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Memo:Annual Docket Amendments 3/06/19 2 <br /> o In order to be consistent with, and implement this proposed plan, a new Table 9 that <br /> identifies the equivalent zoning is drafted. <br /> b) Introducing Brevity into the Land Use Policies <br /> A Comprehensive Plan is intended to provide a vision and framework for the city's future, including <br /> directing how land use regulations should be adopted and implemented. It is difficult to read a <br /> document that has nearly 200 different policies and know what that vision is.As a result, a lot of policies <br /> that were not directive or substantive,or were repetitive, are proposed for deletion.Some examples: <br /> • Why state the obvious?Some things are so clear that they don't need a goal, objective or <br /> policy. For example,does anyone believe that the city wouldn't try to provide for orderly <br /> accommodation of population, housing and job growth targets? (Objective 2.2 proposed for <br /> deletion.) Or, does anyone think that the city would work against the beautification and <br /> maintenance of all residential neighborhoods to improve neighborhood character? (Policy 2.1.6 <br /> proposed for deletion.) <br /> • Policies should mean something.There are numerous examples of existing policies that either <br /> don't implement land use plans or have little influence on day-to-day activities of the city. For <br /> example, a general policy encouraging urban agriculture has limited value in a Land Use <br /> Element. If the policy were directive as to what type of agricultural use and which areas would <br /> allow that use,then that would be a substantive policy. (Policy 2.6.11 proposed for deletion.) <br /> c) Reducing and Updating Background Text <br /> One reason that the Land Use Element is so long is that there is an inordinate amount of background <br /> description included in the document,with a lot of it outdated. Some examples: <br /> • Why restate the law?There are long descriptions about what the GMA requires.This is helpful <br /> during the public process, but laws change and the text of that law doesn't have to be embodied <br /> into the plan. (Rewrite of Section I.B) <br /> • Why restate existing or historical conditions or process?There are several instances where <br /> superfluous language is included. For example,the land use element is not enhanced by stating <br /> that"Public utility providers generally respond to the growth occurring in the Everett Planning <br /> Area." (Policy 2.8 proposed for deletion.) <br /> Staff Recommendation: Because there are so manychanges to the Land Use Element, it might be easier <br /> for the reader to review the clean line version of the element. In some cases,what looks like a policy <br /> being deleted is actually a policy moving from one section to another. For example,the section on <br /> hospitals and clinics in residential areas shows as being deleted in Section 2.5 but is added back into <br /> Policy 2.1 under Residential Policies. <br /> Staff recommends adoption of the amendments to the Land Use and Urban Design Elements as <br /> presented. <br /> If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at dstalheim@everettwa.gov or call 425-257- <br /> 8736. <br /> Z7 <br />