The General Plan is a blueprint for future growth for a City. This phase of the update is to show where the CIty could grow until 2050. The General Plan includes a set of policies, charts, maps, and other graphics which respond to state requirements and meet local conditions.
Every city and county in California must adopt a general plan, per State law. The State Office of Planning and Research (OPR) recommends that general plans be comprehensively updated every 10 to 15 years to reflect changes in community values, economic conditions, and emerging issues and challenges. However, with the exception of the Housing Element, there is no legal requirement from the State to regularly update the General Plan.
The City last comprehensively updated the Modesto Urban Area General Plan in 1995. While there have been targeted revisions to the document since then, a lot has changed in the past 25 years. The General Plan Update will provide an opportunity for the community to review the current policies and make changes that will guide Modesto through the next 25 years. Furthermore, the City will need to incorporate new information and policy guidance to remain compliant with current State law (see next question).
The State legislature regularly modifies or creates new general plan requirements. The requirements must be included at the next update of the General Plan. The following is a list of some, but not all, of the recent State legislation that must be addressed:
Over the past 40 years, 7 of the 9 incorporated Cities in Stanislaus County have grown significantly compared to Modesto. As a result, Modesto is losing economic opportunities to our neighbors. Other comparable cities, such as Manteca and Lathrop, have grown at a faster pace than Modesto and our city is behind economically. Expanding the City limits and attracting businesses and jobs and encouraging housing growth strengthens the City’s budget and provides more funding for police and fire services, road and transportation improvements, parks and open space, and other City services and amenities.
There isn’t enough vacant land within the City’s current Sphere of Influence to support needed growth. As part of the General Plan update, the City will consider expanding its Sphere of Influence, which gives the City the opportunity to plan for future growth in the right areas. The areas identified for potential growth are in addition to the infill and downtown revitalization projects the City already has underway.
No, if the City Council adopts an expanded Sphere of Influence it would then need to be approved by the Stanislaus Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO). Even then, areas in the expanded Sphere of Influence do not automatically become part of the City boundaries and are not automatically sites for development. Instead, they are identified as potential areas that could receive City services and could provide revenue to the City if they are annexed. Current City residents would benefit from enhanced City services made possible through growth and increased economic activity.
It is important to take a balanced approach when planning for the future and the City’s proposed land use alternatives leaves established communities intact. Mitigation measures will be put in place for agricultural land that is transitioned for housing uses. This includes options to either directly preserve farmland through conservation easements or pay in-lieu fees to an established, qualified, mitigation program to fund the acquisition and maintenance of such agricultural land.
The City has been proactive in its efforts to ensure sustainable use of surface water and groundwater, investment in new and updated infrastructure, strategic partnerships, and forward-thinking programs. Specifically, the City’s surface water and recycled water supplies have enabled in-lieu recharge, and significantly reduced reliance on groundwater pumping for municipal users.
In addition, the City has invested over $450 million in water infrastructure over the past 25 years; with another $160 million planned. These efforts include replacing and upgrading aging water treatment and delivery systems, extending new water infrastructure, rehabilitating/replacing deficient wells, construction of new wells, and expansion of the MID Surface Water Treatment Plant. The City also owns and operates two wastewater treatment facilities which have capacity for additional collection and treatment under each land use alternative.
Prior to the approval of any development, the City will approve the storm water drainage system and the developer will be responsible for construction of the storm drain system. In addition, reviews will ensure that both the Modesto Fire Department and Modesto Police Department can provide service to additional areas.
The General Plan has a chapter devoted to economic development with policies designed to increase economic opportunities, provide sufficient land supply for these opportunities, and develop infrastructure (like roads, street lights, and public transit) to support economic development opportunities. The General Plan Update will revisit these existing goals, policies, and implementation actions to strengthen economic development opportunities in the city. The City seeks to provide more quality jobs and enhance economic opportunity through the General Plan Update.
The General Plan determines how and where future growth and development may occur, and how growth will be managed to protect the quality of life in the city. It also serves as the foundation for zoning requirements, which specify how you can use your property and how your neighbors and others can use their properties. Moreover, the General Plan specifies how the City will make decisions about important issues that affect all of us, like traffic, jobs, housing, environmental quality, natural hazards, and public services, including how to prioritize improvements and investments related to these issues. Other specific ways that the General Plan could affect you are:
We encourage you to get involved so the General Plan will include your ideas and vision for Modesto’s future.
The City held three community meetings on December 16, 17, 18 as part of the General Plan update process and encouraged residents to attend. This round of community meetings provided an opportunity to review three proposed land use alternatives—an important step in the planning process. If you were not able to attend the community meetings you can view the materials here. Please submit feedback by December 31, 2025 to GP-Modesto2050@modestogov.com. Residents can also reach out to the City at any time with questions
The City wants to hear from everyone, including underrepresented communities, so that their needs are heard and their vision is incorporated. The City will conduct outreach in all parts of Modesto to ensure that all voices and perspectives have the opportunity to shape the future of the city through the General Plan Update. In addition, the City will empower community leaders that can engage participants from specific geographies, cultural or demographic groups, or other backgrounds to act as ambassadors, helping to reach community members through these trusted connections.
The General Plan will reflect the community’s vision and priorities, and your voice is crucial to produce a Plan that establishes a shared vision for the City’s future. When you participate in the process through a workshop discussion, survey, online activity, or comment at a public hearing, your comment will be documented and compiled as part of a summary from that event. City staff will look to that input for guidance when drafting components of the General Plan, and we will share that input with decision-makers, like the Planning Commission and City Council, for consideration when we ask for their direction at key milestones.
The General Plan is being led by staff from the Community and Economic Development Department. Jessica Hill, Director of Community and Economic Development, is serving as the project manager, and can be reached at GP-Modesto2050@modestogov.com or at (209) 577-5267. The City also selected a multidisciplinary consultant team that is led by PlaceWorks, and supported by Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group, Iteris, Inc., BAE Urban Economics, and KP Public Affairs.
The General Plan process will be ongoing and take approximately six years to complete. The General Plan is expected to be adopted in Spring 2027. Check out the project timeline on the Project Components and Schedule page.
Sphere of Influence: represents a growth plan that outlines areas in which the City could serve in the future.
LAFCO: The Stanislaus Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) is responsible for coordinating logical and timely changes in local governmental boundaries, adopting Spheres of Influence for each city and special district within Stanislaus County, and preparing Municipal Services Reviews for agencies within its purview.
Annexation: the process in which land becomes incorporated into the City of Modesto.