For the past eighteen months, the community along with the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee have been updating the City’s 20-year-old Comprehensive Plan.
Powell City Council adopted the Plan during their Oct. 6 meeting.
The Comprehensive Plan is the key policy guide for land use, development and infrastructure decisions in the City of Powell. This plan serves as a guide for City staff, the Planning and Zoning Commission, City Council and other government entities as they assess the character, location and extent of public investments and private development proposals in Powell.
“Participation from the community in this Plan was outstanding,” said City Manager Steve Lutz. “We had several residents attend public workshops and also participate in the online discussion about the Plan.”
A Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee was formed last summer and met monthly to discuss updates to the Plan, meet with consultants and provide input. The Steering Committee was comprised of residents, business owners, members of City Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission, and staff.
“The Committee played a critical role in the development of the Comprehensive Plan,” said Lutz. “The City is grateful for the Committee’s guidance and involvement in a Plan that will shape the future of Powell.”
The Plan is made up of four major components – land use, transportation, fiscal analysis and implementation. Each area recommends several action items to begin the implementation of the Plan.
Policy Recommendations
Land Use
- Use the future land use map as a guide in making development decisions
- Update zoning and development regulations to advance the goals of the plan
- Balance land use, community character, infrastructure, transportation and fiscal sustainability goals
- Maintain the character of the community in its historic district
- Coordinate with surrounding communities and jurisdictions
- Encourage mixed use development in appropriate locations, as designated in the plan
- Promote sensitive infill development and redevelopment
- Create an interconnected open space system throughout the entire community
- Update the Downtown Revitalization Plan
- Ensure development quality meets Powell’s standards for aesthetic and community character
- Explore options for the creation of a community recreation center
- Preserve rural character by requiring conservation development patterns in growth areas north of Home Road
- Ensure adequate development and use of utility infrastructure to support land use and development goals
- Undertake more detailed plans and studies for specific focus areas and development corridors
- Develop an annexation strategy to guide decisions about Powell’s physical expansion
Transportation
- Use the Thoroughfare Plan as a guide in the development approvals process
- Proactively address long-term transportation improvement needs
- Balance traffic capacity needs with community character impacts
- Coordinate roadway improvements and maintenance with surrounding communities and jurisdictions
- Implement access management programs to reduce congestion and improve safety
- Maximize roadway connectivity
- Promote multi-modal transportation options throughout the community
- Create a holistic design plan for the four corners intersection and associated downtown roadway improvements
Finance
- Closely monitor trends in revenues and expenses, particularly income taxes
- Undertake a market study to assess the need for proposed commercial developments
- Proceed deliberately in implementing the development plan
- Consider the impact of development holistically and strategically
Consultants used both feedback from the public and research to develop the key policy recommendations. As a result of this, three key priorities were developed – initiate a strategic urban design plan for Downtown Powell, create a sustainable revenue structure and establish a multi-jurisdictional working group.
