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GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: TRAINING ON GENERAL PLAN BASICS, DRIVERS, AND TOUCHSTONES.
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RECOMMENDATION
This item is for information only and no Commission action is necessary.
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Summary
Planning staff will provide training for the Planning Commission on General Plan basics and the background of the General Plan Amendment process.
DISCUSSION
Background
On June 4, 2014, the City Council initiated an amendment to the 2035 General Plan and directed staff to begin development of a Downtown Plan. A basic General Plan training session was held with the Planning Commission on June 26, 2014 and three public workshops were then held to receive input on various subject matters. The July 24, 2014 workshop addressed Neighborhoods, the August 8, 2014 workshop addressed Circulation and Movement, and the October 9, 2014 workshop addressed Nature and the Environment. On January 22, 2014, the Planning Commission approved the first series of working policies that addressed neighborhoods. (Attachment A - Draft Neighborhood Policies)
Present Situation
With the appointments of Commissioners Jobrack, Hull, and Aguillard in February of 2015 and the appointment of Commissioner Tutt in September 2014, there is a need to pause and provide adequate training to ensure that the General Plan Amendment process will proceed in a productive and efficient manner. This training is very similar to that offered to the Planning Commission on June 26, 2014.
General Plan Basics
The State of California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR), published a set of General Plan Guidelines to guide the drafting of a General Plan (Attachment B - OPR General Plan Guidelines). Chapter 1 of the guidelines addresses the basics of General Plan composition and offers recommendations for the development of the Plan. As part of the City’s General Plan Amendment process, staff will focus on the composition of policies, including the differences between goals, objectives, policies, and implementation measures.
1. Goals: The most basic expression of the desired outcome, a goal is an end, not a means and is expressed as a noun. Examples include “a safe walkable downtown” or “an accessible waterfront”. Goals are not action statements, do not usually have numerical measures, set the direction, or represent an ideal future.
2. Objectives: Like goals, objectives express a desired outcome. However, an objective refines the goal by providing a numerical or chronological measure. Examples include “a downtown that has a crime rate less than the statewide average” or “a 50% increase in waterfront attendance by 2020”. Objectives should be measurable and should be used to determine success.
3. Policies: In order to achieve the desired outcome expressed in the goal and the objective, the City needs to commit to certain decisions in the future. These are expressed as policies and speak to future decision-making. Examples include “The City shall support crime reduction efforts by limiting crime increasing land uses near sensitive areas downtown” or “The City shall encourage creative temporary uses of the waterfront to increase visibility and attendance.” Policies do not need to provide a financial or personnel mechanism and should not commit resources. Instead, they should convey the City’s resolved position on the subject matter.
4. Implementation Measures: An Implementation Measure is where the City’s structural and financial resources are used to create the outcome envisioned by the goal, refined by the objective, and supported by the stated policy. Examples include “The City shall work with community groups to enhance security and Police presence downtown” or “The City shall distribute an RFP for underutilized City-owned properties to gauge interest and feasibility of redevelopment.” The Implementation Measure usually requires City staff or financial resources and has implications on future budgeting. As such, Staff recommends that the Planning Commission defer heavily to Staff to develop these Implementation Measures for the Commission’s future consideration. A major weakness of past plans has been the disconnect between the adopted Implementation Measures and the reality of staffing and limited financial resources.
Staff will not address other chapters of the OPR General Plan Guidelines at this time but recommends that the Planning Commission familiarize itself with both the guidelines and the 2010 update. These guidelines are available online at <http://opr.ca.gov/s_generalplanguidelines.php>.
Drivers and Touchstones
The General Plan Amendment process requires a significant dedication of time and attention from the Planning Commission, staff, and those engaged in the process. In order to make the most of our working time together and to best achieve these common goals, the Planning Commission adopted a series of drivers and touchstones on July 24, 2014 that are used as reminders during the amendment process (Attachment C - Adopted Drivers and Touchstones). These are common tools used in the organizational management and development field and are most appropriate for application during major undertakings or cultural shifts.
A driver is a motivation for change, a force behind the effort, or the cause for the undertaking. It is usually expressed in a clear and concise statement that describes the most basic premise for the action. Should the Commission find itself stuck, off-course, or frustrated, it should look to the driver to remind itself of the reason for its efforts.
Touchstones, like drivers, are common beliefs and commitments made up front that can be referred to during the process to maintain direction, stay on-course, and remain true to the initial purpose. The touchstones are brief statements that describe what the Plan should be - honest, fair, open, accessible, etc. There are occasions when policy discussion or subject matter will be introduced that will depart from these touchstones. During these times, the Planning Commission is able to look to the touchstones to ensure that it is staying true to its initial course.
The Planning Commission will be presented with a training session by the Deputy Community Development Director - Planning and Engineering, using a Powerpoint Presentation format. The public and the Planning Commission are encouraged to ask questions and to provide comments or suggestions.
Attachment A - Neighborhood Policies
Attachment B - OPR General Plan Guidelines
Attachment C - Adopted Drivers and Touchstones