04-25-12 Special Called Planning and Zoning

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REVISED DRAFT MARCH 23, 2012 the future of the community; but it provides clear direction through specific statements of action to achieve the desired results envisioned by citizens and the leadership of the community. In that context, this plan intends to answer the following questions: What are the adequate levels of public facilities necessary to meet the demands of future in-fill development and redevelopment; What should the future development pattern look like in order to reflect the values of the community; How can we best utilize some of parks and trails, Main Street, Sylvan Beach, and the bayfront; How can we improve the image and visual appearance of the community; and How can we unify and mobilize our residents and leaders around a common vision and future direction? Why Update? Porte? Planning is the process of establishing goals and objectives, and ƚŚĂƚŵƵƐƚďĞĐŽŶƚŝŶƵŽƵƐůǇ ŵŽŶŝƚŽƌĞĚĂŶĚƌĞŶĞǁĞĚĂƐ determining the means by which these ends may be achieved. It enables the City to manage future growth and development actively as opposed ĐŽŵƉƌĞŚĞŶƐŝǀĞƉůĂŶŵƵƐƚďĞ to reacting to (re)development or infrastructure improvement proposals ĨůĞǆŝďůĞŝŶƌĞƐƉŽŶĚŝŶŐƚŽ on a case-by-case basis without adequate and necessary consideration ĐŚĂŶŐŝŶŐĐŽŶĚŝƚŝŽŶƐĂŶĚŶĞĞĚƐ͕ of community-wide issues. The comprehensive plan is a ǇĞƚƐƚĞĂĚĨĂƐƚŝŶŝƚƐǀŝƐŝŽŶĂŶĚ planning, and it ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚĨŽƌƚŚĞĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚǇŐŽĂůƐ appointed officials to step back from pressing, day-to-day issues and clarify their ideas as to the kind of community they are trying to create Source: Kendig Keast Collaborative and maintain. Through the plan development process, they can look broadly at programs for neighborhoods, housing, economic development, and provision of public infrastructure and facilities and how these efforts may relate to one another. The La Porte 2030 Comprehensive Plan represents a "big picture" of the City, one that can be related to the trends and interests of the broader metropolitan region, as well as the State of Texas. Planning is often the most direct and efficient way to involve members of the public in determining the future of their community. The process of plan preparation provides an opportunity for two-way communication between citizens and local government officials as to their vision of the community and the details of how that vision is to be achieved. The plan results in a series of goals and policies that, ideally, will assist the City in administering development regulations; determining the location, sequencing, and financing of public improvements; and, in guiding reinvestment and 1.2 Chapter 1