Business Retention and Development Committee Agenda and Packet 2018 04 02

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e. Operational compatibility, such as lighting, hours of operation, odors, noise, litter, or glare. Similar to Arvada, in Erie, the applicant notices and facilitates the neighborhood meeting. Staff attendance is not required, but may be required by the Community Development Director "only for the purpose of explaining the application process." Pros and Cons of a Neighborhood Meeting Process Pros: A neighborhood meeting provides the opportunity for the developer to hear the public's concerns before an application is submitted. Ideally, the public comments better shape the proposal. Cons: Unless attended by Planning Staff, the applicant may skew or misrepresent the public comments. Some applicants may not be well versed in the development review process or application of the Code requirements. Thus, the applicant may misrepresent City policy and process to the public. Staff attendance at neighborhood meetings will result in more night meetings for staff. However, if neighborhood meetings are only required for certain, more complex applications, the number of neighborhood meetings may be minimal. Early public engagement in the form of neighborhood meetings could be beneficial for more complex applications, but it is Staff's opinion that these processes should not be required for all development applications. If a neighborhood meeting process is considered by Council, staff suggests that City staff attend these meetings. Sketch Plan A sketch plan could provide for review of a conceptual plan with non-binding comments from the Planning Commission and/or City Council. There are several paths to consider for sketch plans: 1. A sketch plan could be required for certain applications (e.g., based on property size, density, or uses) or it could be optional. 2. A sketch plan could be reviewed by Planning Commission and City Council. 3. A sketch plan could only be reviewed by Planning Commission, with an option for Council to call it up or for the applicant to request Council review. Sketch plans applications typically require a conceptual plan which shows and demonstrates the proposed uses and density, layout of lots, proposed building locations, layout of major access points and an internal street network, and the proposed location of utilities and other infrastructure. The process should outline the specific and limited feedback that the Planning Commission and City Council can provide through the process, since formal public hearings will be held at a later date. Depending on the level of detail required or the complexity of the application, the process could require a traffic study. Considering the elevated concern regarding traffic in the City, staff suggests any sketch plan process include a preliminary traffic impact