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]. Please provide a notice fram [Yahoo Counwj
<br /> ~or an,,, potential ROW that may be heaped
<br /> aion§ (Wilbur Road].
<br />
<br />4. A 5 ft. wide sidewaikwiil be required aion§
<br /> one side of the interior street.
<br />
<br />5. Proiect de,/e(oper needs (o 5~ow (hat the
<br /> pmperw ~emed access ~o ~he interior
<br /> street has access to [Lovely Lakes Roadl
<br /> sufficient for the CA zoning on ~he
<br /> property.
<br />
<br />6. ~e ofopqsed street aee~s a name.
<br />
<br />7- The ex[odor boun~a~ tine or,his p~at ts
<br /> incorrect since it ap0ears [o Mciude the
<br /> "no( a pa~" properW.
<br />
<br />8. Finaflc~ai assurances wd[ de required for
<br /> pubiic improvements.
<br />
<br /> Sometimes staff reports recommend (he
<br />conditioning of apo[ova( based on a subse-
<br />quent or forthcomingr approval of another
<br />local government agency. The staff repor~
<br />should state a reasonable time limit in which
<br />the agenc'/Ce.§., the focal pubiic works
<br />department) must act on additional in~-orma-
<br />lion after it has been provided by the devel-
<br />oper. ,'~n example would be additional techni-
<br />ca~ engineering or sun/ay information (o be
<br />provided on a finai plat before [( is recorded,
<br />Alternadveiy, the duration of this period could
<br />be incorporated into the zoning' or subdivision
<br />re§uiations.
<br />
<br />STAFF RECOMMENDATION5
<br />The staff report should analyze ail of the infor-
<br />mation contained in it and make a recommen-
<br />dation to the appropriate public body against
<br />the backdrop of policies in the comprehensive
<br />plan and the decision-~ak!n§ criterfa or stan-
<br />dards in the development cope. The recom-
<br />mendation is a concise statement of whether
<br />of not the decision-making body should
<br />approve, or recommend approvai of, the appli-
<br />cation. Sometimes the recommendation will
<br />include conditions, where the zoning, orqi-
<br />nonce or subdivision reguiatfons permit this.
<br />At other times, [he recommendation may state
<br />one or save[at alternatives. For example, in a
<br />rezoning, the requested-use district or config-
<br />urauon of district boundaries may be inappro-
<br />priate ['or the area or may conflict with the
<br />comprehensive plan. in such a case, an at[er-
<br />native (hat woutd be appropriate or no[ [n
<br />conflict should be recommended.
<br /> Here is an excerpt from 3 City of Newark,
<br />Oetawarel staff analysis. The case ,.nvoives
<br />approval of ~, proposed annexation. ~staoiisn-
<br />men[ .)t munlc[pai :on[n§, ~llO approval of ¢
<br />:uooivision uld Ji[e oran.
<br />
<br /> ,~ne Plannin~ Oepartmen( bet[eves the pro-
<br /> posed 8riarcreek annexation, with the adioin.
<br /> in§ parcels in Christine Manor, with RH and
<br /> RS zoo[n§ does no( confliot with ~he purposes
<br /> or ~oais of Newark's comprehen'sive plannin~
<br /> for .'.he area. Althougn our oomprehensive
<br /> §uideiines refer to detached and semi-
<br /> de(ached uses at this Valley Road site and
<br /> (he plan includes townhomes, the overall site
<br /> density is weft within the range e/picai rot sin-
<br /> ~le-family and semi.de,ached developments
<br /> in the Newark area. ',n addition, (he develoP-
<br /> ment plan ~or the site appears to meet the
<br /> purposes of the City's site plan approvai
<br /> process ~o foster distinctiveness and excel-
<br /> lance of site arrangement and des/§n ....
<br /> inciudin~ architectural design [andl associ-
<br /> ated with the natural environment includin~
<br /> landscaping." The Oeparrment a(so notes ~hat
<br /> the proposed RH aed RS zoning is compatibie
<br /> with the zoning of adiacent and nearby ciq/
<br /> communities as welt as ~he zoning of
<br /> Christine Manor [located in the unincorpo-
<br /> rated portion of New Castle Countyj.
<br />
<br /> NoUn§ the open space shown on the
<br />plan to be dedicated to the rib/of Newark
<br />"will contribute significantly to [he City's park-
<br />[and holdings," the staff report goes on to
<br />ommend to the municipal planning commis-
<br />sion chat it advise the city council to approve
<br />the annexation and the development.
<br /> An Ames, Iowa, pianning staff report to
<br />its zoning' board of adjustment offers a good
<br />example of how to incorporate-conditions
<br />a staff report. Here the request is for a condi-
<br />tional use permit to allow a stage, a 4p-foot by
<br />7o~foo( tent, and other equipment for a
<br />Baptist tent revival on agricultural land with a
<br />floodway overlay. The conditional use permit
<br />would be valid for eight days. The carefully
<br />written report presents a series of alternatives
<br />as follows,
<br />
<br /> Alternatives;
<br /> ~. The Zoning Soard of Adjustment may
<br /> approve ,.'he Conditionai Use Permit with ,.'he
<br /> follow[n§ stipulaIions:
<br /> A. That the approval of the tent rewvai in
<br /> the floodway is conditioned upon ,'.he
<br /> approval of ~he (StaIel Department of
<br /> Natural Resources;
<br />
<br /> $, Thai (he portabie toilets snail be
<br /> anchored to prevent them ,~rom being
<br /> ~(nocked over.
<br />
<br /> _. That [t~e Eons[ruction shall no[ ;om-
<br /> nonce per'ore Au§ust 2.4, -'oo~, :]nd
<br /> 3ti structures and ma[eriais shad be
<br /> removed ay AUgUS( 3~. 2OOl.
<br />
<br /> :. Tl~e _~OUlri~, 3pard ~: AdiusImen[ may ,aenv
<br /> :nit; ;eque. s~ 'ur .~ ._'ondi[[onai Use Permit,
<br />
<br />3. The Zonin§ 8pard of Adjustment may mod-
<br /> i~ this reques~/or a Conditional Use Permit
<br /> and approve it with modified stipulations.
<br />
<br />4. The Zonin§ 8pard of Adiustment may table
<br /> this request for a Conditional Use ~ermit for
<br /> additional information from the developer,
<br /> City staff, or Iowa Oepartment of Natural
<br /> Resources.
<br />
<br /> The s~aff report ultimately recommended
<br />Alternative.t.
<br />
<br />STAFF REPORTS ON THE WEB$1TE
<br />Local government websites have expanded
<br />quiddy in the last five ,/ears to post general
<br />information, ordinances, downtoadabie forms
<br />and appiications, fee-paying' systems, and other
<br />items needed by the puotic, The costs of devet-
<br />opin§ and operating local government wet'sites
<br />have grown, but the public has come to expect
<br />them. Planners expect they will be more cost-
<br />effective to taxpayers in the tong, run because of
<br />reduced labor and printing, costs,
<br /> Planning' departments now routinely post
<br />a planning commission meeting calendar,
<br />agendas, and minutes, as well as drab: and
<br />adopted ordinances and resolutions, press
<br />releases, monthly reports of development
<br />activity, public notices, draft and final plans,
<br />and annual reports.
<br />
<br /> Using the web to post staff reports for
<br />planning commissioners has allowed many
<br />planning departments to eliminate the costly
<br />and time-consuming step of photocopying'
<br />and delivering hard copies of all staff: reports
<br />to commission members in ~he days or weeks
<br />before a meeting. Commission members can
<br />be notified via e-mail when the documents are
<br />available and can download any of the mate-
<br />rial ior reference at the meeting. Hard copies
<br />of the full report can still be provided to any
<br />member who prefers that.
<br /> Perhaps the greatest benefit of putting.
<br />staff reports online is (hat they can be linked -
<br />to other data sources, including, digital pho-
<br />tos, Gig maps, land-use maps, aeriai maps
<br />with the subject site outlined on it, applicable
<br />zoning designations, and relevant plans to aid
<br />in ~he commissioners' decision making, The
<br />high volume of cases in many jurisdictions
<br />often makes site visits by ali commissioners
<br />impracdcai, tn iieu of a visit, muitipie digital
<br />photos or short videos of the subject site can
<br />be iinked .,to the poi[ne stat[ report. Yhe pic-
<br />tures and video can illustrate :.he s[te"s'exist-
<br />n~: .:onditions and immediate vicinity and
<br />~e!o ,:ommissioners envision ,vha[ [s pro-
<br />
<br />106 ZONING PRACTICE
<br /> ~M[RICAN PLANNING ASSOCIARON i pdge
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