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anti Us 9 Chapter 4 Chapter 4 of the La Porte Comprehensive Plan Update 2000-2020 provides information relating to existing land uses and guides future land use and development. Since adoption of the Comprehensive Plan by City Council, a number of steps have been taken to meet the goals. The steps are outlined below, relative to their appropriate goal in the plan. GOAL 4.1: Achieve growth through a deliberate planning process that emphasizes an orderly, compact, and cost efficient land use pattern. OBJ. 4.1a: Utilize to the maximum extent possible the undeveloped parcels of land within the City limits that are currently served (or can easily be served) by adequate public facilities and services for in-fill development. (Overall, the status ofthis goal is on schedule.) OBJ. 4.1a, Policv 1: The City should create a positive public-private partnership to encourage sustainable development within the existing City limits and particularly the existing service area of municipal infrastructure. Since the adoption of the Plan, the City has been consistent with encouraging private developments utilizing some flexibility in zoning and subdivision regulations. Zone changes, such as to Planned Unit Development at various places, (i.e. Underwood Road at Fairmont Parkway), have been done in order to achieve compact development while preserving underlying land uses. In addition, staff has developed a business development guide, which is in its final draft, to attract developers to La Porte. OBJ. 4.1b: Achieve orderly, contiguous development that is compatible with adjacent land parcels and consistent with existing Zoning Ordinance. The Planning and Zoning Commission, through the use of a committee, completed an evaluation on existing incompatible land uses throughout the City. The committee identified the target areas specifically along Broadway and Old Town of La Porte. The Land Use Plan was presented to City Council for adoption. Amendments to the Zoning Ordinance were made to facilitate non-residential developments adjacent to or abutting land developed for residential use. The design standards for various subdivisions were evaluated to include landscaping/screening, increased lot sizes and setbacks from the street to minimize negative effects among the surrounding uses. F or instance, increased landscaping setbacks were secured for the Fairmont Park East subdivision along Spencer Highway. The City encourages development of higher intensity uses adjacent to major roadways. An ordinance pertaining to shipping containers was approved in order to allow stacking of shipping containers only in the Heavy Industrial zoning district, with regulations on how many may be stacked and in what ways they may be stacked. Other performance standards include heavy landscaping, screening, and increased setbacks. Staff reviewed the zoning map for consistency with the current policies and zone changes were recommended where appropriate. The property for Fire Station #2 was rezoned to General Commercial and the zone was extended up to an existing shopping strip at the intersection of Underwood Road and Spencer Highway to maintain conformity. Staff reviews the Zoning Ordinance on a regular basis and recommends amendments as necessary to ensure compliance with the applicable laws and ordinances of the City.