DEPARTMENT: Department of Planning & Community Development
DEPARTMENT HEAD: John Dugan, AICP
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Briefing and Discussion regarding the Comprehensive Plan Oversight Structure.
SUMMARY:
The City Council Comprehensive Planning Committee (CPC) approved the composition of a Comprehensive Plan Advisory Board on September 25, 2014. At the same meeting, the CPC also discussed a Comprehensive Plan Citizen Planning Institute. Staff recommends minor revisions to the oversight structure of the comprehensive planning process.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The CPC approved the make-up of a Comprehensive Plan Advisory Board to serve as ambassadors to the community for the Comprehensive Plan, Multimodal Transportation Plan, and Sustainability Plan processes; to lend their expertise and institutional resources to ensure that their constituencies are represented; to collaborate with other major institutions to advance good planning throughout the region; and to serve as a peer review team to evaluate findings and reports throughout the planning process.
The CPC also previously discussed a Citizen Planning Institute. The purpose of the Citizen Planning Institute was to inform the public about the process; broaden the City's outreach capacity; to help guide staff and the consultant team in gathering public input; and provide advice on methods of soliciting public input.
ISSUE:
Following the September 25, 2014 meeting of the CPC, staff has recommended minor revisions to the oversight structure.
The new recommended oversight structure is proposed to consists of:
· the City Council Comprehensive Planning Committee
· the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee
· the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Group (materially identical to the previously discussed Comprehensive Plan Advisory Board), and
· the Citizen Planning Institute
The Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee (CPSC) concept evolved from the roles envisioned for the Advisory Board and Citizen Committee, which is to assist the staff and consultant teams in establishing a community-based planning process and giving oversight to the implementation of the planning process. The proposed CPSC will be responsible for establishing and overseeing a community-based process to assist with delivery and implementation of the Comprehensive Plan. Plan element working groups, that will be supplemented by the current SA2020 working groups, will provide technical assistance. The CPSC will be chaired by Councilman Ron Nirenberg, Darryl Byrd of SA2020, and Dr. Afamia Elnakat from the Texas Sustainable Research Institute at UTSA. The members of the CPSC also will include the chairs of the plan element working groups. The "elements" of the comprehensive plan will include: Growth & Urban Form; Transportation & Connectivity; Housing; Green and Healthy Neighborhoods & Communities; Public Facilities & Community Safety; Historic Preservation; Military; Natural Resources & the Environment; Jobs & Economic Competitiveness; Sustainability; and Implementation/Codification Actions. Plan element working group membership will be drawn from the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Group; from COSA boards and commission members; and SA2020. Three members of the Planning Commission shall serve ex-officio.
The Comprehensive Plan Advisory Group (CPAG), previously referred to as the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Board, is a stakeholder group representing government, community and non-profit entities. CPAG will serve as a platform for the exchange of information and alignment of existing and future planning efforts. CPAG members will be asked to provide plans and data relevant to the Comprehensive Planning process; assign, or make available, technical staff to assist with Plan Element Working Groups; and engage their constituencies and workforces in the planning process. CPAG members shall include but are not limited to SAWS, CPS, VIA, SARA, Bexar County, SAHA, school districts, Chambers of Commerce, business and industry groups, neighborhood alliance groups, Centro San Antonio, TXDoT, AACOG, SAMCO, Alamo Community College System, UTSA and others.
As before, focus of the Citizen Planning Institute (CPI) will be to educate citizens about the role good planning and implementation play in helping to create communities of lasting value, building a constituency for good planning. The CPI will utilize plan element working group resources to develop and teach a curriculum focused on the need for and results of planning in our community. Existing outreach materials will be used to educate residents about regional growth issues, service delivery problems, project evaluation metrics, and infrastructure costs. The goal of the CPI is to allow residents to be true partners in the planning process and leaders in the plan implementation phase.
ALTERNATIVES:
The CPC may approve an alternative oversight structure or deny staff's updated recommendation.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this briefing and discussion.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the recommended oversight structure for the comprehensive planning process.