City Council Study Session Agenda and Packet 2011 12 13

Home Browse Search

COUNCIL COMMUNICATION TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM: MALCOLM FLEMING, CITY MANAGER DATE: OCTOBER 25, 2011 SUBJECT: UPDATE /DISCUSSION - COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2012 REVIEW ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT: PLANNING AND BUILDING SAFETY SUMMARY: From its beginnings in 1878 to today and through its future, the City has been and will continue to be influenced by change in environmental factors; economic conditions; social and demographic profiles; and physical influences occurring both in Louisville and in neighboring jurisdictions and the greater metropolitan region. Clearly, the City's leaders, residents, property owners, and businesses have done an exceptional job; the City is regularly cited as one of the Country's most livable communities. However, urban environments do not remain static and Louisville's opportunities and challenges in maintaining a high quality of life are continually evolving and transforming. The Comprehensive Plan is a significant tool intended to integrate and align governing regulations, infrastructure, and services with community values, needs and civic priorities. Louisville's Comprehensive Plan provides everyone a voice in envisioning and guiding the City's continual evolution through a manageable 20 -year window. Section 17.64.050 LMC states, "A review and updating of the comprehensive plan shall occur at least every four years. The first review of the comprehensive plan after passage of the ordinance codified in this chapter (Ordinance No. 1546, Series 2009) shall be completed on or before December 31, 2012. Subsequent reviews shall be completed on or before December 31 in every fourth year thereafter. Additional reviews of the comprehensive plan may occur more often as necessary." Staff has scheduled two City Council and Planning Commission Study Sessions (October 25th and December 13th) to outline the work effort involved in reviewing and updating the 2012 Comprehensive Plan. BACKGROUND The City's first Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 1973. That plan was updated in 1975. Since then, new Comprehensive Plans were adopted in 1983, updated in 1989, and then adopted again in 2005 and updated in 2009. The pattern of creating new Comprehensive Plans appears to coincide with a period of significant growth, while the updates appear to coincide is SUBJECT AGENDA ITEM UPDATE /DISCUSSION - COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2012 REVIEW IV 67