The Value of Community Planning

1. The Value of Community Planning "If you want to know how the shoe fits, ask the person who is wearing it, not the one who made it."

2. What is Planning??

3. Planning is….. The application of foresight to action

4. Planning is….. Declaring goals and taking action to achieve those goals

5. Planning is….. The analysis of past trends to anticipate future needs and desires, while honoring the complexity of the community and its important historical and cultural elements

6. Planning is….. Articulating the core values or mission of your community in a way that guides what you do and influences outcomes

7. Planning is….. Anticipating what might happen and deciding ahead of time how you’ll approach a particular problem or opportunity

8. The goal of community planningis to further the welfare of people and their community by creating a convenient, equitable, healthful, efficient, and attractive environment for present and future generations.

9. Steps in the • Planning Process

10. 1. Decide to Plan Allocate time, human resources, money, and energy to the effort.

11. 2. Structure and Schedule the Process • What role will the public play? • Who are the key stakeholders who need to be involved? • How will the plan will be developed (in-house or by consultant)? • What role will the governing body play? • What is the plan development schedule with key milestones?

12. 3. Identify Issues and Problems • Reasons for undertaking the planning and establishing basic directions for the planning process

13. 4. Gather and Analyze Community Conditions • Describe/analyze community's current physical, environmental, social and economic characteristics.

14. 5. Identify the Community’s Vision • A vision statement: • Directs development of plan goals and objectives. • Affirms what the community wishes to become in the future.

15. 6. Develop Plan Goals and Objectives Major themes that characterize community's direction and purpose and the means of realizing them.

16. 7. Identify and Evaluate Plan Options Identification of several alternatives for future growth and development based on planning assumptions (tied to the vision, goals and objectives.)

17. 8. Select Planning Option or Scenario Analysis and selection of preferred planning alternative with maps and plan policies that will achieve the vision, goals, and objectives.

18. 9. Implement the Plan • Adoption of plan policies to implement the preferred option. • Further implementation depends on land use regulations, capital improvements plans, and day-to-day decisions of staff, commission, and elected officials.

19. 10. Review and Monitor the Plan Keep the plan up-to-date and useful through scheduled review and revision (may involve going back through steps)

20. The Planning Process Identify alternative solutions Selection of solution and plan of action Implementation Initial Phase Decision to plan and commit resources Information Gathering Development of goals and objectives Preliminary Phase Problem identification Analysis of problem Decision Phase Follow-up Phase Adjustment of solution Monitoring and feedback

21. The Planning Process • What do we have? • Decision to plan & commit resources • Information gathering • Is the Plan working? • Monitoring and Feedback • Adjustment of solution • What do we want? • Problem identification • Analysis of problem • Development of goals, objectives & policies • Getting there… • Implementation • How do we get there? • Identification of alternative solutions • Selection of solution and plan of action: “The Plan”

22. Why Plan??

23. Why Should Communities Plan? To establish ground rules Planning establishes ground rules and standards for developers and residents alike. Everyone involved or interested in a development activity will be "reading from the same page."

24. To reach consensus It is only when differing viewpoints and values are brought together and the forces of negotiation, persuasion, and compromise are at • work, that true planning takes place.

25. To promote and support economic development Allows residents and decision-makers to examine alternatives and choose courses of action that can promote employment and economic well-being.

26. To reduce costs Water and sewer lines, streets, and other improvements can be more efficiently constructed when planned in advance.

27. To build communityThe process of working together and achieving things together creates a sense of community.

28. To make better decisionsLocal people are invariably the best source of knowledge and wisdom about their surroundings.

29. To empower • Builds community’s confidence, capabilities, skills and ability to co-operate. • Enables community to tackle other challenges, both individually and collectively.

30. To create sustainabilityPeople feel more attached to an environment they have helped create.

31. To promote good design Deliberate process of building the community on the basis of agreed-to architectural, aesthetic, and other objectives.

32. Toprotect property and property values Planning can protect property and property values by separating a potentially harmful or disagreeable land use from surrounding residential and commercial uses and by helping to protect stable neighborhoods.

33. To reduce environmental damage and conserve resources Planning can help a community identify areas unsuitable for development because of environmental conditions.

34. Why Plan? • In Alaska, it’s a legal requirement for first class, second class, and home rule boroughs (including unified municipalities).

35. Legal Authority to Plan • “Planning Power” means the authority for planning, platting, and land use regulation as provided for in Alaska Statutes and, if applicable, home rule charter. • The Alaska Statutes require that first class, secondclass, and home rule boroughs (including unified municipalities) provide for planning, platting, and land use regulation.

36. Comprehensive Plan Requirementfor Land Use Regulation • According to AS 29.40.040, a municipality must have a comprehensive plan in place (legally adopted by ordinance) before it adopts land use regulations such as zoning and land use permits. • The Lazy Mountain Land Club v. Matanuska Susitna Borough court case established that before a municipality may implement zoning regulations, it must have a comprehensive plan in place.

37. Title 29 Comprehensive Plan Sec. 29.40.030. Comprehensive plan. (a) The comprehensive plan is a compilation of policy statements, goals, standards, and maps for guiding the physical, social, and economic development, both private and public, of the first or second class borough, and may include, but is not limited to, the following:      (1) statements of policies, goals, and standards;      (2) a land use plan;      (3) a community facilities plan;      (4) a transportation plan; and      (5) recommendations for implementation of the comprehensive plan. (b) With the recommendations of the planning commission, the assembly shall adopt by ordinance a comprehensive plan. The assembly shall, after receiving the recommendations of the planning commission, periodically undertake an overall review of the comprehensive plan and update the plan as necessary. (§ 11 ch 74 SLA 1985)

38. Some types of plans a community might have • Airport Master Plan • Capital Improvement Plan • Coastal Management Plan • Community Vision Plan • Comprehensive Plan • Economic Development Plan • Environmental Plan • Facilities Plan • Hazard Mitigation Plan • Housing Plan • Open Space Plan • Ports and Harbors Plan • Sanitation Master Plan • Site Plan • Trail Plan • Transportation Plan

39. Alaska Coastal Management Program • Alaska Statute 44.33.781.Planning Assistance for Development and Maintenance of District Coastal Management Plans: “The department shall conduct a program of research, training, and technical assistance to coastal resource districts necessary for the development, implementation, and maintenance of district coastal management plans under AS 46.40.”

40. Floodplain Management Programs • The Floodplain Management Programs seek to reduce public and private sector losses and damage from flooding and erosion by providing coordination, funding, and technical assistance to National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) communities. • Under Administrative Order No. 175, the Division serves as the Governor's appointed state coordinating agency for the National Flood Insurance Program and the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program. Modernization of Alaska community flood hazard maps is a major program effort managed by Division staff underway since 2003 with funding anticipated through fiscal year 2009.

41. Municipal Lands Trustee Program • The responsibility for accepting and administering municipal trust land has been assigned to the DCCED by State law (AS 44.33.755). The Municipal Lands Trustee (MLT) Program, carried out by DCA Planning and Land Management staff, performs the functions required by federal and State law. The MLT Program consults local residents to identify ANCSA 14(c)(3) land.  DCA Planning and Land Management staff provide ANCSA 14(c) planning assistance to help municipalities, unincorporated villages, and Native village corporations complete the planning and map of boundaries provisions required by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

42. Community Profile Maps • The Initiative for Accelerated Infrastructure Development (IAID) is a partnership providing matching funds for community profile maps.   IAID brings together state, federal, and local resources to produce standardized, computer-based community profile maps that can be shared, and are suitable for a variety of uses. • Community profile maps are valuable planning tools that have been used for a variety of community planning efforts, including ANCSA 14(c) planning, siting of facilities, and community comprehensive plans.

43. Setting Goals and Establishing Objectives Goals are relatively broad statements about the results the community wishes to achieve. Goal:Ensure that fish, wildlife, their habitats, and vegetation communities are managed to allow continued subsistence and personal use harvests by the community. Objectives are specific actions that can be taken to achieve a goal. Objective1:Identify fish, wildlife, and plants particularly important for subsistence use and ensure that adequate amounts of habitat supporting these species are available. Objective 2:Identify subsistence hunting, fishing, and foraging areas and determine sensitivity to potential adverse impacts from potentially conflicting uses.

44. Thank you! • Sally Russell Cox, Planner III • Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development • Division of Community and Regional affairs • 550 West 7th Avenue, suite 1770 • Anchorage, Alaska 99501 • Sally.cox@alaska.gov • 907-269-4588