(A) Definition and purpose. Goals and objectives are statements of desired ends that are to be reflected in the future development of the county, and over which the Area Plan Commission does have a certain degree of control. These goals are a direct reflection of the community's basic values and long-range potential, the Commission's function is to assist the community in reviewing its standards and aiming at higher but realistically attainable goals.
(B) Public participation.
(1) Value. Public realization of the value of the comprehensive plan in terms of effecting a safer, healthier and more pleasant living environment is of course essential to the maximum success of the plan. To make sure that this realization is occurring, public workshops were organized and held at various locations throughout the county in hopes of gathering diverse goals and objectives from the different communities for the county. Radio and newspaper advertisements were placed in order to increase the public participation for these events.
(2) Workshops.
(a) Goals and objectives.
1. As stated previously, public workshops were held in order to gain a more diverse set of goals and objectives, and to obtain public input on the future direction of the county. During the first two workshops, general goals and objectives were discussed and decided upon. Economic development was chosen as the county's top priority. Other recurring goals were, improving infrastructure and developing a drainage control plan. The following list illustrates (in order of priority) the general goals and objectives that were obtained from those public workshops.
March 2000 Workshop
• Economic Development
• Control Property Tax Rates
• Develop a Vision for the Future
• Improve Transportation Facilities
• County Finances
• Preserve Historic Sites
• Improve Infrastructure
• Develop a Drainage Control Plan
April 2000 Workshop
• Economic Development
• Improve Education
• Improve Infrastructure
• Farmland Preservation
• Develop a Drainage Control Plan
• Organize Growth
• Develop Better Housing (Mid-Income)
• Improve Enforcement of Current Standards
2. The Area Plan Commission also independently developed goals and objectives for the county, without knowledge of the goals and objectives developed during the public workshops. As before, Economic Development appears at the top of the list. It is followed by improving the community's infrastructure. Their list is as follows:
Area Plan Commission Workshop
• Economic Development
• Improve Infrastructure
• Comprehensive Plan Enforcement
• Provide Quality Education
• Provide Affordable Family Housing
• Develop a Drainage Control Plan
• Preserve Farmland
3. The next step for the Area Plan Commission was to finalize its list of goals and objectives, while considering elements from all three lists. This list is not as general as the first three lists and provides some detail as how each goal and objective is expected to help the county. The list is separated into five categories; commercial, industrial, residential, agricultural and general. The list is as follows:
a. Commercial goals and objectives.
i. Promote commercial development by designating prime commercial land areas with commercial zonings and by creating overlay zonings to the transition from non-conforming uses to commercial land uses.
ii. Where possible, consolidate existing commercial areas into more functional units.
iii. Allocate a sufficient amount of land, appropriately located, to provide for a variety of commercial developments and activities necessary to serve and support the projected population.
iv. Apply where appropriate, the use of natural or human-made barriers as a buffer or demarcation between commercial and residential land use areas.
v. Enhance commercial and recreational uses in the downtown riverfront historic district, while preserving its historical integrity.
b. Industrial goals and objectives.
i. Develop identified industrial land use areas by providing adequate public utilities, services and facilities so as to accommodate a diversity of industrial areas.
ii. Improve existing industrial areas by providing such areas with an adequate range of public utilities, services and facilities.
iii. Apply where appropriate, the use of natural or human-made barriers as a buffer or demarcation between industrial and adjacent land use areas.
c. Residential goals and objectives.
i. Shape existing residential development into functional neighborhood units.
ii. Promote the development of residential areas into functional units of a size that will enhance their physical and social identity and which may be efficiently provided with a full complement of services and facilities required by the residents.
iii. Specifically, develop guidelines for the development of large lot subdivisions that are currently exempt from subdivision control requirements.
iv. Provide adequate recreational space and open space within and between planned residential areas.
v. Maintain quality residential neighborhood environments in both rural and urban settings.
vi. Update street designations throughout the county to enhance the safety of transportation routes.
vii. Develop and implement land use and zoning provisions for modern residential developments; including condominiums and other similar private housing developments.
viii. Enhance the overall quality of new residential developments through the adoption of consistent subdivision control requirements.
ix. Protect the environment and the health of residents by promoting the development of residential areas in areas where wastewater can be adequately treated.
x. Develop residential areas such that storm water runoff is not increased by the development.
xi. Encourage the development of a variety of housing types and locations by allowing for the use of housing types ranging from single family homes to multi-family apartments and providing for variations in the design of these areas and their related facilities.
xii. Residential areas should have varying densities dependent upon the physical characteristics of the land, type of development, location and degree of improvements.
xiii. Multiple family residential areas should always be located functionally convenient to an arterial or collector street. Adequate arterial and collector streets should exist prior to or be developed concurrently with the development of multiple family uses.
xiv. Since multiple residential areas are complementary to shopping areas and other primary service facilities, they may logically be developed adjacent to such uses.
xv. High density multiple-family residential uses should be located adjoining or convenient to arterial streets with preference given those routes which provide the most convenient and direct access (in terms of travel time) to the major trade and employment centers of the area.
xvi. Low density of multiple-family residential uses should be located as a transitional use between higher density multiples and single family residential densities.
xvii. Promote the development of affordable and middle-income residential developments.
d. Agricultural goals and objectives.
i. Balance the preservation of agricultural lands with the expansion of developed areas.
ii. Allow the establish-ment of agriculturally related industries within agricultural areas.
iii. Ensure the continued operation of existing mining related industries and promote the establishment of new mining operations within portions of agricultural areas where there is coal or other minerals.
iv. Designate areas and development standards for the development of confined livestock operations.
v. Encourage soil conservation and erosion control practices.
e. General goals and objectives.
i. Implement storm water drainage regulations to require that the rate of storm water runoff from a site after development be limited to the rate of storm water runoff before development through the use of drainage basins or other appropriate measures.
ii. Implement mechanisms that will encourage compliance with these land use goals.
iii. Expand municipal infrastructure in order to attract and accommodate commercial, industrial and residential growth.
iv. Provide land use and zoning provisions for the future expansion of schools and libraries in order to provide more and better quality education.
v. Provide clear zoning and land use provisions enforcing the construction of adequate on-site wastewater disposal systems for commercial, residential and industrial developments. Development will be restricted where minimum lot sizes cannot be achieved, or where topography or soil conditions are prohibiting the installation of a functional system.
vi. Expand residential land use and zoning provisions to include a step-by-step plan for the submittal, review and inspection of residential, commercial and industrial development.
vii. The use of land to meet the needs of future growth should be confined to the areas delineated in the Land Use Plan for those purposes, where transportation and community facilities can be provided through the planning period.
viii. Lands in natural drainage courses, floodways, marshes and otherwise unsuitable areas, because of topographic or geologic characteristics, should remain undeveloped or in agriculture as an accommodation from development and to provide areas for needed open space.
ix. Lands not well suited to development because of natural characteristics should be permanently reserved for agriculture or as open space through action by public agencies, by establishing scenic easements or through land use regulation.
x. Integrity of the Land Use Plan, as a guide to establishing the most fitting pattern of land use, must be maintained if the basic goals of the comprehensive planning program are to be achieved.
xi. Strip development bordering existing streets, whether for residential or commercial use, should be discouraged as it adds to traffic hazards, is costly in terms of providing community services and facilities and frequently produces "dead" interior land areas.
xii. Planned Unit Developments, for a specific use or an appropriate mix of uses should be encouraged as a means of achieving good quality neighborhoods and creativity in urban design.
xiii. Encourage the adequate provision of public services, facilities and infrastructure as necessary to meet the goals and objectives of this plan.
xiv. Encourage the development of community parks with provisions for open recreational area, walking, sitting, family group activities, picnicking and enjoyment of attractive natural or landscaped areas.
(b) Land use.
1. The final set of goals and objectives was then ultimately used in the determination of the land use plan.
2. During the workshops, composite land use plans were drawn and presented by the attendees. These land use plans were a direct correlation to the goals and objectives created in these workshops. The composite land use plans can be reviewed in the County Area Plan Office. These land use composites were then presented to the Area Plan Commission so a final proposed land use plan could be created from the land use composites and the goals and objectives. The proposed land use plan is illustrated herein and discussed in § 153.05.
(Res. 2004-8, passed - -2004; Res. 5-2008, passed 12-15-2008)