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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-02-09 PACKET 05.B.Cottage Grove !`here Pride and p`,S9erity beet TO: Chair and Arts Commission Members Chair and Environmental Commission Members Chair and Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation Members Chair and Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission Members Chair and Public Safety and Public Works Commission Members President and Economic Development Authority Members FROM: John McCool, Senior Planner DATE: January 21, 2015 RE: Future Vision 2030 Comprehensive Plan — Update Introduction The Future Vision 2030 Comprehensive Plan was adopted by the City Council on March 2, 2011. The Metropolitan Land Planning Act requires all metropolitan area communities to submit updated Comprehensive Plans to the Metropolitan Council by December 31, 2018. Within a couple months, we intend to begin work on Cottage Grove's plan update. What is the Comprehensive Pian? Cities are granted the authority to regulate land use by the Municipal Planning Act (Minn. Stat. 462.351). For cities engaged in land use regulation, the Municipal Planning Act provides the framework and road map that all cities within the seven -county metro area must follow. The comprehensive plan provides a strategic vision and goals that are crucial in guiding the overall development in the community. The overall planning principles the City will use to guide public and private investments in the coming years will partially be based on the comprehensive plan. Cities regulate land use through three basic tools: • The comprehensive plan • The zoning ordinance • The subdivision ordinance These planning tools harmonize and interact in important ways to protect and promote sound de- velopment for the City. First, the comprehensive plan helps the City look to the future, as it guides current and future development in administering its zoning ordinance and subdivision ordinance. The City's subdivision ordinance regulates the division of land into smaller lots and the creation of blocks and neighborhoods with safe streets, appropriate environmental features, and character. Finally, the City's zoning ordinance regulates the use and density for residential, commercial, in- dustrial, and agricultural purposes, both segregating and combining uses where appropriate to prevent congestion and other negative human health hazards and promoting the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the community, to protect and conserve the value of buildings, and to encourage the most appropriate use of the land. Advisory Commission Members Comprehensive Plan Update Process January 21, 2016 Page 2 of 2 Why are we updating our existing Comprehensive Plan? The Comprehensive Plan is updated every eight to ten years and establishes the vision and sets the course for the City for about a two -decade period. The plan should be updated periodically to consider changes in markets trends, revise development forecasts, and adjust community goals and policies used to guide development decisions. Plan Update Process The comprehensive plan update processes will utilize a "steering committee" format. This commit- tee will oversee the preparation of the comprehensive plan update. The steering committee will in- clude one to two members from each City advisory commission, the Economic Development Authority, business representatives, and city residents who will be appointed by the City Council. A planning consultant to assist with the process will also be selected in the near future. The Steering Committee is expected to meet once a month for about two years. A meeting date and time will be decided at a future "kick-off' meeting. The Steering Committee will review various plan concepts and recommend a draft plan to the City Council for final adoption at the conclusion of the comprehensive plan update process. A tentative timetable identifying certain the milestones is attached for reference. This timetable is subject to change. Public Involvement Framework One of the key activities of the comprehensive plan update is public involvement. Successful and useful comprehensive plans are those where there is significant involvement in the development and review of the plan by elected and appointed officials, community organizations, businesses, and residents. Public participation is crucial to developing a plan that meets our community's needs. The Metropolitan Land Planning Act requires at least one public hearing before the City Council and the Metropolitan Council accept the draft comprehensive plan. In addition to the required pub- lic hearing, it is anticipated that the steering committee will host several public open houses, solicit feedback from the general public at community events, and utilize other outreach media formats (e.g. cable TV broadcasts, Cottage Grove Reports, City's webpage, etc.). Updates and reports highlighting the status in updating the comprehensive plan will periodically be available to the City Council, appointed advisory commission members, community residents, and businesses. Conclusion At your upcoming regular meeting, two volunteers will be solicited to serve on the Comprehensive Plan Update Steering Committee. Once the Comprehensive Plan Update Steering Committee members have been appointed, a copy of the current Future Vision 2030 Comprehensive Plan will be provided to them. if another advisory commission member would also like a copy of the current Comprehensive Plan, please ask your City staff liaison or contact John McCool at 651-458-2874 or imccool(a.cottage-grove. org. Thank you for your consideration in serving on the City of Cottage Grove Comprehensive Plan Update Steering Committee.