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 Hills (PDF)
  8. Rancho de Los Alisos (PDF)
  9. Rancho Serrano (PDF)
  10. Serrano Highlands (PDF)

CEQA Guidelines


  1. City of Lake Forest_2020_CEQA Guidelines Cover
  2. 2020_CEQA Guidelines
  3. Form_A_2020_Preliminary_Exemption_Assessment
  4. Form_B_2020_Notice_of_Exemption
  5. Form_C_2020_Environmental_Impact_Assessment
  6. Form_D_2020_Notice_of_Intent_to_Adopt_Neg_Dec._Mitigated_Neg_Dec
  7. Form_E_2020_Negative_Declaration
  8. Form_F_2020_Notice_of_Determination
  9. Form_G_2020_Notice_of_Preparation
  10. Form_H_2020_Notice_of_Completion
  11. Form_I_2020_Environmental_Information_Form
  12. Form_J_2020_Initial_Study
  13. Form_J-1_2020_Environmental_Checklist_for_Subsequent_Projects
  14. Form_K_2020_Notice_of_Availability_of_Draft_Environmental_Impact_Report
  15. Form_L_2020_Certificate_of_Fee_Exemption_(LA, Orange, San Diego, Santa Barbara,
  16. Form_M_2020_Notice_of_Recirculation
  17. Form_N_2020_Request_for_Water_Supply_Assessment
  18. Form_O_2020_Water_Supply_Verification_Request
  19. Form_P_2020_Request_for_Shortened_Review
  20. Form_Q_2020_Electronic_Document_Submittal
  21. Form_R_2020_Performance Standards for Infill Projects Eligible for Streamlined R
  22. Form_S_2020_Infill Environmental Checklist form
  23. CEQA Significance Thresholds Guide 2020 + Transpo Analysis Guidelines(PDF)
  24. 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)