AGENDA #3a(3)

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

SUBJECT:      Revision of Comprehensive Plan

DATE:            January 12, 2006

PURPPOSE

This memorandum proposes a process for revision of the Comprehensive Plan.

BACKGROUND

The Chapel Hill Comprehensive Plan, adopted in May 2000, included provisions for ongoing monitoring and evaluation. The plan also proposed that a major revision be undertaken five years after the adoption of the plan.

In January 2005, the Council discussed the status of the Comprehensive Plan and possible approaches to revising the plan. The Council agreed that because of ongoing monitoring and implementation of elements of the plan and revisions to the adopted goals and objectives, a comprehensive update of the plan should be delayed. The Council proposed that Town Advisory Boards be requested to review the plan and suggest possible modifications to the plan before January 2006. The Council agreed to include a review of comments from Advisory Boards at the January 2006 Retreat.

In June 2005, the Manager requested Council guidance on modifications to the Planning Department work program in response to staff vacancies.  The Council agreed to delay work on several items, including the Advisory Board review of the Comprehensive Plan.

DISCUSSION

We believe that the Council should consider revising the Comprehensive Plan.

We suggest the following process for the Council’s consideration:

• Request Town Advisory Boards review and comment on possible modifications to the adopted Comprehensive Plan. All comments and recommendations would be forwarded to the Planning Board.
• The Planning Board would review comments and recommendations from Advisory Boards. The Planning Board would then prepare a recommendation to the Council, identifying areas for possible revision or new sections to be added to the Plan.
• The Council could consider the recommendations of the Planning Board for revisions to the Comprehensive Plan and receive public comment on the proposals. The Council could approve an outline highlighting sections to be revised or added to the Comprehensive Plan.
• The outline would be referred to the Planning Board and the Board would initiate work on revisions to the Comprehensive Plan.
• The revised Comprehensive Plan would be submitted to the Council for review and adoption.

NEXT STEPS

If the Council agrees with the recommended approach we suggest recommendation of the Comprehensive Plan to Town Advisory Boards in February 2006. We expect Advisory Board review to continue until May 2006. At that time the Planning Board would prepare recommendations for the Council’s consideration in September 2006.  We would prepare a more detailed schedule for proceeding with the revision of the Comprehensive Plan for Council consideration in February 2006.