GREENEVILLE COMPREHENSIVE AND

LAND USE PLANS

KICK-OFF JOINT MEETING OF PLANNING COMMISSION AND STEERING COMMITTEES

Presenter:Asongayi Venard

Greeneville City Planner

April 8, 2015

PURPOSE OF THE KICK-OFF MEETING

What is the City Undertaking?Why is the City Undertaking this planning effort?

Who is involved?How does the process work?What is the timeline?

•WHAT IS THE CITY UNDERTAKING?

What is Comprehensive Planning?• Set of policy, goals, actions and analytical documents guiding land use and

holistic development• General or Master Plan• Covers Town and UGA• Covers all elements related to land use – notice “minimum” in T.C.A- Land use and transportation - Utilities- Parks and open space - Forest and wetlands- Solid waste disposal - Housing- Demographics - Tourism/Health/Edu./Business/Safety• Long range• Intended as guideline; but is becoming more specific in action• Flexible

ISSUES FACING US: NECCESITATE PLANNING

• Growing traffic• Multimodal transportation• Attracting and retaining commerce and industry• Improving neighborhoods• Mixed uses• Urban sprawl• Reinvestments in Downtown• Historic preservation• Stormwater drainage• Parks and recreational facilities: public and private• Inviting public squares• Training and educational opportunities• Extending utilities

General Considerations• General or Master Plan• Plan Adopted in 2009• Strengths and pitfalls of adopted plan• New Plan with renewed focus• Ambitious and aggressive schedule• Committee and subcommittee to keep on schedule• Milestone and meeting dates• Proper process ensures citizen participation• Significant data gathering• Robust analysis• Unappologetic policies, goals and actions

TYPES OF PLANS INVOLVED

Comprehensive Plan• All or most functions that make

community work

Sectorial and inter-sectorial

Land Use and Transportation Plan• Land Use and transportation

• Zoning• Annexation• Multimodal transportation

network• Subdivision• Utilities

Why Plan Long Range?• Better edge in maintaining what we value and arrive at future goals• Facilitate planning/development and minimize negative impacts from

one community to another• Informed direction and goals for present and future community welfare• Bolsters power of zoning ordinance and other land use regulations• Provide information, analysis, and examples of what others are doing:

better decision making• Avoid conflict and incompatible land uses• Negotiate attractive land uses in borders

Why Plan Collaboratively?

Sewer extensionRoad improvementsWater extensionsEconomic

development

COST OF FAILING TO PLAN• Economic CostDevelopment increases need for public services, facilities and utilitiesUncertainty and unpredictability to developers, businesses and residents

ENVIRONMENTAL COST

Sustainable environmental systems transcend “now”

SOCIAL QUALITY OF LIFE COST?Erosion of Sense of Place

Hidden Social Cost

Inadequate infrastructure: traffic congestion, insufficient water, sewer extension problems

Community decline: loss of jobs, eroding tax base, growing crime, concentrated poverty

Hidden Social Cost: Lack of Engaging Public Life

PITFALLS• Isolation•Wish list• Sectorial isolation•Political correctness• Fear•Close mindedness• “Do something?” What?• Lack of Commitment: Planning and Implementation

END

RESPONSIBILITY AND WORK OF STEERING COMMITTEES

• Fundamental responsibility of Planning Commission (T.C.A. 13-3-301a and T.C.A. 13-4-201)

Provide Unique Perspective

•Knowledge of community• Interest in its future•Willingness to see it grow•Bring experience and knowledge

Plan Development

• Perspective and Insight on information gathered• Feedback on draft policies• Strategies• Meetings and workshops

Learning and Sharing Information

• Planning Principles and Practice• What is going on in other places• Sharing what is found

Networking and Recruitment

• Questionnaire• Interest or focus group workshops• Public meetings

Public Meetings

• Preparation• Facilitation• Support • Promoting discussions• Taking down notes• Interpreting inputs

Presentations in Working SessionsFocus Group meetings

shall be working sessions

Presentation from perspective of someone in the field

Plan Presentation, Recommendation and Adoption

• Present to Public• Present to Planning Commission

Plan Implementation

• Follow up• Present• Recommend changes• Revise

Role of Land Use and Transportation Plan Committee•Work with Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee•Produce the land use and transportation plan•Network across the disciplines•Present the draft of the land use and transportation

plan to the planning commission, steering committee and general public•Present final plan to planning commission for

adoption

YOU ARE NOT BEING ASKED TO DO THE WORK OF PROFESSIONAL

PLANNING STAFF

END

PLAN PROCESS• Phase I: April – May, 2015 Committees: Introduction & Summit Preparation Staff: Data Gathering Public: Town Summit• Phase II: June 2015 – March 2016 Committees: Focus group workshops, draft goals, policies and actions Staff: Analysis of Data and Preparation of Draft Public: Focus group workshops and questionnaire• Phase III: April – July 2016 Committees and Staff: Refine recommendations and draft document Public : Open House

Plan Process Continues

• Phase IV: August – Sept. 2016 Committees, staff and planning commission: Referrals • Phase V: October 2016 Committees and Planning Commission: Adoption Planning Commission: Referral to BMA?• Phase VI: Post October 2016 Implementation and revision

GHANTT CHART FOR GREENEVILLE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

ACTIVITY Apr-

15

May

-15

Jun-

15

Jul-1

5

Aug-

15

Sep-

15

Oct

-15

Nov

-15

Dec

-15

Jan-

16

Feb-

16

Mar

-16

Apr-

16

May

-16

Jun-

16Ju

l-16

Aug-

16

Sep-

16

Oct

-16

Introductory meetings/Preparation for Town SummitTown SummitStaff Gather Existing Conditions DataStaff analysis of existing conditionsCommunity SurveyPublic Government WorkshopUtilities WorkshopLand Use WorkshopTransportation WorkshopEducation (Schools/Youth) & Training Workshop

Commercial and Industrial Development WorkshopEducation & Workforce Development WorkshopEnvironment & Health WorkshopTown Appearance WorkshopCommunity Activities, Social and Cultural LifePolicies, Goals and Actions FormulationRefine RecommendationsDraft DocumentFirst Public Open House /Draft Presentation to PublicSecond Public Open House/Draft Presentation to Planning CommissionRefine DraftSteering Committee MeetingsPlan Adoption

CITIZENS PARTICIPATION• Town Summit• Questionnaire• Focus, interest, or stakeholders groups workshops• Public Open House• Publicity:- City website- Local newspapers- Radio- Press releases- Notices in public buildings- Schools

END

GENERAL SWOT ANALYSIS OF GREENEVILLE

•Strengths to enforce•Weaknesses to address•Opportunities to pursue•Threats to examine

I am visiting Greeneville to investigate the possibility of locating a small electronics manufacturing plant and to construct an apartment complex with rent by students in mind. I plan to bring 8 employees and to hire 10 local part time workers. I have visited five communities in this region and I will be making my decision within several months. What can you tell me genuinely about the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that might influence my decision?

•QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS AND NEXT STEP