TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Kristoff Bauer, ICMA-CM - Deputy City Manager
FROM: Gerald Newton, AICP - Development Services Director
Taurus Freeman, Planning & Zoning Divisional Manager
Marsha Bryant, Development Advocate
DATE: January 13, 2020
RE:
Title
Administrative Report on the Future Land Use Map & Plan - to provide information regarding the content in the Map and Plan. Three additional Administrative Reports will be provided to further overview the plan prior to a Public Hearing being scheduled.
end
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
All
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal III: High Quality Built Environment, Objective A: To manage the City’s future growth and support strategic land use policy by supporting quality development and decreasing the oversupply of commercial land and under developed buildings and increasing occupancy of vacant retail and office space.
Targets for Action: Managing the City’s future growth through a comprehensive land use plan.
Executive Summary:
In November, Council received two reports regarding the Future Land Use Map & Plan. The first (Nov. 12th) covered the importance of a Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Map. The second (Nov. 25th) covered the timeline and process that was taken to create the Map and Plan.
This administrative report summarizes the five sections in the Plan. The Plan and Map are attached or you may click on the link: <https://fayettevillenc.gov/government/city-departments/planning-code-enforcement/planning-zoning/studies-and-plans> . Three additional administrative reports will be provided with more information regarding the: 1) Future Land Use Map and Character Area Descriptions, 2) Future Land Use Goals and Recommendations, and 3) Land Use Policies and Strategies. After Council has had time to thoroughly review the information a Public Hearing for the adoption of the Map and Plan will be set.
Background:
The City’s FY 2020 Strategic Plan “A Focus on the Future” and it’s Goals, Objectives and Targets for Action support a need and interest in planning for the City’s future growth through a Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
Goal III objectives and targets for action resulted in the Development Services staff taking on the task of creating a Comprehensive Land Use Plan with the first phase being the creation of the Future Land Use Map. The overall plan will include a Future Land Use Map, character area descriptions, goals and objectives and associated polices and implementation strategies.
Also, in recent years the NC General Statutes were amended, placing more emphasizes on comprehensive planning by requiring that rezoning’s and development approvals be based on and be consistent with an adopted Comprehensive Plan.
The Planning Commission recommended Approval of adoption of the plan on October 15, 2019 after holding two previous meetings to discuss and review the contents of the plan.
Issues/Analysis:
Comprehensive Plans and Future Land Use Maps are the primary tools used to provide land use guidance to staff, government officials, and the public for decisions regarding long-term land use (rezonings, special use permits, development and redevelopment, etc.). These plans interpret the information received from public input and the use of best planning practices to establish the desired future land use of areas and the type and scale of development that should occur within those areas.
The five Sections of the Plan are summarized below:
Section 1: Visual Preference
The public was asked to provide input on their visual preferences for residential and commercial development. They were asked which type of development they preferred and what type of uses they wanted to preserve, change and create.
Section 2: Character Areas (Additional Administrative Report to be provided)
The Plan establishes 15 new Character Areas that instead of separating different uses tend to mix uses in appropriate areas. (The 2010 Land Use Plan had 19 districts.)
Section 3: Goals and Policy Recommendations (Additional Administrative Reports to be provided)
The Plan establishes six Future Land Use Goals with Polices to meet the Goals as summarized below:
Goal 1: Focus value & investment around infrastructure and strategic nodes
LU 1: Encourage growth in areas well served by infrastructure and urban services.
Goal 2: Promote compatible economic and commercial development in key identified areas.
LU2: Encourage strategic economic development.
Goal 3: Encourage redevelopment of strip commercial areas.
LU3: Encourage redevelopment along underutilized commercial strip corridors and reinvestments in distressed residential neighborhoods.
LU 4: Create well designed and walkable commercial and mixed use districts.
LU 5: Improve gateways.
Goal 4: Foster safe, stable and attractive neighborhoods.
LU 6: Encourage development standards that result in quality neighborhoods.
LU 7: Encourage a mix of housing types for all ages and incomes.
Goal 5: Preserve and enhance environmental features through open space protection.
LU 8: Require the reservation of open space and unique natural features in new developments.
LU 9: Plan for connected system of open space and greenways.
LU 10: Support land use, site design, and capital improvement initiatives that increase resiliency and reduce impacts from flooding and natural disasters.
Goal 6: Compliment and capitalize on the strategic importance of military installations and educational and medical institutions.
LU 11: Encourage a development pattern and community growth that respects the training and operational mission of the military, while also allowing for reasonable, appropriate uses on properties near Fort Bragg.
LU 12: Coordinate with Fort Bragg.
LU 13: Coordinate with local governments, non-profits and education and medical institutions on economic development initiatives and complimentary development in the vicinity of campuses.
Section 4: Implementation Recommendations
The Plan establishes five Strategies to accomplish the Goals with Polices as summarized below:
Strategy 1: Use the plan and map to guide policy decisions to promote sound development patterns.
Strategy 2: Build on the recommendations and the map with plan updates as needed.
Strategy 3: Remove barriers for reinvestments and redevelopment in target areas.
Strategy 4: Coordinate efforts among departments to create opportunities for reinvestment in destressed areas.
Strategy 5: Increase public engagement efforts in support of goals and action steps in the plan.
Section 5: Community Profile
The plan summarizes the demographics, housing, income, education & employment,
commuting, natural resources & environmental constraints, existing land use & supply
and provides a suitability analysis.
Budget Impact:
None
Options:
1) Read and accept the report.
2) Read and request further explanation on the information provided within the report.
Recommended Action:
Option 1:
For information purposes, no action required. The Future Land Use Map and Plan will be provided in a future meeting agenda packet for your complete review prior to the Public Hearing requesting Adoption of the Plan.
Attachments:
• Draft Future Land Use Plan with Map