Citizen-Driven Comprehensive Planning for Small Communities

Session #1

Kirby Date, AICP

Melissa K. Schneider, AICP

Christine Zuniga

Session #1

• Need for Comprehensive Planning

• Small Communities Planning Initiative

• Planning Process

Balancing Conservation and Development

• Up front community vision and planning

• Landowner planning and assistance

• Effective zoning implementation

• Good development projects

Comprehensive Planning: the Key to Balance

• Sets development and conservation goals in an organized fashion

• Plans for long-term financial stability• Resolves tradeoffs up-front• Provides for future logical, consistent decision

making• Legal stability: logical justification of decisions• Sets a framework for implementation

Purpose of Comprehensive Planning

• To protect the public health, safety and welfare

• To ensure quality of life for future generations

• To continue biological diversity and processes

• To balance private needs with public good

Comprehensive Planning: Issues• Watershed protection,

flooding and water quality

• Environmental sensitivity priority areas

• Cultural/visual resource priority sites, districts and corridors

• Agricultural resources

• Meaningful public participation

• “Science through a community values filter”

• Housing diversity• Transportation

Diversity• Fiscal responsibility

The Planning Process

Where are we?Research and

Analysis of Existing Conditions

How are we doing?Monitoring and

evaluating plan’s success

Getting it done.Administering

implementation strategies

Where do we want to be?

Visioning, Setting Goals & Objectives

How will we get there?

Identifying strategies

Where are we?Research and

Analysis of Existing Conditions

How are we doing?Monitoring and

evaluating plan’s success

Getting it done.Administering

implementation strategies

Where do we want to be?

Visioning, Setting Goals & Objectives

How will we get there?

Identifying strategies

Legal Foundations of Planning

• Local Government is Initiator (County, City, Village, Township)

• “Police Power” - Authority to protect public health, safety, welfare, and morals

• Regulations must be for a “valid public purpose”• Must be a connection between the public purpose and the

regulations, or means to the end• Empowerment of government by the public• Need to protect private property rights• Need to provide fair and consistent decisionmaking

Is It Time for a Comprehensive Plan?

You do not have an existing comprehensive plan.

Your comprehensive plan is more than 5 years old.

Your zoning code is out of date or does not address existing and potential development demands.

A major change has occurred or is planned for since the last comprehensive plan

Census information shows a significant change in your community’s population characteristics   

Your existing plan does not build on the unique strengths, capabilities, or location of your community.

Your existing plan does not have measurable goals or priorities

Your existing plan has no vision

The natural environment has been threatened or degraded.

There is a sense that your community’s needs are not being met.

Your historic resources or community image are being threatened by development.

Your economic base is slipping

There has been a major change in federal or state funding to your community

Components Necessary for Planning

• CONSENSUS

• COMMITMENT

• CAPACITY

• CASH

The Role of the Public

ARE YOU A GOOD

CANDIDATE FOR THE

SMALL COMMUNITIES

PLANNING INITIATIVE

PILOT PROGRAM?

Small Communities Planning Initiative

• Make comprehensive planning accessible and affordable

• Create sustainable communities that balance conservation and development

• Improve the capacity for making better planning decisions

Main Components of the Initiative

• Small Communities Planning Tool Kit

• Training Workshops

• Professional Technical Assistance

Citizens Role in Plan

Consensus Commitment Capacity Cash

Traditional

Citizen-Driven

CONSENSUS

• Is there agreement between the public and the elected and appointed officials regarding the importance of comprehensive planning?

• Is there agreement regarding the necessity to prepare a Plan now?

• What is the level of trust between the public and local government?

COMMITMENT

• Are there at least 8 people (stakeholders in the community, may include non-residents) willing to commit 6 to 8 hours per week to prepare the Plan in addition to twice-monthly meetings?

• Are there an additional 8 to 10 people willing to serve on the Citizens Committee which will meet approximately once a month and represent the broader community?

CAPACITY

• Does your community have low cost access to GIS (Geographic Information Systems) mapping?

• Are members of the Working Group internet savvy and familiar with Microsoft Word, Office, and Powerpoint?

• Are they able to read and interpret maps?

CASH

• Is the community able to fund the professional services associated with this Program?

Organization ChartPlanning

Commission or Township Trustees

Steering Committee

Citizens Committee

Working Group

Population, Economics & Housing

Agriculture, Transportation & Land

Use

Infrastructure & Natural Resources

Hist., Cultural, & Scenic Resources &

Community Facilities

Professional Assistance

Players in the Planning Process

• Elected Officials (County Commissioners, Village/City Council, Township Trustees)

• Appointed Officials (Planning Commission, Zoning Commission)

• Technical staff (Planners, Engineers, Recreation staff, etc.)• Public Agencies (Federal, State, Regional, Local)• Interested Citizens (residents, developers, business)• Consultants (Planning, Economic, Environmental,

Engineering, Historic, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture)

How to Find Good Volunteers

• Community stakeholders• Meeting attendees• Provide Training and

professional support• Clearly identify

expectations of time• Belief in the planning

process• Accept different opinions

Importance of Professional Assistance

• Community Facilitation• Identification of Data

Resources• Assistance with Analysis• Tools for Implementation

Role of the Media

• Why?– Get Your Message Out– Solicit Community

Input

• How?– Newspaper / Print

Media– Internet / Social Media– Brochures– TV / Radio

Steps to Creating a Comprehensive Plan

• PHASE 1: Research and Analysis of Existing Conditions – Where are we?

• PHASE 2: Creating a Community Vision and Goals – Where do we want to be?

• PHASE 3: Developing Action Strategies – How will we get there?

• PHASE 4: Plan Preparation

Project Timeline

• Approximately 28 week process

• One Steering Committee Meeting

• Six Citizens Committee Meetings– Including Two Community Open Houses

• Seven Working Group Meetings– Plus subcommittee work

Project Timeline

Administrative Organization & Plan Kick-off

Weeks 1 – 2

One Steering Committee Meeting

One Citizens Committee Meeting

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Timeline (Continued)

Phase 1: Data Collection & Analysis

Weeks 3 – 9

Three Working Group Meetings

Subcommittee Meetings

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Timeline (Continued)

Phase 2: Visioning & Goal Setting

Weeks 10 – 13

One Citizens Committee Meeting including a Community Open House

One Working Group Meeting

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Timeline (Continued)

Phase 3: Action Strategies

Weeks 14 – 18

Two Citizens Committee Meetings including a Community Open House

One Working Group Meeting

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Timeline (Continued)

Phase 4: Plan Preparation

Weeks 19 – 28

Two Citizens Committee Meetings

Two Working Group Meetings

Subcommittee Meetings

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Understanding Your Community’s Political & Social Climate

• What is the relationship between elected officials and the public?

• Who are the major stakeholders in the community?

• What is your community’s relationship with neighboring communities?

• What is your community’s relationship with the various County offices? What services have they provided for you?

• What is our community’s relationship with the local school district(s)?

• Is there a major issue that is currently dividing the community?

• What do recent local elections and ballot issues/referendums tell you about the political climate?

• What role do local businesses play in the decision making process?

• Are there any other key groups (churches, colleges) affecting local decision making?

• What relationship (if any) does your community have with the local media?

Taking the Pulse of the Community

• Community Questionnaire• Business Retention and

Expansion Survey• Interview with Key

Stakeholders• Community Open Houses• Specialized Studies (e.g.

Agricultural Survey)

PHASE 1:Data Collection and Analysis

Existing Conditions and Trends

Planning Elements• Population• Housing• Economics• Infrastructure• Land Uses• Agriculture• Transportation

• Natural Resources

• Community Facilities

• Historical, Cultural, & Scenic Resources

How To Collect and Analyze Data

• Key Questions

• Data Sources

• Mapping

• Assets and Challenges

Creating a Community Vision

PHASE 2:Visioning & Goal Setting

Visioning Techniques

• Slide Show

• Citizens “Scrapbook”

• Community Tour

• Mapping

Examples of Vision Statements

“ Our Community seeks to promote well-planned and managed development, abundant farmland and greenspaces, a full range of housing opportunities, and economic prosperity”.

“Our Village is a delightfully quaint, small lake-side community. It is diverse yet integrated with an traditional rural ambiance. We have a respect for preserving its history and the natural environment, while planning a safe and secure life style for future generations. Growth while inevitable is tailored to enhance and improve each individual’s quality of life”.

Planning Goals

• Linked to each Planning Element

• Positive tone

• Parallel not contradictory

• Broad and measurable

Example: Goals

• To protect and improve water quality• To encourage and enable sustainable development• The transportation system will be improved to

address existing and future traffic challenges• Housing opportunities shall be expanded, with an

emphasis on affordability, quality and revitalization of neighborhoods

Prioritization & Implementation

PHASE 3: Developing Action Strategies

Action Strategies

• Programs and Policies that will achieve your Planning Goals

• Linked to a specific goal

• Tangible / Measurable Outcome

• Prioritized by the Community

Implementation

• Who?

• Where?

• When?

• How Much?

• Indicator of Success

Full Example of an Action StrategyGOAL: Improve recreational opportunities within Apple VillageStrategy: Create two new softball fields

Who: Apple Village Parks and Recreation DepartmentWhere: The new fields should be located either adjacent to the existing Village Park or Apple Elementary SchoolWhen: Land should be acquired by Fall 2010. Bids should go out by Fall 2010 to allow site clearing during early Spring 2011. The fields should be available for use by Summer 2011How Much:

Engineering Services: $5,000 - $8,000Field Irrigation: $8,000 - $10,000Spectator stands and pavilion: $30,000 - $50,000Lighting: $10,000 - $20,000

TOTAL ESTIMATED COST: $53,000 - $88,000The Apple School Boosters are expected to contribute $15,000 towards this project.

Indicator of Success: Two new softball fields .

PHASE 4: Plan Preparation

Pulling It All Together

• Mapping

• Writing

• Draft Review Process

• Adoption

• Publicizing Your Plan

The Countryside Programwww.countrysideprogram.org

www.urban.csuohio.edu/planningcenter

Kirby Date, AICP, Coordinator216-687-5477 k.date@csuohio.edu

Melissa Schneider, AICP, Consultant

QUESTIONS?