Title
Approval of Response to Sub-Area A Project Initiation Letter
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Authorize the Mayor to sign the attached sub-area project response letter.
City Manager Recommendation:
Concur with and authorize the Mayor to sign the response letter recommended by Land Use and Environment Committee.
Report
Issue:
The Land Use and Environment Committee (LUEC) provided guidance to staff to draft a response to Sub-Area A’s project initiation letter and asked that the letter be brought to the full City Council for approval.
Staff Contact:
Michelle Sadlier, Neighborhood Liaison, Community Planning and Development, 360.753.8031
Background and Analysis:
LUEC’s recommended draft response to Sub-Area A’s project initiation letter is attached (Attachment 1).
Sub-area planning is called for in the 2014 Comprehensive Plan as a collaboration between the City of Olympia and its neighborhood-level community groups to identify local priorities and strategies for shaping our city (Attachment 2). Initial planning for the pilot sub-area planning process is underway with Sub-Area A. While either the City or the community can initiate sub-area planning, Sub-Area A leaders have stepped forward to initiate the process. Leaders of the community have submitted a letter to City Council asking for recognition of Sub-Area A’s intent to proceed with this neighborhood planning effort (Attachment 3).
This letter outlines the process the community of northeast neighborhoods has gone through so far to develop an approach to sub-area planning. It includes a list of actively involved Recognized Neighborhood Associations and their leaders as well as the steps they’ve taken to develop their process with input from City staff. Along with a request for recognition of the community’s intent to initiate sub-area planning, the letter asks City Councilmembers a series of questions that are intended to provide Sub-Area A with clarity on the Council’s assumptions and expectations for sub-area planning. The draft response provided in Attachment 1 is intended to address those questions.
The full City Council referred the letter to the LUEC at its March 3, 2015 study session. The LUEC met to formulate a response on March 26, 2015. At this meeting, Councilmembers provided staff with guidance on language to include in the attached response letter.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Sub-area planning is of interest to Recognized Neighborhood Associations, the Coalition of Neighborhood Associations, informal citizen groups, business owners, and other residents of Olympia and the Urban Growth Area.
Options:
1. Approve the draft project initiation letter.
2. Approve the draft project initiation letter with amendments.
3. Do not approve the draft project initiation letter.
Financial Impact:
Existing budget resources provide for 0.25 FTE Sub-Area Planning Liaison position in 2015.