29whatagood.pdf

What

a

Good

Local

Development

Plan

Should Contain

A

Proposed

Model

Edward

J.

Kaiser

John

Davies

A

good

local landdevelopmentplanisvital ina community's

strategytocontrol itsdestiny. This article suggestsessential and fundamental features ofsucha"goodplan,"exceedingthe merely minimalplanbutremaining realistic formost NorthCarolina

communities.

The

suggested

model

plan isbasedon aprojectconductedjointly

by

aresearchteam fromtheDepartmentof CityandRegional Planning andthe Divisionof

Community

Assistanceand funded by

theNorth CarolinaClean Water

Management

Trust Fund.

The

study includeda surveyandevaluation oflocal comprehensive land use plansfromacross the statein 1998. Based onthat information,a

reviewofthegrowing literatureon

good

planningpractices, andthe

adviceofa state-wideadvisory committee, theresearchteam

formulated Guidelinesfor North CarolinaLocal Governmental

Development

Plans. Thisarticleis adaptedand condensed fromthose

guidelines.'

Thisarticlefocuses onthescope ofdevelopmentissuestheplan shouldaddress, theelements itshould contain,andcertain essential features ofits approach.

The

suggestionsare

meant

tocharacterize the

Dr.

Edward

J. Kaiserisa professorattheDepartment ofCity

and

RegionalPlanning, UniversityofNorth Carolina atChapelHill.

John

Davies isa candidatefora Master'sinRegionalPlanningat

EDWARD

J.

KAISER

and

JOHN

DAVIES

planofanycommunity,smallorlarge,municipality orcounty.

What

willvary is themethodology that

communities use to complete the

recommended

components.

What

We

Propose: Ina Nutshell

First, to achieve appropriate scope in plan

content,

we

propose that a local comprehensive

development

plan should integrate land use, environmental, and infrastructure planning in a

comprehensive, longrange approach.

Second, a plan should contain five specific

components:

•

A

summary

ofthekeyfeatures ofthe plan; •

A

statementof

community

issuesand vision; •

An

informationbaseofexistingand emerging

conditions;

•

A

statementof

community

values

—

goals, objectives,and developmentprinciples; •

A

course of intendedgovernmentalpolicyand

action, consistingofa futureland useplan,

development

management

program,anda

monitoringandplanadjustmentprogram.

Third, acommunit>''s plan should establish an appropriatelysizedplanningareaandinclude

inter-governmental coordination.

The

remainder

of the article explains

and

illustrates these

recommended

features.

Appropriate

Scope

in Plan

Content

A

good

landdevelopmentplanwill

encompass

land use,

environmental

protection,

and

infrastructure planning at a

minimum.

That is, it should

go

beyond

the design offuture land use

patterns,

which

isthefocusof

many

NorthCarolina

local plans. It should include coordination of

environmentalpolicyandlanddevelopmentpolicy toprotecttheenvironmentandthe coordination of

community

facilitiesandinfrastructure,particularly water, sewer, andtransportation, with land useand environmental protection.

This proposal is based on the premise that

environmentalprotectioncan onlybeaccomplished

in conjunction with

good

land use planning. In

addressing water quality protection matters, for

example, the plan

must

recognize the reciprocity

between land use and waterresources.

The

future

land use planmustincorporate considerationofthe

technology, economics, and natural processesthat

govern waterresourceandinfrastructureplanning.

Similarly,waterresource plans

must

be consistent

with planned ftiture land use, notjustproject land usetrends.

Future land use and infrastructure

must

be developed jointly, each part consistent with and

reinforcingtheother.

To

dothat,landuseandwater resourceplanning

must

meet

thefollowingcriteria:

•

They

shouldbe based ona

common

setof facts and assumptionsthataffectboth

demand

for landandlocation and

demand

forwater

andforwastewatertreatment;

•

Land

use plans shouldbe basedon suitability

Figure 1

Using

the

Development

Plan

To Connect

Three

Concerns

Land Use

Water

Quality

Water

Resource

Infrastructure:

Water

Supply,

Wastewater,

and

Stormwater

analysis thatincludesthefeasibility and

economy

ofextendingwaterand sewer

infrastructure;

•

The

suitability analysis

must

include the relativevulnerabilityofenvironmental

features andprocessesto land use changes,in additiontothe usualassessments of

accessibilityandphysical suitabilityofthe

land forrealestatedevelopment; and

•

The

future land use planneedstobe analyzed

and

summarized

byexisting and proposed

waterand sewerservice areas, aswellas by

sensitive environmental areassuchas

watersheds, floodplains, andwetlands.

Figure1 (shown onpreviouspage) suggeststhe

conceptual

connections

between

land use,

environmental

protection,

and

infrastructure,

particularlywaterand sewerinfrastructurethatneed

tobeaddressedinthe plan.

The

FiveBasic

Components

ofa Local Plan

The

plan should contain five components

—

an

overview, an issues

and

vision statement, an

information

base, a goals-objectives-policy

framework,

and

an intended policy and action

program.

The

overview isan easilyaccessible

summary

ofthe entire plan, focusing on the issues facedby

the community, the vision for the future, and the

intendedcourseofaction. Itshouldalsoexplainthe

purpose ofthe plan, the process by which it

was

formulatedandadopted,andthe

commitment

ofthe elected officials.

The

community

issues

and

vision section provides a capsule descriptionofthe issues facing the

community

and its aspirations for the future,

based

primarily but not solely

on

broadly

participatory

community

self-examination.

The

information base provides and organizes informationbeyond whatissummarizedinthe issues

andvision section. Itcoversexistingand emerging

conditions, i.e.,

where

we

are and

where

we

are

heading.

The

goals-objectives-policy framework states

the localgovernment'sprimarygoals,theobjectives that can beusedlatertomeasureprogress on those

goals,

and

general

development

principles to

promote those goals and guide the

more

explicit

policy

and

course of action in the following component.Goals,objectives,andpoliciescouldbe

integratedwiththe issuesandvision section, instead

ofconstituting a separate sectionofthe plan.

The

final andmost important part ofthe plan presents local government's intended course of

policyandaction.Thisconsistsofa

map

or

maps

of

desired future land use patterns, a

development

management

program, and a

program

to monitor

implementationoftheintendedpoliciesandactions

and

make

regularadjustments tothem.

Component

One:

Introduction

and

Overview

ofthe Plan

Tellthem

what

you

aregoingtosay, sayit,

and

tellthem

what you

said.

—

Anonymous

Thisinitial section should bea persuasive and

easily understood mini-versionofthe key features

ofthe plan. Itshould quickly inform the reader of

the essential issuesfacingthecommunity,presenta visionofthe futuretoguidethe plan,andsummarize

the policies andactionstowhichthe

community

is

committingitselfItshouldalsoexplainthepurposes

of the plan,

communicate

elected officials'

commitment

tousingit,andexplaintheprocess

by

which the plan has been created and adopted and

throughwhichitsimplementationwillbe monitored and theplan adjusted. Thus, it is

much

more

than

aninfroduction; it

becomes

acondensedversion of

the complete plan that can be quickly read and grasped

and

even widely distributed as a plan

summary.

Component

Two:

Issues

and

Vision

Statement

Wherethereisnovision, thepeopleperish.

—

Proverbs 29:18(from Gastonia,

NC,

plan)

Over

the last decade, communities across the nation increasingly have found it useful to initiate plan

making

with a public, and sometimes inter-governmental,participatory processthat combines

takingstockofcurrent issueswitha futurevisioning

process.This

component

intheplanisdesignedfirst

to idenfify broadly held public values, problems widely agreed-upon as needing attention, major

assetsofthecommunity,and majorfrendsandforces

impactingor potentiallyimpactingthefixtureofthe

community. Buttheprocess doesn'tstopthere.

The

participants in this process also formulatea vision

EDWARD

J.

KAISER

and

JOHN

DAVIES

a visionofthefliturephysicalappearanceand form

ofthecommunity. Sometimesthisprocess includes

suggesting general

development

principles to

implement

the vision.

A

coalition of national organizations is drafting

model

state enabling

legislationthat

would

make

thisarequiredelement

in localplan-making.

There are several reasons for wanting such a section in the plan. First ofall, it achieves broad andintense participation fromthe

community

and

iseducationalfor

community

leaders,stakeholders,

and

ordinary citizens. It can,

and

for

many

communities

should, involve even neighboring

communities.

Thus

it

promotes

both the

participatoryandtheintergovernmentalqualities that

a

good

plan should have. Secondly,the issues and

visioningapproachexaminesbothfactsandvalues,

and probes both existing and potential conditions in the community. Thus, it improves everyone's

understandingof needsandvalues,initiatestheplan

from the broadest possible

community

base, and

createsbroad

community

momentum

toaddressthe future in

more

explicit

ways

inthe sections ofthe

planto follow.

The

following items are

recommended

in an

issues andvisionelement oftheplan (takenmainly from

APA, Growing

Smart:LegislativeGuidebook,

pp. 7-73-77,1998):

1

.

A

descriptionofmajortrends andforces;

2.

A

report ofthe community's major

advantagesandopportunities for desirable

growth and development,as well as

disadvantages andthreatstoappropriate

development;

3.

An

accountofthe important

community

valuestobepromoted and problems and

issuescurrentlyor potentially facing the local

government;

4.

A

vision statementthat identifies in wordsan

overallimage ofwhatthe

community

wants

tobeand

how

itwantstolookinthefuture;

and

5. (Optional,

may

bepartofthisinitial

component

or partofthelater

component

on

goals, objectives,andpolicies)

A

statementof

generaldevelopmentprinciples toguidethe

community'splanningandactions.

The

countycommissionersorcitycouncil

may

consider officially adopting the initial issues and

vision elementasan interim policy plan whilethe

more

formal development plan is being prepared. In that

way

itcan immediately serve £s a guideto

the local legislature and executive branch in their decisionsabout public investmentsa.idordinances.

Component

Three:

The

Information

Base

While the issues and vision

component

often

includesa preliminary assessmentofexisting and emergingconditions,itisbasedonreadilyavailable

data and the participants' sense ofthe relative

importance of conditions and issues.

The

purpose

ofthe information base element in the plan is to

reassessand deepenthat originalinformationbase. Intheprocess,

some

ofthecommunity's issuesand problems identified inthe participatory issues and

visioning process

may

be de-mythedwhile others are validated.

The

informationbasefordevelopmentplaiming shouldgenerallydescribeandanalyzethefollowing aspects ofthe local planningjurisdiction:

1

.

The

presentandprojectedfuturepopulation

and

economy;

2.

The

land useandland development system

by

whichthe

community

physically changes and

grows, andby

which

itimprovesor declines.

3

.

The

publicinfrastructure thatservesthe

community's population,economy, andland

developmentindustry. These facilitiesalso

influencereal estatemarketand development

decisions inthemarket.

4.

The

naturalenvironment,

which

represents the community'svaluable andpossibly vulnerable resources, aswell asphysical

consfraintsto land useandland development.

5.

The

de-factodevelopment andenvironmental

management

system oflocal, state, andfederal policies, ordinances,investments,andincentives.

The

information base should

encompass

both temporalandspatialdimensions.Thatis,the studies

should

map

existingconditionsand

show

thespatial impactsoftrendsandprojectedconditionsovertime.

For example, the population study covers both present

and

future projected population

and

describes variations in population characteristics

among

locations withinthe jurisdiction'splanning area.

The

information base should cover the entire

geographic area appropriate forland development

planning. For

growing

municipalities, the

appropriate

planning

area

should

extend

significantlybeyondthepresentmunicipallimitsand even

beyond

presentextra-territorialjurisdictionto include areas likely to be

under

development

pressurewithinthenext20to30years.Forcounties,

thatgenerallywillbethe entirecounty, perhaps with

special attentiongivento

growing

areaswithinthe county.

Information Base Sub-Element 1:

The

Populationand

Economy

A

community'spopulationand

economy

areits

twinenginesofgrowth andchange. Populationsize

and

employment

determine the

amount

of land

needed,

and

its location.

They

also dictate the

demand

for public

and

private services

and

infrastructure (such as public water supply and wastewatertreatment, schools, andrecreation).

Future population

and

economy

estimates should notbe basedexclusivelyonprojections.

The

planning process should consider

what

population

and economic levels are best;

what economic

and

demographic

structure is best, and

what

rate of growth is best for the community. In otherwords,

population

and

economic

analyses can

have

a

normativeside,and economic andpopulationlevels

andrates ofgrowth canbe, to

some

degree, policy choices aswell astrend projections.

Communities

should explorethe

number

ofpeopleandthe

amount

andtypesof

economic

activitythatcan besustained withoutunacceptable

harm

tothecommunity'slong run environmentalqualityand

community

character.

Information Base Sub-Element2:

Land

Use

and

Development

These studies assess several facets ofland use

and development. First they include an inventory

and

analysisofexistingland supply

and

conditions.

Most

plans include such a study consisting ofan

existingland use

map

andtable

showing

the

number

ofacresinexisting uses.

A

good

planwillgoftirther

to include a second study that estimates future

quantities

of land

that will

be

needed

to

accommodate

increases in

land

use activity

indicated

by

population and

economic

growth.

A

thirdstudy then should assessthesuitabilityofthe

landsupplytomeettheprojectedordesignedfuture

demand

forurbandevelopmentandredevelopment.

It

should account

for the

need

for land for agriculture, forestry, and ecological processes not reflected in the urbanization estimates. That study

examinesfactors thatinfluence theamount,location,

timing,andtypeofdevelopment and redevelopment

activity inthe landmarket.

InformationBase Sub-Element3:

Community

Facilitiesand Infrastructure

The

planshould containananalysisofexisting

community

facilitiesand futureneeds with special attention to:

• public water supply systems; • wastewater

management

systems; • stormwater andfloodplain

management

facilitiesandpolicies; and

• transportation systems.

Likeland and landuse analysis,the studiesof

community

facilitiesrequireboth supply sideand

demand

side analysis, aswellasan inventory of

existingfacilities.

Public Water Supply Systems

An

inventory ofpublicly andprivately

owned

drinkingwater supplysystems should be provided inthe plan,includinga

map

offacilitylocationsand

their service areas. Safe yields of each source,

maximum

treatmentcapacity,and storagecapacity should bestated.

Where

serviceboundariesexistor

where

they can be estimated

on

the basis of

engineering considerations or policy, geographic boundaries should beidentified andlandareas and

capacitiesshould bestatedbyservicearea.Current

rates of use should be estimated. Ifa

new

water supplywatershedwill be required, theplan should addressthatissueanddelineateitsproposed future

boundaries.

The

water supply plan itself

may

be included

by

reference or

summarized

in the

developmentplan.

Wastewater

Management

Systems

Current

conditions of the

wastewater

management

system should be described.

They

include identification of existing and potential service area boundaries, description ofcollection

systemandtreatmentworks andtheirproblems,and

a

summary

statementoftheadequacyofthe existing

system, the problems that need to be considered,

EDWARD

J.

KAISER

and

JOHN

DAVffiS Stormwater

and

Floodplain

Management

Systems

Thiselement shouldidentify floodproneareas

and stormwater

management

facilities,policies,and

plans.Ata

minimum,

floodplainsdelineatedas part

oftheNational FloodInsurance

Program

should

be-shown

on maps.Propertiesatriskwithinthese areas

should be identified and

summarized

to estimate

community

vulnerability.

Other

areas

where

stormwater runoff is

known

to cause localized

flooding

should

be

identified.

Stormwater

management

policies should be identified

by

referenceto appropriatedocuments.

TransportationSystems

This element should identify the existing and planned transportation systems in the planning

jurisdiction.

These

include thoroughfares, greenways, bikeways, transit routes and stations. Thiselementshouldalsoassess theproblemsinthe existingsystemand whetherthe futuresystem will

servefuture land usepatterns.

Many

transportation plans are

based on

projectionsofexisting patterns ofland useandnot

on

the future land use plan. Instead, the

transportationplanandfuturelanduse designshould

beintegrated.

OtherPublic Facilities

Additional

community

facilities

may

be

inventoried

where

appropriate. These

may

include

solid waste storage and treatment sites, schools,

parksandrecreationsites,librariesandothercultural facilities, hospitals

and

public health facilities, general

government

buildings,, and utilities and telecommunications facilities.

Information BaseSub-Element4:

Environmental Resources

Environmental resources affect development

plans in at least

two

ways. First, they limit the

feasibilityofusing lands inparticularlocations for particular purposes. Lands

may

be unsuitable for

development due to flooding, steep slopes, highly erodable orpoorly drained soils,unstablesoils for

foundations,

and

other characteristics of the landscape that pose health and safety concerns or substantially increase development costs. Second,

potentialadverseeffectsof development onsensitive

environmental

systems could

require either

prohibitionofcertaintypesofdevelopmentin

some

locationsor impositionofcosdy sitenlanningand

engineering requirementsondevelopmentpermits.

Studies of

environmental

resources

may

include:

• Natural resourcestoberespectedand

protected.Theseincludestateor federally

designatedenvironmentallysensitiveareasin particular,such asstate designatedwater supplywatershedcategories, streams, lakes,

andestuaries,riverbasins,groundwater

aquifers,wetlands,floodplains and

floodways, andmineraldeposits.

•

Land

characteristicsaffectingsuitabilityfor

development andpotential tocause environmental degradation, including erodablesoils; soil conditions unsuitable for

septictanks orwhereinstallationofseptic

tankscouldtriggerspecialconditions; steep slopes; areassubject to flooding, sinkholes,

mudflows, andlandsubsidence; andnoise zonesaroundairports.

• Culturalandhistoric sitesofspecial

architectural, cultural, historic,archeological

or aesthetic value.

The

environmentalstudies

may

alsocoverland usesofparticularrelevancetoenvironmentalquality

issues, such as brownfield sites, airquality permit

holders,and wastewaterdischargers.

Consideralocalexampleofone ofseveraltypes

of

maps

thatmightbe includedina naturalresources

analysis: a

map

showing

the

many

water supply

watersheds for

Orange

County,

NC,

covering over

halfofthe landin the county.Areas designated as

"Water Supply Watershed"onthe

map

contain land

drainingtoexisting reservoirswhichserveaspublic

water supplies, or to potential reservoir sites or streamintakesfordrinkingwater withdrawal.These

areas have been designated for protection against threatstothewaterquality supplies, inaccordance

withCounty watershedprotectionprograms andthe

NorthCarolinaWatersupplyWatershedprotection

Act of 1989. Waterprotection restrictions on land

development are in effect as required by the Act.

The Water

Quality Critical

Areas on

the

map

designate land within one-half mile ofthe normal

pool elevation of an existing or proposed public water supplyimpoundment, or theridgelineofthe

watershed,whicheveris closesttothenormalpool

elevationofthe reservoir.

More

stringent land use

and development regulations are in effect in those areas.

Not

alloftheseelementsare clearlyrelevantto

all land development plan situations.

Judgment

is

requiredtodeterminewhich onesareimportanttoa particular area. Also, the environmental studies should be coordinated withthestudiesof land supply

for

development

and

redevelopment

discussed above inthe section on land useand development

studies.

Information Base Element 5:

Existing Local. State, and Federal Policies and

Development

Management

Capability

No

local

government

is without a legacy of

existing policies andprogramsthat constitute a de

facto development

management

program.

These

existing policiesand programsgenerallyhave been assembledby differentagencies oflocal, state,and

federal government over a considerable period of

time.

As

aconsequence, they

may

be

enmeshed

with

existingproblemswhileoffering potential solutions.

Thus, an importantelementoftheinformationbase fortheplanisan inventoryand assessment oflocal,

state,andfederalpolicies,ordinances,andprograms

that significantly affect

development

and

redevelopment.

This includesa descriptionofrelevantpolicies,

maps

of areas

covered by

such

programs,

assessments of progress in implementing existing

policy and plans and obstacles encountered, and

assessments

of local

government's

inherent

administrative, financial, and legal capabilities to

implementitsdevelopment

management

programs.

This study should include existing and potential

inter-governmental agreements,aswell asareas of

overlapandconflict.

Component

Four: Goals, Objectives,

and

Policies

If

you

don't

know

where

you

'regoing,

you

might

end up someplace else.

—

Casey Stengel (fromGastonia,

NC,

plan) Thissectionoftheplanidentifiesgoalsimplied

bythe

community

values,problems,andaspirations

initiallyuncovered inthe visioningprocess. Italso

exploresadditional publicinterests tobepursuedin

the plan. Finally, itexpressesallofthese direction-settingideasinaconciseanduseful format, usually as goals, objectives,and policies.

Goalsaredefinedasfutureconditionstowhich

the

community

aspires.

They

areusuallyexpressed in fairly general terms, but

may

then be followed

by

more

specific objectives. Objectives are intermediate achievements indicating progress in achieving goals.

They

are

more

tangible, specific,

and

attainable than goals

and

may

even

be measurable. Objectives will be useful in the

benchmarkingtaskinthemonitoring

component

of

the plan.

While

goals and objectives represent ends,

policies represent a step toward means.

They

are

general action principles to guide government's

decisions as well as the plan's intended action

program and

its future land use patterns. For example, they address the type, location, timing, density, mix, and other characteristics of future

development or redevelopment to be promoted in

order to achieve goals. Policies do not normally

specifythe actionstobe taken,but rather establish

principles to be followed, just as the

Ten

Commandments

form a set ofmoral principles to guideanindividual's actions.

Plans should considerfourtypesofgoals: •

The

specificgoals

and

aspirationsofthe

community,derivedfromparticipatory goal-settingprocesses perhapseven fromthe

earlierissuesandvisioningstage.For

example,there

may

have been agreementthat

the

community

wantstomaintainadominant

downtown

ormaintaina particular qualityin

existingneighborhoods.

•

Mandated

goals,prescribedby stateand

federal policyand fromjudicial interpretation

ofconstitutional rights. Forexample, goalsto

protectwaterqualityinNorthCarolinaare explicitandimplicitin stategovernment programs suchas thewater supplywatershed

classifications.

• Genericpublicgoals,that

come

from

fraditionsof

good

government and

good

planning. Efficiency, equity, widechoice, healthandsafety,andquality oflife are

examples ofgenericpublic interestgoals. • Needs,which are calculationsof requirements

EDWARD

J.

KAISER

and

JOHN

DAVffiS

Standards or levelofservice.

Examples

include calculationofthe acresofland requiredforfuturedevelopment,or additional

capacityandservice areaneededforfuture

wastewatertreatment.

The

vision statement is a

good

format for incorporating an initial expression of future

aspirations. That can be followed up by

more

in-depthanalysisofneeds,

mandated

policygoals,and

generic planning goals.

The

development

plan

should concentrateparticularlyongoalsandpolicies directlyrelatingtolanduse,environmentalquality,

andinfrastructure.

Component

Five:

Program

of Policy

and

Action

Every

government

thatzonesland, or

makes

publiccapital investments, or acquires landfor

public purposes, ortaxesland forserxice, orin

anyother

way

attemptstoinfluenceprivate

developmentisoperatingadevelopment

management

system . . .

—

Einsweileret al., 1978.

Components

two, three, and four, described above, define the facts, values, aspirations, and

action principlestoprovide generaldirectionforthe plan.

The

fifth

component

specifies just

what

the

Policies

do

not normally

specify the

actions

to

be

taken,

but

rather

establish

principles

to

be

followed,

just

as

the

Ten

Commandments

form

a

set of

moral

principles

to

guide

an

individual's

actions

community

intendstodoto

meet

itsneeds, mitigate

itsproblems,andachieveitsgoals.Itshould contain threeelements:

• Desired spatialpatternoffuture landuses,

includingtransportation, water, and sewer

infrastructureandareasreservedforcritical

naturalprocesses.

•

A

program

ofactionsto implementthe goals,

general policies, andfutureland usepattern.

The program

ofactionusually includes a

combination of

new

ordinances,modifications to existingordinances,a

community

facilities/

capital improvements program, andpolicies

toguide extensionofurbanserviceareas. It alsoincludesproposedannexationsand

extra-territorialjurisdictionextensions,

inter-governmentalagreements, follow-up small

areaplans or functional plans, andincentives

tobe

imbedded

inthose ordinancesand

programs. Itspecifies atime schedulefor

implementationandassignsresponsibilities fortheiraccomplishment.

•

A

program

formonitoringthe implementation oftheplanandadjustingdevelopment

management

programelementsaccordingly.

Policyand ActionSub-Element I

:

Desired Future

Land Use

And

Infrastructure Patterns

The

purposeofthiselementistoprovidespatial

specificitytothe plan's

recommended

policies and

actions. It achieves this

by mapping

the desired

futurepatternof urban landuses, infrastructureand

community

facilities,

and

lands for critical

environmental

processes.

The

infrastructure

component

shouldindicate locations ofthe major

futuretransportation facilities, general location of

majorwaterand wastewatertreatmentfacilitiesand

proposed service areas, and other majorfacilities,

suchasanairportoropenspace system.

The

future land

development

pattern of the localgovernment'sjurisdiction

may

be indicated in

one

of

several formats.

The

two

most

common

formats are the land

classificationplanandtheland use design format.

The

land

classification planformat

maps

those areas ofthe

proposedplanningjurisdictionwheretransitionfrom

rural to

urban

development

will

occur

to

accommodate

growthand

where

redevelopmentor

significantinfillwilloccur. Italso indicates

where

developmentshould not occur. These include, for

example,specialhabitats,areaswherewaterquality

isacriticalconcern,andareaswherenaturalhazards

suchasflooding, stormsurge,or expectederosion,

poseathreat todevelopment.Alsoincludedareareas

designatedas"environmentally sensitive" by state policy, e.g., state-designated

streams

and

watersheds, wetlands, and rare species habitats.

Locations ofmajor activity centers (commercial

centers,

employment

centers, industrial areas)

may

also be indicated in a land classification plan. It

shouldalsoincludelocationsofmajorwater, sewer,

andtransportationfacilities,althoughinpractice the

landclassification formatoften omitsthatelement.

The

other

common

formatforindicating future

landuseisthe"land use design."This format

shows

more

specific future land use categories than does the land classification plan. It depicts the

arrangements ofresidential areas, commercial and

employment

areas,

mixed

use areas, majoractivity

centers,major

community

facilities,and urban open

space systems.

Proposed areas of agriculture, forestry, and

environmental uses canalsobe

shown.

Densities are often

indicated. Thus, the land use design format provides

more

specificityabout

how

land using activities

and

community

facilities are arranged in the future than

does

the land

classification plan. It

shows

more

about

how

thevariousland usesand

community

facilitiesfit

togethertoform acommunity.

Whatever

formatis usedto

designate future

urban

development andotherlanduse

policy,itshould be supportedby

a narrative indicating

how

the

future land use

promotes

the

general policy principles and goals ofthe plan. It

should includeananalysis,intextandtables,ofthe

projected 20-year build-out ofthe proposedfuture

land use pattern, including

numbers

ofdwelling units, employment, and the acreagebeing devoted

to various land use designations

on

the land

classification orland use design

map.

For each infrastructure service area, the plan shouldindicate thepopulation,

number

ofdwellings,

and

employment

that will require waterand sewer

at build-out of that service area, along with their impliedinfrastructure requirements. It should also

describe the service levels, infi"astructure capacity

andtiming,andanyothersignificantdimensionsof

the public infrastructure being proposed for that

service area.

The

analyses should state density

assumptionsandotherassumptions involvedinthe

analysis. It should

compare

the

amount

of land

requiredtothe

amount

ofsuitable landprovided in

the land use designor landclassification plan; and

compare

the

amount

of waterand sewer and other servicesrequiredtotheamountprovidedbyfacilities

proposedinthe plan.

PolicyandActionSub-Element2:

Intended

Development

Management Program

The development

management

program

prescribes a fivetotenyearsequenceofactionsby

governmental,

intergovernmental,

and

non-governmental

or public-private entities. This

implementation-oriented program

may

consist of,

but is not limited to the

following types of components:

•

A

proposed development codeor

package ofcoordinated

regulations forguiding development,

redevelopment, and neighborhood

conservation, and

protecting

environmental quality. It

does not includethe actual ordinances.

They

would

beprepared during implementation ofthe plan. However,

theplanshouldoutline thestandards fortype, density,mix, impacts, sitedesign,

construction practices,exactions and impact fees,andincentives toencourageparticular

development. Itshould delineatedistricts

where various standards,procedures,

exactions, fees, andincentiveswill apply.

A

programforexpanding and improving

urban infrastructureand

community

facilities

andtheirserviceareas. Itshould includethe

timingandgeographic boundariesofservice areaexpansions; theproposeddistributionof

costsoflandandfacilities

(among

governments and agencies,and between

public andprivate sectors); andlinks to

regulationsandincentivestoassure that

Whatever

format

is

used

to

designate

future

urban

development

and

otiier

land

use

policy,

it

should be supported by

a

narrative

indicating

how

the future land

use

promotes

the

general

policy principles

and

EDWARD

J.

KAISER

and

JOHN

DAVIES

adequatefacilities areprovidedto

developmentas itoccurs.

A

capital

improvement program

may

eitherbe partof this

component

orcoordinatedwith it.

•

An

acquisition

program

toobtainproperty

rights

by

purchase, gift,orexaction.

Acquisitionprovidesopen spacefor recreation andenvironmentalprotection,

obtains landsforfuture

community

facilities ortopromote redevelopment,economic development,andaffordablehousing.

•

An

on-goingeducation

program

aboutthe

developmentplan,

aimed

atelectedofficials, appointed boards, developmentindustry,and

others.

• Inter-govemmental agreementstocoordinate

community

facilities, infrastructure,

acquisition, andregulation programs

among

localgovernmentsandwith stateagencies. • Stateorfederalregulationsandother

programs directlyaffectingdevelopment in

the local jurisdiction.

For each ofits components, the development

management

program

shouldspecify thepolicyand

action content,itslocationor geographic boundaries,

its relative priority

and

timing, and the agency

responsible for implementing the component. It

shouldalsodescribeitsconnection withcomponents

ofthe actionprogram.

Policyand Action Sub-Element3:

Program

forMonitoringand Updatingthe Plan Thiselementoutlinesproceduresformonitoring

implementation oftheplan, and for adjusting the

planaccordingly. Monitoring coversthree aspects:

how

wellthe

community

iscarrying outthe policies

and development

management program

ofthe plan,

whetherresultingdevelopment and redevelopment

is occurringconsistent withthe plan, and whether

benchmark

conditions related to objectives are

improving.

Based on

the results of the monitoring and

evaluationandon changingconditionsaffectingthe

community,theplanshouldbeupdatedperiodically.

Updatingoccursat

two

levels.

The

firstlevelmight be annual or biannual assessments of progress,

perhaps calling for planning reports and a related

program

ofadjustments in the policy and action

program.

The

second level

would

consist of

more

thoroughrevisionsatlongertimeintervals,say5 to

10years.

An

illustrative table ofcontents for a local

developmentplanis

shown

attheend ofthearticle.

Itisbasedonexcerptsfromseveral

NC

localplans,

selected to suggest the content of a

good

local

comprehensive developmentplan.

SpatialScopeof a

Good

Local

Land

Development

Plan

Tobeeffectivelycomprehensive,acommunity's

planshouldestablishanappropriately sizedplanning

area

and

incorporate

inter-governmental

coordination.

Delineationof an Appropriate Planning

Area

The

geographicareatobe addressedinthe plan, called theplanningarea,shouldextendsignificantly

beyond

thepresentmunicipal boundaries andarea ofextraterritorialjurisdiction forcities andtowns.

Ifat allfeasible,itshould includeallareaslikely to

comprise the futureurban growth areaandrequire

urban services as a consequence ofthe plan and marketforcesoverthe next20-30years.

Based

on population,

economic,

and

environmental

information, theplanningareashouldbe determined

earlyintheplanning processandinconjunctionwith neighboringgovernments.

Forcounties,theplanningareashould generally includetheentirecounty,thoughitmightfocus on

development

corridors or sectors ofthe county where land development issues or environmental

issues are foreseeable.

Inter-govemmentalCoordination

In almostevery casewheretheplan coversthe

entirearealikely tobe under developmentpressure overthenext20years,theplanning process should account forinter-govemmental coordination. This

is desirabletoachieve consistencyon assumptions

about emergingconditions andprojections, andto

achieve

coordination in the

design

and

implementation ofproposed policies and actions.

Suchinter-govemmental coordinationisparticularly

critical in reconciling land use controls along

boundaries, achieving infrastmcture efficiencies,

shapingregionalopenspaceandanefficientregional

employment

distribution, andaddressing issues of shared natural resources, such as a water supply

watershed

or an estuary.

Coordination

may

be required

fordelineationofextraterritorial

jurisdictions and for land use

regulations

and

capital

improvements

outside the

extraterritorial jurisdictions.

Bothcountiesandmunicipalities

must

also coordinate their

policies with state and Federal

programs.

Summary

The

proposed

model

of a

local land development plan has certain definite features, an important onebeing a comprehensive

and

simultaneous

approach

to land use, environmentalprotection,andpublicinfrastructure.

The model

development plan thus extends

beyond

the typical land useplan, though itis notas broad

as a local comprehensive plan,

which

also

may

address

community

development,

economic

development,and housing issues.

Another feature ofthe proposed

model

plan is

thatithasfivespecificcomponents: anoverviewof

key

features, an issues and vision statement, a

specific information base (one that addresses

population

and

economic

change,

land use, environment, inft^astructure, and an assessment of local, state,

and

federal

development

and

environmental programs), a

goals-objectives-policies framework, and an intended

program

of

policiesandaction.Thereisconsiderableflexibility

in

how

the five suggested components ofthe plan

aredesignedand

how

theyare arranged.

The

rigor

anddepthofthe

methodology

employed

increating

them, and the detail in

which

they are presented,

may

also

vary

according

to the particular circumstancesofthe localgovernmentcreating the

plan. Nevertheless, the

components

themselves

represent necessary elements in a comprehensive

local

government's

strategy for

managing

the

uncertainties ofits future.

The model

plan also features a

plannmg

area sufficiently large to incorporate potential urban growthareasoverthelong-range periodcoveredby

the plan.

Lastly, the

model

plan incorporates

inter-governmental

coordination

concerning

In

almost

every

case

where

the plan

covers

the

entire

area

likely

to

be under

development

pressure over

the

next

20

years,

the

planning

process should

account

for

inter-governmental

coordination.

determination

of

the planningarea,assumptions

aboutemergingconditions

and

projections, future

urban

growth

areas, extraterritorial jurisdiction

andjointplanning areas.

If these features are

present the plan has an excellent

chance

to

be

effective in

helping

a

community

guideitsfuture

development.

What

it will takeinadditionispersistent

commitment

by

elected

and

other officials in

implementing the plan

and

making

appropriate adjustmentsover timeto reflect

what

a

community

is learningfrom implementation.

^

End

Notes

'The Guidelines are scheduled for publication by the

Division of

Community

Assistance later this year.

A

related article, focusingonthe statewidesurvey results and the issue of addressing water quality in the

development plan

may

be found in Hinkley, Sara, and

EdwardJ.Kaiser,"MakingtheLandUse-WaterQuality Connection," Carolina Planning, vol. 24, no. 1,Winter

1999. The authors wish to thank David Moreau,

co-principalinvestigatorontheproject;Sara Hinkley,Jeremy

Klop,andJeffMasten, researchassistants; John

Bemdt

and

Tom

Richter of

DCA;

and the projects advisory committee.

EDWARD

J.

KAISER

and

JOHN

DAVIES

AN

ILLUSTRATIVE

TABLE

OF

CONTENTS

FOR

A

LOCAL

DEVELOPMENT

PLAN

(Adapting excerpts fromactualNorth Carolina plans)

Chapter

I.

The

Proposalsin aNutshell

A.

Why

isplanning important: need forthe plan, itsmission,usesoftheplan

B.

How

theplan

was

made

1

.

Participatory/outreachprocess

2. Sequenceof planning steps

3. Adoption

C. Highlightsoftheplan

1

.

Where

we

are:existingandemergingissues, important values

2.

Where

we

wanttogo: avisionforthefuture,

thenode andcorridorurban form

3.

How

we

cangetthere:aprogram ofpolicy

andaction

D.

How

theremainderoftheplanisorganizedand

how

touse it.

6. Natural resource areas: potential

prime

agricultural soils, gravel di-'posits, marine

resources

C.

Community

facilities andpublic infrastructure 1.

Water

services: existing condition

and

capacity, existingand plannedservice areas, futureneeds, existingplans tomeet needs

2. Wastewatertreatment: existingconditionand

capacity,existingand plannedservice areas, futureneeds,existingplanstomeet needs

3. Transportation

D. Environmental Resources

1.

Vulnerable environmental

resources:

estuaries, trout waters,

water supply

watershed, wetlands,

2. Culturalandhistoricresources

Chapter

II. Issues

and

Vision:

Concerns

and

Aspirations of

Community

Interests

A.

Key

issues:

1

.

The

pace ofgrowth

2. Water and sewerservices

3. Lossof farmland

B. Significant existing and emergingconditions C.

A

vision for the futurenode andcorridorurban

form

Chapter

III.Analysis of Existing

and

Emerging

Conditions

A. Population,Housing,and

Economy

1.

Growth,

composition

and

age, seasonal population,housingcharacteristics

2. Local

economy

B.

Land

useand development

1

.

Existing land use, vacant land, land water

compatibilityproblems, land useconflicts

2. Future land use needs,demographictrends,

commercial and industrial needs, housing

trends,public land needs, areas

experiencingmarketpressure

3.

Development

suitability:

4. Physical landsuitability(soils,topography, flooding...)

5. Environmentally fragile areas (wetlands,

public trust areas, estuaries

and

shorelines...)

E.

The

De

facto

Development

Management

Program: Local, State, andFederal Policies

1

.

Review

ofthe 1992

Land Use

Planand its

implementation

2. Existingwaterand sewerplans

3. Existing regulations: inventory,

assessments, and directions for possible

change

4. Existing state

and

regional

programs

directly affecting

development: water

supply

watershed

restrictions

on

development

5. Wetlandrequirements

6. Regional Transportation

Improvement

Plan

Chapter

IV. Goals, Objectives,

and

Policies to

Guide

us intothe

Future

A.

What

we

want

forour

community

B. Goals andpolicies

1

.

Land

use

2. Environmental quality

3. Water and sewerservice

4. Recreationand

open

space

5. Transportation

Chapter

V.

A

Planforthe

Future

A.

The

landclassificationplan

1

.

Urban

developmentareas andpolicies

2. Natural resource conservation areas

and

GOOD

LOCAL

DEVELOPMENT

PLANS

B.

policies

3. Rural areas andpolicies

4.

Community

facilitiesandinfrastructure

Development

and

environmental

quality

management

programs

1 Unifieddevelopmentordinance

2.

Community

education

program

C.

3.

Coordination

governments

Managing

redevelopmentandinfill

with

neighboring

D.

Environmental

protection ordinances

and

acquisition

program

E. Waterqualityprotection

program

F.

Community

facilities andinfrastructure

1 Water supply

2. Wastewatertreatment G. Puttingtheplan intoaction

1 Action phasingandpriorities

2. Rolesandresponsibilities