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

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Public Acceptance by Citizens Because public acceptance of the comprehensive plan is important, public involvement in plan preparation is essential. Citizens who make individual investment decisions concerning future development must believe that the plan offers sound recommendations for growth issues and, therefore, assures them of both suitable return on and protection for their investment. This assurance will encourage voluntary compliance with the plan. Nevertheless, strong civic leadership, both inside and outside local government, is needed on a continuing basis to publicize the plan, emphasize its value, and encourage its acceptance as a guide to sound community development. Actions by the Planning and Zoning Commission - The community's planning and zoning commission is an advisory body to the city council, and one of the commission's prime responsibilities is to develop plans for the future of the community. A major element in fulfilling this responsibility should be participation in development of the comprehensive plan. The commission should participate with citizens from all parts of the community in a series of public meetings set up for this purpose. It cannot be assumed that agencies or individuals (developers, businesspeople, etc.) will always desire to make their individual plans conform to the community's comprehensive plan. Planning and zoning commissions have authority to review zoning proposals and make recommendations to the city council for their approval or disapproval, and planning commissioners should work to assure that subdivision plats are in conformance with the comprehensive plan. Adoption and Review of the Comprehensive PIan by ,the City Council - It is recommended that, after public hearings and recommendation by the planning commission, the council should adopt the comprehensive plan. After adoption, the plan should be consistently used by both the commission and the city council as an important reference guide in their decisions regarding future rezonings, subdivisions, site plans, capital expenditures, and other decisions related to the physical growth and development of the community. Updating the Plan - To keep the plan viable, it should be reviewed periodically as new information becomes available. Major reviews of the plan should typically occur every three to five years, with minor revisions being made annually or as necessary. The scope and extent of plan revisions, of course, depends on the rate and trends of growth, the availability of new data, and other changes which might have an effect on the viability of the plan.