Ordinance 2021-94 - Laserfiche WebLink

EVERETT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LAND USE ELEMENT they be reviewed from time to time to keep The more subjective qualities, such as overall the plan abreast with legal requirements, community appearance, quality of life, and community needs, and changing circum- neighborhood character, are more difficult to stances. measure yet very important in rating the overall effectiveness of the Land Use Element. S The Growth Management Act allows Periodic public opinion surveys can be used to jurisdictions to amend comprehensive plans attempt to gauge these less tangible items. only once per year. The process for updating Typically, the more difficult to quantify and amending the comprehensive plan will be aspects of community life have had more defined herein and will be determined by the effect upon the land use decisions made by Planning Commission and City Council appointed and elected decision makers than following the adoption of the GMA measurable trends, data and growth pro- comprehensive plan. By City ordinance, jections. Land use plan decisions are often changes to either the policies or land use map based upon intuition, or "how things feel" of the Land Use Element can be made only rather than on measurable statistical factors. through a public review process conducted by Although often immeasurable, perceptions the Planning Commission and City Council. about the quality or character of growth must The Planning Commission must conduct a be understood if they are to be used as a basis public hearing and make a recommendation to for amending policies of the Land Use the City Council. The City Council has the Element. final authority to approve or deny a request to amend either the policies or land use map of B. Amending Policies: The policies of the the Land Use Element. Land Use Element are the basis for many actions taken by the city and private sector. A. Monitoring: In order to measure the The foundation for the policies should be effectiveness of the implementation measures grounded in legal requirements, such as the for the Land Use Element, it is necessary to Growth Management Act; sound planning and monitor the progress made toward achieving land use principles; the community's vision and the many goals and objectives contained in the values; and in the community's anticipated text. The city does track certain measures future growth needs. From time to time, one (dwellings, population, square feet of building or more of the above policy bases changes. space, miles of sidewalks, etc.) of develop- Laws are changed, economic conditions or ment activity which can be used to determine social values change, growth trends cause a if certain goals are being met. However, shift in land use needs, or the community's qualitative objectives are more subjective and idea of what it wishes to be may be altered. difficult to measure. For those types of When such changes occur, it is appropriate to actions which can be quantified, the city review the Goals, Objectives and Policies of should maintain an up-to-date database which the Land Use Element. can be easily updated to measure such items as land consumption, inventory of vacant land of The policies of the Land Use Element are various types (single family residential, intended to provide a stable framework to multiple family, commercial, industrial, etc.), guide the long term physical growth within the employment levels, building permits, housing Everett Planning Area. Therefore, considera- costs, vacancy rates, and population. tion of changes to the land use policies should be based upon the long term benefit to the community of such changes. Changes to the 111 LU-67