DEPARTMENT: Planning Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Bridgett White, AICP, Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT: SA Tomorrow Comprehensive Plan Briefing - Community Health and Wellness and Jobs and Economic Competitiveness Plan Elements
SUMMARY:
A briefing to the City Council Comprehensive Plan Committee on the status of adopted policies and practices related to the Community Health and Wellness and Jobs and Economic Competitiveness Plan Elements in the SA Tomorrow Comprehensive Plan.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The City of San Antonio is projected to grow significantly over the next two decades and developing a plan to accommodate that growth was the driving objective in developing the SA Tomorrow Plans (Comprehensive Plan, Multimodal Transportation Plan, and Sustainability Plan). All three SA Tomorrow plans were adopted by City Council in August 2016.
The Comprehensive Plan provides policy guidance on where and how to grow. The major “building blocks” of the Plan include Regional Centers, Urban Centers, Corridors, and Neighborhoods. Each building block has a role within the greater San Antonio landscape. The Comprehensive Plan also includes 63 Goals, 367 Policies, and 168 recommended Actions to take to achieve the vision expressed in the Plan. These are broken into the following 9 Plan Elements:
• Growth and City Form
• Transportation and Connectivity
• Housing
• Jobs and Economic Competitiveness
• Community Health and Wellness
• Facilities and Community Safety
• Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability
• Historic Preservation and Cultural Heritage
• Military
Goals are the broadest statements of the community’s desired long term direction. Goals describe ideal end-state conditions in 2040 that would result if the Plan is successfully implemented. Policies are statements that identify the community’s preferred strategies in relation to the Plan Element Goals while the Actions speak to key items for implementing policies and achieving goals over a period of time.
ISSUE:
The Community Health and Wellness and Jobs and Economic Competitiveness Plan Elements in the SA Tomorrow Comprehensive Plan were guided by Plan Element Working Groups composed of community leaders and representatives of relevant City departments, partner organizations, utilities, colleges and universities, neighborhoods and advocacy groups.
The Community Health and Wellness Plan Element focuses on safe, healthy and well-educated citizens of all ages. By having policies and programs that increase access to multimodal transportation, parks and open space, recreation activities, healthy foods, health care services and educational opportunities, community health in the City will be enhanced. Similarly, the Jobs and Economic Competitiveness Plan Element focuses on taking advantage of our distinct economic geography, diversifying our economic base, growing and attracting an educated workforce, and attracting and retaining businesses. By providing important employment, economic and partnership opportunities, the City can build on its strong assets and emerging economic opportunities.
This briefing will provide a status update by the Metro Health Department and the Economic Development Department on actions related to achieving the Goals identified for the Community Health and Wellness and Jobs and Economic Competitiveness Plan Elements.
ALTERNATIVES:
This briefing is for informational purposes only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A
RECOMMENDATION:
This briefing is for informational purposes only.