Pacific Grove Housing Element Update, Zoning Ordinance Amendments, and General Plan Amendments

The City of Pacific Grove is implementing the Housing Element Update, Zoning Ordinance Amendments, and General Plan Amendments project to ensure compliance with state housing laws and the 2023-2031 Housing Element. The scope of work involves updating the Housing Element, which includes a program to upzone sites in the Downtown Commercial and Forest Hill Commercial Districts and rezone sites in the Dennett, Sinex, and Grove Acre District. Additionally, the project requires amending the Zoning Code and zoning map to increase maximum allowed development density, establish minimum residential densities, and create objective design standards for multi-family residential and mixed-use developments. The project also includes amendments to the Health and Safety Element, the Land Use Element, and the Land Use Map of the General Plan. To satisfy the California Environmental Quality Act, the City developed a Draft Environmental Impact Report analyzing potential effects on air quality, biological resources, greenhouse gas emissions, and public utilities. This process included a public review period from June 30, 2025, to August 15, 2025, and incorporated feedback from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife regarding the protection of special-status species. The project reached a significant milestone with a Notice of Determination on December 17, 2025, confirming the adoption of the project along with associated mitigation measures and a monitoring plan. The effort is managed by the City's Community Development Department with support from Rincon Consultants, Inc.