What is a General Plan?
Millcreek is undertaking the existing process of creating its first General Plan. Informed by the collective vision of the community, the plan will set out goals, policies, and strategies for addressing a wide range of issues relating to the growth of the city, land use and urban design, housing, economic development, commercial development, public improvements, transportation, human services, culture and education, environmental quality, and parks, and open spaces. The General Plan is meant to serve as a guide to citizens, property owners, developers, and decision makers regarding choices and decisions about the future development of Millcreek.
Why create a plan?
The creation of a General Plan is an effort to....
- Remain valid (general plan's are required by State law) and effective, and accurately address current standards, goals and future needs;
- Engage with the public and determine what goals and policies are needed to meet the community vision;
- Define measurable and realistic implementation strategies to achieve the community’s vision; and
- Guide the future of the City.
Outreach
Outreach efforts are critical to the goals and objectives for this process. The general plan will be developed through regular communication with, and input from, the public, and with the technical expertise of the consulting team and City staff. A major focus is to educate the community about the City planning process, why individuals should participate, how the shared vision affects them, and how the City will use the plan to guide the future.
What is the plan process?
The process to create the Plan is anticipated to take between 12 and 18 months to complete. The schedule above and below outlines outlines key phases of the plan process.
Foundation: Introduce the General Plan process to the community and gather information about key trends and existing conditions.
Visioning: Develop overarching vision statements and goals that provide direction for the General Plan. The vision will be illustrated to visually represent what has been heard from the public, stakeholders, city staff, and elected officials. The vision will set the foundation for the General Plan.
Opportunities and Choices: [WE ARE HERE] With the vision set, opportunities and constraints for commercial and neighborhood areas within the community will be identified that contribute to and reflect Millcreek's goals for the future. District and neighborhood boundaries will be evaluated and a brief description for each distinct land use pattern, including a discussion of the current character, form, and urban design; economic, social, and environmental conditions; and potential direction for the future will be developed.
The Plan: This crucial task is the bridge between vision and implementation, during which actions and strategies are defined to employ in the plan implementation. In partnership with the Envision Committee and Staff, the planning team will identify and prioritize administrative actions for achieving implementation, which include regulatory reform or public/private partnerships.
All of the above sections will be compiled into an innovative, streamlined, navigable and graphically appealing General Plan. Attendees and participants will have the opportunity to review and comment on the Draft Plan document in mid- late summer 2018.
Why does it matter?
Residents:
The Plan will identify community character elements and locations for future housing, parks, trails, community facilities, etc.
Business and Property Owners:
The Plan will include land use recommendations and development policies for properties.
City Leaders:
The Plan will provide direction on the topics of development, policies, programs, and services provided by the City.
Decision-Makers:
The Plan will give guidance on budget, timing for capital improvements, and in review of development proposals.