Inyo County General Plan

Note: Update in Progress!  The County is currently working on updating the General Plan document.

The 2001 Inyo County General Plan Update was approved by the Inyo County Board of Supervisors on December 11, 2001.  State law requires each county and city to prepare and adopt a comprehensive and long-range general plan for its physical development (Government Code Section 65300). A comprehensive general plan provides the County with a consistent framework for land use decision-making.   Below are some of the most referenced items in the General Plan:

• The Goals and Policies Report is the essence of the General Plan and contains the goals & policies that will guide future development within the County.  It also identifies a full set of implementation measures designed to ensure that the policies of the Plan are carried out.
• Land Use Diagrams show the land use designations applied to properties in each of the communities within the County.  The Land Use Diagrams are generally oriented from north to south. 
• Circulation Diagrams  are included, for reference, as a part of the Circulation Element of the Goals & Policy Report.

Additionally, the County does an annual update report on its progress in implementing the various goals and policies of the General Plan, and also occasionally makes amendments to the General Plan, as noted below:  

General Plan Annual Progress Report:  

• 2008 General Plan Annual Progress Report (including Appendix B, which is information specific to the Housing Element)
• 2009 General Plan Annual Progress Report
• 2010 General Plan Annual Progress Report
• 2011 General Plan Annual Progress Report
• 2012 General Plan Annual Progress Report
• 2013 General Plan Annual Progress Report
• 2014 General Plan Annual Progress Report
• 2015 General Plan Annual Progress Report
• 2016 General Plan Annual Progress Report
• 2017 General Plan Annual Progress Report

General Plan Correction:

• GP Land-Use map designation correction for 2290 Dixon Lane

General Plan Amendments:

Text Amendments:

 

• Update to the Public Safety Element to include by reference the Inyo County, City of Bishop Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (approved 9.11.2018)
  • Inyo County, City of Bishop - Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan
• Renewable Energy General Plan Amendment (REGPA)(approved March 24, 2015)
• REGPA Solar Energy Development Areas  (SEDA) Diagrams (approved March 24, 2015)
• Update to the Housing Element of the General Plan (approved June 17, 2014)
• Update to the Conservation and Open Space Element with an Energy Efficiency Chapter (approved 6/3/2014)
• Update of the Housing Element of the General Plan (approved 8-4-2009)
• Update of the Government Element of the General Plan (approved 2-16-2010)
• Floor Area Ratio (F.A.R.) Amendments for the General Industrial (GI), Light Industrial (LI), & Heavy Commercial (HC) Land Use Designations
• Floor Area Ratio (F.A.R.) Amendments for the Retail Commercial (RC) Land Use Designations

• Land Use Designation Amendments
• Creation of the Rural Protection (RP) & Changes to the Natural Hazards (NH) Land Use Designations
• Full/Background General Plan Amendment Packet Information:  contains the entire text, maps, and supporting documents for all of the above-noted General Plan Amendments approved since 2001

Individual General Plan Elements - Descriptions

Traditionally, the general plan has been organized as a collection of "elements" or subject categories such as land use, circulation, and open space. 

State law provides that the general plan must address seven elements (Government Code Section 65302). These issues are briefly summarized below:

The Land Use Element defines the general distribution and intensity of uses of the land for housing, business, industry, open space, education, public buildings and grounds, waste disposal facilities, and other categories of public and private uses.

The Circulation Element is correlated with the land use element and identifies the general location and extent of existing and proposed major thoroughfares, transportation routes, terminals, and other local public utilities and facilities.

The Housing Element is a comprehensive assessment of current and projected housing needs for all segments of communities and all economic groups in Inyo County. In addition, it embodies policy for providing adequate housing and includes action programs for this purpose.

The Conservation Element addresses the conservation, development, and use of natural resources including water, forests, soils, rivers, and mineral deposits.

The Open-Space Element details plans and measures for preserving open space for natural resources, the managed production of resources, outdoor recreation, public health and safety, and the identification of intensive agriculture and irrigated pasturelands.

The Noise Element identifies and appraises noise problems within the community and assists the County in making land use decisions.

The Safety Element establishes policies and programs to minimize risks to the community associated with seismic, geologic, flood, and fire hazards.

In addition, the Inyo County General Plan also includes the following optional elements to address specific needs of the County's residents:

The Government Element states the County's policies for provision of efficient governmental services and collaborative planning with other governmental agencies.

The Economic Development Element provides a framework for the County's efforts to promote orderly growth and development.

The State of California Office of Planning and Research has adopted guidelines for the development and contents of  General Plans.