Title
Comprehensive Plan Update Deliberation Process
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Topic discussed by Land Use and Environment Committee on March 28, 2013, and May 23, 2013; Committee recommendation of August 26, 2013, is reflected in City Manager's recommendation below.
City Manager's Recommendation:
Move that:
1) The timeline for the periodic Comprehensive Plan update be changed to conclude the Council's review no later than June of 2014 instead of December of 2013,
2) The Director of Community Planning be directed to retain the services of a third-party consultant to review the draft Plan and recommend edits and revisions consistent with the State's "Plaintalk" guidelines, and
3) The Planning Commission's alternative 'Urban Neighborhoods' proposal known as the "May addendum" be returned to the Commission for further review and refinement by the Commission as soon as possible.
Report
Issue:
How and when should Council review the Comprehensive Plan update recommended by Planning Commission?
Staff Contact:
Todd Stamm, Principal Planner, Community Planning and Development, (360) 753.8597
Presenter(s):
Todd Stamm, Principal Planner, Community Planning and Development, (360) 753.8597
Background and Analysis:
The Washington Growth Management Act requires that certain counties and their cities periodically review and, as necessary, update their Comprehensive Plans and development regulations. Olympia began such an update in 2009 with the intention of completing the update by 2012. After Olympia began this process, now known as "Imagine Olympia," the Act was amended to postpone Olympia's due date to June 30, 2016. Nonetheless, the City chose to continue the in-progress update and set a new target of December 2013 to complete the update.
In July of 2012, the staff released a proposed update of the Plan based on extensive public outreach. That update focused primarily on creating a document that was accessible an...
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