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TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
THRU: Frank Gray, Director of Community Planning and Development
FROM: Roger Wadnal, Manager, Strategic Planning
Linda Reynolds, Senior Planner
DATE: April 25, 2003
City Council/Planning Commission Study Session May 5, 2003
SUBJECT: Lakewood Comprehensive Plan
ACTION REQUESTED
Forward the Lakewood Comprehensive Plan Goals and Policies, as adopted by the Lakewood Planning Commission, for APPROVAL at the next regular meeting of the City Council on May 12, 2003.
HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
Lakewood's first Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 1975, after the City incorporated in 1969. The second Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 1987 and has been amended 22 times. Most of these amendments are detailed plans for specific areas such as neighborhoods and commercial corridors.
In 2001, the Lakewood Planning Commission initiated a process and has served as the steering committee to develop a new Lakewood Comprehensive Plan. Planning Commission has received public comments from citizens and community leaders through a variety of outreach efforts and public meetings. Two major town meetings were conducted by the Planning Commission. All applicable City departments were involved in the process. A community survey was conducted and information was made available on the City website. A committee of citizens formed a test group that reviewed the plan document.
On February 19, 2003, the Planning Commission adopted a new Comprehensive Plan. This Comprehensive Plan will help guide growth and development in the City for the next ten to fifteen years. The new Lakewood Comprehensive Plan is written as a set of goals and policies. Maps and introductory text have been included to aid in making the document more readable and understandable. This Plan does not include prescriptive maps as to how and where the City should develop.
Neighborhood Plans, Corridor Plans, and Special Area Plans have been adopted as amendments to the Lakewood Comprehensive Plan. These plans address specific geographic areas of the City at a much greater degree of detail. These plans will remain in effect with the adoption of this Comprehensive Plan.
COMPONENTS OF THE PLAN
The Lakewood Comprehensive Plan is a broad-based policy plan that identifies goals and policies for a range of issues that are important to the community. These issues are addressed in the various components of the plan which include:
· Community Image, Identity, Appearance and Design. The goals and policies are intended to preserve and strengthen Lakewood's image and identity with a focus on Lakewood as a community that values diversity, its neighborhoods and heritage, quality design, livability and vitality. It is about quality of life and maximizing the unique attributes of Lakewood.
· Community Sustainability. The health of Lakewood's environment and ecosystems is a vital community value. The goals and policies propose environmental responsibility to protect these values and promote sustainable growth.
· General Land Use. Future development in Lakewood will take place on infill parcels of land or through redevelopment of existing sites within defined urban growth boundaries. The general land use section provides goals and policies which deal with the manner in which a particular land use functions and interacts with adjacent land uses as well as provides a level of predictability for residents, property owners and developers.
· Residential. The goals and policies seek to ensure new residential development interacts well with the existing uses and character of the surrounding community. Additionally it is important to strive for a wide range of housing options to meet the needs of Lakewood residents.
· Neighborhoods. The goals and policies in this section focus on quality of life issues such as safety, appearance, design and integration, service access and collaboration. These issues are important to strengthening neighborhoods while preserving their unique character and history.
· Urban Centers. There is a hierarchy of urban centers in the community. Centers may serve a single neighborhood, multiple neighborhoods or an entire region. The goals and policies are intended to ensure a balanced blend of retail, commerce and industry through mixed-use development, high quality design, and effective transportation options.
· Economic Development. The goals and policies are intended to promote economic development that encourages private investment within the community, provides employment opportunities, and promotes sustainable development to improve the quality of life of existing and future residents of Lakewood.
· Transportation. Transportation issues are complex and multi-jurisdictional. These goals and policies address the ability of citizens to move from place to place by responding to issues of connectivity, convenience, safety and collaboration.
· Parks, Recreation and Open Space. This section of the document provides goals and policies that contribute to the quality of life residents desire in their community. Preservation and enhancement of facilities, programs and services for both physical and emotional well being are key issues for parks and recreation.
RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PLANS
Metro Vision 2020 Plan Consistency Process
Metro Vision 2020 is the long-range growth strategy for the Denver region. Metro
Vision has been developed by local communities and the Denver Regional Council
of Governments (DRCOG). It examines both the current and preferred pattern of
development for the Denver region to the year 2020. Metro Vision recognizes
the variety of communities and living environments in the Denver region, and
the myriad of issues of which they are confronted. Metro Vision 2020 is both
voluntary and flexible in nature. It attempts to complement communities' visions,
while offering a regional context in which to make more effective decisions
about growth and development.
Plan consistency is a regional plan implementation strategy that provides a means to determine how local and regional plans are, or are not, working together to solve the region's problems. The plan consistency process is a combination of the "cross-acceptance" and the "self-certification" approaches to provide maximum flexibility and recognize diverse planning approaches.
Lakewood staff has been working closely with DRCOG throughout the development of the Lakewood Comprehensive Plan. Upon adoption and approval of the Comprehensive Plan, City of Lakewood staff will submit the Lakewood Comprehensive Plan to the DRCOG to verify the Plan's consistency with Metro Vision 2020.
Mile High Compact
In August 2000, 27 cities including Lakewood and five counties in the Denver
Metropolitan Area entered into an agreement to plan and develop under mutually
agreed upon principles. These principles included being consistent with the
regional vision provided by Metro Vision 2020. The Mile High Compact identifies
ten elements that are to be addressed within a community's Comprehensive Plan.
Following are the ten elements and where they are addressed in the Lakewood
Comprehensive Plan proposed:
· Land use and growth coordination (General Land Use, Residential, and
Urban Centers)
· Provisions of services and community facilities (General Land Use,
Neighborhoods, and Urban Centers)
· Utilities (General Land Use)
· Transportation and Transit (Community Image, Identity, Appearance and
Design, Neighborhoods, Urban Centers and Transportation)
· Parks and Recreation (Parks, Recreation and Open Space)
· Economic Viability (Economic Development)
· Housing (Residential)
· Urban Design/Community Image/Identity (Community Image, Identity, Appearance
and Design)
· Environmental resources and hazards (Community Sustainability)
APPLYING THE LAKEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
The Lakewood Comprehensive Plan goals and policies provide guidance to elected officials, boards and commissions, staff and citizens to achieve the community vision.
The Lakewood Comprehensive Plan is used to evaluate land development proposals. It is made binding by the use of tools such as the Lakewood Zoning Ordinance. Regulations, such as the Zoning Ordinance, must be revised to reflect and implement the goals and policies of the Comprehensive Plan.
In order for a land use proposal to be deemed in compliance with the Lakewood Comprehensive Plan, it must:
1. Further one or more goals of the Comprehensive Plan; and
2. Not conflict with or prevent implementation of any goal of the Comprehensive
Plan.
NEXT STEPS AFTER ADOPTION/APPROVAL
The next steps that are intended to occur after the Planning Commission adopts and the City Council approves the Comprehensive Plan will be to move towards the development of Action Steps.
Action Steps are an integral part of the Comprehensive Plan. They provide a work program to implement the Goals and Policies. Action Steps have been developed for the City's Neighborhood, Corridor and Special Area Plans. Typically a time frame is assigned to each of the Action Step items as well as responsibility to implement them.
Planning Commission intends to spend the next several months developing the Action Steps for the Comprehensive Plan. When completed, the Action Steps will be brought forward as a component of the Comprehensive Plan to be adopted by the Planning Commission and approved by City Council. It is anticipated that the Action Steps will be brought forward by the end of this year.
The next step will be to implement the Action Steps. That could entail a number of actions including changes to the Zoning Ordinance, development of administrative policies and other actions by Planning Commission, City Council and staff. It is intended that Planning Commission, staff and the City Council work in a coordinated manner to implement the Lakewood Comprehensive Plan over the next several years.
SUMMARY AND REQUEST FOR ACTION
Based on the above review and analysis, the Lakewood Planning Commission is seeking City Council APPROVAL of the Lakewood Comprehensive Plan Goals and Policies, and requests Council direct staff to prepare a resolution to be brought forward at the City Council's regular meeting on May 12, 2003.
Submitted by:
Roger Wadnal, Manager Strategic Planning
Linda Reynolds, Senior Planner
Frank Gray, Director Community Planning & Development
Reviewed by:
Joni Inman, Director Mayor and City Manager's Office
Michael J. Rock, City Manager
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