Nearly a year has passed since the City last spoke with the community about the broader General Plan Update, and we appreciate your continued interest in Shafter’s future. The City is working through High-Speed Rail alignment and regional circulation questions while exploring options to restart the broader planning effort. In the meantime, Housing Element rezoning must move forward to meet deadlines and requirements imposed by State law.

What Is Being Proposed?

The City is proposing targeted changes to comply with commitments made in the adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element. Working with interested property owners, Shafter has identified a revised approach that maintains compliance with State law while reducing the amount of land that would need to be rezoned.

The proposed changes would:

• Update portions of the Housing Element
• Modify land use and zoning on 12 properties throughout central Shafter
• Create capacity for future multifamily housing
• Help the City meet State housing requirements while preserving local control over land use decisions

Because some of the properties that were identified for rezoning through this process are different than the candidates sites identified in the adopted Housing Element, an amendment to the Housing Element is also proposed to be consistent with the rezoning.

Proposed changes under consideration are available for review at www.myinput.com/planshafter/housing-element-implementation

Share your thoughts

The official public review period for proposed changes under consideration is:
September 30, 2026 - October 14, 2026 at 5 p.m.

Comments and/or questions may be submitted at the community open house (see below for details) or by emailing the City at myinput@planshafter.com.

Comments received during this time will be considered prior to submitting the Housing Element to the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for formal review.

We hope you'll join us and be part of the conversation about Shafter's future.

Learn More

The following informational meetings are planned during the public review period to share information about the proposed changes with the community:

Community Open House (October 8)

This is an informal event when members of the community will be able to talk directly to City Staff and the Project Team.

• When: Thursday, October 8, 2026 at 6 p.m.
• Where: Shafter Police Department Conference Room |201 Central Valley Highway

At the open house, you will be able to:

• Learn about proposed housing and land use changes
• Understand why rezoning is required by State law
• Review maps and draft materials
• Share questions, concerns, and feedback with City staff and the project team
• Provide input before formal State review and adoption proceedings begin
• Kids station (coloring / building blocks)

The open house will provide an opportunity to review maps and proposed changes, ask questions, and share comments before the materials are submitted for State review.

Planning Commission and City Council Information Session (October 6)

In addition to the Open House there will be joint planning commission and City Council information session on Tuesday, October 6th at 5 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. The materials presented at this session will cover the same topics as the Open House.