Title
Resolution No. 19-12, Support Transportation and Growth Management Program (TGM) Grant to Update the Transportation and Land Use Components of the Comprehensive Plan
Body
RECOMMENDED ACTION (Motion):
Approval of Resolution No. 19-12.
BACKGROUND:
The Oregon City Comprehensive Plan identifies our community values and vision for the future. The plan identifies goals and policies to shape the growth and development of Oregon City through a collective process. The topics discussed in the Comprehensive Plan include:
• Citizen Involvement
• Land Use
• Agricultural Lands
• Forest Lands
• Open Spaces, Scenic & Historic Areas, & Natural Resources
• Quality of Air, Water, & Land Resources
• Natural Resources
• Parks and Recreation
• Economic Development
• Housing
• Public Facilities
• Transportation
• Energy Conservation
• Willamette River Greenway
The Comprehensive Plan goals and policies play an important role in city decisions. It is not an ordinance or a set of rules, it is instead a guide for the city to move in the direction the people want. Zone Changes, Conditional Use reviews, work programs, and larger policies must all show compliance with the city’s Comprehensive Plan.
The City Commission adopted goals for the 2019-2021 biennium which includes identification of grant opportunities and initiation of an update to the Oregon City Comprehensive Plan. We anticipate using two separate grant sources: a Transportation and Growth Management Program (TGM) grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation as well as a Technical Assistance (TA) Grant from the Department of Land Conservation and Development. The City would like to fund a portion of the public engagement as well as the Transportation and Land Use components through the TGM grant (including the Comprehensive Plan map). The remaining work is anticipated to be funded through the TA grant. The TGM grant will be submitted in the beginning of June and the TA grant is expected to be submitted in the fall.
Since the Comprehensive Plan was last updated in 2004, not only has the population and geographic size of the City grown, but the values, livability objectives, transportation technologies, social engagement and effects of land use have also changed. Housing and transportation costs make up the largest share of the household budget for our community members and it is time to analyze our past transportation and land use goals and policies to assure they benefit all of our citizens into the future and do not adversely impact any underrepresented group. This process will allow us to review the Comprehensive Plan map and transportation policies as well as their effect.
The success of the project is dependent on a diverse, equitable, and inclusive process that includes as many community members as possible in order to for the plan to serve everyone. This engagement will include new and innovative ways to seek guidance from the public to assure our policies fairly support all of our community.
Though the funding and management of the project will require care to manage two separate funding sources, the project itself is anticipated to be presented as a single project to the public. The general project approach would begin with educational opportunities followed by a robust effort to listen to the community about their vision for the future. The public vision will then be compared to the existing Comprehensive Plan and amended as needed. Note that the approach may change as we move through the grant application process.