The 2050 General Plan is the City’s long-term roadmap for guiding future growth and development. The update reflects input gathered over several years through engagement with the City Council, Planning Commission, and Norco community. City departments have contributed extensively to help ensure the updated 2050 General Plan is a clear, practical, and useful guide for City staff, decision-makers, property owners, residents, and the development community.

The Public Review Draft updates the General Plan’s goals, policies, and supporting information to reflect the community’s vision for Norco over the next 25 years. Many policies—particularly those related to Norco’s core values, unique lifestyle, and community character—have been carried forward from the existing General Plan. Other policies have been added or updated to reflect current conditions, community priorities, best practices, and changes in State law. The City’s recently adopted core values, along with the intent and vision of the original General Plan, provide an important foundation for the update.

Because the existing General Plan is dated and its individual Elements were updated at different times, the 2050 General Plan represents a comprehensive update of the document. As a result, there is no redlined version showing individual changes. Instead, the Public Review Draft has been comprehensively updated and reorganized to create a more consistent and current framework for guiding Norco through 2050.

Chapter Reorganization and Enhancements

• New Chapters: Introduction (Chapter 1), Context (Chapter 2), Community Vision and Priorities (Chapter 3), and Infrastructure and Facilities (Chapter 6).
• Inclusion of Core Values definitions (Chapter 2) and consistent integration throughout the General Plan chapters.
• Incorporation of the Equestrian Historic District and Equestrian Landmark (Chapter 2).
• Identification of key opportunities, priorities, and strategies for six focus areas within the city where change is anticipated or prioritized, or where a site’s historic or environmental significance warrants more detailed guidance (Chapter 3).
• A strengthened focus on architectural design and placemaking, supported by visionary illustrations, design concepts, and a strong connection to the recently adopted Objective Development Standards emphasizing agrarian architectural character (Chapters 3 and 4).
• New analyses and policies in the Circulation Element (Chapter 5) responding to State law requirements, including Complete Streets, the safe systems approach, truck routes, and emergency evacuation planning, while maintaining a strong focus on the trail network.
• Consolidation of the Open Space and Conservation Elements into a single, complementary chapter (Chapter 8).
• Expanded analysis and updated policies in Chapter 9 (Safety Element) addressing evolving conditions and State law related to wildland/urban fire hazards, evacuation, and extreme heat.

Housing Element

The Housing Element (Chapter 7) is not included in the 2050 General Plan Update because Housing Elements are required by State law to be updated on a separate eight-year cycle. Norco’s current 2021–2029 Housing Element was adopted by the City Council on October 6, 2021, and remains in effect separately from this General Plan Update.

The Land Use Map (Chapter 4) establishes the general types of land uses anticipated throughout the city and provides the foundation for land use decisions under the General Plan. The 2050 General Plan Update includes several changes to land use designations and individual properties, as described below.

New Land Use Designations

• Open Space
• Public Facilities
• Commercial General

Consolidation of Prior Designations into Updated Designations

• Parks, Water Related, and Agricultural → Open Space
• Schools, Public Lands, and Institutional → Public Facilities
• Commercial Office → Commercial General

 Map-Specific Changes

• Sixth Street and North Hamner Gateway → Designated as Commercial Community
• Hillside Areas → Designated as Specific Plan
• Beacon Hill → Redesignated from Commercial General to Open Space
• Most remaining commercial parcels → Designated as Commercial General
• Norco College Site → Redesignated from Preservation and Development to Public Facilities
• With adoption of the updated 2050 General Plan, the provisions of the Gateway Specific Plan and Auto Mall Specific Plan, which were adopted in the early 1990s, will be transferred to the Citywide Zoning Code. Adjustments will be made as necessary to ensure compatibility with existing adjacent single-family neighborhoods.
• The active specific plans within the City of Norco will continue to include the Norco Hills Specific Plan and the Norco Ridge Ranch Specific Plan.

The Draft PEIR and Public Review Draft of the 2050 General Plan are available for public review beginning Friday, August 14, 2026. Written comments must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, September 28, 2026. Agency comments should include the name and email address of a contact person at the commenting agency.

Document Availability

The Draft PEIR and Public Review Draft of the 2050 General Plan are available for review online at www.norco.ca.us/GP2050 and at Norco City Hall, 2870 Clark Avenue, Norco, CA 92860. 

Comments

Written comments should be submitted to Colby Cataldi, Community Development Director, City of Norco, 2870 Clark Avenue, Norco, CA 92860, or by email to GP2050@ci.norco.ca.us. 

Public Hearings

The Planning Commission will consider the Project on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, and the City Council will consider the Project on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Both hearings will be held in the City Council Chamber, 2820 Clark Avenue, Norco, CA 92860.