What is a Circulation Element?
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Circulation Element > What Is a Circulation Element?
"The general plan shall include] a circulation element consisting of the general location and extent of existing and proposed major thorough-fares, transportation routes, terminals, and other local public utilities and facilities, all correlated with the land use element of the plan."       - Government Code Section 65302(b)

The City of Santa Monica is updating its nearly 20 year-old General Plan Circulation Element that will set a course for future transportation policies.  We want the new element to reflect the experiences, ideas, opinions and goals of the people who live, work and travel here. All cities and counties within California are required to have a Circulation Element. The element reflects the community's goals and priorities about traveling in Santa Monica. How we travel through our communities has implications for:

• The Physical Environment: How our communities look, feel and function -- from the presence of sidewalks and street trees to the design of buildings and the air that we all breathe,
• The Economic Environment: Economic activities normally require circulation for materials, products, customers or employees -- the viability of the community's economy can be directly affected by circulation, and
• The Social Environment: People's choices, activities and interactions with others are impacted by circulation systems -- systems should be accessible for all segments of the population, including the young, the poor, the elderly, and the disabled.

These goals and policies can then be translated into implementation strategies to shape the future of travel in Santa Monica.

The last comprehensive circulation element was adopted in 1984 and it is time to develop a new one.  City staff is attending meetings to present materials and get feedback from all types of communities in Santa Monica.  If you would like your organization to participate in this process, we will come to you!  Please contact us at transportation-management@santa-monica.org or (310) 458-8298 or (310) 458-2204 so we can attend one of your meetings.