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A General Plan is a high-level, long-range planning document that serves as a roadmap for a city’s future growth and development. Each city in California, including Norco, has a General Plan that is periodically reassessed to address the community’s current and future needs. Norco’s 2050 General Plan will update and address topics ranging from land use to community character, to recreation, to economic development to transportation, to noise and safety. The existing General Plan for the City of Norco can be found here.

What is the Purpose of the General Plan?

The purpose of the General Plan is to guide land use planning and policy decisions and provide a “road map” for new development. It is intended as a communication tool for staff, decision makers & the public, answering such questions as:

What is the vision for the City?
What are our big priorities for the built environment?
How helpful is our General Plan in telling our story?

Why Update the City’s General Plan?

While the current General Plan has served the City well, some of the elements are over 20 years old. The update provides our community with the opportunity to hold a collective “conversation” about the future, tackle changing needs and local conditions, and address new state mandates.

The 2050 General Plan will include the following elements:

Land Use & Community Character

This required Element ensures that future private development and public improvements are planned, coordinated, and designed in a manner that preserves Norco’s lifestyle—including the development patterns, design character, land uses, activities, and services that support it—for current and future generations. It also establishes goals and policies to preserve and strengthen Norco’s defining qualities through the built environment, prioritizing maintenance, preservation, enhancement, improvement, and targeted placemaking in key areas so Norco can evolve while remaining true to its core values.

Circulation

This required Element establishes a multimodal transportation network that is “uniquely Norco,” including roadways, pedestrian-equestrian trails, bike facilities, sidewalks, and truck and transit routes on selected streets. It also establishes goals and policies that address congestion management, improved traffic flow, and enhanced safety outcomes for all modes, while preserving the unique character of Norco’s neighborhoods and commercial corridors.

Infrastructure and Facilities

This optional Element guides the provision of essential utility infrastructure (water, reclaimed water, wastewater, stormwater, energy, and telecommunications), public facilities and services, parks, recreational amenities, and event centers. This Element also establishes goals and policies that address the maintenance, improvement, and expansion of utility infrastructure. In addition, it addresses the management, maintenance, and enhancement of parks, recreational and event facilities, and the programming offered within them, as well as the provision of schools, libraries, solid waste and recycling services, and other public services necessary to serve the community.

Housing

This required Element analyzes Norco’s housing needs. It also establishes goals and policies to meet current and future housing demands for all members of the community, including low‑income households, individuals with disabilities, and those experiencing homelessness. It is the only Element that must be approved (“certified”) by the State of California and is updated on a separate eight‑year cycle. The current 2021–2029 Housing Element was certified in October 2022. Click here to see the 2021-2029 Housing Element.

Open Space and Conservation

This required Element addresses the conservation, development, and sustainable use of Norco’s natural resources, including but not limited to water, soils, natural gas, fossil fuels, renewable energy sources, and mineral deposits. Strategies to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change are also discussed. In addition, this Element provides guidance to preserve and enhance cultural, historic, and tribal cultural resources, as well as Norco’s natural open space, trails, and sensitive biological areas that are essential to the community’s environment.

Safety

This required Element establishes a comprehensive framework for protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the community from natural and human‑caused hazards. It guides land use planning, infrastructure investment, and community preparedness to reduce vulnerability, strengthen resilience, and support effective emergency response and recovery. Consistent with California Government Code requirements, it addresses hazardous materials, airport hazards, wildland and urban fires, seismic and geologic risks, flooding, emergency management, evacuation routes, and emerging hazards related to weather and climate change. It also establishes goals and policies to safeguard critical facilities and infrastructure, emphasize proactive risk reduction, ensure adherence to State and Federal standards, coordinate with regional agencies for an integrated approach to emergency management, and guide future development in reducing hazard exposure.

Noise

This required Element promotes a healthier, more livable environment by ensuring that noise is managed effectively in the planning and development process. It identifies existing and potential noise sources, including traffic, industrial activities, outdoor events, and construction. It also establishes goals and policies to address noise and vibration throughout the city, support effective noise management, and reduce exposure to excessive noise through measures such as updated zoning regulations, sound barriers, and building code enforcement.

Documents

General Plan Project Schedule (August 2026)

City of Norco, CA

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