2030 Plan Annual Update: 2013 Background The 2030 Comprehensive Plan was unanimously adopted by City Council on February 26, 2008. The Plan was an update from Georgetown s 1988 Century Plan. One of the primary tenets of the new plan was the establishment of an annual update that would review past and future implementation items. The Annual Update focuses on the status of remaining comprehensive plan elements, plan implementation efforts over the last year and new goals and actions to be worked on between now and the 2014 update. In addition to the annual update, the 2030 Plan anticipates a 5 year review that will be a more thorough review of elements and implementation, adoptions of new elements and vision statements, etc. In March, the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) and City Council agreed to delay the 5 year revision until it becomes apparent that the plan needs such an update, but no later than 2018. Plan Element Update Completed and Ongoing Elements Since the adoption of the 2030 Plan, four plan elements have been adopted by Council, with five more in various stages of development. The Parks Master Plan and Water and Electric Master Plans were completed in 2009, with Council adopting the Executive Summary for both Utility Plans. An update to the Overall Transportation Plan was funded in 2009 and is nearing completion, awaiting final tweaks by the traffic modeling consultant. The Citizen Participation Plan was developed by staff with the help of a citizen advisory committee and was approved in 2010. The Housing Plan was funded in 2008 and, after several attempts, approved in July 2012. In December 2012, a Public Safety Element was approved as an in house overview to ongoing departmental strategic plans. Several other plan elements are in various stages of development and are anticipated within the next year or two, including a historic preservation plan element, a public facilities plan, and an update to the downtown master plan. The remaining comprehensive plan elements have been discussed more abstractly, with no funding source or plan for completion at this time. These include a new Economic Development plan, Natural Resources/Conservation, Urban Design, Health and Human Services, and components of the utility plan such as drainage and solid waste. Attached is a summary of approved, active and future plan elements. Actions Affecting the 2030 Plan in 2012 Over the last calendar year, there were multiple decisions and actions that have or will affect the short and long term implementation efforts of the 2030 Plan. These include newly annexed lands, rezonings, land use changes, ETJ boundary extension, negotiations for possible utility service changes, potential listing of a local salamander on the Endangered Species list. 2030 Plan Annual Update 2013 Page 1 of 5
Annexation In 2012, all approved annexations were voluntary in nature and it is likely that calendar year 2013 will continue this pattern. Since the last annual update, three parcels were annexed totaling 327.94 acres and one disannexation was processed that was 267.30 acres (by agreement establishing a Municipal Utility District). As of the writing of this report, four other voluntary annexations were in process and there have been new conversations regarding an updated annexation program pending Council direction. By the end of 2012, Georgetown city limits had expanded to 33,200 acres, or 51.88 square miles. In September of 2012, the City Council approved a resolution declaring the City s population to have exceeded 50,000. The effect of this action is that the City s extra territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) boundary line extended from 2 miles to 3½ miles from the outer edge of the city limits. In most areas of the ETJ, the City has approved boundary agreements with neighboring municipalities and the resolution did not alter the existing boundary. To the northwest of the ETJ, however, Georgetown has no such agreements and the ETJ was extended, adding 11,000 acres into Georgetown s jurisdiction. This has significant impacts on future land use authority, potential utility growth areas and flexibility for the city in the future. Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Amendments When the Century Plan was the City s comprehensive planning document, it was common practice to change the Future Land Use Plan and Intensity Plan in order to develop or plan to develop a piece of property. The new plan is more conceptual in nature, guiding staff, developers, P&Z, and City Council in decision making for zoning and development intensity without necessitating changes by ordinance to the various maps. In 2012, staff supported a handful of zoning cases that would have previously required an additional application and approval through the former comprehensive plan process. The adaptation of this land use strategy for the long term planning efforts of the Utility Master Plans has led to greater efficiency and certainty in those plans while still allowing flexibility for new or different developments as the need occurs organically. There were 21 separate rezonings approved by City Council in 2012, the most in four years, yet only three comprehensive plan amendments (all future land use amendments) were necessary to carry out those rezonings. This gives a good indication of the flexibility that the 2030 Future Land Use Plan has provided applicants, and also how it has empowered staff to make planning decisions based on more than just the designations on the map. The 2030 Plan is a guide based on the long term goals and aspirations of the community and has been successful in this regard. The three plan amendments generated by landowners included the addition of high density residential along Westinghouse Road, a new community commercial node at the intersection of FM 1460 and SE Inner Loop, and a large change from low density residential to mixed use community for a parcel on Williams Drive near Sun City. All three amendments were in tandem with zoning requests. In addition, the 2012 Annual Update process led to adjustments to the Growth Tier Map and Future Land Use Map, all of which were coordinated by staff. 2030 Plan Annual Update 2013 Page 2 of 5
Attached is the updated statistical report for both the zoning map and future land use map. There are no staff initiated comprehensive plan amendments for 2013 and there were no submitted amendments by citizens/landowners during the open calendar period. Finally, in May 2012, Council approved a new Official Zoning Map, which was mostly a cosmetic update to the former map. The map updated overlay districts, scribner s errors, added annexation agreement areas, improved graphics, and included new disclaimer language sought to clarify the intent and limitations of the official zoning map. Census 2010 In February of 2011, the initial United States Census information was released to Georgetown. The initial data release focused on Census Places, meaning the total population and basic information needed to proceed with the Redistricting process, completed and accepted in the fall of 2011. Additional Census data regarding demographics, economic, and social statistics was made available in 2012. For planning purposes, the Census data is a valuable resource to help determine trends and projections for the next 10 to 20 years and we continue to refine our statistical formulas and assumptions in order to best calculate current population estimates and future projections. Goals, Policies, and Actions Implementation Summary The first goal of the Land Use Plan Element is to Promote sound, sustainable, and compact development patterns with balanced land uses, a variety of housing choices Many of the policies and actions throughout the plan relate to establishing guidelines to encourage a balanced mix of housing, commercial, and employment uses. City Council has accomplished many of these intentions with the adoption of the Mixed Use Zoning District. The immediate (0 2 year) priority actions that were addressed by staff since 2010 are listed below. Many of these items have been recommended by the UDC Task Force as part of the UDC Annual Review process; the majority of these items have been adopted or soon will be considered by City Council. Items considered and principally completed since 2010 1.A. 1.C. 1.D. 1.E.1. 1.E.3. Encourage a balanced mix of residential, commercial, and employment uses at varying densities and intensities, to reflect a gradual transition from urban to suburban to rural development. Establish standards appropriate for new residential development pertaining to lot sizes, open space, buffers, road connectivity, etc. Establish improved standards for commercial development. Establish standards for and actively promote new forms of compact development to include Transit Oriented Development, as well as traditional neighborhood development (TND), mixed use, and pedestrian scale development. Promote mixed use, pedestrian friendly land use patterns, including community activity centers, neighborhood activity centers, conservation subdivisions, and walkable neighborhoods. 2030 Plan Annual Update 2013 Page 3 of 5
2.A.2. Overlay districts (where specific requirements could be modified to allow established character to be maintained; e.g., buildings pulled up to the street, credit for onstreet/shared parking, etc.) 2.A.3. Adjust the City s schedule of development fees (e.g., development review fees and costs to upgrade infrastructure) to lessen financial burdens on investments in designated areas and more accurately reflect the different costs of providing services in developed areas (where infrastructure is available), suburban areas, and fringe areas (where costly infrastructure extensions are necessary). 2.B.2: Through the City s Capital Improvement Program, prioritize short and long range capital investments in designated urban areas, including but not limited to utility replacements, capacity improvements, area wide stormwater systems, street improvements, etc. 4.B. Revise the UDC to ensure development that is compatible in character with the surrounding context. 4C: Develop and apply neighborhood conservation strategies such as code enforcement and house rehabilitation programs. 4.D. Revise the UDC to ensure proper transitions and buffering between established neighborhoods and adjacent commercial and manufacturing areas. Goals, Policies and Actions for 2013-2014 For 2013 14, staff will explore other implementation items of the Future Land Use Element, including completing work with the current or future iteration of the UDC Task Force on the significant updates to the UDC. The UDC is and will be crucial to execution of the policies and actions of the 2030 Plan and staff will continue to recommend updates to the development code as warranted in the future. Items being considered by staff for 2013 14 or as part of a 5 year Review 1.A.2. Reserve and rezone land ideally suited for long term commercial and employment uses and prevent its use for residential subdivisions. 2B.1: Conduct community wide public facility assessments to identify and prioritize corrections to deficiencies in infrastructure, including local streets and sidewalks, and other public facilities, including parks and recreation facilities. (Coordinate this action with preparation of other Plan elements, including Infrastructure, Transportation, and Open Space and Recreation). 2B.3: Identify revitalization corridors for capital improvements (e.g., streetscape/landscaping, utility upgrades, etc.) 3A.3: Establish a proactive plan to provide infrastructure in advance of development. Upcoming Project Affecting the 2030 Plan in 2013-14 There are several projects related to the 2030 Plan that are ongoing or will get underway in 2013. These include: The finalization of the Water and Wastewater Master Plan Updates Adoption of new 2030 Plan elements Conservation efforts related to natural resource planning, particularly water 2030 Plan Annual Update 2013 Page 4 of 5
Continued updates to the UDC and the potential revision to the UDC Amendment structure Other ongoing implementation items of the adopted 2030 Plan Elements The 5 year revision will likely see some suggestions of new Goals, Policies and Actions as we continue to evolve as a community and try and adapt to quickly changing circumstances. In addition to these items, the City has been participating in several discussions on topics that could have a significant effect on the future growth and development of the community. The City expects resolution of these items in 2013, but they are still much unresolved and evolving at the time of this report. These include: The potential listing of the Georgetown Salamander by U.S. Fish and Wildlife and possible constraints to development. The result of this decision will cause the City to potentially rethink future land use assumptions and review development/infrastructure standards to adapt to new environmental requirements. The Chisholm Trail Special Utility District merger discussions, which have been ongoing for about two years and are intended to address long term water supply issues in the area. Georgetown and Chisholm officials have discussed ways to handle water service in regards to long term raw water supply in the midst of drought conditions, fire protection, increased urbanization in rural areas, municipal utility district effects on water needs, and other crucial aspects of development pressures on potable water. The result of this decision will affect the way that the City looks at land use, wastewater, fire protection, and future annexations. Possible revision to the City s 2005 Annexation policy. City staff have discussed a review of the Annexation policy as the City looks toward future service needs, cost of expansion, and the resources needed to achieve the ultimate goals. City of Excellence implementation. The City Council has recently devised a new budgetary planning tool that begins from their high priority goals for the City under which financial planning can be focused. The City of Excellence goals are general targets that are generated from Council on an annual basis for things such as economic development targets, downtown promotion, infrastructure planning, etc. The City of Excellence is not a replacement to the 2030 Plan vision or set of policies, but is a complementary mechanism to help further the long term goals of the community through the budgetary process. 2030 Plan Annual Update 2013 Page 5 of 5
2030 Plan Element List Future Element Funding Status Completion* Board/Commission Manager Lead Dept. 1. Economic Development none new 2015 GEDCO/4A/4B consultant EcoDevo 2. Infrastructure (solid waste, drainage) none new 2015 GUS consultant/staff GUS 3. Conservation/Resources none new 2016 P&Z consultant Planning 4. Urban Design none new 2016 P&Z consultant Planning 5. Health and Human Services none new 2016 P&Z consultant Planning In-Progress Element List 1. Transportation funded update 2013 P&Z/GTAB consultant Transportation 2. Historic Preservation requested new 2014 P&Z/HARC consultant Downtown 3. Public Facilities none new 2014 consultant City Manager Completed Elements - officially adopted Date adopted Working Element List - Not officially adopted 1. Future Land Use Plan 2008 1. Public Services (CIP) 2. Airport Master Plan 1998 (updated '03) 2. Public Facilities 3. Downtown Master Plan 2003 4. Parks/Recreation 2009 5. Infrastructure/Utility (water, wastewater) 2009 6. Infrastructure/Utility (electric) 2009 7. Citizen Participation Plan 2010 8. Housing 2012 9. Public Safety 2013 * Anticipated
Quarterly Statistical Report Future Land Use, Zoning, Population/Housing Units City Population City + ETJ Sources: Total Population Estimate, May 2013 50,731 73,509 Planning Department Estimated Population Housing Units City City + ETJ Sources: Single Family Units 18,071 23,807 2010 Census + building permits+etj estimate Apartment/duplex/fourplex/condos 3,790 3,790 Market report + address points Total housing units 21,861 27,597 Percentage of single-family units 82.66% 86.27% Percentage of multifamily units 17.34% 13.73% Future Land Use Plan ETJ Land Use Acres % of total City Limits Δ in acres from previous Acres % of total Δ in acres from previous Agricultural/Rural Residential 29,688 25.73% 1,067 79 0.24% -12 Low Density Residential 26,579 23.03% - 1,739 5.25% -3 Moderate Density Residential 16,629 14.41% (2) 9,853 29.76% 223 High Density Residential 552 0.48% - 543 1.64% 0 Community Commercial 1,583 1.37% 69 1,066 3.22% 58 Regional Commercial 2,281 1.98% - 1,517 4.58% 0 Mixed Use Community 6,448 5.59% (37) 2,370 7.16% -37 Mixed Use Neighborhood Center 1,341 1.16% - 678 2.05% 0 Specialty Area Mixed Use 1,319 1.14% - 682 2.06% 0 Employment Center 4,945 4.29% (31) 3,381 10.21% 0 Institutional 2,057 1.78% - 1,935 5.84% 0 Parks, Recreation, Open Space 16,768 14.53% 28 9,239 27.90% -10 Mining 5,203 4.51% - 28 0.08% 0 Total 115,394 1,094 33,110 219 Source: Future Land Use Plan GIS
Zoning Districts Acres % of total Δ in acres from previous Agriculture (AG) 12,422 42.09% -89 Residential Estate (RE) - 0.00% 0 Residential Low Density (RL) 30 0.10% 0 Residential Single Family (RS) 12,026 40.75% 212 Two Family (TF) 62 0.21% 1 Townhouse (TH) 22 0.07% 0 Multifamily (MF) 541 1.83% -22 Manufactured Housing (MH) 83 0.28% 0 Business Park (BP) 187 0.63% 0 Neighborhood Commercial (CN) 12 0.04% 5 Local Commercial (C-1) 1,189 4.03% 40 General Commercial (C-3) 1,325 4.49% 1 Office (OF) 168 0.57% 0 Industrial (IN) 1,197 4.06% 0 Mixed Use Downtown (MU-DT) 62 0.21% 0 Mixed Use (MU) - 0.00% 0 Public Facilities (PF) 189 0.64% 9 Total 29,515 155 Source: Zoning GIS Map