Title
AN ORDINANCE DEFERRING THE ANNUAL GROWTH MANAGEMENT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ALLOCATION SYSTEM PENDING PROPOSED AMENDMENTS THERETO; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
Executive Summary: The ordinance would defer administration of the growth management system until the Land Development Code is amended but no later than December 31, 2016.
Body
Legislative History
The residential Growth Management Allocation system was adopted in May 1996 and is now Chapter 1211 of the Land Development Code. An Annual Review Report and an ordinance establishing the residential development allocation for the impending allocation period have been approved by Council every year since then.
Purpose & Explanation
One recommendation of the recently adopted Comprehensive Plan Update is “review and evaluate the Growth Management Residential Allocation System to balance continued management of new residential development with increased flexibility and responsiveness to market demands”. Population growth was not an important factor in the 2015 Comprehensive Plan; however, it was in the 2004 plan update. A recommendation of the 2004 plan was to limit the number of residential permits to moderate the pace of population growth to no more than 1.0 percent to 1.5 percent annually. To that end staff will recommend an ordinance that would accomplish the following:
1. Activate the growth management system only when certain population and residential development growth factors are exceeded.
3. These factors and other development measures would be documented in a report to be presented to Council annually.
4. Growth management allocations would not be required when the growth management system is not activated.
4. Section 1211 of the Land Development Code should be revised to include the above, the mechanisms for activating the growth management system when a growth factor is met, the schedule of growth management applications and allocations, and otherwise as may be advisable.
The proposed ordinance would defer administration of the system until the growth management section of the LDC is amended accordingly. The amendment and annual report will be completed by the end of the year.
Staff predicts residential growth will remain stable for the foreseeable future, with the possible exception of the Downtown Phase II project, and that the City’s infrastructure will not be adversely affected by new residential development, including the build out of the Reserve at River Oaks and development of Phase II. We note that City population growth is flat and the school population has decreased, the number of allocations issued and used has remained steady for many years, no new major residential projects have been proposed except for downtown Phase II, review of recently approved projects has assured adequate infrastructure, and the number of allocations approved in recent years was established so as not to impede residential growth.
Timing Considerations
The ordinance should be approved at the earliest date possible as drafting the annual report and recommendation would normally have been well underway by this time.
Fiscal Impact
Currently Budgeted
Supplemental Appropriation Required
X Appropriation Not Required.
Recommendation
Suggested Action
Staff recommends adoption of the ordinance and declaring an emergency.
Submitted by,
Jane Howington, City Manager
Mark Richardson, Community Development Director