Public Review of General Plan Elements
Let’s shape the future of Newport Beach together!
After almost 20 years, the City of Newport Beach has embarked on updating the cities Comprehensive General Plan. The General Plan Update is not just a document; it is a visionary roadmap that will shape the future of Newport Beach, ensuring sustainability, resilience, and prosperity for generations to come. Through extensive community engagement and innovative urban planning, this project will empower us to build a city that reflects our collective values and aspirations. Join us on this exciting journey towards a brighter, more vibrant, and resilient future for our city. Together, we will create a General Plan that lays the foundation for a city we can all continue to be proud of.
This webpage is dedicated to the General Plan Update and keeping the community informed and engaged. It will continue to be updated with new information, community events, and other pathways to get engaged. Sign up for the newsletter below.
Public Review | 2050 General Plan Element Drafts
What is a General Plan?
The General Plan combines vision and policy to create a framework for decision-making to guide the future of Newport Beach.
The General Plan contains a vision that describes a shared image of the desired future, goals that set values and direction, policies that guide decision-making, and an implementation program to help identify specific actions to realize the vision, goals, and policies. Each goal has associated policies aimed at addressing the intent of the goal, and each policy has a reference to one or more implementation actions.
How is the General Plan used?
The City Council uses the General Plan to guide their decisions, City staff uses the General Plan as a reference to guide City priorities, and the community uses the General Plan to provide input to decision makers and understand Citywide values and direction.
What's Next?
Goals and policies outlined in the General Plan are addressed in each of its Elements. The General Plan is comprised of ten elements, eight of which are currently being updated. Three elements are currently available for public review and comments!How did we get here?
Over the past three years, hundreds of thoughtful responses from Newport Beach residents and community members, collaboration with the 24-member General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC), and background analysis from Phases One and Two, informed the draft elements for the 2050 General Plan. Input opportunities included pop-up events, community workshops, citywide notifications, digital engagement, and collaboration with the GPAC.
Community Events
The General Plan Update process provides an opportunity for community members to discuss and weigh in on the city’s future! There will be a variety of community events and we hope you join us. Learn more by clicking on the events listed below or get engaged by looking at the full calendar of events! The workshops have concluded and the presentation is available for review.
What's Next?
In October 2025, the City of Newport Beach will host two open houses, one in-person and one virtual, to share the draft elements, goals, and policies, and receive public comment. Dates will be finalized soon.
Events are subject to change.
-
Phase Two Outreach Summary
The success of the General Plan Update relies on the involvement of community members, residents, property owners, and other stakeholders, like you, in shaping and forming the vision, goals, and policies of the General Plan. Phase Two was conducted from September 2024 to January 2025. Input and feedback from community members like you are summarized in this document.
Check it out to learn more about what was heard from the Newport Beach community!
General Plan Update Steering Committee & General Plan Advisory Committee
The City Council has established a General Plan Update Steering Committee (GPUSC) and a General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC). The GPUSC is a three-member Brown Act Committee appointed by the City Council. The GPUSC reports to the City Council, sharing recommendations from the GPAC. Appointed on November 15, 2022, the GPAC includes up to 30 representatives from the Newport Beach community and has nine subcommittees, which include the Outreach Subcommittee. The role of the GPAC and its subcommittees is to:
- Ensure sufficient public outreach and stakeholder input regarding the update to the General Plan;
- Review and provide guidance to City staff and its consultant(s) on changes to the General Plan goals and/or policies as part of the update process that are deemed necessary or advisable to reflect the community's vision for the city; and
- Make recommendations to the GPUSC regarding changes to General Plan goals and/or policies.
GPAC and GPUSC meetings are open to the community for public comment. Meetings are scheduled monthly, typically on the first and third Wednesday of the month. Dates are subject to change. In addition, GPAC Subcommittees are scheduled on an as-needed basis and open to the community. Learn more on the City of Newport Beach website or in the resource library.
Check back for an update on the next GPAC and GPUSC Meeting!
Tuesday, September 16, 2025 5:00 pm
General Plan Advisory Committee Meeting
Civic Center Community Room
Timeline
Frequently Asked Questions
A General Plan is a long-term document that acts as a guide for future development and is used as the foundation for decision-making on the physical development of a community. The General Plan is required by State law and is used by local governments to make decisions about land use, housing, transportation, infrastructure, and parks, among other issues. While planning horizons vary, it typically sets direction for the next 20-30 years.
General Plans are required to address land use, transportation of goods and people, housing, the conservation of resources, the preservation of open space, noise, and safety in chapters of the General Plan that are referred to as “elements.”
A General Plan contains goals that set values and direction, policies that guide decision-making, and programs to carry out the actions needed to achieve the goals.
While many community members are unaware of the General Plan’s role, it affects every person in Newport Beach by shaping the places where we live, work, and play. Therefore, it is essential that the General Plan reflect the needs and desires of the community so that Newport Beach grows and is preserved according to a shared vision for the future. The General Plan Update process includes an extensive outreach program consisting of surveys, events, workshops, advisory committees, and this interactive website to establish community needs and desires for the future of Newport Beach.
A General Plan update may have many benefits for the community, including preserving and enhancing quality of life, guiding economic growth, providing direction for housing decisions, clarifying the decision-making processes of the City, promoting positive changes for public health and sustainability, protecting open spaces and natural resources, and developing approaches to address wildfires and other natural hazards.
The General Plan Update process provides an opportunity for community members to discuss and weigh in on the city’s future. There will be layered opportunities for the community to participate, learn about the General Plan Update process, and provide invaluable input. Outreach will remain flexible and adaptable to what works best for the Newport Beach community. We encourage you to take advantage of the many opportunities to participate, including visiting a pop-up event, attending an open house, and completing online surveys.
The City of Newport Beach General Plan is currently being updated to respond to social, economic, and environmental changes, and to comply with new State laws. Nearly 20 years have passed since the last General Plan was adopted and Newport Beach is presented with many new issues and opportunities. Therefore, the General Plan must be updated to reflect the ever-changing needs and desires of the community.
The City’s Housing Element for 2021-2029 was prepared starting in late 2019 over the span of 50 different public meetings and workshops. It was adopted by the City Council in September 2022 and certified as compliant with State law by the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The Land Use Element is currently undergoing a separate but parallel update as part of the Housing Element Implementation Program to support housing production in the focus areas identified by the Housing Element. In accordance with State law, the City is required to complete the implementation by February 2025.
General Plan Elements
Learn More About the General Plan Elements - What is a General Plan?
Contact Us
Have questions or want to learn more about a project, contact us below:
| gpupdate@newportbeachca.gov |
