Administrative Brief
COMMISSION INFORMATION MEMORANDUM
VOL. 30 NO. 36
November 13, 2008
ADMINISTRATIVE BRIEF FROM GARY HOBBIE
Development Services Department-Planning Division
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE
Gould Evans Associates delivered an electronic copy of the updated Comprehensive Plan for city
staff the week of November 5th. This plan was initiated in early 2007 and a signed contract with
Gould Evans Associates was approved by the City Commission in August 2007. Since that time,
many people from the community were involved in several meetings and public venues held in
Schools, Churches, local restaurants, the Stiefel Theatre and the City County Building. The
original seventeen members of the Advisory Committee have worked diligently to feed input to the
consultants and their work has helped put into place the framework of this plan.
Additionally Gould Evans Associates teamed up with LSA Associates to look at transportation and
connectivity areas, including vehicular, bicycle, walking and hiking trails. Community Futures was
hired to assist in Economic Development aspects, reviewing and commenting on interviews and
reports from Downtown Development, Chamber of Commerce and Arts Space staff members as
well as the Advisory Committee and Focus Group members. Locally Wilson and Comoanv was
hired to look at the existing infrastructure and work towards a future master plan for utilities.
Finally, ETC Institute was hired to produce, distribute and score a survey from several citizens in
the community. Each company brought with them years of expertise in their profession and a
fresh look into our existing conditions in Salina.
The plan is separated into three main chapters: (1) The Future; (2) The Plan, including the areas
of Future Land Use, Growth & Development, Connectivity, Parks, Downtown, Neighborhoods and
Housing and Economic Development; and (3) The Implementation ofthe Plan. Each ofthe Plan
sections were developed from input given by the Advisory Committee and from information
gleaned from the Focus Groups. Nearly one-hundred citizens gave input to the consultants in
each of the six areas of the Plan.
Most recently, Saline County and City of Salina Staff have been meeting on the Urban Growth
Areas that surround the City of Salina. Jointly, new transitional development standards are being
developed and a new interlocal agreement will be finalized in the near future. These standards
will then be funneled into the implementation chapter and our plan will then be completed and
ready for public presentation.
City staff recently received the draft copy of the plan to review concurrently with the drafting of the
community survey results and Urban Growth Area language. The consultants and city staff will
review the draft plan, make revisions and take a final plan to the Planning Commission and City
Commissioners later this year. After the review, city staff will publish a Public Hearing Notice and
establish a Public Hearing date for the Planning Commissions' consideration for approval. After
final adoption by the Planning Commission, a work study session will be scheduled for review by
the City Commissioners, after which a copy of the plan will be sent to the Board of Saline County
Commissioners for review and comment. The City Commission will take pubic input and then be
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asked to approve or amend the Final Comprehensive Plan which will complete our Plan Update.
Copies of the approved Comprehensive Plan will be sent to all other taxing subdivisions such as
Saline County, USD # 305, Salina Airport Authority and the Public Library.
City staff wishes to thank the City Commissioners, the Planning Commissioners, the Advisory
Committee Members, the Focus Group Members and many city staff members, for the extra time
and effort taken to give input, read draft plan documents, develop and print city maps and assist
in meeting notices and arrangements.
MONDAY'S MEETING
Enclosed are other items on the agenda. If any Commissioner has questions or cannot attend
the meeting, please contact me.
Jason A. Gage
City Manager