Business Retention and Development Committee Agenda and Packet 2018 04 02

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The City of Arvada offers an optional sketch plan process for projects which require a PUD or major subdivision. The Planning Commission and City Council review the sketch plan. Planning Commission and City Council comments are intended to provide preliminary feedback on a project and are non-binding. Arvada charges $600 for a sketch plan. Pros and Cons of a Sketch Plan Process Pros: A sketch plan process affords the applicant the opportunity to "vet" a development proposal with the Planning Commission and/or City Council and receive feedback to shape the formal application, without significant costs invested in the engineering and site planning work. This process enables the public concerns to be voiced prior to a formal application as well. Cons: It is difficult for staff, the planning commission and city council to fully analyze a development proposal which is conceptual and which does not include all pertinent and relative information as required through a formal development application process and with formal public input processes. Thus, through this generalized review, significant issues may not be identified nor addressed. Likewise, Council and Planning Commission may be providing feedback based on incomplete or limited information. Early public engagement in the form of a sketch plan could be beneficial for more complex applications, but, like the neighborhood meeting concept, it is Staff's opinion that these processes should not be required for all development applications. Staff suggests that if a sketch plan process is considered, that submittal requirements and review criteria be clearly identified and that a fee commensurate with the staff time involved for reviewing the project be charged. Fees Should the City consider future initiation of a code amendment to create a sketch plan process, or a similar process, Staff suggests that a fee be charged to cover the City's costs for administering the process. As noted in this report, fees required by surrounding local jurisdictions vary widely. The City currently charges $2,735 for a preliminary PUD for properties that are 7 acres or less and $3,325 for properties that are more than 7 acres. If the City would like to consider a future code amendment, staff can provide a recommendation on fees at the time of consideration. QUESTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION: 1. Do the current processes, such as Comprehensive Plan Amendments and Preliminary PUDs and Subdivisions provide sufficient opportunity for public input and feedback to developers and property owners? 2. Does a sketch plan, or other similar process provide the appropriate opportunity for substantive early public engagement and feedback to developers and property owners? 3. Are there other options to explore for early public engagement?