KINGS COUNTY GENERAL PLAN

Including the:

Land Use, Resource Conservation, Open Space Element, Circulation,

Housing, Safety, and Noise Elements

Adopted by the Kings County Board of Supervisors

Originally on December 28, 1993

and amended as follows:

Amendment Number 1: April 12, 1994

Amendment Number 2: May 24, 1994

Amendment Number 3: November 29, 1994

Amendment Number 4: August 27, 1996

Amendment No. 5: July 29, 1997

Amendment No. 6: February 10, 1998

Originally Approved by the Kings County Planning Commission

on November 30, 1993, and subsequently for each of the amendments

Prepared by the Kings County Planning Department

Staff:

William R. Zumwalt, Director

Sandy Roper, Supervising Planner

Greg Gatzka, Staff Planner

Kings County Board of Supervisors

Tony Barba

Chairman, District 4

Joe Neves
Jon Rachford

District 1 District 2

Lee Lockhart
Alene Taylor

District 3 District 5

Amended February 10, 1998

Resolution No. 98-006

Kings County Planning Commission

David Ayers

Chairman, District 3

Riley Jones
Gerald McBurney

District 1 District 2

Judi Freitas
Louise Draxler

District 4 District 5

Recommended Amendment on December 15, 1997

Resolution No. 97-31

Members of the General Plan Citizens Advisory Committee:
A.J. Bassill
Jim Beath
Pete Caldwell
Joe Camara
Lue Casey
Jeanne Dautrich
Doyle Davis
Pat Davis
Joseph Fernandes, Jr.
Judi Freitas
Jeff Giffin
Rolland Gonsalves
Jim Gregory
Ed Jones
Albert F. Kessler
Jack Kiely
Fred Knee
Dale Kuntz
Cheryl Lehn
Lee Lockhart
Kelly Maytubby
Gary Miguel
Lucy Murrietta
Joe Neves
Greg Parker
Craig Pedersen
Tamie Pick
Gregory D. Sanchez
Cheryl Silva
Brian Skaggs
Jerry Steely
Alene Taylor
Irene Van Tassel
Dennis C. Tristao
Mike Wheatley


Figure 1: Kings County Location Map

Figure 2: Kings County




GLOSSARY

INTRODUCTION

I. PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY

A. Purpose I-1

B. Authority I-1

C. Scope I-1

II. PLAN PREPARATION

A. Intergovernmental Planning Coordination I-1

B. Citizen Participation I-2

III. ORGANIZATION AND OVERVIEW

A. Format I-2

B. Plan Elements I-2

IV. REGIONAL AND LOCAL CONTEXT

A. Regional Setting I-3

B. County Setting I-3

C. Growth Projections I-4

D. Sources of Population Data I-4

E. Labor Force and Employment I-4

V. ASSUMPTIONS I-4

LAND USE ELEMENT

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Purpose LU-1

B. Consistency with Other Elements LU-1

C. Scope and Organization LU-1

D. Specific Plans LU-1

II. POLICIES FOR URBAN AREAS LU-1

A. Residential LU-4

B. Commercial/Industrial LU-5

C. Spheres of Influence LU-6

D. Transitional Areas LU-7

E. Airport Land Use Areas LU-7

III. POLICIES FOR RURAL AREAS LU-8

A. Agriculture LU-8

B. Rural Residential LU-12

C. Floodplain Management LU-13

IV. POLICIES FOR OTHER LAND USES LU-13

A. Hazardous Waste Facilities LU-13

B. Mineral Extraction LU-14

C. Storm Drainage LU-14

D. Public/Quasi-Public LU-14

E. Areas Outside Kings County Jurisdiction LU-14

F. Other Non-Agricultural Open Space Uses LU-14

V. IMPLEMENTATION LU-15

RESOURCE CONSERVATION ELEMENT

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Purpose RC-1

B. Consistency with Other Elements RC-1

C. Scope and Organization RC-1

II. WATER RC-1

III. AIR QUALITY RC-2

IV. SOIL RC-4

A. Conservation of Land

with Soil Suitable for Agriculture RC-4

B. Preservation of Soil RC-4

V. NATURAL PLANT AND ANIMAL COMMUNITIES RC-5

A. Natural Plant and Animal Habitats RC-5

B. Threatened and Endangered Species RC-7

C. Freshwater Recreational Fishing RC-8

VI. MINERALS AND ENERGY RC-9

VII. SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, SOURCE REDUCTION,

AND RECYCLING RC-10

VIII. IMPLEMENTATION RC-10

OPEN SPACE ELEMENT

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Purpose OS-1

B. Consistency with Other Elements OS-1

C. Scope and Organization OS-1

II. AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES OS-1

III. SCENIC RESOURCES OS-2

A. Scenic Highways OS-2

B. Community Boundaries OS-4

IV. OUTDOOR RECREATION OS-7

V. HISTORICAL AND ARCHEOLOGICAL RESOURCES OS-10

VI. ACCESS TO LIGHT AND AIR IN DEVELOPED AREAS OS-12

VII. IMPLEMENTATION OS-12

CIRCULATION ELEMENT

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Purpose C-1

B. Consistency with Other Elements C-1

C. Scope and Organization C-1

II. EXISTING TRANSPORTATION CONDITIONS C-1

A. Roadways C-1

B. Local Transit Systems C-2

C. Inter-County Bus System C-2

D. Amtrak Passenger Service C-2

E. Goods Movement C-3

F. Rail Freight System C-3

G. Bikeways C-3

H. Public Utilities and Facilities C-5

I. Transportation Systems Management C-5

J. Transportation Issues C-6

III. PROJECTED TRANSPORTATION CONDITIONS IN THE YEAR 2000 C-6

A. Volume Versus Capacity on Significant

Routes C-6

B. Transportation-Related Air Quality Issues C-7

IV. IMPLEMENTATION C-8

HOUSING ELEMENT

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Purpose H-1

B. Consistency with Other Elements H-1

C. Scope and Organization H-1

II. SUMMARY OF GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES H-2

III. IMPLEMENTATION H-6

SAFETY ELEMENT

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Purpose S-1

B. Consistency with Other Elements S-1

C. Scope and Organization S-1

D. Determination of Acceptable Risk S-1

E. Response to Disasters S-1

II. GEOLOGIC HAZARDS S-1

III. FIRE HAZARDS S-6

A. Wildland Fires S-6

B. Urban Fires S-6

C. Fire Protection S-8

IV. FLOOD HAZARDS S-10

A. Flood Hazards in Kings County S-10

B. Assessment of Flood Hazards and Risks S-10

C. Flood Prevention and Control S-10

V. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS S-14

VI. AIRPORT SAFETY S-15

A. Purpose S-15

B. Public Use Airports S-15

C. Agricultural Aircraft S-15

VII. IMPLEMENTATION S-21

NOISE ELEMENT

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Purpose N-1

B. Consistency with Other Elements N-1

C. Scope and Organization N-1

II. NOISE IN KINGS COUNTY

A. Background N-1

B. Effects N-1

C. Local Sources N-1

D. Analyzing Noise Levels N-2

III. NOISE SOURCES

A. Highways N-2

B. Airports N-3

C. Railroads N-3

D. Industry N-3

E. Other N-4

IV. COMPATIBILITY OF LAND USES AND NOISE LEVELS N-5

V. IMPLEMENTATION N-5

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT

Amendments to the Draft Environmental Impact Report FEIR-1

Comments Received on Draft Environmental Impact Report; Staff Response FEIR-6

Draft Environmental Impact Report

APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Introduction

Appendix 2: Land Use Element

Appendix 3: Resource Conservation Element

Appendix 4: Open Space Element

Appendix 5: Circulation Element

Appendix 6: Housing Element

Appendix 7: Safety Element

Appendix 8: Noise Element

TABLES

Table 1: Kings County General Plan Inventory Appendix 1

Table 2: Population by Jurisdiction and Year Appendix 1

Table 3: Population Estimates--Kings County, California, for the Years 2000, 2010, and 2020 Appendix 1

Table 4: Projected Population Growth by Area Appendix 1

Table 5: Land Use Designation Equivalency Chart Appendix 2

Table 6: Kings County Zone Districts Appendix 2

Table 7: Available Residentially Designated Land Appendix 2

Table 8: Minimum and Maximum Potential Housing Units Appendix 2

Table 9: Potential Population Increase Appendix 2

Table 10: Commercially Designated Land Appendix 2

Table 11: Industrially Designated Land Appendix 2

Table 12: Kings County Waste Sites LU-18

Table 13: Maintained Road Mileage Appendix 5

Table 14 Travel Time to Work Appendix 5

Table 15: Inter-County Travel on State Routes Appendix 5

Table 16: Seismic Zone Description S-4

Table 17: Railroad Noise Appendix 8

Table 18: Compatibility of Land Uses to Noise Environments Appendix 8

Table 19: Noise Compatibility Criteria Appendix 8

FIGURES

Figure 1: Kings County Location Map

Figure 2: Kings County

Figure 3: Kings County Land Use Map LU-19

Figure 4: Land Use Map of Corcoran Fringe LU-20

Figure 5: Land Use Map of Hanford Fringe LU-21

Figure 6: Land Use Map of Lemoore Fringe LU-22

Figure 7: Land Use Map of Armona LU-23

Figure 8: Land Use Map of Kettleman City LU-24

Figure 9: Land Use Map of Stratford LU-25

Figure 10: Land Use Map of Grangeville LU-26

Figure 11: Kings County Flood Hazard Areas LU-27

Figure 12: Scenic Areas OS-3

Figure 13: Community Boundary OS-5

Figure 14: Recreation Areas OS-9

Figure 15: Kings County Historical Sites OS-11

Figure 16: Seismic Safety Map S-5

Figure 17: Evacuation Routes S-7

Figure 18: Fire Stations and Their Service Areas S-9

Figure 19: Local Areas Subject to Flood Hazard S-11

Figure 20: Inundation Areas Below Pine Flat Dam S-12

Figure 21: Inundation Areas Below Terminus Dam S-13

Figure 22A: Corcoran Airport Compatibility Map S-17

Figure 22B: Hanford Municipal Airport Compatibility Map S-18

Figure 23: Existing Hanford Airport Noise Contours Appendix 8

Figure 24: Hanford Municipal Airport 2011 CNEL Noise Contours Appendix 8

Figure 25: Existing Corcoran & Salyer Airport Noise Contours Appendix 8

Figure 26: Hanford Industrial Noise Contours Appendix 8

Figure 27: Corcoran Industrial Noise Contours Appendix 8

Figure 28: Stratford Industrial Noise Contours Appendix 8

Figure 29: Hanford Raceway Noise Contours Appendix 8

CONSULTANTS' REPORTS

Biological Resources Survey for Resource Conservation Element Appendix 3

(under separate cover)

Noise Exposure Information for Noise Element Appendix 8

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RESOLUTION OF ADOPTION

PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION OF APPROVAL

NOTICE OF DECLARATION

* EXTERNAL DOCUMENTS INCLUDED HEREIN BY REFERENCE:

Kings County Regional Transportation Plan

1992 Kings County Housing Element

Kings County Integrated Waste Management Plan

Source Reduction and Recycling Element

Household Hazardous Waste Element

Non-Disposal Facility Element

Siting Element

Kings County Hazardous Waste Management Plan

Air Installation Compatible Use Zones (AICUZ) Study (LNAS)

Guide for Traffic Impact Studies

Five County Seismic Safety Element

Biological Resources Survey for the Resource Conservation Element

Kings County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan

*(Available for review at the Kings County Planning Department)