About the General Plan
The General Plan provides a basis for local government land use decisions and informs citizens, developers, and decision-makers of the ground rules that guide development within the unincorporated areas of the County.
California state law requires that each general plan address the following elements: circulation, conservation, housing, land use, noise, open space, and safety. The County of San Luis Obispo has combined conservation and open space into a single element, has two land use elements (one for coastal and one for inland), splits the circulation element among several area plans, and includes additional elements for agriculture and economy.
Individual elements are periodically updated through an amendment process.