Sonoma County General Plan Update

Sonoma County is working on a comprehensive update to its General Plan - our community’s roadmap for how we grow and change over the next 20 years. Known as General Plan Sonoma, this update will guide decisions on issues that impact important aspects of life in Sonoma County, including housing, jobs, transportation, parks, climate resilience, and the protection of natural resources. 

The update began in 2024 with the Community Visioning process, where we hosted over 50 in-person and online events and other engagement activities. This effort raised awareness, gathered feedback on key community priorities, and resulted in a draft vision and guiding principles for the future. Additional materials and reports from this phase can be found on our project's Documents & Reports page.

The County is now beginning the process of Policy Development. This multi-year process will build on the community vision by using technical information and continued public input to develop updated policies, goals, and maps to meet the present and future needs of the community. Permit Sonoma is now working to bring on a consultant team to support this work.

The result will be a new General Plan that reflects Sonoma County’s values and priorities, complies with state law, and serves as a blueprint for a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future.

Creating a Community Vision for the Future
The General Plan Outreach Dashboard provides an interactive, GIS-based view of community engagement throughout the Community Visioning process. It maps workshops, pop-up events, and other engagement activities across Sonoma County, offering an at-a-glance understanding of where and how residents have participated in this initial phase. Users can explore event locations, attendance trends, and basic demographic insights to better understand outreach efforts thus far. The dashboard reflects Permit Sonoma’s continued commitment to evidence-based planning, transparency, accessibility, and broad representation in shaping the County’s long-term land use policies. 

Link to full width version of outreach dashboard

A General Plan is a key policy document required for each city and county in California that guides decisions about land use. It helps shape how land is used based on community priorities and legal requirements. A General Plan typically includes a vision and guiding principles that reflect community values and underpin the plan as a whole.

The foundation of the plan is laid out in the goals, policies, objectives, and programs, which are organized by topic into chapters called “elements.” State law requires every General Plan to cover certain topics, including land use, mobility, housing, conservation, open space, noise, safety, and environmental justice. Sonoma County’s current General Plan – General Plan 2020 – includes optional chapters dedicated to Water and Agricultural Resources.

General Plans are intended to address land use issues for a 15–20 year planning timeline with general policies that address countywide issues. These broad policies are later implemented outside of the General Plan through zoning regulations, design standards, county service programs, capital improvement plans, and other policy and programmatic methods. Issues unique to specific communities may be addressed in a General Plan or through separate initiatives such as area plans, specific plans, or local guidelines.

General Plan 2020

Sonoma County's current General Plan can be found on our adopted long-range plans website. You may also review a printed copy at Permit Sonoma: 2550 Ventura Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.
We recently updated the Safety Element of the General Plan 2020 and created a new Environmental Justice Element. Both of these topics will continue to be refined during the General Plan Sonoma project.

The Sonoma County General Plan is the County’s long-range guide for growth, safety, open space, and community services.

For residents and property owners: The Plan shows the kinds of uses allowed around your home and outlines policies the County uses when reviewing development projects. It also describes how the County plans to:

• Improve roads, transit, and other ways we get around 
• Maintain parks, schools, police, fire, and other public services
• Protect open space and natural resources
• Reduce risks from earthquakes, wildfires, floods, and other hazards

For developers, new residents, or businesses: The Plan provides an overview of how the County approaches land use and development. It is a starting point for understanding community goals and expectations.

For decision makers and partner agencies: The Plan guides County Supervisors, the Planning Commission, and staff in making land use and infrastructure decisions. It provides the framework for the County’s Zoning Ordinance and identifies community infrastructure projects, services, and environmental sustainability initiatives that support Sonoma County’s quality of life. Other public agencies—from Caltrans to local school districts—also use the Plan when considering future projects in the County.

Sonoma County’s current plan, General Plan 2020, needs to be updated to reflect today’s conditions and comply with state law.  In Sonoma County, we recently updated the Housing Element and Safety Element and introduced the new Environmental Justice Element. During this comprehensive update, we will revisit those topic-focused chapters (elements), plus the other ones in our current General Plan (Land Use, Circulation, Conservation, Open Space, Noise, Water, and Agriculture).

The update process—called General Plan Sonoma—will align local land-use policies with community priorities and help shape housing, transportation, open space, safety, the economy, agriculture, natural resources, and infrastructure throughout the County.

The update will take place in several phases over about three years, with completion expected in 2028. Here's an overview of the process:

1. Understanding Existing Conditions: The process begins with a review of current conditions across Sonoma County, shaped by early community input. Findings are shared through technical reports and briefings to inform discussions on land use, transportation, housing, and environmental issues.
2. Performing Community Outreach & Engagement: Community input is critical to the update. Outreach will include:
   • In-person and virtual workshops
   • Activities at community events
   • Online tools and surveys
   • Focus groups and stakeholder meetings
   • Community consultation with technical experts
3. Examining Land Use & Transportation Alternatives: The County will explore different land use and transportation options for key areas. These alternatives will be studied for their impacts and benefits, using both data and community feedback. Updated land use designations and circulation maps will also be prepared.
4. Developing Policies & Drafting the Plan: New and updated policies will be drafted, including elements on Tribal Resources, Public Safety, and Environmental Justice. Outdated provisions will be streamlined, and parcel-specific policies will be reduced. Policies will reflect community input, comply with state law, and improve usability.
5. Completing Environmental Review: As required by state law, a full Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be prepared. The draft EIR will be open for public review and comment before a final version is completed.
6. Adoption & Implementation: The final General Plan will be reviewed at public hearings for certification and adoption. An implementation plan will identify next steps, responsible departments, and performance measures. The Plan will also set the stage for regular updates so it remains current.

Project Materials

Current General Plan
General Plan Update Documents

Project Team

Haleigh Frye, Project Manager
Doug Bush, Public Engagement Lead
Ross Markey, Planning Manager
Contact Us: GeneralPlan@sonomacounty.gov