Planning Documents

Commonly Used Standards

  1. Building Setbacks (residential) (PDF)

Design Guidelines

  1. Citywide Design Guidelines (PDF)
  2. El Toro Design Guidelines (PDF)
  3. Light Industrial Area Design Guidelines (PDF)
  4. Orange County Complete Streets Design Handbook (OCCOG) (PDF)
  5. Orange County Complete Streets Funding Toolkit (PDF)
  6. Retaining Wall Design Guidelines (PDF)
  7. WCF ROW Design_Development Standards (07-16-19)

General Plan


  1. Lake Forest General Plan (Entire document excluding Housing Element)
  2. Housing Element (2013-2021)

General Plan by Sections

  1. Cover
  2. Introduction
  3. Land Use and Design Element
  4. Mobility Element
  5. Economic Development Element
  6. Recreation and Resources Element
  7. Public Safety Element
  8. Public Facilities Element
  9. Health and Wellness Element
  10. Housing Element (2013-2021)

Other General Plan Documents

  1. General Plan Annual Progress Report 2021.pdf
  2. Housing Element Annual Progress 2020.pdf
  3. Housing Element Annual Progress Report 2019 (PDF)
  4. Land Use Map
  5. Final General Plan EIR
  6. Lake Forest_Public Draft EIR_11-7-19

Click here for more information about the City's 2021-2029 Housing Element Update and the City's Safety Element Update.

Planned Communities Documents

  1. Baker Ranch (PDF)
  2. El Toro (PDF)
  3. Foothill Ranch (PDF)
  4. Lake Forest (PDF)
  5. Nakase (PDF)
  6. Pacific Commercentre (PDF)
  7. Portola Center (PDF)
  8. Portola Hills (PDF)
  9. Rancho de Los Alisos (PDF)
  10. Rancho Serrano (PDF)
  11. Serrano Highlands (PDF)

CEQA Guidelines


  1. City of Lake Forest - 2022 CEQA Guidelines Cover
  2. City of Lake Forest - 2022 CEQA Guidelines
  3. City of Lake Forest Form_A_2022_Notice of Exempion (3)
  4. City of Lake Forest Form_B_2022_Preliminary_Exemption_Assessment
  5. City of Lake Forest Form_C_2022_Environmental_Impact_Assessment
  6. City of Lake Forest Form_D_2022_Notice_of_Intent_to_Adopt_Neg_Dec._Mitigated_Neg_Dec
  7. City of Lake Forest Form_E_2022_Negative_Declaration
  8. City of Lake Forest Form_F_2022_Notice_of_Determination
  9. City of Lake Forest Form_G_2022_Notice_of_Preparation
  10. City of Lake Forest Form_H_2022_Notice_of_Completion
  11. City of Lake Forest Form_I_2022_Environmental_Information_Form
  12. City of Lake Forest Form_J-1_2022_Environmental_Checklist_for_Subsequent_Projects (FINAL)
  13. City of Lake Forest Form_K_2022_Notice_of_Availability_of_Draft_Environmental_Impact_Report
  14. City of Lake Forest Form_L_2022_Certificate_of_Fee_Exemption_(LA, Orange, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Ventura)
  15. City of Lake Forest Form_M_2022_Notice_of_Recirculation
  16. City of Lake Forest Form_N_2022_Request_for_Water_Supply_Assessment (1)
  17. City of Lake Forest Form_O_2022_Water_Supply_Verification_Request
  18. City of Lake Forest Form_P_2022_Request_for_Shortened_Review
  19. City of Lake Forest Form_Q_2022_Electronic_Document_Submittal
  20. City of Lake Forest Form_R_2022_Performance Standards for Infill Projects Eligible for Streamlined Review
  21. City of Lake Forest Form_S_2022_Infill Environmental Checklist form (Final)
  22. CEQA Significance Thresholds Guide 2020 + Transpo Analysis Guidelines(PDF)
  23. VMT LOOKUP TABLE (Attachment f - Transportation Analysis Guidelines)

Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance

  1. Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (9.146.110) (PDF)
  2. Guidelines for Implementation of the Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (PDF)
  3. Certification of Landscape Design (Updated 3-7-16) (PDF)
  4. Landscape Installation Certificate of Completion (PDF)