Lancaster General Plan Update

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(No Transcript)
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Workshop Agenda

• Sign-in and Introductions
• General Plan 2030 Background Presentation
• Post-It Note Visioning
• Small Group Discussion
• Group Presentations
• Conclusion and Next Steps

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LANCASTER GENERAL PLAN 2030
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What is the Lancaster General Plan 2030?

• A General Plan identifies the communitys
  priorities and their vision for the future of
  their City.
• The Lancaster General Plan 2030 will provide a
  blueprint for growth and development in the
  city over the next 25 years.

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Lancaster Today

• Population approximately 134,000 people
• Projected population by 2030 259,696 people
• City 94 square miles (60,160 acres)
• General Plan Sphere of Influence 268 square
  miles
• Estimated 40,000 acres of vacant land

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Planning Areas
Sphere of Influence
City Limits
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Why Update the General Plan?

• The existing General Plan was last updated in
  1997 and no longer fully addresses the needs of
  our changing community.
• The General Plan works to improve and protect the
  Citys unique attributes.

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Lancaster is at a Crossroads . . .

• Need for a community-based vision
• Respond to changing demographics
• Balance development both inward and outward
• Growth pressures on infrastructure
• Economic development opportunities
• Address environmental and natural resource factors

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The General Plan is at the heart of ongoing City
planning efforts!
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GENERAL PLANS 101
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State Requirements

• California requires each city and county to adopt
  a General Plan.
• General Plans have several elements, or
  chapters, that focus on specific topic. Each
  element includes goals, objectives, and policies.

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What is in a General Plan?

• California requires Seven Elements to be included
  in each General Plan
• Land Use
• Housing
• Circulation
• Noise
• Safety
• Conservation
• Open Space

• Cities may also include a number of optional
  elements, such as
• Air Quality
• Recreation
• Economic
• Design
• Public Facilities
• Others

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Lancaster General Plan Elements
Lancaster Element Name
State of CA Terminology
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Plan for the Natural Environment

• Identifies natural open space, agricultural
  lands, mineral resources, air quality, endangered
  species habitat, and water and energy sources
• Develops policies to preserve these resources

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Plan for Public Health and Safety

• Protects Lancaster from natural and manmade
  hazards, including
• Flooding
• Hazardous materials
• Crime
• Fire
• Earthquakes
• Develops a disaster preparedness plan

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Plan for Active Living

• Focuses on Lancasters culture and lifestyle,
  including
• Population and demographic trends
• Historic and cultural resources
• The arts
• Libraries
• Schools
• Parks
• Social services

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Plan for Physical Mobility

• Sets policies to ensure an effective
  transportation system
• Highways and streets
• Trucks and truck routes
• Bike trails
• Transit
• Air transportation
• Neighborhood traffic management
• Parking policies
• Develops an Implementation Plan for improvements

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Plan for Physical Development

• Outlines the types of land uses that are
  appropriate for each area
• Housing, business, industry
• Open space, agriculture land
• Recreational facilities
• Educational facilities
• Public buildings grounds
• Flood plains
• Solid liquid waste facilities
• Maps current and desired land use patterns
• Sets standards for population density building
  intensity

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Plan for Economic Development Vitality

• Analyzes the local economy and employment in
  Lancaster
• Addresses fiscal impacts of new development and
  redevelopment

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Plan for Municipal Services Facilities

• Describes infrastructure needs for the future,
  including
• Water
• Sewer
• Drainage
• Solid waste facilities
• Public facilities and buildings

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Plan for Community Design

• Focuses on creating a strong identity and sense
  of place
• Provides basic City design guidelines for
• Residential development
• Commercial development
• Industrial development
• Addresses historic preservation and public art

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Housing Element

• Assesses housing needs on a Citywide and regional
  scale
• Identifies sites to accommodate housing for all
  economic segments of the community includes
  programs to provide such housing
• Subject to significant state oversight

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GET INVOLVED!
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Why Should You Get Involved?

• The City is planning for YOU! People make
  Lancaster what it is today.
• Your opinion matters protect the things that
  are important to you.
• Your ideas are needed what will make Lancaster
  a better place?

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Community Outreach So Far

• Lancaster General Plan website
• Poppy Festival
• Brochure mailing
• Radio television announcements
• Public Agency Forum June 20, 2006
• Childrens Workshop June 29, 2006
• Visioning Workshop for Teens July 19, 2006
• Audio CD distribution

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Ways to Get Involved!

• Check the Website
• Join the Mailing List
• Submit a Survey
• Join the Citizens Advisory Committee
• Request a Presentation to Your Organization/Club
• Attend Workshops
• Read the Newsletters

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General Plan Website

• Find out whats NEW!
• Calendar of EVENTS and WORKSHOPS
• General Plan SURVEY
• Sign up for the MAILING LIST
• Read the NEWSLETTER

Log on to www.cityoflancasterca.org
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Citizens Advisory Committee

• Committee members serve as ambassadors of the
  planning process
• Provide guidance on vision, policy statements,
  and land use alternatives

Check the website for application materials at
www.cityoflancasterca.org
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Visioning Workshops

• Attend ONE of the four workshops in your area

Pick up a flyer for more information!
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Visioning Open House

• Join us for a citywide OPEN HOUSE to review
  comments from the visioning workshops and to
  provide additional feedback!

OPEN HOUSE Saturday, August 19th 900 am 1200
pm Lancaster City Hall Lobby
Pick up a flyer for more information!
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Process
Community Involvement Opportunities
Community Involvement Opportunities
Plan Process
Plan Process
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Community Involvement
Process

• Review of existing documents
• Data collection and site research
• Technical studies

• Informational materials prepared distributed
• Website established
• Presentations to local groups

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Community Involvement
Process

• Challenges and visions for the future identified
• Public agency forum
• Citywide Community Vision Report prepared

• Visioning workshops citywide open house
• Online survey
• Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) formed

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Community Involvement
Process

• Develop various land use futures
• Impact analysis on each alternative
• Select preferred land use scenario

• Community land use workshops
• CAC meetings
• Website updates newsletters

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Community Involvement
Process

• Goals and policies for each element prepared
• Implementation program drafted
• CAC report

• CAC meetings
• Interactive open house to share draft plan with
  community
• Website updates and newsletters

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Community Involvement
Process

• Detailed analysis of environmental impacts (e.g.
  traffic, air, noise, public services)
• Development of Program Environmental Report (PEIR)

• Scoping meeting for the public to learn about the
  process and make comments

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Community Involvement
Process

• Final General Plan and Program Environmental
  Impact Report

• Planning Commission Hearing to receive comments
  from the commission and the public
• City Council Hearing to formally adopt the plan

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Process
Community Involvement Opportunities
Community Involvement Opportunities
Plan Process
Plan Process
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Post-It Note Visioning
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LANCASTERS TREASURES
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• Identify your top THREE TREASURES
• What things do you value most about the City?
• What are your favorite things about Lancaster?
• Why do you live here? Why did you move here?
• Write one thought per Post-It Note
• Place the Post-It Notes on the wall, clustering
  yours with similar ideas

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LANCASTERS CHALLENGES
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• Identify top THREE CHALLENGES facing the City
• What are the biggest challenges in Lancaster
  today?
• What problems does the City currently face?
• Write one thought per Post-It Note
• Place the Post-It Notes on the wall, clustering
  yours with similar ideas

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VISIONS FOR LANCASTER
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• Identify your top THREE VISIONS for the future of
  Lancaster
• What ideas do you have for the future of
  Lancaster?
• What does your ideal or dream City look and feel
  like?
• What would make your City better?
• Write one thought per Post-It Note
• Place the Post-It Notes on the wall, clustering
  yours with similar ideas

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Small Group Exercise Understanding the Vision
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Small Group Discussion

• Each group will have approx. 30 minutes to
  discuss one of the vision topics
• Work toward consensus!
• Allow everyone to contribute
• No ideas are bad ideas

• Group member roles
• Discussion leader
• Presenter
• Recorder
• Timekeeper

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Small Group Discussion

• Explain your vision topic in more detail. What
  does it mean to your group?
• How will you know when you have achieved this
  part of the vision? What will be signals of
  success?
• What specific action items would your group
  recommend?

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GROUP PRESENTATIONS
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Next Steps

• Community Open House
• August 19, 2006
• Draft Master Environmental Assessment (MEA)
• September 2006
• Land Use Alternatives Analysis
• October 2006 - January 2007

There are lots of ways to stay involved in the
process!
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SPECIAL GENERAL PLAN WORKSHOPLaw
Enforcement/Public Safety

• Wednesday, August 23
• 700 to 830 pm
• City Hall City Council Chambers

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THANK YOU!