Comprehensive Planningand the Small Communities Planning

Project

Kirby Date, AICP

Melissa Schneider, AICP

The Countryside Program

Balancing Conservation and Development

• Up front community vision and planning

• Landowner planning and assistance

• Effective zoning implementation

• Good development projects

Comprehensive Planning: the Key to Balance

• Sets development and conservation goals in an organized fashion

• Plans for long-term financial stability• Resolves tradeoffs up-front• Provides for future logical, consistent decision

making• Legal stability: logical justification of decisions• Sets a framework for implementation

Purpose of Comprehensive Planning

• To protect the public health, safety and welfare

• To ensure quality of life for future generations

• To continue biological diversity and processes

• To balance private needs with public good

Comprehensive Planning: Issues

• Watershed protection, flooding and water quality• Environmental sensitivity priority areas• Cultural/visual resource priority sites, districts and

corridors• Agricultural resources • Meaningful public participation• “Science through a community values filter”• Housing diversity and affordability• Transportation Diversity• Fiscal responsibility

Steps in Comprehensive Planning

• Set up decision making process, including public involvement

• Gather and organize data about existing conditions and trends for the future

• Identify opportunities and constraints• Set goals and objectives for the future• Frame and evaluate alternative scenarios• Choose and develop preferred scenario• Develop implementation strategies

The Role of the Public

Inventory and Analysis: Existing Conditions and Trends

• Economic Study

• Demographic Study

• Natural and physical environment

• Land Uses

• Infrastructure and Public Services

• Cultural Resources

Setting Priorities

Elements of a Comprehensive Plan

• Overall Vision, Goals and Objectives• Land Use• Resource Protection• Transportation• Community Facilities• Housing• Economic Development• Implementation Strategies

Example: Mission/Vision Statement

• “Mission Statement: To protect and enhance watershed health in Portage County”

• “Vision Statement: Well-planned and managed development, abundant farmland and greenspaces, a full range of housing opportunities, and economic prosperity”

Example: Goals

• Broad Goals or Guiding Principles To protect and improve water quality

• To encourage and enable sustainable development

• To Protect natural areas

• To encourage public involvement in watershed health and protection

Example: Objectives

• “Target commercial growth rate at a maximum of .75 percent per year (measured as square footage”

• “Develop two industrial parks”• “ Encourage a higher-density development pattern

through zoning bonuses in Growth Areas – areas with adequate infrastructure”

• “Incorporate Open Space Design into zoning regulations”

Zoning Tools

• Riparian Setbacks

• Wetlands Setbacks

• Stormwater Management

• Erosion and Sediment control

• Conservation development

• Compact Development!

• Meadow Protection

• Source Water Protection

• Steep Slope Protection

• Woodland Protection

• Agricultural Lands Protection

• Historic Protection

• Scenic Protection

Goals of the Small Communities Planning Initiative

To create sustainable communities that balance conservation and development

To empower the community to make better planning decisions in the future

Main Components of the Pilot Program

• Attend a Training Workshop• Identify a 15 to 20 member Citizen’s Committee• Identify a 6 to 8 member Working Group• Collect and Analyze Data• Formulate Goals, Objectives, and Policies• Compile the Comprehensive Plan

Workshop Topics

• Understanding the Planning Process

• Public Participation and Citizen Committees

• Data Collection, Analysis, and Goal Setting

• Balancing Development and Conservation

• How to Utilize Professional Technical Assistance

Citizen’s Committee

• 15 to 20 members

• Represents all facets of the community

• Meets 4 – 6 times during the Planning Process

• Reviews data

• Solicits community input

• Approves Plan components

Working Group

• Part of Citizens’ Committee• 6 to 8 members divided into 4 smaller teams• Meets approximately bi-monthly• Collects Data and prepares Preliminary Analysis• Present findings to Citizen’s Committee• Sets agenda, takes minutes and publicizes

meetings, findings, and recommendations

Professional Assistance

• Guides planning process• Reviews data and analysis• Assists with forecasting• Makes connections to appropriate public agencies• Facilitates meetings

SAMPLE: Housing Component

• Collect all available census data• Conduct field survey of housing conditions• Map existing housing conditions and plan

recommendations• Formulate goals, objectives, and policies

Resources

• Ohio Lake Erie Commission, Balanced Growth Program www.epa.state.oh.us/oleo

• Ohio Planning Conference www.ohioplanning.org• Smart Growth Online www.smartgrowth.org• EcoCity Cleveland, www.ecocitycleveland.org• The Countryside Program,

www.countrysideprogram.org • The Farmland Center of Northeast Ohio,

www.centerforfarmlandpreservation.org

Resources Continued

• Scenic America, www.scenic.org• Scenic Ohio, www.scenicohio.org• Downtown Ohio/Heritage Ohio

www.downtownohio.org• Ohio Office of Historic Preservation

www.ohiohistory.org• Wild Ones Natural Landscapers, www.for-

wild.org • Ohio State University Extension, Land Use Team

www.landuse.osu.edu

The Countryside Programwww.countrysideprogram.org

Kirby Date, AICP, Coordinator216-687-5477

k.date@csuohio.edu

Melissa Schneider, AICP, Project Manager

440-836-0044

mksconsulting@hotmail.com