California law requires each City and County to adopt a comprehensive long-term General Plan for its physical development and update it periodically. Antioch’s General Plan is its blueprint for the future, and through appropriate goals, policies, and programs, it serves as a decision-making tool to guide future growth and development. It addresses issues that impact the entire city, such as how land is used, where buildings are constructed, the locations of roads and parks, and how to keep the City safe and resilient. All city plans, zoning, and private development must be consistent with the diagrams and policies in the General Plan.

Antioch’s General Plan was last comprehensively updated in 2003. However, there has been a great deal of change since 2003, including significant population and economic growth and new content requirements for General Plan Updates that must be addressed to comply with current State law.

The City regularly updates portions of its General Plan to maintain compliance with State law and address specific community needs. Recent efforts by the City will inform the General Plan Update and will be integrated into the new General Plan.

• Housing Element (6th Cycle 2023 – 2031): The City adopted its 6th Cycle Housing Element, which serves as Antioch’s guide to meeting the housing needs of residents at all economic levels.

• Environmental Hazards & Environmental Justice Elements (2023): The City updated its Environmental Hazards (Safety) Element and adopted its first-ever Environmental Justice Element. These efforts were completed to comply with recent state laws and ensure the City plans for climate adaptation, safety, and equity.

• Downtown Specific Plan Update (2024): The City recently updated its Downtown Specific Plan to protect and support this important and unique area.

This comprehensive General Plan Update will build upon these recent efforts, ensuring the final, complete plan is internally consistent and reflects the community's full vision.

As part of the General Plan Update work program, a variety of important plans and reports will be prepared. These include:

Existing Conditions Report – The Existing Conditions Report will describe current conditions and regulations affecting the City associated with land use and growth, circulation and mobility, socioeconomic trends, real estate market conditions, historic resources, community services and facilities, conservation, climate adaptation and resiliency, safety, noise, and environmental justice.

Community Outreach Summary Report – The Community Outreach Summary Report will record information obtained in community visioning workshops, stakeholder interviews, City staff observations, and input from the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC), Planning Commission, and City Council and will serve as a tool to concentrate the community’s attention on pivotal issues and opportunities with significant policy implications.

Land Use Alternatives Report – The Land Use Alternatives Report will identify potential areas where change is necessary or desired, potential options for change areas, and General Plan land use categories. Land use changes (e.g., “alternatives”) will be analyzed to determine potential growth effects and the alternative’s consistency with the community’s vision.

General Plan Document – The General Plan document will address all State-required General Plan topics (see below) and other topics of local importance, such as economic development, community image and design, public services and facilities, and implementation.

Environmental Impact Report – The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be prepared to address all potential environmental impacts associated with implementation of the General Plan. The EIR will serve as a “tiering document” to facilitate streamlined environmental review of subsequent development, planning, and infrastructure projects undertaken in the City that are consistent with the General Plan.

General Plans are divided into “elements” (i.e., chapters) based on specific topics. There are mandatory elements that Antioch must include in its General Plan: land use, circulation, housing, conservation, open space, safety, noise, and environmental justice. Local governments can organize and format their General Plans however they desire, as long as the required elements are addressed. Cities can also choose to include additional elements at their discretion, such as public facilities, economic development, or community design. Each element of the General Plan will also include specific short-, medium- and long-term steps to implement its goals and policies.

It should be noted that the Housing Element of the City’s 2003 General Plan (“General Plan”) has been updated several times since 2003, in compliance with the State Housing Element law, with the most recent update from 2023 for the 6th Cycle Housing Element. Similarly, the City recently updated its Environmental Hazards Element and adopted a new Environmental Justice Element in 2023. These three elements are very current, so no significant updates to the Housing, Environmental Hazards, or Environmental Justice Elements are expected to occur as part of this comprehensive General Plan Update. These elements will be reviewed for consistency with the vision and goals identified for the General Plan Update and will be integrated into the new General Plan.

The General Plan Update is anticipated to take approximately two years, starting in late-2025 and ending in late-2027. During the first year, the team will evaluate existing conditions, identify and record community priorities, and draft the General Plan policy document. During the second year, the team will evaluate the General Plan and prepare an environmental impact report (EIR) to analyze and address potential impacts associated with the Plan.

The General Plan Update process provides an opportunity for community members to discuss and weigh-in on the City’s future. We encourage you to take advantage of the many opportunities to participate, including visiting a pop-up event, attending an in-person workshop or open house, and completing online surveys.

In order to collect community input in an open, engaging, and actionable way, the City has designed a series of community events where you will have the opportunity to participate in and be informed of the planning process. These include:

Visioning Workshops – Two Visioning Workshops will be held in late 2025 or early 2026 to introduce the community to the project and to provide an opportunity for the community to identify their vision, goals and priorities, and land use and transportation preferences for the General Plan Update. The dates and details of the Visioning Workshops will be posted to this website, under the Get Involved tab, as they are available.

Community Workshops/Open Houses – The City plans to host Community Workshops/Open Houses to present and solicit feedback on key work products, including the Land Use Alternatives Report and the Draft General Plan Update. The date and details of each Community Workshop/Open House will be posted to this website, under the Get Involved tab, once it is available. These workshops will be dynamic and interactive, and will serve to educate the community on the content and implementation of the General Plan, as well as receive feedback in a casual setting.  All input will be carefully documented and shared with City leadership for their input and direction. 

Pop-Up Events – The City will have a table at several community events throughout the planning process to raise awareness about the General Plan Update and offer accessible, in-person opportunities for the community to participate in the process.

Stakeholder Interviews – Interviews of groups and organizations that represent various local and regional issues that affect Antioch will be conducted to ensure that a broad range of perspectives are included early in the General Plan Update process. Feedback collected from interviews will be subject to additional input from the broader community.

Community Surveys and Polls – The City will conduct online surveys to provide additional opportunities for members of the public to provide input on key issues and give feedback to the City as draft documents are completed. 

Public Review Draft General Plan – The Public Review Draft General Plan and Environmental Impact Report will be made available to the entire community for review and feedback before the plan is finalized.

General Plan Advisory Committee Meetings – The General Plan Advisory Committee will conduct a series of meetings to discuss issues to be addressed by the General Plan, including economic development strategies, land use alternatives, community facilities, public safety, and implementation measures.

Planning Commission and City Council Hearings – The City will conduct public hearings and study sessions before the Planning Commission and City Council to consider the update to the General Plan.

The City of Antioch is committed to involving the community in the planning process. The General Plan Update process provides residents, businesses, and interested parties the chance to help guide the future of the community. A successful General Plan will reflect the community’s vision and priorities, and we believe that your voice is vital to producing a plan that will reflect the community’s vision for Antioch’s future. Community input is needed to establish the long-term vision for Antioch and to identify key issues and priorities.

Public input from every engagement opportunity is meticulously reviewed and documented to ensure that planners, City staff, and decision-makers have a full understanding of public sentiment when drafting goals and policies. Public feedback on General Plan materials, including goals and policies, will be considered throughout the process.

City staff, elected and appointed officials, business owners, developers, and citizens can reference the General Plan for guidance on what the community values and what are its priorities.

Visit the Get Involved page to view the dates of upcoming meetings and community events. If you wish to be added to the City’s mailing list to receive project updates and invitations to community events, use the link to the City’s Notify Me platform to receive updates - under the News Flash section, you will see the General Plan Update with the option to sign up for notifications via email and text message.

The General Plan Update process is an opportunity for community members to discuss the City’s future. There will be many opportunities to participate, including meetings, workshops, open houses, and public hearings. All community engagement opportunities will be posted on this webpage.

The Zoning Code will be updated as a separate, follow-up project after the new General Plan is adopted. The General Plan sets the broad, long-term vision and policies for the city. The Zoning Code contains the specific, on-the-ground development regulations (like building heights, setbacks, and permitted uses) that implement the General Plan.

Once the new General Plan is adopted, the Zoning Code update will be necessary to:

• Align zoning districts and allowed uses with any new or revised land use designations in the General Plan.

• Translate the new General Plan's action items into clear, enforceable development standards.

• Ensure that the Zoning Map is consistent with the updated General Plan Land Use Map.

• Incorporate recent changes in State law and other staff-identified improvements.

The final result will be a modern, well-organized Zoning Code that provides clear and understandable guidance for all residents, staff, and elected officials.