6.2. SR 02-07-1994
MEMO
ITEM 5.2
DRAFT
TO: The Elk River City Council
01-28-94
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FROM: The Elk River Planning Commission
DATE: February 7, 1994
RE: Some thoughts on the process for upgrading the Comprehensive Plan
Some of the guiding principles of the Planning Commission for this process may be
summarized as follows.
1. Since this is an update, and not a creation from scratch, we want to keep the process as
simple as possible.
2. The process should not only allow for the maximum amount of input and feedback by
any and all citizens, but the citizenry should perceive that they are part of the process.
3. The process should minimize the use of outside consultants, and depend more on
volunteer involvement as well as additional staff time. The staff would be in fact an
in-house consultant, although citizens would spend a great deal of time conducting
meetings, as will be described below.
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4. The Planning Commission has identified some issues of concern, which should be
disclosed up front and which will probably influence the process. Some of those issues
are:
a. the management of growth along the Highway 10 corridor, both East and West,
the expansion of city sewer and water to those areas
b. the maintenance of the downtown area
c. the low density R-IA crescent and it effect on future development
d. the proper mix and balance ofland uses
e. wetlands and drainage, and the identification of regional holding ponds
f transportation planning for non-vehicular traffic.
With those principles in mind, we suggest a process like the following.
DATA COLLECTION
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As an initial part of the process, staff would be charged with the collection of information
and the updating of the introductory sections of the Plan. Some of this data is already in
house. Data should be summarized on 1) the current conditions, and 2) the projected
changes over the next five year and ten years, in the areas of
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1. demographics
2. the economic base of the city
3. the housing stock
4. community facilities
5. the environment.
Some of this information will be used as background information for many of the Plan
chapters. The staff would also be charged with updating the Background Information
section of the Plan.
A STEERING COMMITTEE
The Planning Commission recommends that a Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee be
established to help guide the process and to involve a broader circle of citizens. The
Committee could have representation from the City Council, citizens from each ward as
selected by the respective Council members, industry, downtown merchants and other
retailers, senior citizens, students, the Park & Recreation Commission, the Economic
Authority and the Housing and Redevelopment Authority. The Committee would be
e chaired be a member of the Planning Commission.
INFORMATIONAL AND INPUT MEETINGS
The Steering Committee would be charged with holding informational and input meetings
with a variety of constituencies in the City. A major advantage of these meetings is that it
afford an opportunity to inform the public about changes that are occurring in the area and
the significance of the Plan, as well as ideas for possible changes of policy. Each meeting
would be focused primarily on the interests of the invited residents. Meetings would be
held for the following groups.
1. Industry
2. Downtown merchants and other retailers
3. Residents of the areas zoned A-I and R-AI
4. Residents of other residential areas, divided into perhaps 50r 6 areas
5. The Park and Recreation Commission
6. Youth
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The Steering Committee would form subcommittees, whose responsibility it would be to
identify issues, formulate goals and propose changes or additions in the policies for the
respective sections of the Plan, as a result of the meetings listed above. Staff would have
the responsibility of editing a complete draft of the Plan.
When the draft is completed, the Steering Committee would hold a second series of
meetings, with the same invited groups as listed above, to obtain feedback on the
proposed changes. As a result of these meetings, the subcommittees would make any
desired revisions for a final draft.
THE FINAL DRAFT
An executive summary of the Final Draft, as drawn up by staff, would be extensively
publicized, with complete versions available in the City Hall and the Library. After a
period of time for public reaction, revisions could be make for public hearings by both the
Planning Commission and the City Council.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Once a procedure, such as this, is approved by the City Council, a timetable, a more
precise assignment of responsibilities, and some of the procedural details can be
developed.
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