ITEM TITLE:
Public Hearing: Plan Valdez - the 2021 Comprehensive Plan Revision Proposed Final Draft
SUBMITTED BY: Kate Huber, Planning Director
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: N/A
Unencumbered Balance: N/A
Funding Source: N/A
RECOMMENDATION:
Public hearing only.
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
The purpose of this public hearing is to take comments on the proposed final draft of Plan Valdez - the 2021 comprehensive plan revision. Any comments received tonight will be included in the Council agenda packet, when they review the plan for adoption.
Plan Valdez is meant to be the community’s collective vision for Valdez over the next twenty years. It establishes a blueprint for future land use and infrastructure development and provides a guide for our elected officials, City staff, and private developers.
The plan is designed with seven themes that reflect the community’s vision. Each theme contains specific goals, as well as short- and long-term actions that will help us achieve those goals. Each action is tied to a specific metric that will allow City staff and officials to monitor plan implementation. The plan is designed to be amended as needed and updated every five years, to ensure that it continues to reflect our evolving goals.
Plan Valdez was developed during an extensive multi-year process. The consultant team working on Plan Valdez was led by Corvus Design and included members from Kittelson & Associates, Rain Coast Data, SALT, PND Engineers, ECI, and Corvus Culture, as well as Gordon Smith.
The team was joined by members of City staff and was overseen by a volunteer citizen advisory committee - The Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC.)
In order to achieve the broad community vision, the planning team undertook an extensive public involvement process. This process included 15 focus group meetings with various industry and community stakeholder representatives, multiple meetings with the City Council and Planning & Zoning Commission, and sessions with other citizen boards and commissions.
The team also conducted a successful community survey that received over 460 responses, and did a thorough review and analysis of economic data and past plans or studies conducted for Valdez. After releasing the first draft plan, we collected public comments through an online comment collector, and in writing at City Hall. We also held a community meeting and discussion to gather public feedback in person.
The proposed final draft is the result of the public comments gathered, as well as feedback from City staff and both the Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council.
A copy of the proposed plan is attached. It is a large PDF file and may take a while to download. If you would like to pick up a paper copy of the plan, please visit the Planning Department Window at City Hall. To learn more about the development of the plan, please visit the project website at <https://valdezcompplan.blogspot.com/>.
If anyone from the public would like to participate in this public hearing virtually, instead of in person at the Civic Center, please contact that Planning Department by emailing planningdept@valdezak.gov <mailto:planningdept@valdezak.gov> or calling 907-834-3401. Comments may also be submitted in writing via email or at City Hall.