What Makes a Local Redevelopment Plan

Megan ColerCarmen Lethig

WHAT IS A LOCAL REDEVELOPMENT PLAN?

• What is a Local Redevelopment Plan?• Identification and creation of a shared vision for the neighborhood or community• Planned by local leadership and/or stakeholders• Carried out by an array of partners• Marshals resources and deploys coordinated strategies• Concentrated/Targeted Area

• Why is it important?• Bigger impact• Multi-faceted effort or catalyst to spur other development• Community effort with broad support• Encourages communities to think about their communities as a whole rather than

individual pieces of development.

TYPES OF PLANS

Types of plans considered under the Local Redevelopment Plan scoring category:

• Comprehensive Plans• Sub Area Plans (Neighborhood Plans)• Redevelopment Plans• Master Plans

Plans must include:• Clearly delineated target area that includes proposed project site• Detailed policy goals that must include rehab or construction of affordable

rental housing• Implementation measures with specific, current, and ongoing time frames• Project must support at least one goal of the plan• Assessment of existing physical structures and infrastructure in the

community

COMPREHENSIVE PLANS

• Guiding policy that lays out how the community wants to develop in the future• Policy document upon which the laws that regulate land development activities are based• Not law; but serves as legal foundation for regulating local land use and must be adopted for a community to have zoning control

Typical plans include:

• Setting forth goals• Analysis of existing conditions and trends • Describes and illustrates a vision for the physical, social, and economic

characteristics of the community in the years ahead• Outlines policies and guidelines intended to implement that vision

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REVIEW• How old is the plan?• Is the project located within the plan’s area?• Are existing conditions analyzed?• Is project type desired/needed in plan?• Are there goals, objectives, action plans to achieve implementation?

•Associated timelines•Responsible parties•Identified Resources

•Was the public and stakeholders involved?

SUB AREA PLANS (NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS)• Mini-comprehensive plan that focuses in detail on a smaller geography of the community

‐ Not typically found in smaller communities due to size limitations

• Typical plans include:‐ substantial residential development,‐ associated commercial uses, ‐ institutional services such as recreation and education

• Other Sub Area Plans can include:‐ downtown or central business district plan, ‐ station area plan around a transit station, ‐ corridor plan that focuses on a transportation corridor

SUB AREA PLAN REVIEW• How old is the plan?• Is the project located within the sub area?• Is the project type desired/needed in plan?• Are existing conditions analyzed?• Are there goals, objectives, action plans to achieve implementation?

•Associated timelines•Responsible parties•Identified Resources

• Was the public and stakeholders involved?

REDEVELOPMENT PLANS

• A plan of action for a specific geographic area that needs help• Applicable to almost any place – cities and neighborhoods• May be associated with the declaration of a redevelopment area, a statutory designation opens the door to tax increment financing tools• Areas that typically need redevelopment plans:

‐ Business districts that are experiencing loss of retail, office, and related residential activity

‐ Residential areas where dwelling units are in a marked state of deterioration or dilapidation

‐ Industrial areas where plants and facilities are abandoned, idled, or underused, and the sites themselves are environmentally contaminated and must be remediated

REDEVELOPMENT PLAN REVIEW• How old is the plan?• Is the project located within the plan’s area?•Are existing conditions analyzed?• Is project type desired/needed in plan?• Are there goals, objectives, action plans to achieve implementation?

•Associated timelines•Responsible parties•Identified Resources

•Was the public and stakeholders involved?

“MASTER” PLANS

• !!PROCEED WITH CAUTION!! • Shows the layout and intensity of different land uses in a community• Shows current and proposed building footprints, street and parking layouts, streetscape treatment and amenities, and pedestrian paths• Have a comprehensive approach that identifies multiple projects including transportation, recreation, economic development, commercial, business, housing, etc.

Most typically developed for large landowners, or redevelopment plans such as:‐ a corporate campus, ‐ a university or school campus, ‐ a local government campus, ‐ a large, multi-building private development‐ Downtowns

What type of ‘Master’ Plans would not qualify?‐ Planned Unit Development (PUD)‐ Plan is for a single development project‐ Plan is a phase of a single development project

‘MASTER’ PLANREVIEW• How old is the plan?• Is the project located within the plan’s area?• Is project type desired/needed in plan?• Was the public and stakeholders involved?• Particular to a single development?•What other uses and sources going into overall development area?• Is this a PUD – Planned Unit Development?

IF A PLAN DOES NOT CURRENTLY EXIST• Taking the lead in the planning process

• Typically 6-9 month process• Engage residents and local organizations• Engage local unit of government

• A vision of stakeholders and turning their goals into achievable projects and programs

• Practical planning driven by community needs• Holistic plan for the community• Ultimate roadmap and tool for the community to improve over time

• The Plan Itself:• Typically 40+ page document• Describes current conditions of the community• Includes maps and visuals to help identify existing conditions and future projects• Typically a 5-year vision for where the community would like to be

THE PLAN

THE PLANNING PROCESS

1. Identifying the planning area• Neighborhood – own boundaries or culture• Barriers – railroad tracks, industrial or commercial zones, highways, rivers• Connectors – transit routes, bike paths, parkways• Anchors of Activity – commercial districts, universities, major employers, hospitals

2. Identifying Issues and Opportunities: First thing to discuss to help identify future needs

• Should be comprehensive approach and not address just housing• Public Engagement Opportunities

‐ SWOT Analysis‐ Open Space Meetings

3. Community History and Data: The past along with trends can help determine next steps

• Data gathering• Public Engagement: Interviews

THE PLANNING PROCESS

4. Vision, strategies, projects and programs

• Define clear vision for the future‐ Based on public engagement

feedback• Identify strategies, projects and

programs that will help achieve the vision

‐ Typically identified through Goals, Objectives and Action Steps for Implementation

• Assign responsibilities and timeframes for implementation

‐ Outreach and identify organizations, agencies, individuals to carry out projects

‐ Helps keep the plan a “living document”

‐ Creates community support

LOCAL REDEVELOPMENT PLAN TAKE AWAY1. Current Plan

• 0-5-10 years, but make sure the plan is reflective of current conditions2. Plan area includes project area3. Analysis of existing conditions4. Proposed project type supported by the plan

• Goals include support of affordable rental housing5. Implementation measures with associated timeframes, responsible parties

and identified resources6. Public participation and outreach

• Prefer a plan be in place

• Community self-evaluation

• What is not a plan to support this Strategic Priority?• Housing assessments• Feasibility plans

• What do we look for in a plan?• Age – not more than 5 years old• Location – project in the plan’s target area• Need – does the plan support the need for this type of project?• Goals / Action Steps / Timelines• Public and/or stakeholder involvement

LOCAL REDEVELOPMENT PLANREQUIRED DOCUMENTATION = 11 POINTS1. Documentation of process used to develop and adopt the plan2. Details regarding community engagement and/or public hearings held prior

to adoption of plan3. Copy of the entire plan4. Evidence of adoption

1. By lead community organization2. By local unit of government

5. Map of planning area with project location6. Brief description of community engagement process

LOCAL UNIT OF GOVERNMENT ADOPTION = 3 POINTSRequired Documentation:1. Process LUG used to develop and adopt the plan2. Written approval from the LUG verifying adoption

1. Resolution2. Ordinance

QUESTIONS?