Chapter 17.06 — AMENDMENTS TO THE GENERAL PLAN

Sections:

• 17.06.010 Purpose.

• 17.06.020 Initiation of amendment.

• 17.06.030 Applications.

• 17.06.040 Public hearing.

• 17.06.050 Considerations.

• 17.06.060 Modifications by city council.

• 17.06.070 Annual review.

The city council finds that the community is best served by having a general plan that is stable, widely understood, and accepted; and that such stability, understanding, and acceptance is jeopardized by too-frequent amendment of the general plan. While recognizing that the general plan evolves over time, the city council intends to limit the rate and manner of amendment to the general plan so that the community, individually and collectively, may make its own plans in reliance on a reasonable constancy of the general plan. The purpose of this chapter is to establish the procedures required for the adoption or amendment of the city’s general plan, including the general plan land use map and specific plan(s). (Ord. 23-4 § 5 (Exh. A))

• A. A general plan amendment may be initiated by:

  1. A majority vote of the planning commission or of the city council. Generally, initiation by the city council shall be a direction to the planning commission to initiate such an action;

  2. The community development director; and

The St. Helena Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 26-4, passed May 12, 2026.

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3. An application filed by a property owner or the owner’s authorized agent. All general plan amendments initiated by property owners must be processed for preliminary review pursuant to the provisions of Section 17.06.030, Applications.

B. Individuals or groups seeking to change the general plan land use classification independent of an application should contact the city council. (Ord. 23-4 § 5 (Exh. A))

A. Application. A completed application for a general plan amendment shall be submitted on a form provided by the community development department accompanied by the required fee at least thirty (30) days prior to the scheduled review date.

B. Application Review. Complete applications received for a general plan amendment shall be presented to the city council for preliminary review at the council’s first regularly scheduled meetings in March and September of each year. Following the review, the city council, at its discretion, may order the application to be further processed or may direct staff to cease processing the application. Any authorization to proceed does not imply in any way ultimate approval or disapproval of an application.

1. If the city council authorizes the application to be processed, it shall refer the matter to the planning commission, which shall hold public hearings pursuant to state law after the necessary environmental review process and staff analysis have been completed.

2. In the event the city council directs staff to cease processing an application pursuant to the provisions of this section, a new application for a general plan amendment involving substantially the same request for a parcel or area shall not be reviewed by the city council for at least one year after such direction.

3. Exemptions. Applications for general plan amendments shall be exempt from the provisions of this section if:

   • a. The application proposes only residential development and at least sixty percent (60%) of the planned residential units shall be affordable as defined in Chapter 17.32, Definitions of Terms; or

   • b. The city council finds for reasons documented in writing that it is in interest of the public health, safety, or welfare to allow the processing of the general plan amendment to proceed. (Ord. 23-4 § 5 (Exh. A))

The planning commission shall hold a properly noticed public hearing in compliance with Section 17.04.080, Public hearing notice, on all proposed amendments and make a recommendation to the city council, where a public

The St. Helena Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 26-4, passed May 12, 2026.

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hearing shall also be held prior to a final decision by the city council. The planning commission may recommend the approval, modified approval or denial of the proposed amendment. (Ord. 23-4 § 5 (Exh. A))

In reviewing general plan amendments, the planning commission and city council shall:

• A. Allow for consideration of elements not initially considered at the time of approval of the general plan;

• B. Reflect changes in goals, policy, physical, social, or economic conditions;

• C. Acknowledge when, due to naturally occurring physical constraints or changes, the anticipated land usage per the general plan is no longer feasible;

D. Take into consideration the consistency of the proposed amendment with the goals, policies and programs of the general plan, adopted planning commission (where applicable) and other existing city policies;

E. When considering the reduction of residential density, ensure compliance with California Government Code Section 65863 by either finding that the remaining sites identified in the housing element are adequate to accommodate the city’s share of the regional housing need or by identifying sufficient additional, adequate, and available sites with an equal or greater density so that there is no net loss in residential density; and

• F. Ensure that there is no net loss of potential housing units. (Ord. 23-4 § 5 (Exh. A))

The following provisions shall be observed when the city council determines to modify any proposed amendment to the general plan:

A. The city council may modify any proposed amendment by making nonsubstantive changes in the wording of a proposed text amendment. However, any substantive change proposed by the city council that was not discussed by the planning commission shall be referred back to the planning commission for a report and recommendation.

B. When the city council has referred a matter back to the planning commission, it shall report back to the city council within thirty (30) days after the date of the city council referral unless the city council specifically allows for a longer period of time for the planning commission report and recommendation. Where action cannot be taken within thirty (30) days by the planning commission, a longer period of time may be requested and the city council may at its discretion grant such a request. Although no additional public hearing shall be required, the planning commission may at its discretion hold a public hearing prior to a report and recommendation on any matter referred to it by the city council. (Ord. 23-4 § 5 (Exh. A))

The St. Helena Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 26-4, passed May 12, 2026.

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At least once a year, generally in January, the planning commission shall conduct a comprehensive review of the general plan map and text and report its findings to the city council. (Ord. 23-4 § 5 (Exh. A))