Comprehensive Plan Background InfoTHE CITY OF
DuB E MEMORANDUM
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March 12, 2007 ~ ~-; ~ ~~
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members y ~ --~ 0
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FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Background Information on the Comprehensive Plan
As requested at the March 5, 2007 City Council Work Session on the Comprehensive
Plan Update, Planning Services Manager Laura Carstens has provided some
background information on the Comprehensive Plan.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
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Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM/jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
THE C1TY OF
DuB E
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MEMORANDUM
March 12, 2007
TO: Michael Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager ~~
RE: Background Information on the Comprehensive Plan
Introduction
This memo transmits background information on the Comprehensive Plan that you
requested for City Council members.
Comprehensive Plan Defined
Comprehensive planning reflects a consensus of community values in a series of goals,
which set the direction for the future of the city and for improving the quality of life in
Dubuque. Our Comprehensive Plan looks at the city as a whole and the surrounding
region. It examines the past and present conditions of the community to determine the
direction for future growth and development.
Chapter 36 of the City Code defines the Comprehensive Plan as: The community's
principle tool to guide its future development, public policies and decision making. The
Comprehensive Plan is only intended as a guide and shall not be interpreted or
construed to give rise to any enforceable rights or remedies.
Chapter 36 goes on to state that such a community plan must be:
(1) Value driven;
(2) Product of and periodically tested and updated by a community planning
process;
(3) Involves all aspects of the community (physical, environmental, social, cultural,
economic, emotional and spiritual);
(4) Long-range in focus, covering a period of from ten (10) to fifteen (15) years;
(5) Include the entire community geographically, not just one or more sections;
(6) Action oriented;
(7) Approved by City Council resolution.
The Comprehensive Plan may be amended by the City Council as needed after a
public hearing.
Background Information on the Comprehensive Plan Page 2 of 3
Elements
Dubuque's Comprehensive Plan consists of 14 Elements in three major categories:
- Physical Environment
1. Land Use and Urban Design
2. Transportation
3. Infrastructure
4. Environmental Quality
- Economic Environment
5. City Fiscal
6. Economic Development
- Social Environment
7. Health
8. Housing
9. Human Services
10. Education
11. Cultural Arts
12. Recreation
13. Public Safety
14. Diversity
Each of the 14 Elements of the Comprehensive Plan includes an opening Policy
Statement, followed by Goals, and then Objectives for each Goal. The Goals and
Objectives are broad in scope; specific programs, sites or projects generally are not
included in the Plan. Goals are not numbered in order of priority.
The Policy Statements, Goals and Objectives of the Elements explain the direction,
ideals and desires which the Comprehensive Plan is intended to satisfy. The Policy
Statements, Goals and Objectives of the Elements serve as the justification for many of
the planning and budget decisions and ordinances and regulations which the City
Council adopts.
Future Land Use Map
The draft 2030 Future Land Use Map shows potential growth areas in and around the
city of Dubuque. Once adopted, the Future Land Use Map will show development
alternatives for Dubuque's planned and managed growth over the next 20 to 25 years.
The map becomes the City's guide for evaluating rezoning, annexation, and subdivision
requests. It is also helpful to developers, neighborhood groups, and the general public.
Background Information on the Comprehensive Plan Page 3 of 3
Updating the Comprehensive Plan
The Long Range Planning Advisory Commission has the responsibility to coordinate and
supervise the preparation and maintenance of the Comprehensive Plan.
The City of Dubuque Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 1994 -1995. It was then
updated in 2000 - 2002. In 2006 - 2007, the Commission focused on an update of the
Future Land Use Map and a review the 14 Elements of the Plan. The 2006 -2007 update
used a variety of opportunities for input from the general public, City Management Team
members, and key community stakeholders.
The Commission held a series of public meetings, open houses, and public hearings on
the Future Land Use Map and the 14 Elements of the Comprehensive Plan in 2006. The
Commission provided periodic reports to the City Council on the public input sessions and
the recommended revisions to the Future Land Use Map and the 14 Elements.
The Commission has submitted recommendations for updating the Future Land Use Map
and the Policy Statements, Goals and Objectives of the Elements based on input from the
public, City staff, and key stakeholders in a series of reports in 2006.
The City Code requires a public hearing prior to adoption of any amendments to the
Comprehensive Plan. As with 1994 - 1995 adoption of the Comprehensive Plan, and
subsequent updates in 2000 - 2002 and 2006 - 2007, the Commission's recommendations
have been submitted for City Council review prior to a public hearing.
The Commission's recommendations have been submitted several times to the City
Council -- as periodic reports in 2006 and as an agenda packet for the March 5, 2007 work
session. For each Element, recommended new language was shown in italics and
language recommended for deletion is shown as crossed out.
The role of the City Council during an update of or amendment to the Comprehensive Plan
is to review the recommendations of the Commission, discuss them with the Commission
during a work session(s), consider any additional input received at the public hearing, and
then adopt an updated Comprehensive Plan after the public hearing.
A public hearing on the Elements of the Comprehensive Plan has not been scheduled. A
public hearing on the Future Land Use Map is recommended for April 2, 2007.
Recommendation
This information is provided for transmit#al to the City Council. No further action is
requested.