Smart Growth - Growth Management Plan - Plan Elements

Executive Summary & Plan Overview

This chapter provides an overview of the planning process used to develop the Strategic Growth Management Plan and documents key findings.

Chapter One: Where We Are Today & Future Issues to Consider

This chapter documents and analyzes trends, describes existing conditions and identifies future issues/needs concerning a variety of topics. Maps and images will be used to help convey information for the following topics:

Demographics: Population and Housing
Land use
Business and economic trends
Transportation
Roads
Inter- and intra-county transit systems
Aviation system
Bicycle/pedestrian system
Natural resources
Steep slopes
Forest cover/trees
Farmland/Agriculture
Open space and parks
Wetlands
Surface and groundwater
Critical habitats
Planning areas, Critical Environmental and Historic Sites
Historic and cultural resources
Infrastructure
Septic service areas
Sewer service areas
Public water supplies
Schools (existing facilities, future needs)

Chapter Two: Where We're Headed

This chapter presents the "conventional" zoning build-out map and analyses including maps which depict readily understandable views of the county's landscape if fully built out under current zoning ("conventional build-out"). This will expand on the current County Model by further refining some of the inputs used to analyze the effects of build out, and to translate numbers into visually understandable images. This chapter will also present impact assessments of "conventional" build-out including increase in population, housing units, square feet of nonresidential uses, and if practical, impervious surfaces. Other items to be explored in this chapter include:

Amount of available undeveloped land
Vehicular trip generation - the build-out analysis will project a new set of trip generation figures for the County Model, using a more detailed set of site-specific conditions (e.g. environmental factors, access constraints, etc)
School impacts - general feedback from the County Superintendent's office will be solicited

Chapter Three: The Visioning Process

This chapter presents the results of a visioning process and public education campaign. This will include photographs depicting positive images from the "Community Design Survey" (CDS) and maps and photos/computer simulations portraying alternative build-out scenarios for 3 to 5 representative areas in the County. These images will be based on a series of smart growth principles developed by the Steering Committee and with input from municipalities. Additional elements for this chapter include public responses to conventional zoning build-out analysis, the Community Design Survey results, a written description of the alternative build-out scenarios, a broader countywide mapped vision, reflecting data from the County Profile, examination of conventional build-out analysis, smart growth principles, and analysis of alternative build-out scenarios.

Chapter Four: Goals, Policies & Strategies

This chapter includes a statement and discussion of growth management goals, policies and strategies addressing land use (including infrastructure), transportation and natural/historic resources.

Chapter Five: Implementation Agenda

Chapter Five describes an action plan for the county and municipalities to implement goals, policies and strategies. Lead entities, responsibilities and timeframes will be included.

Chapter Six: Indicators

This chapter will set forth a series of benchmarks and indicators that will be developed to measure progress over time in achieving goals, policies and strategies.

Chapter Seven: Consistency with Smart Growth Principles

Chapter seven assesses the degree to which the Strategic Growth Management Plan is consistent with the State Plan statewide goals and smart growth policies.

Requests for Plan Endorsement

This chapter contains the County's justifications for plan endorsement of the Strategic Growth Management Plan by the State Planning Commission.