Agenda Date: 11/13/2018
Subject:
Title
Joint Study Session with Planning Commission regarding Envision Littleton
Body
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Presented By: |
Kathleen Osher, Special Project Manager and Jocelyn Mills, Community Development Director |
REQUESTED COUNCIL ACTION:
Does city council support formal adoption of the draft Envision Littleton Vision Plan, and additionally does council support the scope for the comprehensive plan update in 2019?
BACKGROUND:
Envision Littleton is a community-driven process to develop a unifying vision for Littleton that will directly inform the city’s plans for the next 10-20 years.
The citizens of Littleton have shaped this plan. The 12 intense weeks of summer engagement yielded 870 survey responses and conversations with over 3,000 people to provide a draft vision and guiding principles. The month of October provided an opportunity for residents to “check our work” and ensure that the draft Envision Littleton Vision Plan accurately captured the input received during the summer engagement. By continuing the emphasis on key events in the city, the draft was seen by over 2,500 people.
Input on the draft vision from the “check our work” outreach, including input from city council and planning commission, has been incorporated into the latest draft Envision Littleton Vision Plan (dated 11/13/18), which is attached to this staff communication.
Based on the values identified directly by community stakeholders, the draft Envision Littleton Vision Plan identifies five guiding principles. These guiding principles will be the foundation for decision-making and serve as a set of filters to keep the future in focus. Each of these guiding principles becomes a filter for the camera (page 13 of the draft Envision Littleton Vision Plan) of Littleton’s future and unless all five filters are applied and honored, the picture will be blurry. This tool will become essential as the community weighs choices involving investments, capital project priorities, and new or expanded partnerships. All who have contributed so far to Envision Littleton will remain stewards of the vision the community has put forward to be values-based and priority-driven.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
The draft Envision Littleton Vision Plan is set for consideration by Planning Commission December 10th, and adoption on December 18th by city council. The next step will be developing a combined project management plan for the comprehensive plan and transportation master plan by November 30th, and a public engagement plan by December 31st. Both the project management plan and engagement plan will outline specifics for the five phases for the Envision Littleton Comprehensive Plan update:
• Phase 1: Data & Overview of the Existing City of Littleton
• Phase 2: Direction for the Plans and Key Assumptions
• Phase 3: The Future City of Littleton
o Visioning for Transportation & Land-Use
o Future Land-Use & Character Map
o Corridor Evaluation
o Travel Demand Forecasting
• Phase 4: Strategies & Implementation Plan
o Funding Strategies
o Fiscal Impact Analysis
• Phase 5: Draft Plan & Adoption
Topics to be addressed throughout the comprehensive plan phases include - demographics, housing, community character, parks, trails and open space, land use, historic preservation, transportation, utilities and infrastructure, and economic development.
The aggressive timeline to complete all five phases by October 2019 for council adoption will require the assistance of three advisory groups:
• Joint Leadership Team (city council, planning commission, and the transportation advisory board - pending creation)
• Internal Envision Littleton Team (department directors, key staff, and consultants)
• Community Coordinating Committee (draft charter is attached to this staff communication)
o Body of 14
o Meet six times between January - September 2019
o Guiding body for combined comprehensive and transportation master plans
o Prioritize strategies, provide advice, and make recommendations to the Joint Leadership Team
As part of the public engagement plan, the city will host a four-part speaker series to coincide with the phases of Envision Littleton. The Community Coordinating Committee will develop the agenda and recruit attendance for each event. Events will begin in the first quarter of 2019 and conclude before the adoption of the Envision Littleton Comprehensive Plan in October 2019.
FISCAL IMPACTS:
The 2019 budget request was for up to $400,000 to undertake an update to the city’s comprehensive plan.
OPTIONS/ALTERNATIVES:
The options are:
1. Move forward with the adoption of the Envision Littleton Vision Plan, and then update the city’s comprehensive plan in 2019 as outlined in the proposed scope, Phase 1-5.
2. Do not move forward with the adoption of the Envision Littleton Vision Plan, and do not then update the city’s comprehensive plan in 2019.