|
Formatting/and
<br />By Stuart M?ck, ,:AIfP, and i~/lar'/a Morris, AICP
<br />
<br />Writingthe
<br />
<br />Staff Report
<br />
<br />Writing staff reports on proposed deveiopments and permit applications is a core skil~ of
<br />planning practice.
<br />
<br />These are the reports a professional planner
<br />prepares that digest a particular development
<br />proposal or permit request; assess site condi-
<br />tions; relate Lhe proposal To :he comprehen-
<br />sive plan, subplans, and functional plans;
<br />and make a recommendation, all against
<br />backdrop of '.ocal government policies and
<br />deveiooment code criteria. A good reoort con-
<br />cisely communicates vitai information on
<br />development proposals .'_o metal)ers o'f
<br />pianning commission, the iocal iegJsiative '
<br />body, the board of zoning appeals, the pub-
<br />!ic, and the persons appiying for any .n/pa of
<br />development permission. Considering how
<br />much time planners spend on them, their
<br />preparation is a topic about which ,.here is
<br />surprisingiy Httle written,
<br />
<br /> This issue o[ Zoning Practice attempts
<br /> fill that void by concentrating on (he organiza-
<br /> tion of a good report. A well-organized staff
<br /> report can help shorten the reviewing author-
<br /> ibt's meeting and guide ~he outcome of the
<br /> decision, if followed, it can also provide r. he
<br /> necessan/documentation and ptanning
<br /> rationale should the decision be chai[enged
<br /> in court: in addition, the Internal has facili-
<br /> tated technological efficiencies in the distri-
<br /> button and presentation of such information,
<br /> which this article also discusses.
<br /> The ideai report provides an adequate
<br /> amount of information for the board, commis-
<br /> sion, or other bodvto make a decision: [or the
<br /> pubiic to be considered adequately informed;
<br /> and For the applicant to determine what addi-
<br /> tional ini:ormation ii needs ~.o submit or what
<br /> changes it needs to make Lo ~he proOosal in
<br /> order to ,,via approval. The best staff reports pro-
<br /> vide information in the most concise manner
<br /> possible wniie meeting all associa[eo require-
<br /> merits For review, disciosure, and notification.
<br /> .As with a business memoranoum, [he oniective
<br /> ;s :o make :',ear what action d~e in, tended audi-
<br /> :nc,~ fluSt !alta :,no ri Nflal. Lillte iralFl~.
<br />
<br /> A Local planning department's standard
<br />practice for preparing staff reports is deveioped
<br />over time by those who prepare reports and
<br />~_hose who use them, nameiy professional plan-
<br />ners and planning commissioners. Legal require-
<br />ments, personal preferences, institutional mom-
<br />on/, and changing technologies ail piny a role.
<br />
<br /> Several problems common to many staff
<br />reports include:
<br />
<br />· poor organization and format
<br />
<br />· mixing ~acts with subjective information
<br />· excessive detail or inadequate detail
<br />· unclear language.
<br />
<br /> ' ,~++EEEMEN~$ OF STAFF REP(3
<br /> Coverst~eet. · ".'~ ~:~ ".q. :::~:~ ~.~",'-' :? -: :-~.' - '." '
<br />~ Proiecu d'escrimio hi, FadudFn~; ifhe~e~s~R}, a-I[Aal:d~scdmi°'n'(req ui~e - . ~., ~L
<br />
<br />%. Faduai;in fo~adb~ about/th e ~aad{~ur[du~ ding
<br /> . me currenuzoni'u~ distress o¢'the:oropefties
<br /> .~ description., off,he sit~ ba~ed~6 ma~'~ite '~isi~'an ~su~e~ ~
<br />
<br /> · recent tano.useactio~kindudi~g ~ezonfn~s~condifional~uses,'
<br /> affecdn~the-are~c '
<br /> ~ exisdn~-an~ ~ro~osed:pu~li~ ~eilitie~se~ n~t~e ~ite; ineludin~;s
<br /> an~ ~ewedines. andcta~sifi~a~ibn, ano cc ~dition oi roads-
<br /> ~ identi~cation o~other se~ices~
<br />
<br /> ~ floodplain or wetlands.~nformatioo, i~ retevan~
<br /> ~. Staf~natysi~,.~nclbd[nff~ , . ' ' '-,
<br /> ~ ur'~sentat[o¢ ~¢ d~isfon-maRing,criteria'.from. F ,ans or deve~o~men~
<br /> comment-on how. the-pmle~mee[s or does not mae[ driteriAt~oFrezonl
<br /> ances,.conditionai' uses)-:
<br /> .. sueei~li~ed:impacranatvses~ i[mecessaw-
<br />
<br /> . evalbation,oPconsfstency,o¢'prou~sed action with all applicab[e'¢[An~;.'ol
<br /> nantes, and_regulations; ~is. section-wome nc ude statements.oPEom
<br /> siva plan moo designations, Nrltte~ ~olicies, and excerpzs~of"relevant-segtibns~°~
<br /> ordinances and regina[Ion
<br />
<br /> S. Oescn~tlon of. information yet [o be su omi[ted
<br />
<br /> 8. Comments From o[her'2gencies
<br />
<br /> 7. S[a~ recommendations, inc ud n~.cendidons, as'appropriate
<br /> 8, Maps d splaying SuDlec['~¢oper~t
<br /> m ¢ho~ogra~hs of the ¢roDe~, 3s aooroprlate
<br />
<br /> ~o, nformatlon submitted by applicant ~as at[acnmentsl
<br />
<br /> ~, Nnttencomments]romcmzens asattacnmemsi
<br />
<br /> ZONINGPRACTICF- ti.04
<br />
<br />102
<br />
<br />
<br />
|