of citizen satisfaction, priorities, and concerns on a variety of services that the City provides. The 2021 Community Opinion Survey formed an integral part of the QLMP and helped to ensure the City’s priorities and goals remained aligned with citizen input. It is expected that the City will conduct an updated Community Opinion Survey in 2025.

Baseline Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory and Methodology
The City prepared a baseline greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory to support the Climate Action Plan (CAP).

Economic Development Report
The City has contracted with various economic planning consultants to assist in preparing micro- and macro-level economic reports to help inform the General Plan Update.

Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan identifies hazards facing the City, summarizes vulnerabilities in the community and assets at risk to hazards, and identifies hazard mitigation projects to reduce risks.

As part of the General Plan Update work program, a variety of important plans and reports will be prepared to help guide the City over the coming decades. These include:

Existing Conditions Report
The Existing Conditions Report will describe current conditions and regulations affecting the City associated with land use and growth, circulation and mobility, market trends, historic resources, community services and facilities, conservation, climate change, safety and noise, and environmental justice.

Visioning Report
The Visioning Report will record information obtained in community visioning workshops, stakeholder interviews, the Existing Conditions Report, City staff observations, and input from the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC), Planning Commission, and City Council and will serve as a tool to concentrate the community’s attention on pivotal issues and opportunities with significant policy implications.

Land Use Alternatives Report
The Land Use Alternatives Report will identify potential areas where change is necessary or desired, potential options for change areas, and General Plan land use categories. Land use changes (e.g., “alternatives”) will be analyzed to determine potential growth effects and the alternative’s consistency with the community’s vision.

Climate Action Plan
The Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAP) will outline steps to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate impacts on the City.

General Plan Document – The General Plan document will address all State-required General Plan topics (see below) and other topics of local importance, such as economic development.

Environmental Impact Report
The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be prepared to address all potential environmental impacts associated with implementation of the General Plan. The EIR will serve as a “tiering document” to facilitate streamlined environmental review of subsequent development, planning, and infrastructure projects undertaken in the City that are consistent with the General Plan.

General Plans are divided into “elements” (i.e., chapters) based on specific topics. There are mandatory elements that Temecula must include in its General Plan: land use, circulation, housing, conservation, open space, safety, noise, and environmental justice. Local governments can organize and format their General Plans however they desire, as long as the required elements are addressed. Cities can also choose to include additional elements at their discretion, such as public facilities, economic development, or community design. Each element of the General Plan will also include specific short-, medium- and long-term steps to implement its goals and policies.

It should be noted that the Housing Element of the City’s 2005 General Plan (“General Plan”) has been updated several times since 2005, in compliance with the State Housing Element law, with the most recent update from December 2022 for the 6th Cycle Housing Element. No updates to the current Housing Element are expected to occur because of the City’s General Plan Update.

The General Plan Update will take approximately two years, starting in mid-2025 and ending in mid-2027. During the first year, the team will evaluate existing conditions, identify and record community priorities, and draft the General Plan policy document. During the second year, the team will evaluate the General Plan and prepare an environmental impact report (EIR) to analyze and address potential impacts associated with the Plan.

The General Plan Update process provides an opportunity for community members to discuss and weigh-in on the City’s future. We encourage you to take advantage of the many opportunities to participate, including visiting a pop-up event, attending an in-person workshop or open house, and completing online surveys.

In order to collect community input in an open, engaging, and actionable way, the City has designed a series of community events where you will have the opportunity to participate in and be informed of the planning process. These include:

Visioning Open Houses
A series of Visioning Open Houses will be held in fall 2025 to introduce the community to the project and to provide an opportunity for the community to identify their vision, goals and priorities, and land use and transportation preferences for the General Plan Update. The dates and details of the Visioning Open Houses will be posted to this website, under the Get Involved tab, as they are available.

Workshops
The City plans to host several Workshops throughout the project to present and solicit feedback on key work products, in­cluding the Land Use Alternatives Report. The dates and details of Workshops will be posted to this website, under the Get Involved tab, as they are available.

Pop-Up Events
The City will have a table at several community events throughout the planning process to raise awareness about the General Plan Update and offer accessible, in-person opportunities for the community to participate in the process.

General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) Meetings
A General Plan Advisory Committee will meet periodically throughout the project to provide insight on specific issues, including setting a vision/community priorities, land use and economic development objectives, mobility planning, land use alternative ideas, infrastructure and sustainability, and comments on the draft General Plan.

Stakeholder Interviews
Interviews of groups and organizations that represent various local and regional issues that affect Temecula will be conducted to ensure that a broad range of perspectives are included early in the General Plan Update process. Feedback collected from interviews will be subject to additional input from the broader community.

Community Surveys and Polls
The City will conduct online surveys to provide additional opportunities for members of the public to provide input on key issues and give feedback to the City as draft documents are completed. 

Public Review Draft General Plan
The Public Review Draft General Plan and Environmental Impact Report will be made available to the entire community for review and feedback before the plan is finalized.

Planning Commission and City Council Hearings
The City will conduct public hearings and study sessions before the Planning Commission and City Council to consider the update to the General Plan.

The City of Temecula is committed to involving the community in the planning process. The General Plan Update process provides residents, businesses, and interested parties the chance to help guide the future of the community. A successful General Plan will reflect the community’s vision and priorities, and we believe that your voice is vital to producing a plan that will reflect your vision for the City’s future. Community input is needed to establish the long-term vision for Temecula and to identify key issues and priorities.

Public input from every engagement opportunity is meticulously reviewed and documented to ensure that planners, City staff, and decision-makers have a full understanding of public sentiment when drafting goals and policies. Public feedback on General Plan materials, including goals and policies, will be considered throughout the process.

City staff, elected and appointed officials, business owners, developers, and citizens can reference the General Plan for guidance on what the community values and what are its priorities.

Visit the Get Involved page to view the dates of upcoming meetings and community events. If you wish to be added to the City’s mailing list to receive project updates and invitations to community events, use the contact form to provide your information.

The General Plan Update process is an opportunity for community members to discuss the City’s future. There will be many opportunities to participate, including meetings, workshops, open houses, and public hearings. All community engagement opportunities will be posted on this webpage.