Wanted: Thoughts on CDA Planning

I’m considering starting a blog about planning & growth issues. As a newly-minted CDA Planning Commissioner, my focus would primarily be the city, but I don’t think you can do the issue justice without talking about the county and maybe even the region.

DFO has graciously allowed me to try some topics out on HBO just to get a feel for what the response would be like.

Currently the city is working on a number of planning related issues. They are, in no particular order:

1. Revising the Comprehensive Plan: This is the “visionary” document for all land use decisions in CDA and is supposed to be the basis for our planning and zoning ordinances. The Comp Plan, mandated by state law, is updated every 10 years. So we’re essentially operating under a document last revised in 1995.

2. Subdivision Ordinances: We’re looking at revising and updating our subdivison ordinances (defined as anything over two lots). I believe the current set was originally developed in the ‘70s.

3. Downtown Height Restrictions & Design guidelines: This has been fast-tracked by the city due to the recent development of taller buildings in the downtown core (think McEuen Towers).

I realize some of this stuff makes people’s eyes glaze over, but I believe that it’s important that average citizens have as much input as possible into crafting the vision for what we want our community to look like. Rather than wait for the official public hearings on topics like these, let’s get the ball rolling now.

What do you bloggers & blurkers think?

Ryan Hill