El Rio

During the recent General Plan Update,  the Board of Supervisors approved the update of the El Rio/Del Norte Area Plan, which is the first comprehensive update in two decades. This update is required under General Plan Land Use Element Program F, (LU- F), which ensures that the County shall review and periodically prepare a comprehensive update to each of the Area Plans to ensure that they reflect community needs and expectations. Additionally, the plan’s technical information and goals, policies, and programs will also be updated to reflect changing conditions and to ensure consistency with State laws and the General Plan.
There will be visioning and community outreach throughout the project. The Area Plan Update will cover topics such as Housing, Water, Land Use Compatibility, Healthy Communities, Environmental Justice, and more.

Background

The County adopted the El Rio/Del Norte Area Plan in 1980 and prepared a comprehensive update in 1996. The County subsequently amended the Area Plan in 2011. As part of the 2040 General Plan Update process, the County updated this El Rio/Del Norte Area Plan.
Please see the links below for relevant documents:

Project Schedule

The following list identifies the tentative schedule for the El Rio/Del Norte Area Plan Update:
  • The General Plan calls for the El Rio/Del Norte Area Plan Update to be completed before 2025.
  • Public outreach meetings and workshops will take place periodically through 2023 and 2024.
  • Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors adoption hearings for the El Rio Area Plan Update are tentatively scheduled for the Summer or Fall of 2024.
  • This webpage will be updated as public outreach and adoption hearing dates are scheduled.
For inquiries on this item, or to sign up for notifications, please contact: Donald Nielsen, Case Planner, at 805-650-4047 via e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..