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PZ Recommendations/Staff Report to CCSTAFF REPORT Hearing Date: September 2, 2014 E IDIAN -- TO: Mayor and City Council IDAHO FROM: Bill Parsons, Associate City Planner (208) 884-5533 SUBJECT: CPAT-14-002 — Downtown Master Street Plan 1. SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF APPLICANT'S REQUEST The City of Meridian Planning Division has submitted an application for a Comprehensive Plan Text Amendment (CPAT) to incorporate the draft Downtown Master Street Plan as an addendum to the Comprehensive Plan. 2. SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends approval of the proposed text amendment to the Comprehensive Plan based on the analysis provided below and the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law listed in Exhibit C of the staff report. The Meridian Planning and Zoning Commission heard this item on August 7, 2014. At the public hearing, the Commission voted to recommend approval of the subiect CPAT request. a. Summary of Commission Public Hearing: L In favor: Planning Division ii. In opposition: None iii. Commenting: None iv. Written testimony: None v. Staff presenting application: Brian McClure vi. Other staff commenting on application: None b. Key Issue(s) of Discussion by Commission: i. Timing and process for requiring the improvements based on the scale of the project and who will be responsible for the improvements. c. Key Commission Changes) to Staff Recommendation: i. None d. Outstanding Issue(s) for City Council: i. None 3. PROPOSED MOTION Approval After considering all staff, applicant and public testimony, I move to approve File Number CPAT-14- 002 as presented in the staff report for the hearing date of September 2, 2014 with the following comments: (Add any proposed comments.) Denial After considering all staff, applicant and public testimony, I move to deny File Number CPAT-14- 002 as presented during the hearing on September 2, 2014, for the following reasons: (State specific reasons for denial of the subject CPAT application.) Continuance After considering all staff, applicant and public testimony, I move to continue File Number CPAT- 14-002 to the hearing date of (insert continued hearing date here) for the following reason(s): (State specific reason(s) for a continuance.) Downtown Master Street Plan CPAT-14-002 - 1 - 4. APPLICATION a. Site Address/Location: City wide b. Applicant/Representative: Brian McClure, Associate City Planner City of Meridian Planning Division 33 E. Broadway Avenue Meridian, Idaho 83642 c. Applicant's Statement/Justification: See applicant's narrative for this information. 5. PROCESS FACTS a. The subject application is for a Comprehensive Plan Text Amendment. A public hearing is required before the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council on this matter, consistent with Unified Development Code, Title 11, Chapter 5. b. Newspaper notifications published on: July 21, and August 4, 2014 (Commission); August 11, and 25, 2014 (Council) c. A public service announcement was broadcast faxed on July 28, 2014 (Commission) and August 18, 2014 (Council) regarding this application. 6. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ANALYSIS The Comprehensive Plan is a visionary document that contains goals and objectives that encourage and promote a well-designed community. Per the Comprehensive Plan, a healthy community is one that has inter -connected streets that serve multiple users. Currently, other multi -modal transportation plans (e.g. Master Pathway Plan, Master Street Map, and Transportation and Land Use Integration Plan [TLIP]) are addendums to the Comprehensive Plan that promote connectivity and walkability within the City. Further, the Urban Renewal Agency (Meridian Development Corporation) has adopted streetscape design guidelines that are codified in the UDC. The intent of the proposed text amendment is to marry these documents together and to clearly convey the design concepts for the street segments located in the City Core and along a few key entryway corridors into the City if/when properties adjacent to these corridors redevelop. Staff finds the following objectives and actions support the proposed text amendment: • "Promote a walkable community through good design." (2.01.01A) • "Improve ingress and egress (both pedestrian and vehicle) in Old Town. (3.03.01C) • "Pursue construction of the City's pathway network to and through downtown." (3.03.01E) • "Pursue bicycle routes/lanes to and through downtown." (3.03.0 IF) • "Work with COMPASS, ACHD and ITD and other regional partners to develop and manage a well-planned, sustainable, multi -modal transportation system." (3.03.02A) • "Pursue sidewalk construction for existing substandard streets." (3.03.02D) • "Develop alternative modes of transportation through pedestrian improvements, bicycle lanes, off-street pathways and transit -oriented development as appropriate." (3.03.03D) • "Encourage additional mobility options for people who do not drive; use COMPASS' Mobility Management Checklist." (3.03.04B) • "Support alternative public and private sector funding opportunities for transportation investment." (3.03.04M) Downtown Master Street Plan CPAT-14-002 - 2 - • "Integrate transportation plans and studies into the Comprehensive Plan and City Ordinances." (3.06.02E) "Create and maintain a distinct identity for downtown through consistent landscaping, street lighting, street furnishings and rehabilitation of existing buildings." (4.04.01P) 7. ANALYSIS a. Analysis of Facts Leading to Staff Recommendation: CPA TEXT AMENDMENT (CPAT): The proposed text amendment is to adopt by reference the Downtown Master Street Plan (DMSP) into the City of Meridian Comprehensive Plan. The only text change would occur in Chapter 7 on page 87, to add the DMSP to the existing list of the other adopted plans. The DMSP is an entirely new plan to add to the City's list of guiding documents (see Exhibit A). The intent of the DWSP is to provide a clear and consistent vision of previously identified needs and wants within the Downtown streetscape environment. In most cases there is currently no consistent direction, specified alignments or actual indication of relative improvement locations, consideration for interim treatments, or priorities for improvements in constrained locations. The DMSP addresses these issues with the following goals: • identifying which street and streetscape elements and at what scale, are appropriate for improvements on specific street segments in Downtown; and • clearly and consistently identifying redevelopment expectations that impact or are impacted by the street environment. The DMSP identifies specific cross-sections for each street segment within the City Core and also includes a few key entryway corridors into downtown. The City Core is the area generally located between Carlton Avenue, Ada Street, Meridian Road, and East 3rd Street. These cross-sections include descriptions and locations of sidewalks, parkways, street furnishing zones (lighting, tree - grates, etc.), back of curb, parking configurations, and more. The framework provided by these cross- sections will help to enhance synergies of efforts by local agencies and private development, and to promote appeal, reinvestment, and economic development within the City Core and greater downtown area. Each cross-section, which functions like a cut sheet, lists required elements regardless of existing conditions. Generally, requirements will only be for sidewalks/pathways consistent with the Street Plan, and preservation for identified future improvements, but the plan also addresses broad expectations which relate to scope and scale of a project. The Street Plan identifies three categories of development and the expectations of improvement for each: projects exclusively by public agencies, large projects (projects that make up a majority of a block), and small projects (one or several small parcels). In this way the plan does not burden small scale redevelopment with costly improvements, only requiring accessibility, connectivity, consistency, and preservation for the roadways eventual ultimate improvement. It is worth noting that on many streets no single cross-section will work in every circumstance. For this reason, street cross-section designs are explained so as to convey intent and need, allowing for creative alternatives, rather than to simply list expectations without explanation. One item the DMSP does not address is funding of infrastructure improvements. While it would be ideal to just build streets and curb lines to ultimate conditions, burdening the entirety of that cost on private stakeholders would likely limit redevelopment. It is also unlikely that any single public agency would be able or willing to make full improvements on any given street. This is why the DMSP speaks so often to partnerships, both public-private and public -public. The DMSP is not just a policy document, but illustrative and descriptive — the intent is to raise awareness and educate. MDC Downtown Master Street Plan CPAT-14-002 - 3 - leadership and involvement will be critical in identifying and initiating public agency led efforts, in supporting private efforts, and in coordinating multi jurisdictional cooperation. The Community Development Department will use and reference this plan to make clear development requirements to convey the street improvements and work towards meaningful connectivity improvements; however the most improvements may likely occur as a result of partnerships. Outreach for this effort began with sending out several hundred postcards to every property owner and physical address within the planning area, inviting them to an open house. Staff also went door to door and left postcards with many stakeholders having previously expressed interest or which were thought to be most impacted. After light open house attendance, and after discussion with Council, staff again reached out to specific business owners, especially those on Idaho Ave. Despite limited public participation, staff is comfortable with the direction of this plan, as the framework for most of it has already been endorsed and adopted through other policy and guidelines such as Destination Downtown, The Pathways Master Plan, and Streetscape Design Guidelines. The creation of the DMSP was guided by a working group made up of ACHD staff, MDC representatives, and City staff with comments of support from COMPASS below. Based on the input provided, Staff is not aware of any opposition to the proposed text amendment. Staff believes the proposed DMSP as an addendum to the Comprehensive Plan provides an improved guide for future growth in Downtown Meridian. Due to the size of the DMSP, this item will accompany the staff report as separate PDFfile. 8. EXHIBIT A. Proposed Text Changes B. Agency Comments C. Required Findings from the Unified Development Code Downtown Master Street Plan CPAT-14-002 - 4 - A. Proposed Text Changes Text Changes to the City of Meridian Comprehensive Plan Only one change is proposed to the Comprehensive Plan. On page 87, in the first paragraph below the Making the Plan a Reality heading, City staff recommend adding the name of the Plan between the Meridian Pathways Master Plan and Destination Downtown. Alignment with Other Plans and Resources One of the key ways that the Comprehensive Plan becomes an improved tool for growth is to align it with other established plans and goals for the City. The specific plans and documents that are adopted as part of the Comprehensive Plan include: the Existing Conditions Report, the Ten Mile Interchange Specific Area Plan, the Design Manual, the Comprehensive Parks and Recreation System Plan, the Meridian Pathways Master Plan, Downtown Meridian Street Cross-section Master Plan, Destination Downtown, Communities in Motion, ACHD's Roadways to Bikeways Bicycle Master Plan, and the Master Street Map, Complete Streets Policy and the Livable Street Design Guide from ACHD's Transportation and Land Use Integration Plan (TLIP). The City hereby adopts as addenda to the Comprehensive Plan the versions of these documents in effect at the time the Comprehensive Plan is approved by the City Council, and as amended. Downtown Master Street Plan CPAT-14-002 - 5 - Page 87, first paragraph under Making the Plan Reality. B. Agency Comments July 25, 2014 Bill Parsons City of Meridian 33 E Broadway Avenue, Suite 102 Meridian, Idaho 83642 .1. .,,, i__ _ +r Z MI Dear Mr. Parsons, Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed Downtown Meridian Street Cross-section Master Plan. Goals of the Downtown Meridian Street Cross-section Master Plan Include, to increase safe routes to schools, to increase or maintain connectivity, to maintain the integrity of existing infrastructure, to preserve natural habitats, and to Increase accessibility according to standards set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act. These goals all align with objectives set forth in the Communities In Motion 2040 (CIM 2040) plan, and when possible, COMPASS would like to partner in working to achieve these common goals. The City of Meridian, as a COMPASS member service, Is eligible for analysis of the revised transportation network. COMPASS conducts travel demand modeling and Complete Streets Level of Service analysis to better identify system demands and capacity issues and compare existing and alternative scenarios. As mentioned in the transmittal, the plan does not address funding of Infrastructure improvements. COMPASS has several programs to assist local members In receiving transportation funding through the Regional Transportation Improvement Program and the CIM 2040 Grant Implementation Program. If you have any questions, please contact Carl Miller at COMPASS, 208-475- 2239 or cmiller0comDassidaho.org. Sincerely Matthew J. Stoll Executive Director pc: Justin Lucas, City of Meridian Mindy Wallace, Ada County Highway District File 701 CM:nb T-VY14\700 Services\701 General Membership Servlees\Development Review\Meridian\Downtown Master Street Plan\Merldian Downtown Master Street Wan letter.docx Downtown Master Street Plan CPAT-14-002 - 6 - C. Required Findings from Unified Development Code 1. Comprehensive Plan Amendment Findings Upon recommendation from the Commission, the Council shall make a full investigation and shall, at the public hearing, review the application. In order to grant an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan, the Council shall make the following findings: a. The proposed amendment is consistent with the other elements of the Comprehensive Plan. The Commission finds that the proposed amendment is consistent with the transportation element of the Comprehensive Plan (See Sections 6 and 7 above). b. The proposed amendment provides an improved guide to future growth and development of the city. The Commission finds that addition of the Downtown Master Street Plan provides an improved guide to future growth and development within the City. The new plan should clearly convey the street cross-sections to stakeholders. c. The proposed amendment is internally consistent with the Goals, Objectives and Policies of the Comprehensive Plan. The Commission finds that the proposed amendment is internally consistent with the Goals, Objectives, and Policies of the Comprehensive Plan. d. The proposed amendment is consistent with the Unified Development Code. The Commission finds the proposed text amendment provides the necessary guidance to effectively administer the requirements of the Unified Development Code. e. The amendment will be compatible with existing and planned surrounding land uses. The Commission finds that the proposed text amendment will be compatible with existing and planned land uses for the area because no changes are proposed to the future land use map, the legend of the map or any land uses described in the text of the plan. E The proposed amendment will not burden existing and planned service capabilities. The Commission finds that the proposed amendment would not burden existing and planned service capabilities in this area of the City. The proposed text amendment further clarifies future expansion of public services. g. The proposed map amendment (as applicable) provides a logical juxtaposition of uses that allows sufficient area to mitigate any anticipated impact associated with the development of the area. NA h. The proposed amendment is in the best interest of the City of Meridian. The Commission finds that the proposed amendment is in the best interest of the City because it fosters relationships between the private and public sector and establishes street designs for the downtown area. Downtown Master Street Plan CPAT-14-002 - 7 -