| 5 | Update on Work Programs for Comprehensive Planning and the Zoning Code | ||||||||||
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Comprehensive Planning Manager Sara Dechter provided a PowerPoint presentation that covered the following: FUTURE WORK PROGRAM FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING AND ZONING CODE WHAT FAR ITEMS WILL WE COVER? COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING WORK PROGRAM THREE ROLES OF WORK PROGRAM WORK COMPLETED IN 2016-2017 INTER & INTRA GOVERNMENTAL WORK FOR 2018-2019 PLAN AMENDMENTS FAR ITEM – REGIONAL PLAN AMENDMENT AND REZONING FOR PROPOSITION 413 AREA MAP COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON MCMILLAN MESA NATURAL AREA MAJOR PLAN AMENDMENT OTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON PLAN AMENDMENT PRIORITIES SPECIFIC PLANS OPTIONS FOR NEXT PLAN TO WORK ON POTENTIAL NEXT SPECIFIC PLANS MAP COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON SPECIFIC PLAN PRIORITIES Councilmember Barotz stated that she believes the Regional Plan amendment along with the rezoning for McMillan Mesa should be completed sooner rather than later. If the City does not proceed with it, the maps will stay the way they are now. People will see an employment area that is not actually available for employment. Because 87% of voters approved Proposition 413 it is important that City documents reflect what the law is. Councilmember McCarthy stated that there is no real danger for a developer to come into that area. In this case, nothing bad can come from it as it could in other cases. Other items should take precedent. Mayor Evans offered that the maps need to be re-drawn to make sure they are correct and minimize confusion. Maybe this is an issue of resources in the Planning Department and Council can look at what additional staff is needed. Councilmember Putzova stated that the City needs to take the Regional Plan seriously. The City is implementing the will of the voters and the process needs to be finished and the documents updated. She would like to finish the process and respect the Regional Plan as a living document that is as updated as possible. Ms. Dechter stated that with the current staffing level this update can be done along with another specific plan. Vice Mayor Whelan stated that she does not think the answer is adding people to a process that clearly is not working. When Council gives direct statements, those things should be carried out in that priority but that is not always the case. She would like to go back and challenge the process of what is being heard from the Council and what leadership and staff are doing to accomplish it. The extended period of time it is taking to complete these tasks is not working. Councilmember Overton asked how much time a Planner needs to accomplish these tasks. Ms. Dechter explained that it takes 50-70% of her time to work on the plan depending on the week. The goal is to always have a true consensus building that brings everyone to the table; that does not happen because a mailer was sent out but because staff are walking the areas and going door to door. This is not something that is easy to contract out and it is a service that is provided to the community. Mayor Evans asked how many other Planners are in Ms. Dechter’s program. Ms. Dechter stated that it is just her. Mayor Evans stated that knowing the process takes up so much of her time, completion of the list is seven years out. So much can happen in that time and by the time staff gets to some items things may have significantly changed. Ms. Dechter stated that because of that, the prioritization exercise is so important so staff knows where to focus their time. Council agreed to the staff presented Specific Plan as well as the McMillan Mesa Proposition 413 Major Plan Amendment. Ms. Dechter continued the presentation. FAR ITEM – INITIATE REGIONAL PLAN AMENDMENT FOR HOH OVERLAY TO INDICATE WHERE COMMUNITY FINDS HOH ACCEPTABLE FAR ITEM – HOH MAP COUNCIL DISCUSSION Councilmember Putzova stated that every time there is a high occupant housing (HOH) project in front of Council there is always resistance to the project. Rather than be reactive areas where the community finds HOH acceptable can be identified. Delaying the discussion makes the process more cumbersome for developers and the citizens. The map could provide a framework and a tool for Council to consider with rezoning requests. Community Development Director Mark Landsiedel suggested that the map could be included in the HOH Specific Plan that is coming forward for discussion. Ms. Dechter stated that the map is based on the public input received through the HOH process. One of the issues that is very hard to address are the projects that pop up and then there is opposition. Staff’s recommendation is to do the map with area plans because there is generally better citizen attendance and input. Councilmember Overton stated that the map is a reflection of community values. He is concerned about the purple areas which are areas of use by right and it is important to communicate to the public that these HOH developments can build in these areas. The map is a little misleading and the focus should be on zoning. A majority of Council agreed that the map should be included with the HOH plan. OTHER POTENTIAL WORK Councilmember Putzova suggested that a similar analysis with modeling and visualizing should be built into the next Regional Plan process. Zoning Code Manager Brian Kulina continued the presentation. ZONING CODE WORK PROGRAM WORK COMPLETED IN 2016-2017 CURRENT PLANNING COUNCIL IDENTIFIED OTHER DEPARTMENTS/DIVISIONS PUBLIC FAR – SIGNS IN ROW Mayor Evans stated that she brought this FAIR forward because of what happened during the last election and renters not being allowed to display signs of their chosen candidate for fear of being evicted. The right of way is owned by everyone and if people are saying they cannot put up a political sign then it could be put in the right of way. Four Councilmembers are not in favor of moving the item forward. FAR – DESIGN STANDARDS Vice Mayor Whelan stated that the reason she brought this FAIR item forward was because the community was getting projects that did not take on the community character or spirit. Given the solutions proposed and prior action already taken she does not feel that the item needs to be taken any further. FAR – BUILDING HEIGHT Vice Mayor Whelan indicated that this item is similar to the last in that the solutions proposed and prior action already taken will address the concerns and the FAIR needs to go no further. FAR – RESOURCE PROTECTION CONSERVATION STUDY FORUM Councilmember Overton stated that if the Resource Protection Standards are evaluated he would like to look at the 50% canopy requirement and how it applies to communities as they are developed and how it impacts building. A majority of Council agreed that the canopy requirement be reviewed. Nat White addressed Council on behalf of the Conservation Study Forum. Mr. White stated that the Conservation Study Forum attended almost every Regional Plan meeting. Resource protection is an important part of the Regional Plan and sometimes the small things that do not seem important can have a great impact. We hope that this can be expedited as it fits with the other plans. Mr. Kulina continued. FAR – CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT Mr. Kulina explained that Conditional Use Permits are scheduled for a Council discussion in March. TIA/TRANSECT RSOQ Marie Jones with Stand Up for Flagstaff addressed Council and provided some recommendations for prioritizing. The public engagement process is inconsistent and not always meaningful; there is a fairly low expectation for public engagement right now and many discouraged people are disengaged. The RSOQ could be directed to improve the engagement process. There is a perception that engaging the public slows down the process and she would suggest it does the opposite. If the community is engaged much earlier in the process things may move through the Planning and Zoning Commission and Council much earlier. Ms. Jones also stated that the idea of moving the remapping back until the Southside Plan is done is concerning. Council has identified that the map is an issue and there is a lot of agreement that the remapping could make a big difference. Also the implementation of a Design Review Commission is something that would not take much staff time to get started. Rick Lopez also addressed Council stating that failure to plan leads to redundant work. For example, this summer Riordan Road was repaved and it will be torn up in the next few months to facilitate the new light for the Standard. Having strong discussions about the future transportation needs is important especially for the major transportation corridors that run down Lone Tree and Fourth Street that will have a huge impact on the neighborhoods. It would be a mistake to plan all the transportation and not think in synchronicity of the surrounding neighborhoods. There has to be a better way of figuring out how to prioritize things so there is continuity over time. Charlie Silver addressed Council stating that there are differences between guiding documents and regulatory documents; the focus should be on the documents that really have some teeth. Stand Up For Flagstaff is recommending the preservation of historic communities, creating a Design Review Commission and recalibrating zoning maps. Mr. Kulina continued the presentation. 2018-2019 WORK PROGRAM REMINDERS Councilmember Odegaard stated that he would like to see mapping be brought forward as a high priority as well as alleyways. Councilmember McCarthy agreed adding that it is frustrating that things take so long and there needs to be a way to get things done faster. Mayor Evans stated that there is a lot of good work that is needed. Staff does not have the tools for adequate public engagement. Mr. Copley is working on rolling something out that will provide training for public engagement and she requested that Council have an opportunity to see what the program looks like. With regards to the money not being used for the RSOQ she would like to see it be applied towards a public engagement process and see who responds and what the proposals may be. Mayor Evans also expressed a desire to recalibrate the zoning map as well as developing a Design Review Commission. Vice Mayor Whelan requested a timeline to know how long it will take to have the community engagement processes set up and the mapping to be re-done. She asked that it happen within the first six months of 2018. Written comment cards regarding the Planning and Zoning Work Plans were submitted by the following individuals:
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| Moved by Councilmember Charlie Odegaard, seconded by Councilmember Scott Overton moved to continue the meeting, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure. | |||||||||||
| Vote: 5 - 2 | |||||||||||
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