Spartanburg Comprehensive Plan

[Historyguy]

We are waiting on the consultant to add the two elements that got missed in the initial draft - state law changed to require a resiliency element in 2020, after they had started to work.  Additionally, there was one more that got missed.  So there had to be some negotiating.  The commission could have put it forward with the missing elements, but some people who spoke at the hearing were upset at some typos in the document and wanted it to be edited, and also wanted an implementation plan.  So those were being fixed.  It is on the Planning Commission's agenda for this week - it is a standing item on the agenda each month (there was no meeting in August.)  

The staff always gives an update at each planning commission meeting as to where they are in the process of getting all of those questions addressed - and also about plans to begin updating the zoning ordinance, which is the first major step toward implementation.  I hope the 2022 comprehensive plan can be approved in 2022!  

[camtology]

23 hours ago, westsider28 said:

What has happened to this plan?  There has been no mention of it for months.  Nothing on the CC or PC agendas.  We cannot let this fall through the cracks!  This is a hugely important document to the future of the City.  It must be passed ASAP, so we can move on to the important task of rewriting the zoning code, before we get a rush of poorly-designed development.  It is so important to creating the safe, walkable, and green (climate-wise and tree-wise) City that we need moving forward!

This is something I've been thinking for a few weeks now, I thought it might've passed over the summer since I wasn't here in Spartanburg,  but it would be very concerning for all city boards to just forget about the entire plan

[Historyguy]

On 9/13/2022 at 11:54 AM, camtology said:

This is something I've been thinking for a few weeks now, I thought it might've passed over the summer since I wasn't here in Spartanburg,  but it would be very concerning for all city boards to just forget about the entire plan

The city staff can't just forget about it - first, they've paid a lot of money to the consultants to draft it, and two, having a comp plan is a legal requirement to be able to enact zoning.  I get the sense that council, the staff, and certainly the planning commission are irritated that it's dragged out.  However,  there was also public pressure this summer to get it right rather than to get it fast.  I'd rather get it right, and also have some idea of how to implement it.  

[Spartan]

Yeah, it's going to be a few more months before it gets adopted. I have no intel on the schedule, but adding a new section not only requires work, but likely  requires some extra cash to add the scope and potentially council or City Manager approval for the new contract. It takes time for these things to happen, for work to get started, to determine how/if new public engagement is needed, etc. But rest assured that they've spent a good bit of money on this plan, and it's a really good plan. They won't abandon it.

[westsider28]

Updated timeline from last night's Planning Commission meeting: consultants should have the new plan (with previously missing items now included) to City staff in December, public engagement in January, Planning Commission approval in February, and CC approval and adoption in March.  Fingers crossed there won't be any more significant delays.  The most important stuff comes after Comp Plan adoption: implementation (i.e. zoning update).

[westsider28]

The updated final draft of the Comprehensive Plan is here:  website (w/exec summary)     direct PDF link to full document

It will be presented to the Planning Commission at their February 16 and March 16 meetings, and (assuming approval) will go before City Council at their April 10 meeting.