PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT
Regular Agenda – Public Hearing Item
PC Staff Report
April 25, 2011
ITEM NO. 6: COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT TO HORIZON 2020; UPDATE OF CHAPTER 11 (LBZ)
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STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of this comprehensive plan amendment to Horizon 2020, Chapter 11 (Historic Resources), for unincorporated Douglas County and the City of Lawrence 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. |
CPA-4-4-10: An amendment to Horizon 2020 to update the Historic Resources Element (Chapter 11). This amendment was originally 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 annual update process to Horizon 2020, the comprehensive land use plan for the City of Lawrence and unincorporated Douglas County. The Update was re-initiated by the Planning Commission at its April 26, 2010 meeting to bring the format of the review up to date.
STAFF REVIEW
Attached is the proposed amendment to Horizon 2020 to update the Historic Resources Element (Chapter 11). This amendment was originally initiated by the Planning Commission at its April 27, 2005 regular meeting at the recommendation of the Comprehensive Plans Committee (CPC) in 2005. The CPC reviewed this chapter as part of the annual update process to Horizon 2020, the comprehensive land use plan for the City of Lawrence and unincorporated Douglas County. The Update was re-initiated by the Planning Commission at its April 26, 2010 meeting to bring the format of the chapter up to date. Following is an abbreviated outline of the process for this chapter update.
n February 2001 - City of Lawrence received a Historic Preservation Fund Grant (HPF 20-01-16416-002) to prepare a Historic Preservation Plan for the City of Lawrence and the unincorporated areas of Douglas County.
n Summer 2002 - City of Lawrence hired a consultant and held public participation workshops to identify goals and objectives for a comprehensive preservation plan.
n April 2003 - draft Preservation Plan Element was distributed for public comment.
n October 2003 - Historic Resources Commission Public Hearing
n November 2003 – Historic Resources Commission Study Session
n May 20, 2004 – Historic Resources Commission Public Hearing The HRC voted to accept the document as presented and forward Horizon 2020 Preservation Plan Element to the Planning Commission, City Commission and County Commission for review and approval, if appropriate.
n July 20, 2004 – City Commission receives the Preservation Plan Element and forwards it to the Planning Commission for review and action.
n August 11, 2004 – Planning Staff presents the Preservation Plan Element to the Planning Commission. Planning Commission sends the document to CPC for review.
n May 2005 – CPC completes review of Chapter 11 and directs staff to place it on the Planning Commission agenda.
n May 25,2005- Planning Commission Public Hearing 8-1 Vote with conditions
n February 27, 2006 – Board of County Commissioners tabled the Chapter update until the subdivision regulations were adopted.
n January 21, 2010 – Historic Resources Commission Requests Staff bring Chapter 11 back for review and update.
n February 18, 2010 – Public hearing at HRC
n March 25, 2010 – Public hearing at HRC. HRC directs staff to include sustainability issues as a goal with specific objectives and implementation strategies.
n June 17, 2010 – Public hearing at HRC. Additional direction from HRC as to content of sustainability goals.
n December 16, 2010 – Public hearing at HRC. Direction to work with the Sustainability Advisory Board.
n May 11, 2011- Sustainability Advisory Board Meeting
n May 19, 2011 – HRC Public Hearing
n May 23, 2011 – Planning Commission
Changes to Chapter 11 and the Historic Preservation Plan Document since the HRC and Planning Commission reviewed the document in 2005 include the following:
Staff reviewed this amendment based upon the comprehensive plan amendment review criteria listed below.
A. Does the proposed amendment result 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, there was a basic historic resources plan, Living With History: A Historic Preservation Plan for Lawrence, Kansas (1984, Dale Nimz). In 2004, the Horizon 2020 Historic Preservation Plan Element was adopted by the Historic Resources Commission (seven years after the City adopted Horizon 2020). However, the historic preservation plan cannot be adopted and fully implemented until the proposed amendment to Horizon 2020 takes place. The proposed amendment is derived from the executive summary of the Horizon 2020 Historic Preservation Plan Element and is intended to summarize the overall nature of that plan.
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. Historic preservation is an important feature in any community. Often times it is used as an economic development tool to promote tourism or downtown/neighborhood revitalization or in a way that encourages community spirit, pride, and heritage. The proposed amendment helps further the goals and policies for historic preservation while staying consistent with the overall intent of Horizon 2020 and the goals and policies relating to economic development, parks and recreation, and the various other components of the comprehensive plan.
C. Is the proposed amendment a result of a clear change in public policy?
The proposed amendment to Horizon 2020 is a response to a change in public policy. As the City of Lawrence and unincorporated Douglas County continue to grow and expand, there is greater emphasis on the need to identify, preserve, and protect the community’s significant historic resources. These efforts range from preserving downtown Lawrence and its surrounding neighborhoods to protecting remnant tallgrass prairie and pioneer wagon wheel ruts that still dot the rural landscape of the county. The advent of a stand alone historic preservation plan supports this shift in public policy from when Horizon 2020 was initially adopted in the late 1990s.
PROFESSIONAL STAFF RECOMMENDATION