Westminster advances mixed‑use intensification and zoning overhaul; EIR and zoning‑phase timelines set

City planning and community development staff told the council the city’s recent decision to intensify several mixed‑use districts has cleared the major policy hurdle and that the next step will be environmental review and a comprehensive zoning update.

Adolfo (community development staff) said the intensification decision was the culmination of economic analysis and council direction stretching back to the 2016 general plan update. That policy decision, he said, led to a sizeable planning effort that will require an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and follow the planning commission process before final adoption.

Staff described the zoning program as two parts: Zoning Phase 1 focused on implementing zoning for the newly intensified mixed‑use districts and is complete; Zoning Phase 2 is broader and includes a comprehensive zoning ordinance update, updates to address inconsistencies with state law (including ADU and SB 9 guidance), modified standards to streamline procedures for applicants, and other changes. Staff said they are targeting completion of Zoning Phase 2 in 2026 and anticipate new zoning standards taking effect January 2027 after planning commission review and final council action.

Councilmembers pressed staff on what “streamlining” means in practice. Staff said streamlining will reorganize and simplify the code so that a resident or developer does not have to jump across multiple sections; staff aim to make the code more user‑friendly for residents and predictable for developers.

Adolfo noted that specific plans — previously used successfully at the mall site — remain a tool to translate vision into execution and that a prioritized list of six specific‑plan locations will be refreshed for council discussion in September 2026. He said the mall site redevelopment example involved consolidation of ownership and a privately funded specific plan that led to demolition and project movement.

The council and staff agreed the work is complex and multi‑year but critical for guiding private investment and protecting community vision; staff will return with program schedules, illustrations and outreach materials as the EIR and Phase 2 proceed.

No formal vote was taken at the workshop; staff reported recent approvals and described the implementation path ahead.