Combining input from two community workshops, an online survey, messages from the public, Steering Committee guidance, and early feedback from the Planning Commission and City Council, the Design Traditions 1.5 (DT-1.5) Strategy Paper is meant summarize the direction for updates to the City’s Design Guidelines. The purpose of laying out this direction before beginning any drafting is to ensure that the project team has accurately captured the expectations of the community and other stakeholders for the DT-1.5 Project. On October 3rd, the City and hosted another community workshop with two main goals: 1) complete a handful of exercises meant to further explore topics addressed at the June workshops, and; 2) Get feedback on the Strategy Paper to make sure the project is on the right track and in line with what had been learned at the first workshops. In general, the feedback received from those in attendance about the Strategy Paper was positive and supportive of the proposed direction.
Following on from the October 3rd workshop, the DT-1.5 team is in the process of asking the Planning Commission and City Council for feedback on the strategy paper before beginning draft updates to the Design Guidelines. On October 12th, the Planning Commission reviewed and provided comments on the strategy paper. Overall, the Commission felt the document was in line with their initial input, and feedback they have heard from the community. The Commission also offered additional feedback including things like considering how design could impact privacy/views and ensuring that the updated Design Guidelines accounted for needing more 2-story buildings in the downtown area to help with the City’s RHNA numbers. With that in mind, here are the questions that staff would like the Council to answer:
- Does this strategy paper accurately represent the direction that you have provided about where the Design Guidelines need to go?
- Does this strategy paper accurately represent feedback you have heard directly from the public about the Design Guidelines?
- Are there any glaring omissions or inconsistencies from a strategy perspective?
Next Steps
After receiving feedback from both the Planning Commission and City Council, the DT-1.5 team, which includes staff and Nore Winter, will begin drafting updates to the Design Guidelines. Once the edits are drafted, another community meeting will be held to share the drafts and get early input. Following the community meeting the drafts will also come before the Planning Commission and City Council for feedback. Necessary revisions to the drafts will take place following this round of public input, and ultimately final drafts will be brought to the Planning Commission and City Council to consider adoption in the spring of 2023.