Goal 1 Growth and Sustainable Development

Goal LU-1: Promote local growth patterns and sustainable development practices that improve quality of life, protect open space and natural resources, and reduce resource consumption, traffic congestion, and related greenhouse gas emissions. 

The Bay Area is projected to grow by an additional 2.0 million people and 1.1 million jobs by the year 2040.  With its centralized Bay Area location and regional transportation network, the city of Hayward will undoubtedly receive a share of the region’s overall growth.  This goal and its supporting policies are designed to promote sustainable development and local growth patterns that enhance Hayward’s overall quality of life.  Sustainable development is generally defined as an approach to land development that meets the needs of the current population without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.  In more practical terms, a sustainable development project is designed and operated to minimize resource consumption, reduce dependency on the automobile, preserve sensitive environmental resources, reduce maintenance and utility expenses, and improve social health and interaction.  The policies in this section support growth patterns that protect Hayward’s open space and natural resources by maintaining established urban limit lines and directing housing and employment growth toward infill sites and underutilized properties.  In addition, the policies in this section align with the Bay Area’s Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy by directing growth toward walkable and mixed-use areas that are planned to integrate housing with regional transit, employment, services, and amenities.  These areas, which are called Priority Development Areas, are discussed further under Goal 2.  

The policies in this section address growth and sustainable development at a city-wide level.  Other goals in this Element provide more specific direction related to how growth and development should occur within the many neighborhoods, corridors, and centers of Hayward.

Jobs Housing Ratio

In 2010, the City of Hayward had a jobs-housing ratio of 1.43 jobs for every housing unit. The California Department of Finance considers a ratio of 1.5 jobs for every housing unit to be a healthy ratio.

The City shall support efforts to improve the jobs-housing balance of Hayward and other communities throughout the region to reduce automobile use, regional and local traffic congestion, and pollution. 

Regulation and Development Review (RDR)City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)Inter-governmental Coordination (IGC)Planning Studies and Reports (PSR)

The City shall maintain its established Urban Limit Lines to protect the Hayward shoreline and hillsides as natural open space and recreational resources.

Regulation and Development Review (RDR)City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)

The City shall direct local population and employment growth toward infill development sites within the city, especially the catalyst and opportunity sites identified in the Economic Development Strategic Plan.

City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)

The City shall encourage property owners to revitalize or redevelop abandoned, obsolete, or underutilized properties to accommodate growth.

Regulation and Development Review (RDR)City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)

The City shall support high-density transit-oriented development within the city’s s to improve transit ridership and to reduce automobile use, traffic congestion, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Regulation and Development Review (RDR)City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)

The City shall encourage the integration of a variety of compatible land uses into new and established neighborhoods to provide residents with convenient access to goods, services, parks and recreation, and other community amenities.

Regulation and Development Review (RDR)City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)Planning Studies and Reports (PSR)

The City shall maintain and implement commercial, residential, industrial, and hillside design guidelines to ensure that future development complies with General Plan goals and policies.

Regulation and Development Review (RDR)City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)

The City shall maintain and implement green building and landscaping requirements for private- and public-sector development to:
• Reduce the use of energy, water, and natural resources.
• Minimize the long-term maintenance and utility expenses of infrastructure, buildings, and properties.
• Create healthy indoor environments to promote the health and productivity of residents, workers, and visitors.
• Encourage the use of durable, sustainably-sourced, and/or recycled building materials.
• Reduce landfill waste by promoting practices that reduce, reuse, and recycle solid waste.

Regulation and Development Review (RDR)

The City shall explore the use of zoning and development standards that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions when preparing or updating plans and ordinances.

Regulation and Development Review (RDR)City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)

The City shall ensure that adequate infrastructure capacities are available to accommodate planned growth throughout the city.

Regulation and Development Review (RDR)City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)

The City shall consider the annexation of adjoining unincorporated properties if the annexation would improve the fiscal health of the City, provide a more efficient delivery of City services to the area, and/or create a more logical City boundary.

Regulation and Development Review (RDR)Inter-governmental Coordination (IGC)Planning Studies and Reports (PSR)

The City shall coordinate with regional and local agencies to prepare updates to regional growth plans and strategies, including the Bay Area’s Regional Transportation Plan, Sustainable Communities Strategy, and Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).

City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)Inter-governmental Coordination (IGC)Planning Studies and Reports (PSR)

The City shall strive to develop and maintain local plans and strategies that are consistent with the Regional Transportation Plan and the Sustainable Communities Strategy to qualify for State transportation funding and project CEQA streamlining.

City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)Planning Studies and Reports (PSR)

The City shall coordinate with Alameda County in reviewing proposed developments and plans within the unincorporated areas of the City’s Sphere of Influence to ensure that they align with Hayward’s 2040 Vision.

Regulation and Development Review (RDR)Inter-governmental Coordination (IGC)Planning Studies and Reports (PSR)