Huntington Beach will consider update to city’s development plan on Monday

The Huntington Beach City Council on Monday will consider approving an update to the city’s general plan, which will guide development decisions through 2040.

The updated general plan, and an associated environmental analysis, has been winding its way through the Planning Commission for several months and was unanimously recommended by commissioners on Aug. 15.

The update has been in the making since the City Council voted in 2013 to hire planning consulting firm Michael Baker International to assist.

California cities are required to have general plans and update them at regular intervals. Huntington Beach’s general plan hasn’t been comprehensively updated since 1996, according to a city staff report.

The 1996 general plan’s forecast buildout through 2040 was for 86,499 residential units. The updated general plan projects 85,403 units through 2040, according to a previous city presentation.

The update also includes a new land-use designation — research and technology — to help fuel job and economic growth, the report says.

The designation would allow for industrial and commercial uses that aren’t accommodated in the current commercial or industrial areas.

The accompanying environmental impact report looks at potential adverse environmental effects as part of the plan implementation. It delves into air quality, biological and cultural resources and noise, among other issues.

According to a city staff report, most of the areas that could be negatively affected in the general plan update can be mitigated through proposed policies in the plan. But, there are changes that would impact air quality, cultural resources, the water supply, noise and greenhouse gas emissions deemed “significant and unavoidable,” the report says.

Monday’s council meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 2000 Main St.

benjamin.brazil@latimes.com

Twitter:@benbrazilpilot