City View: City Council “tasks” citizens with a new comprehensive plan
In December 2009, the City Council appointed a 15-member Comprehensive Plan Task Force to assist the Columbia Planning and Zoning Commission in the production of a new comprehensive plan and modernization of the city development codes by the end of fiscal year 2011. What does this mean for Columbia?
Comprehensive plan is a generic term for a general plan for the future physical development of a city. The plan has practical applications such as establishing future locations of transportation and utility corridors, recreational amenities, public buildings and grounds, priority development and redevelopment areas and setting policies for the ongoing review of development, which reduces uncertainty and promote fairness in the development process.
Code modernization, in a nutshell, means bringing regulations such as zoning and subdivision ordinances into alignment with an up-to-date concept of the public interest that they protect. The plan lays the groundwork for the future codes; it identifies issues and recommends general solutions through its policy framework, a portion of which is dedicated to innovations in the regulation of development.
Many cities “brand” their comprehensive planning campaigns, and therefore we see handles such as “Champaign Tomorrow,” “Ft. Collins City Plan: Changes and Choices,” “Destination Portsmouth” and “Shaping Sioux Falls 2030” as often as the prosaic comprehensive plan or master plan. Many plans — whatever they are called — are attractive publications and serve to inform and advise. As long as Madison Avenue doesn’t completely overwhelm Main Street, the plan can be an effective marketing tool.
Comprehensive plans integrate but do not replace the many master plans and programs of the city for its utilities, transportation systems, housing and special areas such as the downtown. The community’s desire for integrated planning and coordination was made evident by several recommendations in the Imagine Columbia’s Future Vision Report. Government touches every aspect of living, working and doing business in Columbia, and we must integrate key parts of our master plans into one strategic plan that guides future growth and development in the city.
Finally, the activity of plan-making allows citizens a chance to engage with the city government on the ground floor of policy development (metaphorically speaking as well as in the reality of the new Council chamber). Many citizens — and commission and council members, too — are passionate about issues and eager to discuss solutions but find it awkward to interject them into debates about the latest proposed zoning change and capital projects as they appear on the Council agenda. Similar to the visioning initiative from which it emerges, the planning project creates venues for public discussion of the issues; setting of goals, objectives and policies; and mapping of the future in systematic order.
The task force will have a daunting task, but the City Council has appointed a talented and diverse group of citizens to take on the challenge. The group includes: Bob Black, Rex Campbell, Jack Clark, Scott Cristal, John Glenn, Daniel Goldstein, Lee Henson, Karl Kruse, Bonnie Maiers, David Overfelt, Richard Perkins, Edward Ricciotti, Jo Sapp, Jonathan Sessions and Shelley Simon.
The task force will join Chairman Jeff Barrow and commissioners Helen Anthony, David Brodsky, Ann Peters, Raman Puri, Steve Reichlin, Glenn Rice, Matt Vander Tuig and Doug Wheeler of the Planning and Zoning Commission in making the next City of Columbia comprehensive plan.
On behalf of the Planning and Development Department staff, I look forward to working with the Comprehensive Planning Task Force, the Planning and Zoning Commission and Columbia citizens on this important endeavor.