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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Division Update MEMORANDUM DATE: January 22, 2013 TO: Board of County Commissioners FROM: Nick Lelack, Interim Community Development Director Peter Gutowsky, Principal Planner MEETING: January 30, 2013 RE: Planning Division Work Plan Update The purpose of this work session agenda item is to update the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on the Planning Division’s work plan and seek direction on future project(s) as capacity becomes available in the spring and summer. Since the Division’s last work plan update in September: Senior Planner Terri Payne retired and Planning Director Nick Lelack was appointed Interim Community Development Department (CDD) Director, reducing long range planning staff from 3.75 FTE to 2.25 at least through June 30, 2013. The BOCC approved the Central Oregon Large Lot Industrial Land Needs Comprehensive Plan Amendments. Staff has subsequently developed a scope of work with regional partners to begin implementing the Large Lot Land Needs program (discussed below). The Planning Division’s proposed role is to provide technical assistance to the City of Redmond for creating a clear, defensible approach for entitling regional large-lot industrial sites. The Planning Commission recommended approval of Newberry Country: A Plan for Southern Deschutes County (South County Plan) into the Comprehensive Plan. BOCC public hearings to consider it are scheduled for February 26 and March 12 with adoption anticipated later this spring. The rest of this memorandum summarizes the status of high priority projects, introduces new ones requiring limited resources at the request of regional partners or other County departme nts, and offers recommendations for the BOCC’s consideration. I. Planning Division Existing Work Program Table 1 identifies the Planning Division’s projects and coordination duties by their long range or transportation planning emphasis. Either a principal planner or the senior transportation planner leads these projects.1 1 Associate and senior planners in the Current Planning Section staff the Historic Landmarks Commission and process applicant-initiated legislative plan and zoning amendments. -2- Table 1 - Planning Division Existing Projects and Coordination Responsibilities Project Description Long Range Planning South County Plan Deschutes County is amending its Comprehensive Plan to formally recognize the South County Plan. On December 13, the Planning Commission voted 6-0 recommending approval. Status: Two BOCC public hearings are scheduled: (1) February 26 at 6:00 p.m. at the La Pine Senior Center; and (2) March 12 at 6:00 p.m. at the Sunriver Homeowners Aquatic and Recreation Center. Plan adoption is anticipated later this spring. Sage Grouse Staff is involved in two sage grouse projects. Last summer Deschutes County signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to become a cooperating agency. BLM is conducting an environmental analysis and preparing a draft and final programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for amendment of federal land use plans to incorporate conservation measures for the Greater sage-grouse in Central and Eastern Oregon. On a similar note, Harney County has recently been awarded grant funding from Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) to consider possible land use strategies for Greater Sage Grouse habitat on non-federal lands. The grant program recognizes that involving all of Oregon’s affected counties will produce the greatest possible benefit. Deschutes County will be participating with them in a unique regional lands approach to wildlife conservation planning. Status: These projects are expected to be completed by late 2013 or 2014. Statewide Planning Goal 11 (Public Facilities and Services ) Coordinate with Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on their efforts to lead the groundwater protection program for the Upper Deschutes basin, including discussions regarding Statewide Planning Goal 11 (Public Facilities). Status: The South Deschutes/Northern Klamath County Groundwater Protection Steering Committee is expected to issue its final recommendations to the DEQ in the next few months. Upon the issuance of the recommendations, DEQ and the County will cooperate and coordinate on next steps, timing and resources to protect groundwater quality in South County. Non-Resource Lands Develop a scope of work outlining the tasks and schedule for undertaking a project that establishes criteria and procedures that would allow individual property owners and/or the County to reclassify areas with exceedingly low capacity for agricultural activities to a Non- Resource designation. Status: Not yet started. Certified Local Government Grant Every 24 months, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), provides matching grants to local governments that have been “certified” as historic preservation partners with both the state and federal governments. Certified Local Government (CLG) grant applications are due on February 22, 2013. The Deschutes County Historic Landmarks Commission (HLC), which meets quarterly, provides technical assistance and input. Potential projects for 2013/2014 CLG include inventorying historic recreational sites, public education, photographing national register and locally designated structures and sites in the rural county, and HLC training. Status: Staff is preparing the grant application. Grant awards and agreements are expected in April/May. Grant-funded projects are expected to be initiated in summer 2013. Legislative Session Participate in and monitor Oregon Legislature, committees and work groups to amend state planning law, and keep the BOCC, Planning Commission, staff and the public informed and engaged on such activities. Status: Ongoing through July 2013. -3- Table 1 - Planning Division Existing Projects and Coordination Responsibilities Project Description NEW: Knott Landfill Gas to Energy Project Coordinate with the Solid Waste Department to develop and execute a public outreach strategy for the landfill gas to energy project. Status: Project expected to occur over 2-3 months in late winter through spring 2013. Harper Bridge Coordinate with property owners, residents, river users, state agencies, Sunriver, and other stakeholders to develop a solution for safe river access in the Harper Bridge area. Status: Ongoing. EPA Brownfield Community- Wide Assessment Grant for the Simpson Ave. Demo Landfill Property In December Deschutes County submitted a grant application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of the Fiscal Year 2013 Brownfields Grant Competition requesting $400,000 of community-wide assessment grant funding. The County envisions using the funding to support two major types of economic redevelopment initiatives which will form the basis of the County’s grant application strategy and objectives: o Environmental Assessment and Cleanup/Redevelopment Planning of the Demolition Landfill in Bend and/or the Shooting Range Property in Redmond. o Support economic development initiatives by other units of local government within the County, to assess sites within the cities of Bend, La Pine, Redmond, or Sisters. A decision by the EPA is expected April-June 2013. Status: Ongoing. Planning staff will continue to provide support to t he Property and Facilities Department whether the grant is approved or not. City of Bend Growth Management Coordinate with the City of Bend to complete their Urban Growth Boundary amendment. Upon state acknowledgment, discuss initiating an Urban Reserve Area (URA) work program for the City. Status: Ongoing. Transportation Planning System Development Charges Update SDCs with applicable policy changes with the Road Department Director and SDC Committee. Status: Planning staff is supporting the Road Department on this project, which is expected to be completed by spring. Regional Trail Plan Coordinate with local, state and federal agencies through the Deschutes County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee to develop a regional trail plan. Upon completion of a trail plan, amend the Transportation System Plan (TSP) to include the routes. Also work with the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee to develop an online trail guide. Status: Project completion is expected in summer 2013. Tumalo Trail Grant Administer a successful $185,000 recreational trails grant along with the Oregon State Parks and Recreation to the State of Oregon to design and construct a trail near Tumalo State Park . Status: Project is underway. ODOT Refinement Planning Projects Participate in ODOT funded refinement planning projects for U.S. 97 and U.S. 20. These projects may include planning for the Quarry Road interchanges and the Wickiup Junction interchange or bypass. Status: Ongoing. -4- Table 1 - Planning Division Existing Projects and Coordination Responsibilities Project Description Transportation Committees Bend Airport Master Plan Update Technical Advisory Committee Bend Metropolitan Planning Organization Canals as Regional Trails Committee Central Oregon Area Commission on Transportation TAC Commute Options Working Group Deschutes County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Highway 97/20 Project Technical Advisory Committee South County Transportation Advisory Committee on U.S. 97 South Redmond Collaborative Group U.S. 20 in Tumalo Project Technical Advisory Committee U.S. 97 North Corridor Agency Coordination Committee U.S. 97 Wickiup Junction Interchange EA/EIS Project Wickiup Junction/97 Technical Advisory Committee Status: Ongoing. City of Bend Airport Master Plan Coordinate with the City to update the Airport Master Plan. Status: Ongoing. It is not yet known when the City will initiate an amendment to the Deschutes County Comprehensive Plan to adopt the updated Bend Airport Master Plan by reference. Planning staff continues to coordinate with City staff, EDCO, and airport businesses on a variety of projects. Code Amendment Initiate an amendment to Deschutes County Code to establish a new stand-alone section for traffic studies and update provisions as necessary (remove from the subdivision standards). Status: Not yet started. Staff expects to initiate this amendment in spring 2013. II. NEW: Preliminary Large Lot Industrial Buildable Lands Inventory With Deschutes County’s assistance, in February 2012 Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) received a DLCD Technical Assistance grant to formalize a management structure for the regional large lot industrial lands program and identify large lot industrial candidate sites. COIC recently approached Deschutes County and the City of Redmond to see if there was interest and the capacity to develop a clear, defensible approach for entitling regional large-lot industrial sites. Approximately $12,000 is available to complete the following scope of work for the City of Redmond that can serve as a model for other jurisdictions: Task 1 - Preliminary large lot industrial buildable lands inventory Task 2 - Regional large lot industrial overlay zone Task 3 - Gauging property owner interest for large lot industrial siting Task 4 - Reconnaissance level infrastructure analysis for preliminary candidate sites Task 5 - Preliminary Urban Growth Boundary findings report Task 6 - Lessons learned memorandum Task 7 - Presentations If the BOCC supports allocating staff time to this project, the City of Redmond and Deschutes County would share the work load responsibilities listed above and split the grant funds. The work must be completed by June 30, 2013. -5- The timing of this opportunity complements recent action taken by the BOCC. On January 7, 2013 the BOCC adopted the Central Oregon Large Lot Industrial Land Need Analysis (Analysis) and regional large lot industrial lands policies into the Comprehensive Plan. Both provide a policy framework for the tri-county region to coordinate as a single entity promoting large-lot industrial employments sites that best serve the region as a whole to create family wage jobs, region economic diversification, and place Central Oregon on the map for regional, national and international industrial recruitment. Crook and Jefferson counties are now in the process of adopting similar amendments to their comprehensive plans. Once all three counties complete their plan amendments, municipalities in the region will be able rely on the Analysis to address the short-term need for up to nine competitive and diverse vacant developable large lot industrial sites. III. Work Plan Recommendations Staff offers the following recommendations for the BOCC’s consideration, which are achievable based on the Planning Division’s current resources (2.25 FTE): 1. Complete the public hearings and adoption process of the South County Plan into the Comprehensive Plan. 2. Continue to participate and coordinate in two sage grouse protection efforts through its completion in 2013 or 2014. 3. Provide technical assistance to the City of Redmond with its preliminary buildable lands inventory with DLCD grant funding. 4. Submit the CLG historic preservation grant application in February, execute the grant agreement in spring, and initiate projects later in the summer. Some may be performed by consultants paid for by the grant. 5. Complete the transportation planning projects listed in the table above. 6. Support the Solid Waste Department’s public outreach efforts on the Knott Landfill gas to energy project. While this project was not identified in the Planning Division’s FY 2012-2013 work program, Timm Schimke, Director of Solid Waste Dept., has asked the Planning Division to allocate time to help his department develop and execute a public outreach strategy. The Planning Division believes it can provide this service without disrupting existing planning projects this spring, but it would delay initiating any new projects (please see below). 7. Continue supporting and partnering with the DEQ to protect groundwater in southern Deschutes County through attending Steering Committee meetings and others as requested by the agency. After the Steering Committee has submitted its recommendations to DEQ, which may include an Exception to Statewide Planning Goal 11 to allow sewer systems in rural areas, conduct meetings with DEQ, DLCD, the Planning Commission, stakeholders and the public to discuss the recommendations and a strategy to move forward. Strategy discussions should address actions, leading and supporting organizations, general time frames, and resources.2 8. Similar to the DEQ groundwater protection efforts described above, the Planning Division will have some capacity to initiate a Non-Resource Lands program by early summer. However, if 2 Upon completing the South County Plan, City of Redmond preliminary buildable lands inventory, and Knott Landfill public outreach strategy in late spring/early summer, the Planning Division will have some capacity to contribute to this effort. -6- Planning Division’s resources require initiating a Goal 11 Exception, then this work plan item may need to be delayed until staffing resources become available. 9. Support the Property and Facilities Department’s efforts to plan for the redevelopment of the County-owned Demo Landfill site (Simpson Ave. in the city of Bend) and efforts to address the need for an improved boat launch at or near Harper Bridge. IV. BOCC Direction Planning staff seeks direction from the BOCC on the next long range planning project(s) as capacity becomes available in the spring/summer. The BOCC may support the Planning Division Work Plan recommendations, modify them, or direct staff to dedicate resources to other projects not listed above.