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<br />~A.~') <br /> <br />"area" plans to the extent that the terms are often misused. The following discussion <br />highlights the differences among the plans. <br /> <br />A community plan is defined in Public Resources Code §21083.3 as a part of the General <br />Plan which (1) applies to a defined geographic portion of the total area included in the <br />General Plan, (2) includes or references each of the mandatory elements specified in <br />§65302 of the Government Code, and (3) contains specific development policies adopted <br />for the area included in the community plan, and identifies measures to implement those <br />policies, so that the policies which will apply to each parcel can be determined. <br /> <br />Area plans are not specifically mentioned in statute; however, they are authorized under <br />§65301 (b), which allows individual sections of the General Plan to be devoted to a <br />particular subject or geographic area. In addition, they are also allowed as optional <br />elements or subjects under §65303. <br /> <br />Area and community plans address a particular region or community within the overall <br />planning area of the General Plan. An area or community plan is adopted as a General <br />Plan amendment. It refines the policies of the General Plan as they apply to smaller <br />geographic areas, and is implemented by local ordinances such as those regulating land <br />use and subdivision. Area or community plans also provide forums for resolving local <br />conflicts among competing interests. An area or community plan must be consistent with <br />the General Plan of which it is a part. <br /> <br />Specific plans differ from area and community plans in the following ways: <br /> <br />. A specific plan is not a component of a General Plan. It is a separately adopted <br />General Plan implementation document. <br />. Specific plans are described by statute (§65450 et seq.). There are no statutes that <br />specify the contents of area plans. <br />. The purpose of a specific plan is the "systematic implementation" (§65450) of the <br />General Plan. Neither community plans nor area plans have an emphasis on <br />implementation. They are used to refine the policies of the General Plan relating to a <br />defined geographic area. <br />. Although a specific plan must be "prepared, adopted, and amended in the same <br />manner as General Plans" (§65453), it may be adopted by resolution or ordinance and <br />may be amended as often as necessary. Community and area plans may only be <br />adopted or amended by resolution, and the number of amendments is subject to the <br />limits set out in §65358 for General Plan amendments. <br /> <br />Specific plans are required under §65451 (a) (2) to identify proposed major components of <br />infrastructure needed to support planned land uses, as well as financing mechanisms. <br />Community plans and area plans may, but are not required to, contain similar analyses. <br /> <br />Source: California Governor's Office of Planning and Research. <br /> <br />2 <br />