September 19, 2006 CCP - Laserfiche WebLink

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'Discussion and Analysis: The City Council has recently directed Staff to process a City Council -initiated Comprehensive Plan amendment for the subject 13+ acres to reclassify the Plan land use from PF to RAD — consistent with the surrounding. lands. The Council also initiated a complimentary rezoning process for the site to reclassify zoning. from PF to RR — again consistent with surrounding properties. The property owner (and property owners within 350 feet of the site) have been notified of the proposed actions. Comprehensive Plan amendments are generally based on one or both of the following: 1. A change of conditions regarding the subject site, or the surrounding area. 2. An error in the existing Plan classification. Staff review of the substantial records regarding the 1988/1989 proceedings that lead to the rezoning of this site from RR to PF reveal (as noted above) that there was no discussion of the Comprehensive Plan amendment except the reference to the "zoning equals Plan" clause of the Zoning Ordinance. No findings regarding either change of conditions or error supported that Plan amendment — rather, a basic determination of whether it was the "right" or "wrong" action by the City based on a substantially different understanding of the importance of comprehensive plans that cities are required by Statute to adopt in 2006, Staff concedes the advantages of 20120 hindsight as we, address the land use guiding and zoning of this site today — 17 years after the action. There were no specific findings (reflected in Minutes) in support of the 1989 action to assist in determining the reasons for the actions — beyond the applicant's ownership of the site — no error claimed, nor any change of conditions claimed (other than site ownership). Today, that alone could easily be construed as an error in the 1989 action, and the basis to return the site to RAD land use classification and RR zoning that the site held prior to the 1989 action to rezone (and automatically reclassify in the Comp Plan). As the City has witnessed during the recent consideration of the Lakewood Church Comp Plan Amendment and rezoning applications, PF land use guiding and zoning tends to be a special case that is not easily addressed by planning theory or practice. Predeterming the need for and geographic placement of the PF-type uses as Comprehensive Plans are prepared is seldom accomplished, except in the case of large PUD projects (often hundreds of acres). In those cases the project alone may suggest PF needs (such as schools) and even church sites by mere project scale. Beyond that, PF land use decisions (other than accommodating existing PF uses) becomes an ad hoc practice based as much on judgment by planners and policy makers as on factual circumstances. Findings and Recommendations: Staff suggests the following Findings be considered regarding the City Council initiated application for amendment of the Comprehensive Plan to reclassify this site from PF to RAD: 1. The subject site is a 13 acre "island" of PF surrounded by RAD land use guiding — essentially "spot guiding" with no factual basis to support the existing PF classification, and RAD land use guiding continues to surround the site on 3 sides.