PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT

Regular Agenda – Public Hearing Item

09/26/05

 

ITEM NO. 10:           CONSIDER AMENDMENT TO HORIZON 2020 – CHAPTER 8 (TRANSPORTATION) (BA)

 

SUMMARY

 

CPA-2005-1:  An amendment to Horizon 2020 to update the Transportation Element (Chapter 8) to make it consistent with the update of the comprehensive transportation plan Transportation 2025.  This amendment was initiated by the Planning Commission at its April 27, 2005 regular meeting at the recommendation of the Comprehensive Plans Committee (CPC).  The CPC reviewed this chapter as part of the update process to Horizon 2020, the comprehensive land use plan for the City of Lawrence and unincorporated Douglas County. A draft updated chapter was considered by the Planning Commission in May, 2005 and was referred back to the CPC for further revisions to incorporate comments received from the Planning Commission and public.

 

 

STAFF REVIEW

 

Incorporated into this staff report is the proposed amendment to Chapter 8 (Transportation) as recommended by the CPC.  Staff reviewed this amendment based upon the comprehensive plan amendment review criteria listed below [identified in Chapter 13 (Implementation) of Horizon 2020].

 

 

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT REVIEW

 

A.        Does the proposed amendment results from changed circumstances or unforeseen conditions not understood or addressed at the time the Plan was adopted?

 

The proposed amendment is a result of the changing circumstances that have occurred since the comprehensive plan was first written.  At the time Horizon 2020 was written, Transportation 2020 was the current long-range transportation plan for the City of Lawrence and unincorporated Douglas County.  In 2002, Transportation 2025 was adopted (five years after the adoption of Horizon 2020) replacing Transportation 2020.  The proposed amendment is intended to bring better consistency between the land use and transportation comprehensive plans, especially as it relates to the goals and policies for transportation.

 

B.        Does the proposed amendment advance a clear public purpose and is it consistent with the long-range goals and policies of the plan?

 

The proposed amendment is an advancement of a clear public purpose and is consistent with the long-range planning goals and policies of the community.  Transportation is a critical element for any community, and the proposed amendment gives Douglas County and the City of Lawrence a clearer direction on how to better plan for a future transportation network that considers the needs of all modes of transportation (vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, public transit, airways, railways, etc.).  The proposed amendment helps further the goals and policies for transportation while staying consistent with the overall intent of Horizon 2020 and the goals and policies of the other chapters of the comprehensive plan, including land uses, parks and recreation, community facilities, and economic development.

 

C.        Is the proposed amendment a result of a clear change in public policy?

 

Transportation is, and always will be, a major influencer on land use and community growth and development, both at a local scale and on a regional one.  The proposed amendment to Horizon 2020 is in response to this way of thinking and this amendment places emphasis on a regional transportation network that focuses not only on vehicles, but also on pedestrians, bicycles, and public transit.  This focus is lacking in the current version of Horizon 2020 that was adopted in the late 1990s.

 

 

PROPOSED CHANGES

 

The draft chapter was extensively revised to incorporate comments received from the Planning Commission and the public and to restructure the chapter to make it more logical and better organized.

• A statement was added to indicate that goals are not in any order of priority; all goals are written with equal importance.
• Definition of Residential Collector streets was revised to state that these streets can serve as connector streets between local streets and the thoroughfare system.
• A number of goals and policies were moved to sections that the CPC felt were more logical.
• Additional policies were added to goal statements to add detail where needed.

 

PROFESSIONAL STAFF RECOMMENDATION

 

Staff recommends approval of this comprehensive plan amendment to Horizon 2020, Chapter 8 (Transportation), for the City of Lawrence and unincorporated Douglas County and recommends forwarding this comprehensive plan amendment to the Lawrence City Commission and the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners with a recommendation for approval.