Title
Agenda Item:
Approval to Extend Time for Planning Commission Review of the Comprehensive Plan Update
Body
Issue:
The Planning Commission's Charter for the Comprehensive Plan Update currently identifies January 2013 as the deadline for delivery of their recommendation to City Council. The Planning Commission met with the Land Use & Environment Committee (LUEC) on October 25 to request an extension of time, allowing them to deliberate through March 31, 2013.
LUEC and Planning Commission Recommendation:
Move to extend the Planning Commission's review of the Comprehensive Plan Update through March 31, 2013.
City Manager's Recommendation:
Move to extend the Planning Commission's review of the Comprehensive Plan Update through March 31, 2013.
Staff Contact:
Amy Buckler, Associate Planner, 360.570.5847
Background and Analysis:
The Planning Commission completed the initial deliberation phase of the Comprehensive Plan Update on October 29. The public record is now closed, and the Commission will now deliberate and develop their final recommendations. Currently, the Commission has four meetings scheduled to complete this process. However, the Commission feels more time is needed to adequately address new issues raised by the public and Commissioners, as well as deliberate on the proposed staff changes. Rather than schedule additional meetings this year, they would like to extend the deadline to March 31, 2013. Following that, it will take staff approximately 8 weeks to prepare the Commission's recommendation for delivery to the City Council.
The Commission received support from LUEC for extending its work program on the comprehensive plan into the first quarter of 2013. LUEC reminded the Commission about the importance of prioritizing their work to maintain the new deadline (if approved.) Councilman Langer emphasized that the role of the Comprehensive Plan is a policy document and that the implementation strategy and development regulations will follow the adoption of the comprehensive plan.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
The Department has been informing the public that the City will begin the implementation phase of the Comprehensive Plan Update in 2013.
Options:
1. Move to extend the Planning Commission's review of the Comprehensive Plan Update through March 31, 2013.
2. Move not to extend the Planning Commission's time, and still recieve the Commission's recommendation in January 2013.
Financial Impact:
Would be included as part of CP&D's base budget for 2013.