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Future updates to Livermore’s General Plan may include policies that incentivize a daily, year-round farmer’s market, improve availability of childcare facilities and expand public restroom facilities, per Livermore Planning Commission recommendation at a regular meeting last week.
As the second of three planning commission meetings regarding the update, the discussion Feb. 4 included infrastructure, public services and mobility elements. Prior to making their recommendations, commissioners took into consideration feedback on policy options from the General Plan Advisory Committee — a liaison to the community and advisor of the general plan team on outreach and engagement.
After the planning commission’s third discussion, scheduled Feb. 18, city council will give final direction for a General Plan update. A drafted update is expected this summer, which will be available for community review and input. Lastly, an adoption hearing is scheduled to take place between late 2025 to early 2026.
“The intent of the goals and policies of the general plan is to guide fair and consistent decision-making by the planning commission and the council,” Livermore principal planner Andy Ross explained at the meeting.
It outlines things the city can do, not necessarily the things that will happen, said Brandon Cardwell, Livermore’s innovation and economic development director.
Regarding the General Plan infrastructure element, the GPAC was interested in prioritizing new sewer lines in south Livermore and directing attention to aging neighborhoods, while keeping in mind sustainability, safety and environmental justice, according to Ross.
On the subject of the sewer line extension, commissioner Jacob Anderson and Vice Chair Tracy Kronzak widened the draft policy to encompass infrastructure investments that promote economic development.
This sewer line is just one step towards reaching the goals of vitality and attraction of a tourist economy to that area, Kronzak said.
Kronzak added, “We’re not actually thinking big enough regarding south Livermore. It needs many other investments in its infrastructure to make it a vital economic region, not just for viticultural uses, but also for agricultural and ranch uses.”
In response, Cardwell suggested rephrasing the policy to say infrastructure that facilitates economic development should be prioritized, inclusive but not limited to the South Livermore Valley.
Chairperson Yolanda Fintschenko, Anderson and Kronzak commented their approval of the generalization.
Next the commissioners hashed out the city’s role in helping create childcare facilities to “ensure an adequate range and supply of childcare services to meet the needs of all Livermore residents,” according to the example draft policies report.
Commissioners supported a draft policy to continue the city’s collaboration with partner agencies such as Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District and Livermore Area Recreation and Park District, to provide affordable and quality childcare programs.
Another of the policies that drew commissioner support set out to combine “childcare facilities with other land uses, services, and amenities to improve opportunities, access, and availability of such facilities,” the draft states.
Though outcomes regarding childcare will depend on implementation, Anderson said.
“The devil will be in the details when it comes to actually following through and getting action plans out there to help provide childcare because it is a current need,” Anderson said. “Pricing is very high — it is a level of burden for young families.”
On the subject of healthy food access, the commissioners expressed great interest in the draft policy to “incentivize the year-round operation of the Downtown Farmers’ Market,” which would expand the market to daily operations.
Commissioners were on board with staff’s suggestion to use farmer’s markets as a way to overcome inequitable access to fresh food, like within the Isabel neighborhood.
Also drawing commissioner support was a draft policy to implement universal design strategies, like no-step entries and wider doorways and hallways in new residential developments. Even if written into the General Plan, the strategies would not be required, staff explained.
Within the public services element, Kronzak noticed a lack of attention to public restrooms. Likewise, the facilities are becoming harder to access in Livermore, Kronzak said.
“I will be candid and say, we’ve had our kids pee in the bushes because there was no place to pee,” Kronzak said.
On the subject of transportation, commissioners also supported a draft policy to bring public transit, bike share, car share, and other mode options together near activity centers, including the Civic Center Library, the National Laboratories, employment centers, Downtown and future Valley Link stations.
Additional policies are needed to address extreme heat experienced during transit, Kronzak added.
Suggestions from the planning commission will be passed to the council for consideration.
During the Feb. 18 meeting, the commissioners are set to discuss land use, community identity and economic development elements of the General Plan update.
