General plan amendment

Every California city and county must adopt a general plan covering land use, housing, circulation, conservation, open space, noise and safety, and, for many, environmental justice. Its land-use map assigns each area a designation such as low-density residential or regional commercial.

A general plan amendment changes that text or map, often so a project that doesn't fit the current designation can go forward. Like a rezone, it is legislative: the planning commission recommends and the council or board of supervisors decides.

State law limits how often each mandatory element can be amended, generally to four times a year, so many cities bundle amendments together.