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Agenda • PLANNING COMMISSION February 12, 2002 - 6:30 p.m. WORKSHOP MEETING AGENDA Conference Room A I. Call meeting to order 2. Discuss Comprehensive Plan Review Process • Rusty Fifield, Hoisington Koegler Group 3. Discuss Concept Plan, Becker Property 4. Discuss Building Design Standards, Religious Buildings in Residential Districts 5. Attendance at National Conference 6. Other Business 7. Adjourn • IP 0 MEMORANDUM Hoisington Koegler Group Inc. NIIII To: Elk River Planning Commission Michele McPherson, Director of Planning From: Rusty Fifield and Mark Koegler Subject: Updating the Comprehensive Plan Date: February 8, 2002 We have prepared the attached document to assist the Planning Commission with its continued discussions on updating the Comprehensive Plan. The purpose of this document is to help frame the issues, outcomes and process for this undertaking. At this point,the nature of the planning process has not been defined sufficiently that we can prepare a proposal for services. The outcomes of the February 12th Planning Commission meeting will help to clarify important issues. At your direction, we will prepare a proposal that contains a detailed scope of work, budget and time schedule. • Rusty Fifield will attend the February 12 meeting to review this information and answer your questions. • 123 North Third Street,Suite 100,Minneapolis,MN 55401-1659 Ph(612)252-7133 Fx(612)338-6838 rusty@hkgi.com City of Elk River Comprehensive Plan • Updating the Comprehensive Plan Issues and Approach City of Elk River February 8, 2002 • • ©Hoisington Koegler Group,Inc Page 1 City of Elk River Comprehensive Plan • Introduction This document has been prepared by Hoisington Koegler Group,Inc.to facilitate continued discussions about the approach to comprehensive planning in Elk River. The information in this document blends observations about Elk River with HKGi's extensive community planning experience. Our goal is to help the Elk River Planning Commission, City Council and Staff design and undertake a comprehensive planning process that meets the true needs of the community. Why Plan? The first issue facing the City of Elk River is the "need" to update the Comprehensive Plan. The decision to undertake a comprehensive planning process is motivated by a variety of factors. From our perspective,the following factors play a role in determining the need for planning in Elk River. Look to the future Much of the conversation at the February 4 City Council/Planning Commission workshop dealt with the merits of the existing plan. The past success of the existing plan does not guarantee the capacity to deal with the future. The comprehensive planning process creates the opportunity to answer three fundamental questions: 4111/ • Where are we today? • Where do we want to be tomorrow? • How can we get there? Need a new plan? The choices are not between "tweaking" the current plan and creating a new plan. The question becomes a matter of focus. A more accurate way of describing the task is a comprehensive approach to an update of the Plan. The idea of tweaking suggests that it is possible or desirable to look at only pieces of the Comprehensive Plan. The Plan reflects the nature of the City-all of the essential elements are interconnected. The current Plan has seven key elements: growth management, utilities, residential, commercial, industrial, parks/open spaces, and transportation. Can you address the issues facing the City without touching one or more of these elements? It is a practical impossibility to throw out the existing plan,even if that was the desired approach. Too many development decisions and policies have been set in place. For example, current planning leads development to the east. The City has invested in infrastructure to support these policies. These investments will • not be abandoned to pursue some new direction identified in a comprehensive plan. Successful planning retains things that work well, finds ways to make m Hoisington Koegler Group,Inc .Page 2 City of Elk River Comprehensive Plan enhancements, fixes things that do not meet your needs and blends in new directions. Establish a community vision The existing Comprehensive Plan does not contain a specific statement of vision for Elk River. The vision is woven into the goals and policies of the Plan. Creating a shared vision is an important part of comprehensive plan. Part of the benefit lies in the process. Can we articulate and agree upon those things that Elk River desires to be? Part of the benefit lies with having a vision to guide planning decisions. Understand forces of change Elk River exists in a rapidly changing environment. The current Comprehensive Plan was created in 1995. Think about how Elk River has changed over the past six years. • Over 3,000 people have moved to Elk River. • Significant new retail development has occurred in the 169 Corridor. • The value of property in the City has increased by more than 100%. • The Twin Cities moves steadily closer. • It is likely that the future will be shaped by some of the same forces that existed in 1995,as well as some new considerations. Identify and address"issues" In looking back at the February 4`h workshop, the Council and Planning Commission did an excellent job at framing one of the fundamental reasons to plan. The comprehensive planning process is a forum to identify and analyze the issues facing Elk River. A listing of the issues we heard at the workshop appears later. Manage development The Comprehensive Plan is the single most important tool for shaping the face of the community. Through the planning process, a community answers some essential questions. What form and pace of development could happen? What is desired? Where should new development occur? How do land uses connect to form community? Protect and enhance community resources Elk River has grown, in part, because of a beautiful natural setting. Planning provides the means to identify and protect the natural resources of the community. Development occurs in a manner that enhances the natural ienvironment,not replaces it. m Hoisington Kocglcr Group,Inc Page 3 City of Elk River Comprehensive Plan illManage public investments Development and public investments are interconnected. The City investments in utility plants and core systems occur prior to development. Infrastructure expands with new development. New population and physical expansion create the demand for services and facilities. Continued development cannot occur without capacity in municipal utility systems. As the community ages, the rehabilitation of streets and utilities requires more public investment. With limited financial resources,linking planning with public investments is essential. Coordinate with other governments A comprehensive plan influences more than city government. Development in Elk River impacts Sherburne County and the Elk River School District. Schools are a particularly important factor in community development. The quality of the school system attracts and keeps residents. The form and pace of development influence enrollment. Planning provides for the location of schools and recreational facilities. Issues The comprehensive planning process is a tool for identifying and analyzing the issues. The discussion at the City Council/Planning Commission workshop 0 raised a long list of important community issues. Our notes included the following: 1. Without any intervention by the City,what is the pace and form of future development? 2. What development densities are desired in the City? 3. Is cluster development or other forms of unsewered development desired as part of an overall development management strategy? 4. What does it mean for the development pattern to be"sustainable"? S. What amount of land is needed to support new development? 6. What areas of the City should not be available for development? 7. When and in what form will mineral extraction areas be redeveloped? 8. What are the development implications of MnDOT inter-regional corridor plans for 169 and 10? 9. What are the development implications of commuter rail service and an Elk River station? 10. What utility system investments are needed to support future growth? 11. What types and costs of housing will be needed in the future? 12. Does the City need the jobs and tax base from industrial growth to • remain viable? ©Hoisington Koegler Group,Inc Page 4 City of Elk River Comprehensive Plan • 13. What are the implications of future growth on the Elk River School District? 14. What parks,trails and recreational facilities will be needed? 15. How should the City protect trees and other natural resources? 16. How should Downtown redevelop? 17. What does Elk River want to be in the future? 18. What should Elk River look like at"build out"? 19. Who defines the vision for the future? 20. How are the comprehensive plan, zoning ordinance and other tools used to achieve development objectives? 21. What are effective strategies for keeping the comprehensive plan up to date? These questions provide an excellent means of framing a discussion of comprehensive planning. In considering this list of issues, try to answer these questions: • Are these issues important to the future of Elk River? • If so, how will they be addressed without a comprehensive planning • process? • Does this list miss other important issues? The better you are able to describe the issues,the better you will do at creating a planning process that is relevant to Elk River. Experience suggests, however, that you are not likely to identify all issues prior to undertaking a planning process. The process of planning usually discovers issues not recognized at the outset. Approach This section summarizes the HKGi's approach to comprehensive community planning. The HKGi approach has grown out of our experience with dozens of community planning projects. These tasks give the City of Elk River a framework for the Comprehensive Plan. HKGi will work with you to adjust this basic approach to meet the specific needs of Elk River. Task 1 —Organize the effort A successful planning process begins on a solid foundation. The foundation is a clear understanding of roles, responsibilities and expectations. Organizing the planning process typically involves these steps: m Hoisington Kocglcr Group,Inc Page 5 City of Elk River Comprehensive Plan • • Determine approach for public participation in the planning process. • Form the steering committee, task force or other groups that will lead the process. • Determine the role of Planning Commission, City Council, and other boards and commissions. • Determine role of City Staff. • Identify stakeholders. • Finalize Work Program. • Set process calendar. Task 2—Understand what exists The plan for the future builds on the Elk River of 2002. This step in the process creates a common understanding about the existing community. The better we understand the nature of Elk River, the better we can plan. This task is particularly important in a large, diverse and dynamic setting like Elk River. There are more physical development issues in Elk River that in many other places. Part of this process involves looking back at demographic changes. Historical trends often point to important future directions. • Elk River exists in more than plans and data. The public plays an important role in understanding what exists. HKGi uses a variety of interactive group discussion techniques to learn from the public. We always gain valuable information by involving the public in the planning process. Do not confuse a public that is not actively involved in city issues,with one that is disinterested. Where we live and the future of that place is very important. Typical steps taken to develop an understanding of a community include: • Create base mapping and geographic information systems(GIS). • Review existing plans and ordinances. • Conduct photo survey. • Prepare analysis of demographic and economic trends. • Conduct public meeting to learn about public perceptions of Elk River. • Present findings and observations to steering committee. Task 3—Determine what is desired It has been said that"If you don't know where you are going, any path will do." The saying speaks to the need for a vision of the future. The step of creating a statement of vision for the future is important. Describing what Elk River 4110 aspires to be in the future provides valuable context for the Comprehensive Plan. A vision statement offers something that can be shared and agreed upon. ®Hoisington Kocgler Group,Inc .Page 6 City of Elh River Comprehensive Plan • Determining what is desired for the future depends on who you ask. Businesses want a successful place to operate. The residents may want a myriad of things. The list is unique to each place. The City adds its own goals and objectives. The only way to learn what is desired is to ask and listen. HKGi uses several approaches to gather input for a vision statement: • Stakeholder interviews • HRA/Planning Commission/Council workshop • Interactive town meeting(s) These approaches produce the elements that combine into a vision and guiding principles for Elk River. Task 4—Identify and analyze the issues Every prior step in the process identifies the issues that provide the context for planning. Issues are factors that influence the development of the City. Issues shape the planning solutions. The work to be performed in this task depends on the nature of the issues. The • nature of the issues may require special expertise added to the planning process. Task 5—Explore the possibilities This task develops and evaluates a range of general growth options and scenarios for the future development of Elk River. These scenarios illustrate potential commercial,industrial,residential, park and open space sites and the ways that these areas can be serviced by transportation systems. At this point, the alternatives are not detailed plans, but rather demonstrations of possible patterns,organizations and connections within the community. HGKi presents the alternatives in a variety of forms,including drawings,illustrations,diagrams, plans and other graphics. Vignettes may be developed to show the way aspects of each concept would satisfy various elements of the vision for the community that was established during the vision phase of the plan.The alternatives address major issue areas. Part of this process is the identifications of general goals and policies associated with each of the future growth alternatives. HKGi believes that planning must occur with a sense of fiscal reality. This task should also include a general review of the financial implications (cost of providing infrastructure and services) of each of the identified alternative land use concepts. A series of workshops with steering committee, Planning Commission,and City Council are used to review and evaluate alternative concepts. These sessions ®Hoisington Koegler Group,Inc .Page 7 City of Elk River Comprehensive Plan 4, will include a discussion of the concepts and patterns depicted by each alternative, their "fit" with the vision elements that were identified by the community, and broad based policy implications that are implied by each alternative. Task 6—Define how Elk River will look and function This task determines which of the development alternatives or blend of the development alternatives best fits Elk River and the vision that has been articulated by the community's residents. Typical elements of this task include: • Setting the method of evaluation for the selection of appropriate options and policy directions. • Conduct public meetings to present future growth alternatives and to seek public comment. • Review public input and identify a preferred future growth alternative. Task 7—Prepare the plan The Comprehensive Plan is more than the compilation of the planning process. The Plan becomes the instruction manual. The process creates a vision of what can happen;the Plan provides the guidance needed to get there. • A draft plan is assembled for review by the City. HKGi will create a practical and user-friendly document that includes: • Introduction and purpose • Description of trends and forces that shape the future • Vision statement • Specific plan elements with goals, policies, plans, maps and supporting text • Implementation strategies The public has participated throughout the process and must be part of the conclusion. We have found that it is effective to present plan at an open house prior to conducting the formal public hearing. Task 8—Implement the plan There are three aspects of implementing the Comprehensive Plan:using the Plan, follow-up activities,and periodic review. A successful Comprehensive Plan is one that is used. The Plan should be a tool that receives constant reference,not a document that sits on the shelf. • The planning process frequently leads to other actions following on issues addressed in the Plan. Zoning ordinances and land use controls are updated to ©Hoisington Kocgler Group,Inc Page 8 City of Elk River Comprehensive Plan reflect changes in the Plan. Other growth management or resource protection controls may be needed to help achieve Plan objectives. Certain elements of community development may require further study. The Plan should also create a framework for periodic review. There are a variety of approaches for keeping a Plan relevant and current between major updates. i • ®Hoisington Kocgler Group,Inc .Page 9