03-20-12 Special Called Meeting of the La Porte Planning and Zoning Commission

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Planning and Zoning Commission Minutes of March 20, 2012 Page 2 of 3 The Comprehensive Plan is a legal document setting forth goals, objectives and policies for guiding future development — standards and proposed locations for land use, infrastructure, special elements, or short term action programs. Planning and Zoning Commission is a guardian of this document. While, City Planner and Planning Director are a liaison and advisor respectively to the Commission on behalf of the City to coordinate all matters pertaining to the Commission towards planning and development of the City. It also provides the relationship between a comprehensive plan and development regulations and may provide standards for determining the consistency required between a plan and development regulations. On the Commission's concern of rewrite, not just an update, staff and consultant informed that by law Planning Commission is a reviewing authority and may chose to review at five year interval. Current comprehensive plan had its first review in 2005-06 now this one is a ten year review, which is substantial. Additional meetings have been arranged to accommodate concerns and feedback to ensure Commissioners are comfortable for making their recommendation to City Council. On the question of zoning, by law, a comprehensive plan shall not constitute zoning regulations or establish zoning district boundaries. Commission was informed that City Council has approved contract amendment to conduct land use study for the purpose of analyzing and refining the proposed future land use plan. This will provide existing pattern of land use and zoning, the nature and extent of conformity or nonconformity of existing uses and consistency with the classification of future land use. Staff will provide a list of all zoning permits with SIC code to evaluate land use inventory. Commission requested current comp. plan and the revised put on the website and asked if any changes to PUDs, owners of the property must be informed accordingly. Staff went over the future meetings chart. The deliverable will be available to Commission Members April 91h. The Commission will review and redline their changes or concerns. Commission agreed to form sub -committees and meet on the following chapters. Chapter 5, Phillip Hoot, Lou Ann Martin, and Hal Lawler Chapter 4, Danny Earp, Phillip Hoot and Lou Ann Martin Chapter 3, Mark Follis, Doretta Finch, and Richard Warren Chapter 1, Mark Follis and Doretta Finch. Chapter 6 and 2 will be reviewed at a Special Called Planning & Zoning Meeting. Staff will provide the dates and attend the sub -committee meetings. Staff will email the absent Commission Members and see if they would like to sign up for a sub- committee. Staff will post the updated Comprehensive Plan update Schedule on the City's Webpage. 5. Administrative Reports Masood Malik — the Northside Neighborhood Plan Update conduct a third and final meeting March 29, 2012, at 6:OOpm at the Jenny Riley Center. 6. Commission Comments on matters appearing on agenda or inquiry of staff regarding specific factual information of existing policy. Commission Member Doretta Finch is looking forward to working on the Comprehensive Plan. Commission Member Warren asked how the meetings will be arranged. Commission Member Hoot is happy with the way things were going. Commission Member Martin excited about the sub -committee meetings. Commission Member Follis requested staff provide a color copy of the '84 Comprehensive Plan.