Agenda Date: 04/05/2016
Subject:
Title
Resolution approving an updated boundaries map and updated maps, goals and policies for seven of the city’s neighborhoods as an amendment to the comprehensive plan
Body
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Presented By: |
Dennis Swain, Senior Planner |
POLICY QUESTION:
Does city council support approving an update of the neighborhood plans for the Centennial, Goddard, Heritage, Ketring Park, Progress Park, South, and Sterne Park neighborhoods, as an amendment to the city’s comprehensive plan?
BACKGROUND:
With the adoption of the citywide and downtown plans, the initiation of station area master plans for the Mineral and Downtown Littleton light rail stations, and this minor update of seven of Littleton’s neighborhood plans, the city continues to adhere to the direction from the comprehensive plan.
The Citywide Plan identifies and establishes priorities for updating or creating small area plans for the city’s neighborhoods, corridors, and activity areas. (See Attachment A, the Status of Small Area Plans, and Attachment B, a map of Neighborhoods, Corridors, and Activity Areas).
Planning board reviewed the existing neighborhood plans (adopted in the early 1980’s and revised again in 2000) and these proposed revisions were posted on the city’s openlittleton.org interactive website for public comment early last summer (from April to July). The proposed updates to the plans were posted with the following statement:
The City of Littleton Planning Board requests our citizens read the two documents provided (Invite and the draft Plan update) for their neighborhood and provide comments to be shared with the planning board. What do you think of the proposed changes? (See Attachment C, Invitation to Review the Updated Plan for Your Neighborhood).
The plans were viewed by 150 people, who provided eleven statements and comments. At its August 24, 2015 meeting, the planning board reviewed the public comments and made further revisions to the draft update. (See Attachment D, Statement and Comments from Open Littleton).
The planning board held a public hearing September 28, 2015, to consider a resolution recommending approval of an update to the neighborhood plans, including boundaries maps, goals, and policies, for seven of the city’s neighborhoods, as an amendment to the comprehensive plan. Following the public hearing, the planning board voted unanimously (7-0) to support the resolution (See Attachment E, Planning Board Resolution 12-2015)
STAFF ANALYSIS:
Although the Citywide Plan assigned low priority to updating the Centennial, Goddard, Heritage, Ketring Park, Progress Park, South, and Sterne Park neighborhood plans, the planning board agreed that each of these plans needed a simple, technical update in order to provide clear direction and eliminate confusion. The proposed amendments to the neighborhood plans (See Attachment F, Draft Updated Neighborhood Plans) update the original neighborhood boundaries to reflect subsequent annexations and delete references to projects completed, and delete goals and policies that are no longer relevant. The planning board did not add new language or change any other goals or policies. To date, public comment has been supportive of this approach and the proposed changes.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff supports the approval of this resolution amending the city’s comprehensive plan to update the neighborhood plans for the Centennial, Goddard, Heritage, Ketring Park, Progress Park, South, and Sterne Park neighborhoods as approved by the planning board at its September 28, 2015, public hearing.
PROPOSED MOTION:
Proposed Motion
I move to approve the resolution approving an updated neighborhood boundaries map and updated maps, goals, and policies for seven of the city’s neighborhoods as an amendment to the comprehensive plan.