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INTRODUCTION
STATE REQUIREMENTS
Section 65300 of the California Government Code states that " Each planning agency shall prepare
and the legislative body of each county and city shall adopt a comprehensive, long- term general
plan for the physical development of the county or city, and of any land outside its boundaries
which in the planning agency's judgment bears relation to its planning." Section 65300.5 goes on
to state that " In construing the provisions of this article, the Legislature intends that the general plan
and elements and parts thereof comprise an integrated, internally consistent and compatible
statement of policies for the adopting agency." Section 65302 requires that " The general plan shall
consist of a statement of development policies and shall include a diagram or diagrams and text
setting forth objectives, principles, standards, and plan proposals."
The general plan is to consist of seven mandatory elements and as many optional elements as the
local jurisdiction deems desirable. The mandatory elements include Land Use, Circulation,
Housing, Open Space, Conservation, Safety, and Noise. Since the Open Space and Conservation
Elements have overlapping requirements, they have been combined in the Stanislaus County
General Plan. The County has also adopted one optional element, the Agricultural Element.
The 1994 Stanislaus County General Plan is very similar in format to the previous plan. All
elements except the Housing Element and the Agricultural Element, both of which were adopted
in 1992, have been updated. Background information is found in the publication entitled
" Stanislaus County General Plan - Support Documentation." For easy reference, each element of
this plan is in a separate chapter whose number matches the corresponding chapter of background
information in the support document. For instance, the Circulation Element is Chapter 2 of this
document, with all of the reference material being located in Chapter 2A of the support document.
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POPULATION ESTIMATES AND PROJECTIONS
Stanislaus County is one of the fastest growing counties in California. Based on U. S. Census data,
the County's population climbed from 265,900 to 370,522 during the 1980' s for a total increase of
39%, compared to 26% statewide. Since 1990 the County's population has continued to grow at
an average annual rate of 3.5%, reaching a total population of 412,676 in January 1994 ( California
Department of Finance).
As indicated by Table One, most of Stanislaus County's population increase in the 1980' s occurred
in the nine incorporated cities rather than the unincorporated area of the County. Whereas the
incorporated population increased 59%, the population of unincorporated Stanislaus County
increased only 3%. At the same time, the percentage of population living in the incorporated areas
increased from 65% in 1980 to 74% in 1990, continuing the shift from rural to urban lifestyles
demonstrated in past decades.
The slower growth rate in the unincorporated area of Stanislaus County was due mainly to
annexation of unincorporated lands by the cities. LAFCO records show that cities annexed more
than 7,500 acres from December 1984 to January 1994. County land use policies and agreements
with the cities regarding growth management within established spheres of influence also
contributed to the slower growth rate in the unincorporated area.
Most of the cities in the County have recently proposed or are considering significant expansions
of their spheres of influence. This, along with the ongoing immigration of people desiring to make
their homes in Stanislaus County, will likely result in continued development and increased
population growth. The California Department of Finance projects the population will reach
517,600 in 2000 and 670,000 in 2010 ( Source: Official Population Projections, Report 93 P- 1, April
1993). The Stanislaus Area Association of Governments ( known as Stanislaus Council of
Governments) projects that by the year 2015 the population of Stanislaus County will reach
709,100. ( See Table Two.)
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Table One
HISTORICAL POPULATION GROWTH
Cities 1960 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1994
Ceres 4,406 6,029 9,544 13,281 16,793 26,314 30,193
Hughson N/ A N/ A 2,459 2,943 3,032 3,259 3,550
Modesto 36,585 61,712 84,168 106,602 126,353 164,730 180,320
Newman 2,148 2,505 2,544 2,785 3,411 4,151 5,668
Oakdale 4,980 6,594 7,547 8,474 9,665 11,961 14,279
Patterson 2,246 3,147 4,031 3,908 4,804 8,626 9,577
Riverbank 2,786 3,949 4,561 5,695 6,446 8,547 12,756
Turlock 9,116 13,992 18,151 26,287 32,426 42,198 48,113
Waterford N/ A 2,243 2,256 2,683 2,917 4,771 6,264
Total Cities 62,267 100,171 135,261 172,658 205,847 274,557 310,720
Total Unin-corporated
Area 95,027 94,335 89,448 93,242 93,460 95,965 101,956
TOTAL COUNTY 157,294 194,506 224,709 265,900 299,307 370,522 412,676
Source: U. S. Bureau of the Census, California Department of Finance.
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Table Two
POPULATION PROJECTIONS
CITIES 2005 2015
Ceres 51,200 73,200
Hughson 5,000 8,000
Modesto 249,400 320,000
Newman 12,000 17,000
Oakdale 19,100 24,500
Patterson 18,000 21,000
Riverbank 15,000 32,700
Turlock 72,200 95,900
Waterford 7,500 12,000
Unincorporated area 100,000 104,800
Total 549,400 709,100
Source: Stanislaus Area Association of Governments, 1992, based on California
Department of Finance projection of 549,400 for Stanislaus County in the year 2005.
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ISSUES
Stanislaus County is an agricultural county in transition. Prior to 1960 most of the County's
population lived on farms; today the population of the nine incorporated cities is nearly three times
that of the unincorporated area of the County. While its economic base remains predominantly
agricultural, the County's economy is diversifying, and unprecedented population growth has
increased pressure to convert productive agricultural lands to non- agricultural uses. Despite the
increasing pressures of urbanization, however, agricultural output in the County continues to rise,
and in 1993 local crops were valued at a record $ 1.1 billion. To ensure the continued success of
the area's leading industry, the County adopted an Agricultural Element, which addresses
agricultural land use issues such as farmland conversion, the expansion of city spheres of
influence, and conflicts over agricultural operations.
A burgeoning population requires new jobs and housing to support it. Growth in nonagricultural
industries such as services and retail trade has begun to stabilize employment levels and is
expected to provide most of the new employment opportunities through 1998. Strategies for
economic development are identified in the Land Use Element and the Agricultural Element. The
County's jobs/ housing balance and the issue of housing affordability are addressed in the Housing
Element.
Growth also requires expansion of the infrastructure system and public services. Existing streets
and roads, water and sewer systems, and solid waste management facilities will not be adequate
to service the growth expected over the next twenty years. This is also true of public services such
as schools, parks, fire protection, law enforcement, health care, welfare and many other services
expected by people as they move into the area. The central issue of financing infrastructure
improvements and public services is addressed in the Land Use Element and the Circulation
Element.
Air quality, water availability and other issues of resource protection are becoming increasingly
significant as the population grows. Under the California Enviromental Quality Act ( CEQA), the
County is required to give careful attention to the impacts of development on the environment.
Local, regional, state and federal agencies are routinely contacted regarding the potential impacts
of projects on air, water, wildlife habitats and noise levels. Policies addressing these issues are
included in the Land Use, Conservation/ Open Space, Agricultural and Noise Elements.
Unprecedented population growth and development pressure have resulted in increased
cooperation between the County and other agencies in efforts to find solutions to regional
problems. For example, the County has reached agreement with all nine cities related to
development in the spheres of influence of the cities and the collection of countywide public
facilities fees. In addition, there is increasing coordination with San Joaquin and Merced Counties
related to growth issues along the Interstate Five corridor. The County also participates in the San
Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District, a regional agency formed in 1991 to regulate
air quality in the San Joaquin Valley air basin. These issues are addressed in the Land Use,
Circulation, and Conservation/ Open Space Elements.
Finally, a basic function of County government is to ensure public safety. The Safety Element
outlines policies intended to protect the people of Stanislaus County from floods, earthquakes, and
other hazards that potentially threaten their safety.
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GOALS
LAND USE ELEMENT
ONE: Provide for diverse land use needs by designating patterns which are responsive
to the physical characteristics of the land as well as to environmental, economic and
social concerns of the residents of Stanislaus County.
TWO: Ensure compatibility between land uses.
THREE: Foster stable economic growth through appropriate land use policies.
FOUR: Ensure that an effective level of public service is provided in unincorporated areas.
FIVE: Complement the general plans of cities within the County.
CIRCULATION ELEMENT
ONE: Provide a system of streets and roads throughout the County which meets land use
needs.
TWO: Provide a safe, comprehensive, coordinated transportation system that includes a
broad range of transportation modes.
THREE: Maintain a balanced and efficient transportation system that facilitates inter- city and
interregional travel and goods movement.
CONSERVATION/ OPEN SPACE ELEMENT
ONE: Encourage the protection and preservation of natural and scenic areas throughout
the County.
TWO: Conserve water resources and protect water quality in the County.
THREE: Provide for the long- term conservation and use of agricultural lands.
FOUR: Provide for the open- space recreational needs of the residents of the County.
FIVE: Reserve, as open space, lands subject to natural disaster in order to minimize loss
of life and property of residents of Stanislaus County.
SIX: Improve air quality.
SEVEN: Support efforts to minimize the disposal of solid waste through source reduction,
reuse, recycling, composting and transformation activities.
EIGHT: Preserve areas of national, state, regional and local historical importance.
NINE: Manage extractive natural resources to ensure an adequate supply without
degradation of the environment.
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TEN: Protect fish and wildlife species of the County.
ELEVEN: Conserve resources through promotion of waste reduction, reuse, recycling,
composting, ride- share programs and alternative energy sources such as mini-hydroelectric
plants, gas and oil exploration, and transformational facilities such as
waste- to- energy plants.
NOISE ELEMENT
ONE: Prevent the encroachment of incompatible land uses near known noise producing
industries, railroads, airports and other sources to protect the economic base of the
County.
TWO: Protect the citizens of Stanislaus County from the harmful effects of exposure to
excessive noise.
SAFETY ELEMENT
ONE: Prevent loss of life and reduce property damage as a result of natural disasters.
TWO: Minimize the effects of hazardous conditions that might cause loss of life and
property.
AGRICULTURAL ELEMENT
ONE: Strengthen the agricultural sector of our economy.
TWO: Preserve our agricultural lands for agricultural uses.
THREE: Protect the natural resources that sustain our agricultural industry.
HOUSING ELEMENT
ONE: Encourage the provision of adequate, affordable housing including units for rent and
for ownership for residents of all income groups, including very low-, low- and
moderate- income households.
TWO: Maximize housing choices and opportunities throughout Stanislaus County.
THREE: Conserve and improve Stanislaus County's existing housing stock.
FOUR: Designate sufficient sites for all types of residential development required to meet
projected future housing needs.
FIVE: Minimize governmental constraints to affordable housing in Stanislaus County.