Sierra County Municipal Code Ch. 21.05 Adoption and Amendments

The Sierra County general plan, community or area (collectively “general plan”) plan, may be amended or adopted as provided by this chapter and Cal. Gov’t. Code § 65350 et seq., whenever the Board of Supervisors determines that public necessity, convenience, or welfare would be served. Specific plans may be amended as provided by this section and Cal. Gov’t. Code § 65450 et seq. (Formerly 21.01)

An amendment to the general plan or a specific plan may be filed for the purpose of changing a plan’s designation boundary, text and/or requirements. (Formerly 21.02)

A. General Plan. Except as otherwise provided in Cal. Gov’t. Code § 65358, mandatory general plan elements shall not be amended more frequently than four times during any calendar year. Each amendment may include more than one change to the general plan.

B. Specific Plans. Specific plans may be amended as often as deemed necessary by the Board of Supervisors. (Cal. Gov’t. Code § 65453(a).) (Formerly 21.03)

The adoption or amendment to the general plan or a specific plan may be initiated by the Planning Director, the Planning Commission or the Board of Supervisors. Adoption and amendment requests from the public shall be filed using the forms provided by the Planning Department, shall be signed by the legal owner(s) of property affected by the proposed adoption/amendment, and shall include the filing fee set by the county fee schedule. (Formerly 21.04)

A. Processing. General plan or specific plan adoption/amendment applications necessary to accomplish rezonings or zoning text amendments, when possible, should be processed concurrently.

B. Planning Commission Hearing. After the completion of any environmental documents and public review periods required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the completion of a Planning Department staff report, the Planning Commission will provide notice and hold a public hearing pursuant to SCC Title 20. The purpose of the hearing shall be to receive testimony from persons interested in the proposed amendment, to consider the recommendations of the Planning Director and to adopt a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors. (Formerly 21.05)

The Planning Director, on behalf of the Planning Commission, shall submit a written report conveying the Commission’s recommendation on the proposed adoption/amendment to the Board of Supervisors giving the reasons for the recommendation and the relationship of the proposed adoption/amendment to affected elements of the general plan or other planning document. (Formerly 21.06)

The Board of Supervisors shall provide public notice and hold a public hearing pursuant to Title 20. The Board of Supervisors may approve, modify or disapprove the recommendation of the Planning Commission regarding proposed adoption/amendment to the Sierra County general plan or any approved specific plan.

A. Findings. The adoption or amendment to any approved specific plan requires that a finding be made by the Board of Supervisors that said proposed change(s) are consistent with all applicable provisions of the Sierra County general plan.

B. Adoption by Resolution. An amendment to the Sierra County general plan or other plan amendments shall be adopted by resolution. These resolutions shall take effect 30 days after approval. Amendments to specific plans shall also be adopted by resolution, unless the original specific plan was adopted by ordinance, in which case the amendment shall be by ordinance. The adoption of a specific plan shall be by resolution or ordinance as may be required by the circumstances. (Ord. 902, eff. 7/6/00. Formerly 21.07)