Discuss Framework for 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update Process

The purpose of this case is to begin discussions on establishing a framework to complete the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update. This is not approval of a work plan, expenditures, nor the Plan/Update itself. These discussions will be important for budget preparations for the 2016 General Fund Budget. By adopting this preliminary work plan, the City is not approving any expenditures or components of the Update. This step will ensure that the framework is in place before time and resources are put into developing a more detailed work plan and ultimately the Update itself.

The Metropolitan Council is in the process of updating regional planning documents including the Transportation Policy Plan, Water Resources Policy Plan, Parks Policy Plan, and Housing Policy Plan. The City has been responding to these documents as they have been opened for public comment. This preliminary work plan will need to be adjusted as these documents and information from the Metropolitan Council is provided. The Comprehensive Plan Update is an important document as it relates to future land use and zoning decisions and serves as a framework for the City's Zoning Code. The Comprehensive Plan illustrates the vision the community has for future physical development and ensures proper coordination and compatibility with adjacent community plans.

Policy Questions for the Commission:
 

1. Is the attached Preliminary Framework appropriate for continuing to refine a more detailed Work Plan?
2. Does the Council desire to establish a separate, ad-hoc community group to focus on the development of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update and advise the Planning Commission on plan development?

The City is required to update its Comprehensive Plan, the guiding land use plan for the community, once every ten (10) years. The City will need to begin updating the plan starting at the end of 2015. In order to properly plan for the resources necessary to update this plan, Staff feels it important to introduce this discussion now for budget planning purposes as well as to provide for adequate citizen engagement and input/development into the update.

Staff is proposing to adopt the 2040 Comprehensive Plan in individual, manageable components, rather than attempting to adopt the Update as a single document. Ultimately, the individual adopted plans will be consolidated into a single Comprehensive Plan. Specific details of each element of the update can be found in the attached document. The elements/steps of the Comprehensive Plan are as follows:

 1.Review of Regional System Plans
2.Update to City's Vision, Values, and Goals of the Comprehensive Plan
3.Update to City's Future Land Use Map
4.Update to City's Transportation Plan
5.Update to City's Water Resources Plan (Water Supply, Wastewater, Surface Water)
6.Update to City's Parks Plan
7.Update to City's Housing Plan
8.Update to City's Natural Resources Plan
9.Economic Development
10.Intergovernmental Coordination
11.Redevelopment Areas
12.Community Identity
13.Public Facilities

Each element is proposed to commence with citizen engagement before alternatives are developed. The approach will range with some elements taking multiple meetings, some with a single meeting, while a single meeting may be able to accomplish multiple elements depending on the topic. The intent of this case is to agree on this broad framework. The next step in the work plan development is to provide detail on how the City will achieve the desired outcome of each element.

A key concern of the process of the previous 2030 Comprehensive Plan Update was that there was not sufficient time for adequate citizen engagement at key milestones of plan development. A common comment received as part of this process was that participants felt reactionary to prepared plan elements as opposed to being part of plan development itself. The statutory deadline to complete the Comprehensive Plan Update proved to be a barrier to allotting sufficient public input opportunities. Staff is forwarding this work plan at this time to ensure that sufficient time is allowed for these processes to unfold.

After agreeing on a framework, the Commission can begin work on a more detailed work plan, including designing appropriate public input opportunities for each element.

The Planning Commission did review this framework at their December 4, 2014 Meeting and recommends that the City Council. The Planning Commission desires to establish a framework for citizen engagement for the Update as the next step in the process as part of adopting a final Work Plan.

30 Minutes

Preparation of this discussion topic is being handled as part of normal Staff duties as part of the General Fund. Ultimately, preparation of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update will be funded through the General Fund. Staff will begin preparing a more detailed cost estimate once the framework and work plan are established as part of the 2016 General Fund Budget discussions.

Community Development Director
City Planner

The desired outcome is consensus on a general framework for completion of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update for future work planning and budget preparation purposes.