4C, 2030 Comprehensive Plan Approval

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utilized after a comprehensive plan is adopted. As of December 31, 2008, the Metropolitan Council is not considering any amendments from a city until their plan is adopted. A comprehensive plan amendment requires a public hearing with the Planning Commission and City Council preliminary approval. Once the Council grants preliminary approval, it is released to the adjacent jurisdictions for review, which can be up to 60 days for amendment (compared to a six month review for the full plan updates). Once the review period has concluded, the amendment is submitted to the Metropolitan Council. Amendments that have no impact and are small in nature often qualify for the faster administrative review, which can be completed in as little as two weeks. If, however, the amendment could impact a regional system, it will require the full review process that can take 60 to 120 days after a completed amendment is submitted. Implementation While preparing the Comprehensive Plan is a formidable task, it is only one step in the planning process. The implementation process is the next step, which will require coordination between City departments, direction from the City Council, and efforts from the various commissions and committees. The Planning Commission; Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee; Economic Development Commission; and the other City committees/commissions will almost certainly have a role. A comprehensive plan is meant to take a long-term look at the community, but it is not a static document. The City should work to implement the Comprehensive Plan over time; however, the Plan does not preclude exploring new projects, goals, policies, priorities, and strategies in the future if new opportunities or issues arise. Additionally, the policies and programs described in the Comprehensive Plan will need to be further evaluated during the budgeting process. Upon official adoption, a city is generally required to amend the official controls (i.e. zoning, subdivision, and other ordinances) within nine months to bring the City ordinances into conformance with the Comprehensive Plan. While a few tweaks may be needed, significant changes to the zoning and subdivision ordinances are not anticipated to be needed because there are no significant land use changes south of Highways 10 and 96. The City may, however, want to consider changes beyond what is required in order to make more effective and responsive ordinances. When a final plan is selected for the TCAAP property, the Comprehensive Plan and zoning regulations may need to be amended to reflect the final components of a TCAAP reuse plan. Metropolitan Council Comprehensive Planning Grant In the fall of 2007, the City received a $20,000 planning grant to facilitate the completion of the Comprehensive Plan. The first $10,000 was received that fall, and the second half of the grant is paid when the Comprehensive Plan is adopted by the City Council. City Council Meeting \\Ahdocs 1 \ah\AHdata\Planning\Comprehensive Plan\1\4emos\092809 - Regular Meeting - CC Report - 2030 Comp Plan Update.doc Page 4 of 5