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PZ Recs/Staff ReportComprehensive Plan Revamp CPAT-11-001 - 1 - STAFF REPORT Hearing Date: April 5, 2011 TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Bill Parsons, Associate City Planner (208) 884-5533 SUBJECT: CPAT-11-001 – Comprehensive Plan Revamp 1. SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF APPLICANT’S REQUEST The City of Meridian Planning Department has submitted an application for a Comprehensive Plan Text Amendment (CPAT) that proposes to revamp the 2002 version of the Comprehensive Plan (the Plan). Items addressed with the subject application include the following: 1) adoption of the 2010 Existing Conditions Report as an addendum to the Plan; 2) updates to the text of the Plan; 3) changes and additions to the goals, objectives and action items contained in the Plan; 4) a complete reformat of the Plan and 5) new mixed-use exhibits. No changes to the Future Land Use Map are proposed with the subject application. 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 A of the staff report. The Meridian Planning & Zoning Commission heard this item on March 3, 2011. At the public hearing, the Commission voted to recommend approval of the subject CPAT request. a. Summary of Commission Public Hearing: i. In favor: City of Meridian Planning Department ii. In opposition: None iii. Commenting: None iv. Written testimony: City of Meridian Parks Department v. Staff presenting application: Caleb Hood vi. Other staff commenting on application: Ted Baird b. Key Issue(s) of Discussion by Commission: i. None c. Key Commission Change(s) to Staff Recommendation: i. The Commission included the addition of the Parks Department’s comments to be incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan. ii. The Commission recommended Planning Staff work with Legal Staff to allow for future amendments to documents approved as addenda to the Comp Plan (e.g. Existing Conditions Report, Design Manual, CIM, etc.) to be approved without amending the Plan. New language is proposed on page 87 of the draft Comprehensive Plan; see Exhibit B, Revisions to Page 87, at the end of this Report. 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-11- 001 as presented in the staff report for the hearing date of April 5, 2011 with the following comments: Comprehensive Plan Revamp CPAT-11-001 - 2 - (Add any proposed comments.) Denial After considering all staff, applicant and public testimony, I move to deny File Number CPAT-11- 001 as presented during the hearing on April 5, 2011, 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 CPA-11- 001 to the hearing date of (insert continued hearing date here) for the following reason(s): (State specific reason(s) for a continuance.) 4. APPLICATION a. Site Address/Location: City wide b. Applicant/Representative: Caleb Hood, Planning Manager City of Meridian Planning Department 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 & Zoning Commission and City Council on this matter, consistent with Unified Development Code, Title 11, Chapter 5. b. Newspaper notifications published on: February 14, and 28, 2011(Commission); March 14, and 28, 2011 (City Council) c. A public service announcement was broadcast faxed on February 11, 2011 (Commission) and March 10, 2011 (City Council) regarding this application. 6. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ANALYSIS The Comprehensive Plan is a visionary document that contains goals and objectives that encourage and promote well designed communities. By continuing to update the Comprehensive plan, it provides opportunities for the community and City staff to measure the success of the plan and its impact on the community with the ultimate goal being that the City of Meridian is a premier place to live, work and raise a family. Staff believes the revamped plan should provide the necessary guidance to measure future progress as it relates to transportation, land development, public facilities, recreational amenities, housing, economic development and community needs. The specific objectives and actions that support the proposed text amendment are listed below: • Chapter IV, Goal I, Objective A, Action 4 (page 26) – Adopt, maintain, and update the comprehensive plan to accommodate growth. The City of Meridian has experienced a lot of growth since the adoption of the 2002 Comprehensive Plan. This growth has necessitated the need to revamp the plan so it can accurately portray the successes the community has achieved since the last comprehensive plan update. Thus, a separate document (The Existing Conditions Report) is proposed as an addendum that deals with the “where we have been” aspect of the plan. In addition, City Staff has reviewed the current comprehensive plan and has found outdated text and many action items that are either completed, obsolete, or need to be amended. Additionally, Comprehensive Plan Revamp CPAT-11-001 - 3 - changes in the economy and society have shifted some of the priorities in the plan as well, thus creating the need for entirely new action items. Once the plan is adopted, staff believes the revamped plan will be the vision plan that directs future development and will be used as a tool by which City Departments can accommodate growth and measure future progress. • Chapter VIII, Goal I, Action 2 (page 118) – Review the status of the implementation actions (Table VIII-1) to ensure steady progress on all items. As part of the Comprehensive plan changes, staff has reviewed the action items contained in the current plan. After further review of the document, it was identified that many of the action items were completed, obsolete, or in need of modification so they more closely reflect the economic and societal shifts in the community. Many of the action items have been modified, completed, removed or carried-over with the proposed text amendment. The spread sheet identifies the responsible party and the priority level for the action item. Staff is of the opinion that these action items should be used to measure the future success of the new comprehensive plan. NOTE: If the proposed application is approved, Table VIII-1 will no longer exist. Instead a new implementation plan will replace it. 7. ANALYSIS a. Analysis of Facts Leading to Staff Recommendation: CPA TEXT AMENDMENT (CPAT): The subject application proposes a host of changes to the Plan, including significant updates to the text and reformat, adopting the Existing Conditions Report as an addendum to the plan, substantial changes to the Goals, Objectives, and Actions Items, and new mixed use exhibits. Since the adoption of the 2002 Comprehensive Plan, Meridian has changed significantly. As part of the ongoing planning process, planning staff is proposing to update and revise the Comprehensive Plan to better reflect current conditions and opinions within the City of Meridian. To aid in this process, the Planning Department was responsible for soliciting comments from the community, other City Departments and the outside agencies. Other City departments worked closely with Planning Staff to ensure relevant action items that address transportation, public utilities, parks, housing, economic development, land use, sustainability and public facilities. In addition, a town hall meeting was held in October 2010 to hear what community members had to say about priorities for the City. Planning Staff also received feedback from COMPASS, ACHD, VRT and the Meridian Chamber of Commerce on the proposed changes. For specific comments from the outside agencies, please refer to the accompanying PDF files. The layout of the Comprehensive Plan has been entirely reorganized and new policies (goals, objectives and action items) inserted. The new layout is divided into several chapters each with an introduction and short description of how the City would like to improve upon the associated topic. The associated Goals, Objectives, and Action Items are at the end of each chapter. The Chapters are generally organized by topics required to be covered under Idaho State Code, for municipal Comprehensive Plans. Following the end of the document, several appendixes help to clarify terminology, provide additional information, and include supportive maps. Using public feedback, internal departmental communications, and topic-specific sub committees, every Goal, Objective, and Action Item from the current Comprehensive Plan was re-evaluated and if needed, updated, expanded upon, or removed if accomplished or no longer relevant. Additionally, changes in the economy and society have shifted the importance of some topics and created a need for entirely new policies in others. Comprehensive Plan Revamp CPAT-11-001 - 4 - Included in the subject CPAT request is a proposal to adopt an Existing Conditions Report as an addendum to the plan. The Existing Conditions Report represents aspects of “where we have been” as a community. The revamped Comprehensive Plan is meant to focus on the future, shortening the original document and allowing it to focus on “where we are going”. Other documents that were previously adopted as part of the City’s Comprehensive Plan; continue to be part of the plan. These documents include: The Ten Mile Specific Area Plan, the Master Pathway Plan, and the City of Meridian Design Manual. In 2010, some of the mixed use designations contained in the Plan were updated along with mixed- use exhibits. At the time, the exhibits were meant as place holders until better exhibits could be generated. Now, new figures for the various Mixed Use designations have been finished, and are included within the subject application (Chapter 3). Staff believes that these images offer far greater clarity of intent than previous material and will be of great value to the City. Staff is not aware of any opposition to the proposed text amendment. Staff believes the proposed amendment to the text of the comprehensive plan provides an improved guide to future growth and development in Meridian. Due to the size of the revamped plan, the existing conditions report, agency comments, strike- through version of the goals, objectives and action items and the new goals, objectives and action item documents, these items will accompany the staff report as separate PDF files. 8. EXHIBIT A. Required Findings from the Unified Development Code B. Revisions to Page 87 Comprehensive Plan Revamp CPAT-11-001 - 5 - A. 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 revamped plan contains all of the fifteen (15) elements required by Idaho State Statute. In fact, these elements have been expanded upon and a new sustainability chapter has been added. The focus of these elements is incorporated in the updated policies (goals, objective and action items) at the end of each chapter. The Commission finds the revamped comprehensive plan clearly defines the vision for each of the elements and will provide the necessary guidance to measure future progress of the plan. b. The proposed amendment provides an improved guide to future growth and development of the city. The Commission finds that the proposed text amendment provides an improved guide to future growth and development within the city. New mixed-use exhibits, updated policies, as well as updates to the text clearly convey the City’s vision 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. All goals, objectives and action items were thoroughly reviewed by City Departments, and subject to review by the public and other Ada County agencies, to determine which ones were to be removed, modified or carried-over to the revamped 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. f. 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 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 Comprehensive Plan Revamp CPAT-11-001 - 6 - because the revamped Plan better conveys the future vision for the City of Meridian. It includes the necessary policy statements and metrics for achieving the vision by making the City of Meridian a premier place to live, work and raise a family. Comprehensive Plan Revamp CPAT-11-001 - 7 - B. Revisions to Page 87 CHAPTER 7 – IMPLEMENTATION When it comes to implementing the City of Meridian Comprehensive Plan, the primary responsibility lies with City Staff. As discussed in Chapter 1, however, citizens, developers, the Planning and Zoning Commission, as well as the City Council and other groups and commissions, are all involved and also responsible for shaping community development and the overall pattern of growth within the community. The following table is comprised of Goals and Objectives best represented in this chapter. For associated Action Items, refer to the Implementation Plan at the end of this document. Making the Plan Reality 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, 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. The Comprehensive Plan has a symbiotic relationship with and works in concert with City Code, the City’s Community Development Block Grant Consolidated Plan, the City’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy, the Meridian Pathways Master Plan, the Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Service Plan, the City’s Sewer and Water Master Plans, other department master plans, capital improvement plans, and various transportation plans and studies. It is also used in conjunction with each City department’s strategic plan, action plan, and employee Position Accountability Definition (PAD’s). All City departments should use the Comprehensive Plan as a tool for setting work plans, budgets, capital improvements, and allocating other resources for City Council approval. City staff from all departments will regularly discuss and coordinate the needs of the City. Staff will work together with the common goal of guiding growth, providing City services within available resources, being organized and efficient, and being good stewards of the public trust. Comprehensive Plan Revamp CPAT-11-001 - 8 - Next Steps After adoption of the Comprehensive Plan, one of the first steps will be to prioritize the action items listed in the Plan. City Departments and other stakeholders will be part of the process to determine which action items are immediate, intermediate or long-term priorities. This consolidated list of the action items will be referred to as the Implementation Plan of the Comprehensive Plan and it will establish both an action item lead and support, including all City departments or civic organizations that need to be involved in completing each action. After staff consensus on priorities, the draft Implementation Plan will be shared with the Mayor and Council. By assigning both responsibility, and priority, the intent is to provide for the timely execution of the various components of the Plan. On a regular basis, City staff will report back to the Council on progress being made in completing action items. It is also anticipated that additional action items may be added and an update to both the text of the Comprehensive Plan and the Existing Conditions Report will occur on a semi-annual basis, and/or as otherwise needed. Implementation of the Plan will take hard work and dedication from the entire community. Hopefully, everyone finds the organization of this document to be user-friendly and the goals, objectives and action items representative of the community’s vision.