Higher density zoning is OK’d

A general plan update increasing housing density in several areas of the city was approved by the Garden Grove City Council on Tuesday night.

The vote was 6-0 with Councilmember Phat Bui absent.

In response to the state-mandated Regional Housing Needs Assessment that requires that Garden Grove create zoning that would allow for 19,168 new homes, the council – with some reluctance – passed the update and associated zoning changes.

While the new land use rules could substantially change the character of some areas of the city, the general plan update does not require that the housing actually be built.

“None of us are particularly happy about this,” said Mayor Steve Jones, but added that since failure to act would carry severe penalties from the state, the council had to “hold our nose” and adopt it.

Issues raised by councilmembers included:

• the impact on infrastructure such as streets, water, sewage and electrical power
• the effect on the school system of thousands more students
• access to parkland and open space in a city that’s already “underparked”
• the sharp increases in density being designated for eastern and western areas of the city, instead of the central area.