Urban Growth Boundary and Urban Limit Line
In 1996 the City Council adopted a long-term Urban Growth Boundary (UGB), which differentiates
land within the City’s Sphere of Influence intended for future urbanization from land intended to
remain rural and unincorporated for the next 20 years. Community Development Policy 3a provides
further information on the purpose of the UGB:
·
Provide greater stability of future land use patterns than is currently provided by the existing
“short term” Urban Service Area (USA) boundaries;
·
Indicate the preferred extent and direction of the City’s future urban expansion and capital
improvements planning, consistent with the General Plan;
·
Encourage compact and concentric urban growth and development;
·
Promote fiscal responsibility, cost-effective service delivery and the City’s ability to plan for
an adequate land supply necessary for sustainable economic growth;
·
Compensate for the impacts of the City’s historical patterns of urban growth;
·
Achieve greater compatibility of land use planning and decision-making for lands of mutual
interest to the City and County; and
·
Provide additional certainty to rural landowners, needed for purposes of planning
investments and maintaining viable agricultural operations.
Community Development Action 3.4, includes the following language regarding modifications to
the UGB, “The UGB should only be expanded for those general land use categories (i.e., residential,
commercial, industrial) for which less than a 20-year supply remains” and, “Do not reconsider the
UGB location more frequently than in conjunction with a comprehensive City General Plan
Update.”
The draft Morgan Hill 2035 Preferred Land Use Plan, by showing a change in land use designation
of a portion of Opportunity Site 7 and all of Opportunity Site 23 to a combination of Single-family
Medium and Single-family Low, already implies that those sites would be brought into the UGB.
Through the comprehensive General Plan Update process there is an opportunity to consider other
changes to the UGB that, over time, would help address the City’s irregular boundaries. One
potential change to the UGB has been requested by a property owner for a parcel located in the
northwest corner of Opportunity Site 2.
Attached is a map that shows the current location of the UGB in relation to the various other City
boundaries (i.e., Sphere of Influence, Urban Limit Line, and Urban Service Area) and also shows
land within our current City limits (gray).
Although requests for changes to the Urban Service Area (USA) would occur in conjunction with
Santa Clara County LAFCO review of future proposed annexations, the General Plan Update is an
opportunity for the City to consider changes to, or elimination of, the City’s Urban Limit Line
(ULL). The ULL was established in 2006 and is defined in the current General Plan as, “a longerterm version of the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) and is intended to reflect the City’s long term
policy for growth in Morgan Hill, beyond the twenty-year timeframe of the UGB. As shown on the
GPAC #17
April 23, 2015
attached boundaries map, in most instances the City’s ULL and UGB are coterminous. In the case
of the area around Opportunity Site 23, the Land Use Plan would suggest moving the UGB to be in
line with the ULL. The only other location where there is a substantial difference between the
location of the ULL and UGB is around Opportunity Site 2. Beyond these two areas, only a few
areas remain where the ULL and UGB are not aligned, which raises the question of the continued
usefulness of having both a ULL and UGB.
Planning Commission and City Council Recommendation
On February 10, 2015 the Planning Commission recommended that the City should, in general,
consider simplifying its boundaries and possibly merge the ULL and UGB. The Commission
supported the expansion of the UGB to include Opportunity Site 2 up to Highway 101 and to
include the area around Live Oak High School out to Hill Road.
On February 18, 2015 the City Council supported the Planning Commission’s recommendation for
the expansion/realignment of the UGB and indicated that the General Plan Advisory Committee
(GPAC) should consider and make detailed recommendations on other areas staff identified where
the UGB and ULL do not currently align.
Boundary Definitions
Sphere of Influence (SOI): The possible ultimate physical boundaries, service area or area of
influence of the City, as determined by LAFCo. Not all land within the SOI is intended for future
urbanization. Some areas within the SOI may receive some, but not full urban services, by the City.
All land within the SOI bears relation to the City’s planning activities. (Solid orange line on the
attached boundaries map)
Urban Limit Line (ULL): The ULL separates urban and future urban areas from rural areas. The
ULL is a longer-term version of the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) and is intended to reflect the
City’s long term policy for growth of Morgan Hill, beyond the twenty-year timeframe of the UGB.
The purpose of a ULL is to encourage more efficient growth patterns, minimize public costs, and
protect environmental resources. Some, but not all, of the land outside the ULL has been identified
as Greenbelt. (Dashed blue line on the attached boundaries map)
Urban Growth Boundary (UGB): An officially adopted and mapped line dividing land to be
developed from land to be protected for natural or rural uses, including agriculture. UGBs are
regulatory tools, often designated for 20 or more years to provide greater certainty for both
development and conservation goals. (Solid purple line on the attached boundaries map)
Urban Service Area (USA): The area within the Urban Growth Boundary where utilities such as gas,
water, sewer, and electricity, and public services such as police, fire, schools, and parks and
recreation are and will be provided. (Dashed green line on the attached boundaries map)
GPAC #17
April 23, 2015