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Home My WebLink About750443 RESOLUTION WHEREAS, pursuant to law, the Board of County Commissioners, Weld County, Colorado, is vested with the responsibility of administering the affairs of Weld County, Colorado, and WHEREAS, the Board has adopted a comprehensive plan covering all of the unincorporated area of Weld County, Colorado, and WHEREAS, the City of Longmont, Boulder County, Colorado, has adopted a comprehensive plan to guide the harmonious development of the City and its environs, and has submitted such plan to the Board for approval, and WHEREAS, the Board has studied said comprehensive plan of the City of Longmont, Boulder County, Colorado, and has determined that same appears to be in harmony with and complimentary to the existing Weld County comprehensive plan. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of County Commissioners, Weld County, Colorado, that the City of Longmont, Boulder County, comprehensive plan (also known as the St. Vrain Valley Plan), copy of which is attached hereto and made a part hereof by reference, be, and it hereby is approved as to form. The above and foregoing resolution was, on motion duly made and seconded, adopted by the following vote on the 11th day of February, A.D. , 1975. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WELD COUNTY, COLORADO f7lr/^- ATTEST. ``— z Weld County Clerk and Recorder and Clerk to the Board BY cc J Deputy County Clerk APPROV>?D AS TQ FORM: �ounty Attorney PLOCS r1 750443 ra 7,60g5 BEFORE THE WELD COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION OF RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Moved by John Weigand that the following resolution be introduced for passage by the Weld County Planning Commission : Be it therefore resolved by the Weld County Planning Commission that the following be recommended to the Board of County Commissioners : To approve the concept of the Longmont Comprehensive Plan with the stipulation that, (a) any possible conflicts of our Transportation Plan be cleared up; and (b) any changes in their prime urbanized growth area be reviewed by this agency before final approval . STA E OF COLORA ss. COUNTY OF WE-1.1) r Ilea w+ta tne: Cs ark of the ooard 01 County Cor,.ro.scion rs JAI` 7 9 ,:.:75 COUNTY CLuw AN41 NeCOP BY .Der'ut' • Motion seconded by Glenn Anderson Vote : For Passage Abstain Against J. Ben Nix Glenn Anderson John Weigand Marge Yost Elmer Rothe The Chairman declared the motion passed and ordered that a certified copy of this Resolution be forwarded with the file of this case to the Board of County Commissioners for further proceedings . CERTIFICATION OF COPY I , Linda Jose , Recording Secretary of the Weld County Planning Commission , do hereby certify that the above and foregoing Resolution is a true copy of the Resolution of the Planning Commission of Weld County , Colorado , adopted on December 3, 1974 and recorded in Book No . 4 of the proceedings of the said Planning Commission . Dated the 21st day of January 1975 e etary �) t i l,' � / �J • ' ' f,1, ,°.., -ff2 ., r�� ' a = �' c , "`, , _'�iYsh , , 1» -.• SNIMMIll 7I ` )J1 , f 1� ,a �-' 5' i l V , } ylti wF+l/1{�1r3 _ill • 7 ' . . e \ Ae. . I - -1, ile'' =ICC °"'"°n Z 71 ....„._, SUMMARY ... ...E. _,.. , REPORT ., , ,... ,,,,,.._ , ,,,..7.,,,, ,, I g --,, I A •L,,,.. ‘,.____. VRAIN VALLEY PLAN ST. SUMMARY REPORT OCTOBER I, 1974 THE PREPARATION OF THIS REPORT WAS FINANCED IN PART, THROUEH AN UREAN PLANNING GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF MODEMS E UREAN DEVELOPMENT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 701 OF THE HOUSING ACT OF IEE4, AS AMENDED LONG RANGE PLANNING LONGMONT PLANNING COMMISSION DEPARTMENT ED OWORAK -chairman KEN DELL - director TOM BROCK BILL TRIMM LEN BURNS TED WELLS HARRY HOLMES BRENT BEAN RUTH RODRIQUEZ DAN SPIKE JIM WILBUR STEPHEN HANSON EARL WINTER PAM ATWOOD TOM Mc COY ST. VRAIN VALLEY LAND USE PLAN - SUMMARY REPORT - Table of Contents Introduction 1 Policies Planning 2 The Planning Process 2 Goals and Objectives 3 Long Range Planning Goals 3 Urban Design 3 Environmental Management 3 Planned Growth 4 Economic Development 4 Transportation 4 Residential Development 4 Commercial Development 4 Industrial Development 4 St. Vrain Valley Plan Elements 4 The Land Use Element 5 The Neighborhood Concept 7 The Commercial District Concept 7 The Community Facility/Utility Element 9 The Circulation Element 11 The Physiographic Element 12 The Economic and Demographic Element 14 Employment Projections 14 Population Projection 15 Land Use Projections 17 Neighborhood Holding Capacities 18 Prime Urbanized Area 19 The Land Use Plan 22 Land Use Proposal 22 Land Use Policies 23 Residential Development Policy 23 Commercial Development Policy 24 Central Business District Policy 24 Neighborhood Commercial Development Policy 24 Highway Commercial Development Policy 24 Industrial Development Policy 24 Open Space Policy 25 Utility Service Area Policy 26 Flood Plain Policy 27 Growth Guidance Policy 27 Urban Development Policy 28 Areas Demanding Additional Study 29 Land Use Plan Amendment Criteria 30 Amendment Criteria 31 Plan Updating 31 Implementation Tools 32 Zoning Ordinances 32 Building Codes 33 Subdivision Regulations 33 Capital Improvement Programming 33 A SUMMARY REPORT OF THE ST. VRAIN VALLEY PLAN This report represents a summary of background information developed in accordance with a long-range planning process. This background infor- mation primarily refers to the functional and essential components of the St. Vrain Valley Plan; namely the goals, the land use plan, and the policies. This report is not to be construed as the St. Vrain Valley Plan, but instead as an intermediary document which exists as a link between the Background Report and the actual plan. Broadly, this report should be used as a general summary of the information that has been formulated to pro- duce the St. Vrain Valley Land Use Plan. INTRODUCTION The St. Vrain Valley Plan has been developed as a guideline to properly manage the inevitable growth that will occur within the St. Vrain Valley. The intent of the Plan is to obtain an efficient and realistic balance be- tween existing and projected land uses and the facilities and utilities neces- sary to serve such uses. In effect, the intent is directly related to pro- moting, protecting, and providing for the general welfare which includes the community's health, safety, morals, convenience, comfort, as well as adequate provisions for transportation, water, sewer, energy, urban amenities and aes- thetics. The St. Vrain Valley Plan has been developed with the intention that it be construed as "comprehensive, general , and long range" . "Comprehensive" since it encompasses all geographic areas of the community and all functional elements which bear on physical development. "General " since it outlines policies and proposals and does not indicate specific locations or detailed regulations. And "long-range" since it looks beyond the foreground of pressing current issues to prospective problems and possibilities 10 to 15 years in the future. POLICIES PLANNING Planning for what? This is perhaps the most important community question facing the people of Longmont and its surroundings. In acknowledgement of this, the task of the Long Range Planning Com- mission has been to first determine "where we are going" and then to determine "how we get there". In view of this task, the Commission and Staff have supported the use of a concept known as "Policies Planning". Quite briefly, this concept involves the determination of rational goals, the formulation of realistic land use proposals based upon the goals, and finally, the de- velopment of reasonable policies to guide in the implementation of the land use proposals. THE PLANNING PROCESS Adhering to this concept of "policies planning" , the Staff developed a comprehensive planning process designed to guide the development of the compre- hensive land use plan. The planning process is a continually recurring phenomenon of evaluating community interest, attitudes, and values and establishing goal statements; then conducting urban land studies, and drawing on these goals and studies to fashion an integrated and balanced set of land use proposals ; and finally recommending policies designed to guide in the implementation of the land use proposals. The process chart on the following page indicates the con- tinuing nature of the process. The process, as exhibited in figure I , should not be considered as a simple outline to follow in the development of a land use plan, but instead, should be considered as a cyclical model used frequently to develop goals, proposals, and policies necessary for the orderly physical development of the planning area. -2- SINIIIINNIMINIMM.IMMONIII. .. .tr A w.«+n ... c`.w a'a •A -n ♦ • . < ,pr y ....::.. ... Cr . Ai -- C r. ..:-.. ..-z-.0.:79:. ..r rf t rr .1.14: ..i b N Vi N w N a.3 -. r .-' A A Ai. err e t� rt a -4-.1:0 a ^s -'- m a.... 0:atorn ` t a g a -°. O i+ "r b .s. '$ «.m -•.gypj. a. f.0 :1".: • ..,5 ••• > •••00;..4*-- .••:.7.:Sii4i.i.141.±.•:•Z•,k -'i•apt•-44.:a••g•:•*4.:::• f:-;:it'a g 3.-"'". .,j A 'T ' • .:::.,:*., 'V 4^ to Lam' !M .-4'l.Cppt F K -:.•:•0:-. •::]•••:::•::,.:::,,..:i.,,, .�r. naa ! a..!' tP - C9`AF. h `W b N i , 'C p . .y4 . "r!>at • . 10 t a a k'r r::r!$ {y fii'6gY H_4...**: a a r # �rAf...+Ar'S' ^_ f^r4 W to ro• CJ N V "A..:.... A:l c Z .71 cla�t. 'S 4+ n,i t7.--a- t M"�'` rM 4M 0. NAG "AA 4'j 11`h�r7 Joi,:•.,„,&.,,SA4 �" w Y 4 °x`k 4.w +k ♦ ._k' S p 744 #fit ..,4,.. S©©p•.4..-:"+"::,:, V! V I gk b i 'yi` a rx ^ � S1: a a ,' . 4r A t h t't M . 3 r r q4 4.19,;707-77;4:44t..71:17"3•••....:.::::: : rill"�7, i1�� r FA D.CF .t7'A/ •tts i y . A+ Z QE, .ALAI '� ! `fly'-,$, n 4 $ . v' A '"?'''';`••'" '�'t�< . a"• i, -'k rt is M 'Nis rt " • s 10 w �y c mM. # 'wa o� +7f • flt �} 5': a �` �4 8s '.II x Y, Wa` a �'4�i" NNh "�S+�;w �`•'�� `' 2> t0f F t -."•` ,4'.. `•"3 S v�s x ''r a" , s +- • d r•Ja 0.� r a 7`4 ew ? ! a4 r bra 7�aak p)iyyY J '.I:. .j'CJ AaFy µ ; ..:•...j.,,:::::,,.:,•,••••,..:. ,...,,,;;„.„.t....-.. 5C,: t 5 4 M Y _ A , GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The planning staff views planning as a series of related actions and decisions organized around and moving toward the accomplishment of goals. The goals themselves are viewed as the cornerstone of the long range plan- ning process since they form the framework for private and public decision- making. In view of this planning definition and philosophy, the Staff and Commission were of the opinion that due to the importance of goal orientation in the planning process and their relative effect upon future planning pro- posals and policies, that the citizens of the community should be given the opportunity to voice their attitudes, values, and interests concerning the destiny of their community. The Commission therefore developed a question- naire concerning the community's values related to future land use development, growth management, new approaches to planning and zoning, as well as questions concerning the existing level of community facility and utility service provided by the City. The 27% return (approximately 3900 questionnaires) was evaluated and then formulated into meaningful goal statements. The Commission also evaluated goal statements of the Denver Regional Council of Governments, Boulder County, and those implied in the 1972 Citizens' Advisory Long Range Planning Commission Report. The goals that were formulated to give guidance and direc- tion to "what we are planning for" are listed below. LONG RANGE PLANNING GOALS URBAN DESIGN To develop a compatible and functional system of land uses. To promote the orderly and functional growth of residential neighborhoods designed around and working toward the objectives of social and in- come balance. To preserve and/or enhance geographical areas of com- munity interest. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT To attain the widest range of beneficial uses of the area without damage to the environment, risk to health or safety, or other unde- sirable and unintended consequences. -3- PLANNED GROWTH To plan, guide and accommodate a desired rate of growth of the planning area; to ensure that a functional balance exists between municipal services and the potential capacities of land uses; and to evaluate future developments in terms of the impact placed upon the environment. As the City increases in size, char- acter, and complexity, to continue to promote an environment which provides satisfaction to all groups of citizens, while offering new possibilities to enlarge their interests and meet their needs. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT To plan and guide a healthy, well-balanced and broad based economic atmosphere by encouraging a system of stable land uses and offer- ing adequate employment opportunities to the citizenry. TRANSPORTATION To promote a safe and efficient system of transportation modes designed to serve the overall needs of the community. RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT To provide aor a sufficient quantity of housing to the extent that an efficient equilibrium exists between the need for, and the supply of, housing. To encourage residential development practices which offer innovative designs, neighborhood identifi- cation, a balance of quality housing types, and overall interesting places in which to live. COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT To promote various types of shopping districts that suffici- ently serve the needs of neighborhoods for convenience-type goods and services, the needs of the community for vehicular oriented goods and services, and the needs of the overall trade area for general business , governmental , service, and cultural activities. To em- phasize the central business district as the dominant commercial feature of the planning area. To ensure that commercial develop- ments are compatible and harmonious with surrounding land uses. INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT To plan and guide desirable industrial development within the cor- porate limits that is consistent with the overall growth policies of the City. To provide land in well defined industrial locations and to ensure that it is harmonious and compatible with surrounding land uses. ST. VRAIN VALLEY PLAN ELEMENTS With the goals giving directional guidance for future land use planning proposals, the Long Range Planning Commission then approached the next step -4- in the planning process which was concerned with the determination of the nature of the urban setting. This task is associated with the Urban Studies phase of the planning process which relates to data compilation, evaluation, and analysis in terms of environmental and cultural phenomena. This is a crucial stage in the process since to effectively plan for the future one must have a working knowledge of the existing conditions of land use, community facilities and utilities, the urban economy, transportation systems, and finally the capa- bility of the land itself to support various forms of land uses. In accordance with the importance of the Urban Studies phase, the Staff developed various Plan Elements which dealt with the above concerns as reflected through the goal statements. These Plan Elements contain the full technical background data developed to show past trends, current conditions, and future expectations of land use patterns, community facility and utility capacity levels, economic vitality, and physiographic phenomena. Throughout the Summary Report these elements are referred to in general , however, in some cases, the reader may desire to investigate the technical data relating to the specific element. In these cases, the Summary Report refers to pages and sections of the Background Report where more detailed information can be obtained. THE LAND USE ELEMENT The Land Use Element was the first study conducted to determine the nature of the urban setting. The first phase of the element is concerned with an inventory and distribution of land use throughout the City. The purpose of this element is to a) provide information on existing development pat- terns and past land use trends, b) to provide a basis for the projection of future land use quantities and c) to evaluate the effectiveness of present land use controls. To meet the objectives of purpose "a" above, the method employed was to collect quantitative data relevant to every land parcel within the City. -5- This data was then summarized and compared to land use statistics compiled in 1961 to interpret relevant land use trends. Table 1 shows this com- parison for both the developed area and total city areas. A detailed ex- planation of the land use trends can be found in the Land Use Element be- tween pages 17 and 31 . Relating to purposes "b" and "c" above, the Land Use Element was then directed to the analysis of existing land use conditions which also evaluated the effectiveness of existing zoning controls. Based on these analyses , which identified existing uses, misuses, and non-uses, land use recommen- dations were made to either preserve or improve the condition in the future. To make the recommendations more appropriate and meaningful , they were de- veloped in light of two important planning concepts prescribed to by the Com- mission. -6- to i dt' y ' ^k 1. 1 e ' y 14%1 d n till, ., i", 'Kaar tx4$. , , ,.rr ,M :h 1;' 4 N N N . aO' O+ n M. M .O tp £ gcl- 1/4O O O7 CO CO A 0 to W N M (41. ' Or . ° V V r, *Cr M e'•' t0 • N re, Q .� N VN 't { ,� r• a f,.; t}' h tO to M N N O DR ., 3R t0 ,-,."1,. gain �r, a r t�ri p �-O f . ' S�" x y r,{rL '"gfk 9711 o a. �y,' 9'+� , . J: . . 1 sC r O \.0 1/4O N. C .— NY' N CO r• t0 V 0 I- "" ' . O Cr, .- ,. N M . . N r- O . 0 N t0 a7 0.0 .-' a) C1/4 _ M i .- N \O W O (Si et N N N. 42') ,�� N O U)�p I M M O (Si N O p r tO M I- C b M ,.... O .,Q N'1 "- c M s rt v N h t(y� t� ��pp ,.� i+- ..'+ N N O7 Oc A. CO T P'? O tO Z"' g ' - . �t} � t A n' -� N r^ tat)) . 1� C) a1 a tO ` r r r . ��pp e','- a' A >., L R t0 OO 00 . O1 i1' M - tO O ✓„ .: v LA ' C at W . VN O CO O a Co, M J C 1/4O a) v Gam'\ O) N tO CO v ON O O r �I M r' N of M N M M M GZ M y 9- (".1 0 .-- O C7% C1/41 N. (Si O O 0 O is O e-, N N. a, N. at M O 0 W _ at N N NO M •- (SitO N O 0. O • O tO M t.,y J a1 14: CO N ct N. N . C NI O N t0 COOp O tCV i� .QO �tApq N N M M O N N (Si O q .n , tl�Y C 0 Y a V >, u 2 E e— .— it, n0 E 05 b C la. C .•-• 0 WW x Li i in Q. rn L)) W y W ,n Cn c L EE L W S. .y G d .- O C A u�u L C +i N N q i.e.; C I U r d t/f O N Co a 2 O �' • The first concept is the Neighborhood Planning Concept which infers that practical planning is most easily achieved when large communities are broken down into manageable planning areas or neighborhood planning units. The neighborhood serves as a practical tool for determining the need for local facilities such as elementary schools, parks and playgrounds and the neighborhood shopping centers. All these facilities should be located within convenient and safe walking distance of residential living areas which they serve. Of equal importance is the concept of the neighborhood as a basis for citizen participation. Traditionally, the neighborhood was described as an ideal sized elemen- tary school district, surrounded by major thoroughfares, rather than inter- sected by them, and within a convenient walking distance of the elementary school building, situated upon a common green (neighborhood park) which would become the community center and focal point of neighborhood activity. It was introduced to recognize a fundamental limitation concerning the size of an area and the number of people who would effectively fit together and ac- tively participate in matters that affected them individually and as neighbors. The planning staff and Commission view the neighborhood (and the concept thereof) as imperative when planning for the orderly growth of the physical and social characteristics of the entire community. To be sure, the land use projections that appear later within this report have been planned for separate neighborhoods that when combined form the land use plan for Longmont and the immediate surroundings. To fully relate the ingredients that form a neigh- borhood, a brief discussion of neighborhood characteristics is presented below. Depending upon the size of a neighborhood which varies considerably due to a mixture of residential density patterns, the land area should be large enough to support land uses directed toward serving the educational , cultural , recreational and commercial needs of the residents living within the neighborhood. When several of these associated land uses are clustered near the center of the neighborhood where access can be gained safely and efficiently, they are referred -7- to as "activity generators" since they encourage social interaction among the residents. Activity generators are a vital ingredient to any func- tional neighborhood since they represent the focal point for the overall neighborhood. In addition, to preserve the unifying residential character of neighborhoods, realistic boundaries are of prime concern. Boundaries have been delineated to represent logical service areas of cultural uses as well as to promote and ensure residential character. Examples of phenomena that should bound and give distinction to neighborhoods are principal arterial streets, railroad tracks, overt topographical changes and rivers. For a more detailed explanation of the neighborhood criteria, the reader is directed to the Land Use Element of the Urban Studies section. in the Background Report. Complementing the Neighborhood Planning Concept is the Commercial District Planning Concept. This concept has been developed from the relationship of. certain commercial land uses to the automobile. Broadly, the concept involves determining the functions of commercial establishments and then planning those uses for specific commercial districts of the City. The Staff has characterized these major commercial districts as the central business district, the highway- oriented commercial district, and the neighborhood commercial district. These three districts have separate and meaningful functions of a) providing for the overall general commercial , finance, public administration, and personal and professional needs of the entire City and surrounding area; b) providing for those commercial features that serve highway-oriented needs of the local citi- zenry as well as those travelling through the community and are oriented to- ward an interdependence with a major transportation route; and c) providing for day-to-day convenience-type goods and services for residents of surrounding neighborhoods. -8- With these two concepts representing a basis for local planning, the Staff then established specific areas for land use analysis (which later synthesized into neighborhoods) and began the task of analyzing, evaluating, and recommending various land uses for each neighborhood in the City and surrounding area. It is not the intent of this summary report to restate the details of the analysis. However, due to its importance in determining the rationale underlying the land use proposals, the reader is directed to pages 40-99 of the Land Use Element of the Background Report. THE COMMUNITY FACILITY/UTILITY ELEMENT In order to formulate realistic, reasonable, and rational land use proposals, it is necessary to gain a working understanding of the nature of the services furnished by the City to its citizens. Since all land uses re- quire general services, and consequently, place demands upon those ser- vices, it is imperative to maintain current inventories of the capacity of those services in relation to the land uses which they are intended to serve. Examples of community facilities and utilities include sewer, water and electric utilities as well as fire, police, public schools, and park and recreation facilities. When considering the nature of the community facilities and utilities two considerations become apparent. First is the quantity of service. In- volved here is the capacity of utilities and facilities relative to the de- mands placed upon the various systems by land uses and population. This is an extremely important consideration when planning future land uses since with future uses and population come future demands on these facility and utility systems. The other consideration of community facilities and utilities deals with the quality of service offered to the community. When unmanaged , new growth can have detrimental impacts on the quality of services provided to existing developments. Although, the most widespread criticism has been gen- -9- erated in areas of traffic congestion, air, water, and solid waste pollution, as well as a loss of a "sense of community" , of major importance is the re- duction in existing levels of sewer, water, electric, fire and police protec- tion. To ensure that the growth in the Longmont area does not decrease the quality of service, the City administration must undertake a capital improve- ment program to furnish improvement projects and to coordinate the rate of improvement projects with the rate of private physical development. In addition, the adopted Urban Design goal should be used as a guideline in developing the intent of this program. In summary, land use planning can take many forms, however, the primary consideration inherent in all forms is the proper balance between the quan- tity of supply and the population intended to be served. For this purpose, the following rated supply schedule is exhibited in figure II and illustrates the existing conditions (in terms of balance and imbalance) of the facilities and utilities inventoried. For additional inventory and future improvements explanation, the reader is referred to the "Community Facilities and Utilities Element" of the Back- ground Report. -10- +3 I C 7 0 O.V E in O 0 0 i-, O_ > > s. C V 0 i 0 O 3 00 -p +0J V) 0.E o o 0 0 O +7a 0 tO C •-+ 0 Co) O N 0 I r E O 1- O n 0 N u') III O I I 4-) ++ 0M 0 Kt N ICI 4-) en W r C DC N N +, > it s.e0 0 V V V V 0 0_ C a Qa C >, c .C • E E E E +N, c 4-) 0 0 0 4-, 0 0 0 0 0 C Nol- •U O N E E C 3 O_ O CJ O O V 0 L a0O (0 w in+) > O C C C C 7 i U la)J tO Q O N 0V' C 0r 0 O O O O N ¢ I Q OC 0.in V rE.C. r .0 0 V VW CD 0 en V O en R3 W _ I-- C C C in r V v t0 it CO RI N 7 N 00 X X X X 0 0. >- 0 +, n W W W W Z 0_ a O W O VD in C N. U) to n >, +3 O_ I- E ++ n CO N. N. n n I a 0. to 0, O, a1 a, a1 01 I V Wto E 0 r- •r r r r C N N 0 0 y N I- I-. +a, L 3 1-.4 a. lb'4- •U 34. 3t'. 44 3E 34 38 8E 2E dF 0_ # F- 0 ICI0 0 e V 0 n M Cr) tO O O O. W t0 tO N 01 0 01 CO Cr \ bR .1 r r1"-• >- V t~+ G V it 3 3 I-r J a 0 3 it it 3 t-r ,.r E > 3 +t 3 it 3 U i it N N in 3 W Q X 0 0 +-, +-, 4.) 3 0 CCOO lt. RS N 0 0 0 0 0 N N O. FQ- • t V O 0 0 0 t0 7 7 7 a. M Y +J Y CO +J +, 0 CJ O \ W) N N - O U tU Ct U) it) 0 — 0 0- 0 r 0 tQ ct �0t1 O e o 0 a O r\ N O W L. 0 0 0 0 U) N N N I-- o_ 0. M ro w e W >) aa 01 43 r N 0 0 V in in cn a. ac a. it 43 b it 43 +) Y in O M a 0 3 V V 0 0 0 N N p, 2 h \ t 0 t0 0 0 V V V 0 0 Q Cl >, 0 01 i L 7 7 J i i417 r +, ct E 0 0 0 +3 +•J +-t U U 3 0 r N E a V V Cif) N N Q Q # t-+ b U) N to •N •N O et M 00 M F-cn a 0. _ c c et tO 0 op U) 0 --r 7 V cri a— 04 M 0 U in N N X r W V 0 C C R) 1- .C 1- +, r 0 E0 +-8 R7 O) 0 >, 0 4 as 0 0 C t ..0C •7 t0 a E 0 O) E 0 0 al U • •r E in S.. S... U r 0 S. 0 0 C r F- h •r >, W N in Z V a 0 •r S- 5- U r al-r 0 0 NU i 0 r N rqeQ..0Ls. U) .= W J W 2 O . C 0�,J 5- 0 or- N a. 1 r .r 't THE CIRCULATION ELEMENT The City Traffic Engineer in conjunction with the Transportation Ad- visory Committee has developed a long-range circulation plan for the City and surrounding area. The long-term objective of the plan is to provide for increased use of mass transit as well as bicycle and pedestrian modes of transportation without conflicting with the increase in private vehicles which is considered as inevitable for the foreseeable future. The method employed in the plan is to design a transportation network that uses the existing facilities as a base while improving and altering the system to minimize costs and disruption to the community. Also implied in the plan is provision for the private automobile, while expanding and improving alternate methods of transportation aimed at de-emphasizing the auto- mobile. The transportation plan is designed to serve forecasted vehicular needs through existing transportation arteries and necessary improvements to them. The plan designates three classes of major transportation arteries - the principal arterial , the minor arterial , and the collector. The principal arterial functions as the major transportation route which carries rather high volumes of traffic into and through the City from outlying areas. This type of street should bound and thus give definition to City neighborhoods. In addition, the principal arterial system should carry im- portant intra and inter-city bus routes. The minor arterial functions as the main feeder street that collects high volume traffic from major arterials and disburses it to neighborhoods. Since street type is considered as a high level collector, it provides for both private property access as well as local traffic movements within and through residential neighborhoods, commercial areas and industrial areas. The collector street is a lower level system than the minor arterial and is designed to channel traffic from minor arterials to destinations within -11 - neighborhoods. Conversely, it also collects traffic from local streets within neighborhoods and channels it into the arterial systems. In terms of function then, this street type serves to distribute traffic within and between neighborhoods while providing for private property access. Bicycle paths and route planning are presently being developed by the Planning Staff. The bikeways are planned for necessary origins and destina- tions of existing and future trips. They are planned to exist on local streets and paths offset on collector, minor and principal arterials. Im- plied in the bicycle paths that exist within the same corridor as vehicles, is the notion of similar origin/destination characteristics as well as joint maintenance. Also planned is a major bike corridor which loops the City. This represents a recreational and commuter combination facility. Underlying the bicycle intent is the factual realization that no longer is the bicycle simply a toy, but instead, a necessary and functional mode of transportation that must warrant the same careful planning as other transportation facilities. THE PHYSIOGRAPHIC ELEMENT The elements concerned with land use, community facilities and utilities, and transportation are considered as cultural aspects according to the planning process. Discussed in the cultural aspects are the processes of urban manage- ment. As an illustration, the land use element presented analyses and recom- mendations on functional and dysfunctional land uses; on density; on direction; and on the role of man' s urban uses of the land. The Community Facilities/ Utilities and Circulation Elements concern themselves with adequate and func- tional services to man's environment. These elements, however, do not directly concern themselves with the capability of the natural environment to support br co-exist with the human environments. Just as the human environment is involved in processes of reproduction, learning and interaction, the natural environment is also considered to con- sist of processes. These processes relate to changes over time of land forms, -12- animal life, climate, and vegetation and are in themselves either separate or integrated natural processes. Realizing that an interdependant relationship exists between man and the land and accepting the importance of achieving a proper balance be- tween these two processes, the planning staff has developed a Physiographic Element. The purposes of this element are to: a) identify the major on-going natural processes in the planning area, b) evaluate the natural processes as to detrimental or positive relationships with the human environment, and c) delineate areas which, from an environmental view, present various de- grees of limitations to urban developments. Quite broadly, it is to examine mans' place in nature. The underlying intent of the physiographic element is not specifically to prohibit development in areas of environmental conflict, but instead, to identify the potential problems related to urbanization so that they may be given professional on-site evaluation prior to possible urban development. A study of this magnitude requires detailed, accurate, and relevant information for it to be of value. In other words, good judgement requires good evidence. For this reason, the natural environment was identified in terms of seven specific and definable processes. Identified as "ecosystems" , these processes were mapped as to their respective limitations, advantages, or general concerns to the urban processes of buildings, road and street de- velopment, communication, and general livability. Since the mapping and determination of the degree of limitation requires expertise related to the specific ecosystem, the Staff obtained general information from agencies that had previously collected and evaluated physiographic data. The agencies in- clude the Soil Conservation Service, United States Geological Survey, Federal Housing Administration, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administrative Office and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The ecosystems studied were soils, geologic. hazards, topography, flood plains, acquifers, vegetation, and winds. Also mapped was the concept of -13- "image" which although not an ecosystem in the true sense, does nevertheless relate to subjective constraints or attributes which deserve public attention so that they may be effectively planned for. The use of the physiographic element will perhaps best exemplify itself when new land uses are being planned. Land planners will be able to determine the capability of the natural processes to support prospective developments and thereby preclude expensive mistakes of planning densities or uses that cannot safely exist due to incompatible soil , geologic hazards, drainage, or topographic conditions. To be sure, planning fails if the cost of development comes as a surprise, and the failure is particularly painful if the cost could have been avoided by proper design techniques or choice of an equally suitable location where the natural processes were more appropriate to the use. The physiographic element is considered as a guideline that can act as the first step in removing the element of surprise from city development. In essence, it introduces an important element in land planning: the land. THE ECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC ELEMENT The next element of the plan to be undertaken was the economic and demo- graphic element. This element concentrates on the existing and forecasted economic atmosphere of the City as well as future demographic projections. The intent of the element is twofold: first, to attain an understanding of present and future economic conditions and the population which the conditions support and secondarily, since these conditions influence the amount of raw land that will go into use, to determine the projected demand for future land uses. Employment Projections To measure the present economic conditions, data revealing employment by industrial sector was analyzed to discover Longmonts' economic base. Upon investigation of the data, it was revealed that the economic base of Long- mont consisted of a service-oriented economy. That is to say that approxi- mately twice as many service-oriented jobs exist as do jobs in manufacturing, -14- construction or other non-service oriented jobs. The concept of the economic base approach holds that basic industries (those industries which produce goods and services for export outside of a defined geographic area) are the key to a regions economic strength. In addition, the approach holds that growth in basic industries will eventually be followed by growth in service- oriented (non-basic) industries. In other words, the approach means that new money can bring expansion capacity in basic lines and provide the base for growth in service lines. Based upon this approach, then, the presump- tion can be made that early growth in basic industries (within the City and throughout the Denver Metropolitan region) has resulted in additional growth in service-oriented industries. Considering the projected employment data, on the following page, it can be observed that the highest projected growth rates occur in service-oriented industrial sectors. For example, pro- fessional and related services along with public administration realizes the greatest projected increase which is characteristic of continuing Long- mont's economic base as one of a service-oriented nature. This trend is es- tablished by projection of industrial and manufacturing growth in the region. The trend may be adjusted in the future if the market place enables more basic industries to locate in Longmont than are forecasted. In order to accommodate this possibility, industrial land use projections on the Land Use Map are in excess of the projected land requirement. -15- C7 M 01 O o r L17 00 d• 1� 1D Ol Ol r- N. to N. 01 r 1.C) to M Ol al N G CO Cr) 01 10 N D> LO p1 r r' n r- LC) CO N C .0.- C LC) 10 CO O M N I-, LC) CO O Lc) C CO Ln O 01 Ca O N d N 01 d• f0 01 tO O CO I. 00 CO CO I-- I� r r ✓I r l0 1d) N r- N N 0- N S.- 0 4- O N Ln N CC) r� O N r 01 yr L CO CO O CT Ln M 01 N N.. U7 1.C) CT) Cr) O ^ N. co to r n 10 d0 0 ✓- r- al N r r- CO ITSr 41 a Ol 00 N M M O I� cT CT O ce r N N CO N. n tD Cr) d' d' 01 CO 7� N. M N t0 O CO VD dsti r r d' d' N r- r N. C r O ..- 01 4) 01 M O 1D I. O O cc d' j LC) r- O d CO 01 N Ci' ^ O N to O IP 1/40 mt 4- I-'. r-- d N r o r N N. CO N U7 N CO r l0 O O 7 N. O1 O CO N 117 CO CO 01 M N. 01 r N 10 7� r 0.0 01 CO t0 U7 •r r- r- d' Cr) N 1.'• r 4.1 N 0. C F- �" O n CO 01 CO r CI' t LO N d• O L 7r--.. d' t0 U0 l0 M Q1 r r-• CO N M N. � 1--1 01 r 01 t0 C1• O 4.1001 lO p r .- CO CO N r CO CC O U v) O Ol C71 1.C1 CT) C) CT .- 01 Lf) CC) M N �- )' 4 Z C) 8pp t0 CO 01 n CO 7 �--� O 0 r CT CJ N. LO r- O LO CO r LO 01 O N W F- I r- r CO CO N V) 4- J (-) ^ 41 Q• 7 Z LO .r ~ CC X ^1 cr U7 O r 7� t0 t0 d' d• 10 O1 .r- 0- C7 O 01 N LO ct LO O CO C71 .-- r-- Z 01 O (11 to 7. 01 LC) 00 O Lc) N .)..• O r r M N r r r Z _I W U L •r CO CO d 1� CO 01 M r Ln r C) CO N. ^ 1] .J N. N T..... C71 CI CO U7 I. Ol lac) to d d• 01 O 1f) .:7r- 0- y W N C L -.- CV St) Lc) 7� f` co N CI 01 t` Ln +-1 V) .-. 7� LO 00 1D Ol N. r CO CO LO N O 7 U (71 CO f� LC) O r� an lc) 1� LC) 0 CO•CO r .- N N r V) 'O r U MI 4) CO ? C /0 C r 01 LC) N 01 N 1c) L) Cr) N O S" O 4-) O Is.... CO N CT N 01 CO N O1 LO CO 4) •r V) Z 01 1\ LC) LO CO lO d l0 10 U7 i� 4)Ill 4) 4-) W r r- 01 .-- Ti b I--. N -0'O rtf U r !n r tt3 4) i-.r b 4) a s- 4-) I- C 4) r- 710 JOC C s- C71 CO l0 10 CO U7 M 01 N. d c)r-r E 0 O CO r 01 r-• tO N. O M N 10I O•r- E ^•r N 0~1 N.. N LO to 1O 'Cr 1.0 tO u) CA S- C O •1d 4-)0 4) � J r- N r- )'-' c Z'13 0 C L C U ro4-) I. 1 ) -O O J•r- L CT C7 b C C Cr- C•r V) C +-1 4) O d• N. Ts.. 01 CT 01 Ln tO 10 N 0 •i••i c (0 -,C.E J >= l0 10 r- tO U'1 • C0 O 01 N M U7 '--) al ct 1n M to O N N N LC) N 4-) 7 7 0 4) 4) V -0 4) r `� U U 01 /0 O 4)¢ i-' L• L '0 rt7 v) v) 0. U U C) }i 4-4- 4) 4) V) C .r 1.- I VI J J 4- r C )0 r W (1) C C C O O R) C.O L u C) CL. ZI--Wao • CC . QC 1...tO --I 4) r- Ctl CO d U7 10 r--.. CD 01 Fd- rC') Mc LO *110 * CO 01 CI 0 T F.• �I Population Projection An assumption underlying the demographic projections is that Longmont is expected to realize certain population increases which are in part a result of increases in employment within the City and also the Denver Metro- politan region. The following table exhibits the annual projected population as well as natural increase and in-migration. TABLE III POPULATION PROJECTIONS - Longmont, Colorado* 1973 YEAR POPULATION IN-MIGRATION NATURAL INCREASE 1970 23,209** 1802 255 1971 25,266 2002 277 1972 27,545 2219 302 1973 30,066 2467 330 1974 32,863 2744 361 1975 35,968 1588 395 1976 37,951 1693 417 1977 40,061 1806 440 1978 42,307 1930 465 1979 44,702 2061 491 1980 47,254 -- - 1935 56,664 -- - 1990 68,155 * Source: The Institute of Regional Research and Planning, Fort Collins, Colo. **Source: 1970 Census of Population. -16- Land Use Projections From the preceding discussion, the make-up of Longmont' s economy, con- sidered in terms of the extent of economic activity and population which it supports, influences the amount of land that is projected to go into use. Based on this information, the quantitative land demand has been projected ac- cording to each major land use category and is tabulated in relation to the existing amount of vacant land. Table IV illustrates the projected demand for four major land use cate- gories to 1990. The projections are based upon per capita ratios of various land uses to area and then projected to 1990 according to forecasted popula- tion figures. Through this method, annual as well as cumulative acres are projected. From the following table it can be seen that 4411 acres are projected to be required to accommodate the land use projected to 1990. When this figure is added to the existing 3701 developed acres, a total of 8112 acres are projected to be developed by 1990 which represents 90% of the area de- lineated on the Land Use Map as prime for urbanization. Realizing that only 10% of the land is assumed to remain in a vacant state by 1990, it is questionable that this amount of vacant land is adequate to avoid artificial inflation of land values. Therefore, assuming the popu- lation and employment growth of the next 10 to 15 years is relatively consistent with the projections, it is realistic to surmise that the areas which are pre- sently prime for urbanization may warrant expansion prior to 1990. -17- b C J C CO N. O1 U) C. C) .- r- E tO r O N 01 r C I r N N N r cl- 0 Cl d• C) N O 1O CD N N O1 O t0 1D P. U) 1O U) 1..." r- r 1O CO LC)I N U) O CO ch O1 Cr) N CO O LC) U) 10 L0 r Cr) in Q1 U7 Ct' r 1O N. r- r IS) LID Cl 1O 1O 1O Cr) L!) CO Cr) C Cr) ►-- r r N CD N C'") O1 r r co M 1O ✓- U) U) 0.1 C- 'Cr C") T.R C. I.O Ch CO C- N r r r r CC) N CT - r N Ch r-.. U) U) CO CD M N 'C}' CO N. 1O Cr) O N. N r r r 0 1O ti 'cY Z O1 r r N I- O Q r Cr U) E N O W LiJ O CC b L) O S- W Q O1 O } N O1 r N. CV N N Cr) N r L.f) LO I--1 O Z r O N. r r r r- 0 U) N N. I.-+ L) O1 r r N U) N. W O I r cf J Z O Cr J N N. C H- N O1 0 C] W r E W CY ) 1O tO N r N LO N. CO L0 1- 0.. C I'- C7 r- r- r O1 in CO N C-) )< O 01 r N N U) LLI W J r d 7 O CC C1 1OI Lf) CO 1O O1 CD Co CD CO ti l0 r-• r r In 1.0 N CO 01 r r C) O1 N r Cr) C1' 1LC) r 1.0 r 1. O1 r O O1 r r r CO r-'• CD N N N. O1 Cr) C") b CL s- < S_ fs r N al C1)>- 7 fl3 U C O O) C S- "0-I-- rcl r C Qd ft) r r C r E N.4,- •e- t6 ctf TJ t0 0 Q) >- b b }) -r or.. G 7 O b Cv W CZ) Q) C L � J En CL� Art Cr Ac 4J CL ) O O O O Cn Cv L r- J r L CLI r • b L L t C6 L +�0- • in E O > 0.1 tY (-) 0-00- N Q >- 4- 1- 0 0-O -18- Neighborhood Holding Capacities Once the demand for future land use,have been determined, the next logical step in the process is to realistically distribute the demand through- out the urbanized area. When the method of distribution concentrates on geographically delineated areas it is referred to as the "Holding Capacity" of that specific area. In the context of the St. Vrain Valley Plan, holding capacity refers to the relative capacity of an area to absorb various forms of new growth when the limitations of cultural and environmental phenomena are considered. The cultural limitations mentioned present themselves in terms of a realistic number of elementary schools, neighborhood parks, and commercial centers, and in terms of demands placed on other facilities and utilities that exist or are planned to serve the projected population and associated densities of each neighborhood. The environmental limitations consist of the "ecosystems" previously discussed in the physiographic element that represent constraints to various forms of urban developments. For example, in arriving at the holding capacity of McIntosh Neighbor- hood, many specific cultural and environmental concerns were noted. The major ones being : that much of the existing and presently expected develop- ment is fairly low density, that the area can probably only justify the existence of one elementary school , that there is already adequate comercially zoned land but it is not ideally located to serve the entire neighborhood, that poorly drained, high shrink-swell soils, which would require construction adjustments to build on, extend over much of the area, and that the area has some of the strongest image concerns found in the City, primarily involving the characteristics of view as well as McIntosh Lake itself. -18- All these factors were carefully analyzed through means of matching the optimum neighborhood population level with efficient levels of neigh- borhood services. Upon completion of the analyses, it was indicated that a low density for the neighborhood was justified in spite of the Commission's resi- dential policy to support higher density development wherever possible. It is then, the combination of the cultural and environmental phenomena that plays a determining role in the selection of residential land use densities, though, it is the eventual development of the land toward its projected capacity that will represent the ultimate holding capacity of the land. The holding capacities of each neighborhood are exhibited in Figure III . Prime Urbanized Area Over the past several years the City of Longmont has experienced a dra- matic rate of growth in terms of population and commercial and industrial ac- tivity. Such growth has placed increasing demands on both private and public facilities and services which require an affirmative comprehensive planning program to accommodate such growth in a manner consistent with both human and environmental concerns. Based on the City's historical experience and rea- sonable projections based on such experience, the City has concluded that such growth will continue and the demand for private and public facilities and services will also continue. In the face of such projected growth, the City has established certain long-range goals which should be realized as such growth takes place. A basic theme of the goals is to establish a balance be- tween population and the services and facilities necessary to serve that popu- lation. It is then necessary to establish an area within which the City will concentrate its capital improvements and service efforts. In order to move toward the attainment of such community goals, the Commission has developed the Prime Urbanized Area concept. The Prime Urbanized Area possesses the following characteristics and qualities: -19- 1 . It is a specifically described area including the existing City and areas outside the City which are contiguous to the existing city limits; 2. It is an area within which the City will expand and develop over the next ten to fifteen years and which should accom- modate the housing, commercial , industrial and public fa- cility needs of the community over such period of time; 3. The Prime Urbanized Area consists of component areas called "functional neighborhoods," which, in the judgement of the City, are crucial elements in realizing the goals established by the City; 4. The functional neighborhoods which comprise the Prime Urbanized Area are in various stages of development and should be de- veloped in accordance with the functional neighborhood criteria set forth in the Land Use Element; 5. The Prime Urbanized Area, based on projected population den- sities, has a holding capacity of approximately twice the present city population, which is expected to be attained within the next ten to fifteen years; 6. It is an area which is presently being served, or could, from an engineering standpoint, be efficiently served with exten- sions or additions to existing community facility and utility systems; 7. It is an area which, if developed, should provide improve- ments to various community facility and utility systems which will directly benefit the entire community; 8. It is an area which logically has a community of interest with the City of Longmont, is urban in nature or will be urbanized over the next ten to fifteen years, and is capable of being integrated into the City of Longmont. The above enumeration is an explanation of what the Prime Urbanized Area is. The criteria for the Prime Urbanized Area are implicit in the above explanation. The following is an explanation as to how the City will utilize the Prime Urbanized Area: 1 . By the establishment of the Prime Urbanized Area, the City, for the present, intends to consider annexations only for those areas eligible for annexation which lie within the Prime Urbanized Area. 2. The City will consider requests for City utilities only for property located within the Prime Urbanized Area. 3. By the establishment of the Prime Urbanized Area, the City is not agreeing to annex land or provide utilities to land located within the Prime Urbanized Area; requests for annex- ations and utility services will be considered consistent with the policies and regulations applicable to such requests, including the City's Land Use Plan; 4. The City will guide the development of existing and unde- veloped areas in the Prime Urbanized Area into neighborhoods consistent with the criteria established in the Land Use Element; 5. The City will develop a long-range capital improvements pro- gram and a program of public services in order to provide the necessary facilities and services demanded by the development of the Prime Urbanized Area. -20- • 1 -- �/"•� J• •, �. • - - -• 9 a » • 8 • Z 4 11 ± r t.. ; \,. ^ 6 '; ,, • -.., X441, fr. . f•" r.:" i"# r"" .�r41.”; �' -" '• err . , '-'i:. r" t$ + -, .• watie — -It '`• - ' -` ' - 0 .........• •�C s t r,• r! •"Ls: * an!fr•ania.• .•in.• eiIIII�• essa► 0 I CI ."''''IsfSir .ak O fr...I el yis 1 ...,„Li .‘,“"':Cs',e::1 ;1 : a,. fr: /I, O �- —.I--- ,. = id N * I, • g . c : rie."11-- ..----t; • ::' f g tit. 14 ..... 4:1 • -- c13 _ < .Q pt W Y l 44 cr MO SRO WI �~ Ci L o 2 � . In addition, properties within and outside the Prime Urbanized Area are affected in the following ways: 1 . Property within the Prime Urbanized Area, but outside the City, will be considered as eligible for annexation and for service from City utilities consistent with the City's policies relevant to such applications, applicable state law, and will further be considered in light of the func- tional neighborhood criteria; 2. Properties within the Prime Urbanized Area are benefitted to the extent that the City is presently undertaking a long-range plan to provide the necessary public facilities and services that will be demanded by the development and ur- banization of such areas; 3. Properties located outside the Prime Urbanized Area are deemed at this time as inappropriate for urbanization or integration within the City of Longmont; 4. Annexation to, or utility services from, the City of Longmont are not presently available to areas located outside the Prime Urbanized Area. -21 - THE LAND USE PLAN The Land Use Proposal Based upon the total projected demand for land to 1990 and the individ- ual holding capacities of each neighborhood, the next phase of the planning process involves the delineations of future land uses on the land use map. To plan future land use quantities in realistic locations , basic locational criteria were established for each major land use category and according to the criteria the land uses were then delineated on the Land Use map. For an in-depth understanding of these criteria and associated rationale, the reader is directed to the "Projection" section of the Background Report. The general categories and subcategories are listed below. Land Use Categories and Subcategories Residential Industrial Very low density Public and quasi-public Low density Open space Medium density Quasi-public High density Commercial Agricultural and other Neighborhood Highway-oriented Central business The St. Vrain Valley Land Use Plan thus represents a synthesis of the preceding environmental and cultural elements. The plan is considered as a legal document intended to be adopted by City and County decision-making bodies to be used as a guideline in making public and private land use decisions that will affect the future destiny of the community. In a sense, it represents a compromise of what the community has now and what the community would like to have in the future. -22- The Land Use Plan represents a proposal of how the land should be utilized in the future. However, to give more specific direction in the implementation of the plan, various Land Use Policies have been developed by the Long Range Planning Commission. Land Use Policies Relating back to the discussion of "Policies Planning" , it was stated that the policies act as implementing forces of the plan. In comparison with the Land Use Plan, which is general in context, the policies are relatively more specific. Whereas, the proposal sets forth general locations, the policies establish principles and precepts that guide both the public and private sectors in making logical land use decisions. To be effective, the policies should be officially adopted by public decision-making bodies. In summary, the final staSe of "Policies Planning" involves the intentions of the City and thereby serves as a day-to-day decision-making tool to guide both sectors of the community toward a rational , realistic, and meaningful destiny. The policies that have been developed by the Long Range Planning Commission exist below. Not included, however, are the background discussions of the intent of the policies along with other general information. For a more detailed dis- cussion of policy premises, the user is directed to the "Long Range Planning Policies" section of the St. Vrain Valley Plan Background Report. RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY To encourage the use of both the planned unit and conventional tract residential development patterns, since a combination of both approaches will better serve the varying housing needs of the com- munity. In addition, somewhat higher densities of dwelling units per acre than what presently exists are encouraged within new de- velopments to better utilize the limited resources associated with our urban land. To recognize the planned unit development as an innovative approach to better land utilization and to continue to examine and develop its characteristics to the extent of making it desirable to the housing market. -23- COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY Central Business District Policy To encourage a concentrated pattern of development within the Central Business District, which emphasizes intensive retail , public administrative, financial , and general business uses. The east and west Central Business District boundaries should not be expanded into adjacent neighborhoods in order to encourage development and re- development programs. To encourage both the private and public sec- tors to continue their efforts toward revitalization and redevelopment. City regulations and codes should be carefully analyzed relating to development in the Central Business District, to the extent that the regulations do not discourage redevelopment. To ensure that the Cen- tral Business District remains as the dominant commercial feature, a separate zoning category should be developed to segregate uses not functional with the Central Business District. Neighborhood Commercial District Policy To encourage a combination of "functional and multi-functional neighborhood commercial developments" that will serve neighborhood residents with goods and services of a convenience nature. The "functional neighborhood commercial shopping" facility is intended to serve only the residents of a specific neighborhood in which the shopping facility is located. The "multi-functional neighborhood shopping" facility is intended . to serve the day-to-day commercial needs of several neighborhoods and should be planned when functional neighborhood shopping" facili- ties are absent within several contiguous neighborhoods. Highway Commercial District Policy To provide for the development of highway-oriented commercial uses within appropriate commercial districts and to designate geo- graphical areas within these districts most compatible to the nature of such uses. INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY To encourage a continuation of a combined policy of a concen- trated industrial area supplemented with a limited number of dis- persed sites. Such a policy encompasses a more critical review of a particular industry's needs in regard to its locational criteria. In addition, valid criteria must be established controlling activity levels permitted and techniques used to make dispersed industrial facilities compatible with surrounding land uses. OPEN SPACE POLICY Open Space Facilities I. PARK DEVELOPMENT - To encourage development of park lands within the Longmont Planning Area into three functional types - the neighborhood, the community, and the district park. A. The Neighborhood Park - At least one neighborhood park should exist within each neighborhood to adequately serve the active and passive recreational needs of the resi- dents living within the neighborhood. A standard of 2.5 acres per every 1000 people should be used when designating ap- proximate park area. When possible, the park should be located adjacent to elementary schools and collector streets. B. The Community Park - Community parks should be designated to serve the residents of several neighborhoods with facilities such as a major recreation center as well as those facilities that cannot be functionally pro- vided within neighborhood parks. The size standard of 2.5 acres/1000 people should be used as an area guideline and the park site should be located on or near major trans- portation arteries. C. The District Park - District parks are intended to serve residents of the entire city as well as areas outside the city. This park type is characterized by large land areas of manicured and natural features and should serve conservation and wildlife interest as well as recreational needs. Land areas should be acquired according to a ratio of 5 acres/1000 people anticipated to be served and should exist on or near major transpor- tation arteries. II. GREENWAY DEVELOPMENT - Greenways are intended to be relatively narrow corridors of either publicly or privately owned open space desig- nated for passive, scenic and self-propelled transportation modes which provide linkage or connections between community activity generators and residential living units. Two types of greenways are characterized - a primary and a secondary type. (The specific locations, sizes, and other con- ditions of these greenways should be determined through negotiations between the developer and the Planning Department) . 1 . Primary greenways within newly developed areas are intended to serve various open space and self-propelled transportation functions. They should provide for bicycle and pedestrian movement as well as open space to meet positive human needs. Primary greenways should be located in such a manner to take advantage of natural features compatible with bicycle and pedestrian movements and be designed in an efficient and interesting manner to safely move bicycle and pedestrian traffic within and between neighborhoods. -25- 2. Secondary greenways are designated as optional open space and transportation routes situated within subdivisions to provide open space connections between living areas and ac- tivity generators as well as other primary greenways. Secon- dary greenways should exist where a need for safe and efficient pedestrian movement has been determined. III . GREENBELT DEVELOPMENT - Where it is determined that greenbelts are a necessary and purposeful land use, the City should explore the designation and acquisition of property through various means in order to fulfill the functions of the greenbelt. If methods such as fee simple purchase, lease-option, etc. , are considered as impractical or infeasi- ble, decision makers should be directed to the prospect of density trans- fers to achieve permitted greenbelts. This prospect involves trans- ferring the allotted density permitted by the underlying zoning, from one area of a parcel to another in order to achieve a reduction of lot sizes and thus permit the clustering of dwelling units for other land uses in exchange for public or private open space. Open land should be provided within the floodway area of nearby rivers and designated as a greenbelt once the 100 year flood plain has been divided into the flood storage and floodway areas. Within the flood- way areas, the designated greenbelt should yield recreational uses such as lineal parks, bicycle and pedestrian paths as well as other rec- reational uses. UTILITY SERVICE AREA POLICY 1 . The City of Longmont sewer service area should follow the areas as designated in the DRCOG Water Quality Management Program. The City of Longmont should continue its policy of serving only those proper- ties within the City or contiguous to the city limits and then only on the condition that those properties annex to the City of Longmont. 2. The City of Longmont electric utilities should continue to operate within the service area arrived at through agreements with other electric companies and supported by the Public Utilities Commission. Adjustments of the service area may be necessary from time to time and these should be reviewed by the Long Range Planning Commission and City Council to determine whether they are in the overall public interest of the City prior to adjusting the service area. 3. The City of Longmont should continue negotiations with Left Hand Water Company and Longs Peak Water Company in regard to respective areas of service. The City should avoid extending water service to county areas which are not eligible for annexation and which have sub- standard improvements existing. -26- FLOOD PLAIN POLICY The floodway area of the 100 year flood plain shall be con- sidered by the City for open space uses. The flood storage area of the 100 year flood plain shall be designated where applicable, for very low density residential uses. However, the intent is to permit residential uses to transfer density to higher ground out- side of the 100 year flood plain, thus preserving the 100 year flood plain area for open space uses. Those areas which are considered to be important to the open space program and cannot be obtained by density transfers should be considered for acquisition by the City with funds available through public or private sources. In- dustrial uses as permitted by the flood plain regulations may be located in the flood storage area in accordance with the adopted industrial development policy. GROWTH GUIDANCE POLICY By the adoption of the Prime Urbanized Area as part of the City's comprehensive plan, the City has attempted to determine where and how the City should develop over the next 10-15 years. Land areas situated within the Prime Urbanized Area have been determined to be the most appropriate and logical areas where urban growth should occur. Administration by the City of development within the Prime Urbanized Area should be consistent with the following: 1 . By the establishment of the Prime Urbanized Area, the City, for the present, intends to consider annexations only for those areas eligible for annexation which lie within the Prime Urbanized Area; 2. The City will consider requests for City sewer and water utilities only for property located within the Prime Ur- banized Area; 3. By the establishment of the Prime Urbanized Area, the City is not agreeing to annex land or provide utilities to land located within the Prime Urbanized Area; requests for annexations and utility services will be considered con- sistent with the policies and regulations applicable to such requests, including the City's Land Use Plan, 4. The City will guide the development of existing and unde- veloped areas in the Prime Urbanized Area into functional neighborhoods consistent with the criteria established in the Land Use Element;5. The City will develop a long-range capital improvements pro- gram and a program of public services in order to provide the necessary facilities and services." demanded by the development of the Prime Urbanized Area. -27- While it is not anticipated that adjustments to the Prime Urbanized Area should immediately occur, it is believed that as growth takes place and experience is obtained under the comprehensive plan, requests for ex- pansions of the Prime Urbanized Area will be forthcoming. Requests for expansions of the Prime Urbanized Area may be initiated by the City or by persons having an interest within the proposed area. The detailed studies and reports necessary in order to adjust the Prime Urbanized Area shall not be undertaken by the staff without specific authorization by the City Coun- cil after receiving and reviewing advisory reports on the proposed adjust- ment from the Long Range Planning Commission, the Planning and Zoning Com- mission, and the City Administration. The City Council may authorize the Administration to prepare a detailed study concerning whether or not to ad- just the Prime Urbanized Area if it is of the view that, based on a pre- liminary review, the proposed area meets the following criteria : 1 . The area can be sustained as a functional neighborhood (s) ; 2. The area has a community of interest with the Longmont community and is capable of being integrated into the City of Longmont; 3. That the proposed area will be urbanized in the near fore- seeable future; 4. That the City's utilities and public facilities have the capacity to serve the subject property; and, 5. That the City of Longmont and its citizenry will benefit from the inclusion of the proposed area into the Prime Ur- banized Area. URBAN DEVELOPMENT POLICY To encourage neighborhood development using the neighborhood criteria as a guide to population levels, land use, densities and public facilities requirements. -28- AREAS DEMANDING ADDITIONAL STUDY The St. Vrain Valley Plan has been developed over a period of 20 months. The underlying intent is to give direction to both the private and public sectors of the community when formulating decisions that will effect the future use of the land. Within this time frame, the Long Range Planning Commission and Staff has addressed the majority of the most pressing current urban issues. However, there still remains several relatively significant land use considerations that although have been analyzed from a broad-brush, or practical planning principles point of view, still warrant a more in-depth investigation and analysis. The two most significant areas are a) the "old town" residential neighborhoods characterized in Sunset and Kensington neighborhoods and b) the nature of the northern boundary of the Central Business District. Both of these areas have received prudent and conscious consider- ation by the Commission and Staff prior to the land use proposals recom- mended. However, the Commission and Staff are both of the opinion that a more in-depth and detailed analysis of these two areas are warranted. Realizing this, the land uses recommended for these areas should be con- sidered as interim recommendations which will warrant further study and citizen participation prior to a more complete land use recommendation. -29- LAND USE PLAN AMENDMENT CRITERIA The Land Use Plan is viewed as a "general " document to provide direction and guidance for land use decisions made in the public and private sectors of the community. The plan reflects land uses that have been planned in a rational and purposeful manner to serve the anticipated growth of Longmont. Since the plan is viewed in a context of comprehensive and general , it should be capable of weathering changes in values, attitudes and interests brought on through market and economic shifts. In other words, the plan must be flexible, and perhaps the most overt example of the plans' flexibility is the amendment provision that provides for reasonable amendments to the Land Use Plan. On occasion, it is anticipated that public and private land use decisions will be considered that may conflict with the proposal of the land use plan. When developmental requests are presented to the staff that are in conflict with the adopted Land Use Plan the staff should first review the rationale and criteria used by the Long Range Planning Commission in formulating the plan. Based upon the intent of the "Land Use Projection Rationale and Criteria" the staff should then begin negotiations with the particular party to modify his re- quest so that it compliments rather than conflicts with the plan. However, if the party is of the opinion that his request cannot be modified to meet the intentions of the plan and that the plan may be in error or at least open to question, he may then proceed to request an amendment to the plan that would allow his particular request. In considering a requested amendment to the plan, the Planning staff must undertake a review based upon reasonable cri- teria. The intent of the criteria is aimed at ensuring that land use adjust- ments that may occur, will not have detrimental impacts to existing or planned uses as well as detrimental impacts to neighborhoods , commercial districts or the general welfare of the entire community. -30- Thus, the administrative staff, advisory boards and decision-making bodies should evaluate the amendment request pursuant to the following general criteria. These criteria are intending to give "general guidance" to the above bodies in reviewing possible plan amendments and should not be construed as an all-encompassing detailed check list. AMENDMENT CRITERIA 1 . The amendment request must be in harmony with the Long Range Plan- ning Goals. 2. The amendment request must be consistent with the intentions and implications of the Long Range Planning Policies. 3. The amendment request must meet the provisions of the "Land Use Projection Rationale and Criteria" . 4. The amendment request must not have a detrimental impact upon the planned relationships and balances between neighborhood populations and the facilities to serve those populations. The plan amendment criteria is therefore established to allow reasonable adjustments to the Land Use Plan and thus represents the element of flexi- bility that is the necessary component for a realistic Land Use Plan. PLAN UPDATING The Long Range Planning Staff and Commission view planning as "a series of related actions centered around and moving toward the accomplishment of goals" . Realistic goals are important in planning since they affect the values, attitudes, and interests of the people concerning the destiny of their community. However, as the values, attitudes and interests of the community begin to change overtime, the three essential elements of the plan (goals, land use pro- posals and policies) will also warrant careful re-evaluation. This re-evaluation or updating, should occur every three years from the adoption date of the plan to ensure conformity with community values, technology changes in development, as well as new planning approaches. In order to facilitate the updating process the Planning staff will continue land use and community facility data collection -31- and the Long Range Commission shall monitor this data to determine if the effects of the policies are leading toward achieving the goals. In summary, the St. Vrain Valley Plan is a document aimed at directing and guiding the physical development of Longmont and its surroundings in an orderly manner which includes establishing a balance between the people of the community and the facilities to serve their needs. The plan represents a view of the community at its particular point in time, and as time changes, the goals, land use proposals and policies will also require change. IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS The St. Vrain Valley Plan represents a plan to manage the physical develop- ment of the planning area in an orderly manner and in so doing gives us a logi- cal path to pursue determining our community's destiny. To insure that the plan experiences a transition from a "passive plan" to an "action oriented plan" several implementing tools must be developed. These tools of implemen- tation exist in the form of effectively administered codes and ordinances as well as precise public plans. ZONING ORDINANCE Perhaps the best known implementation tool is the zoning ordinance which provides one of the principal means of implementing the St. Vrain Valley Plan. In several areas of the plan, it is obvious that the existing land use pattern does not completely conform to that proposed in the plan. Since urban growth requires the coordination of a large number of individual de- velopments , carried out by many different people, the zoning ordinance is needed to coordinate individual efforts with the policies expressed in the plan. Zoning establishes standards for light, air and open space around buildings as well as regulates the general use of land within the planning area. -32- BUILDING CODES Building codes are equally important as land use zoning in establishing good development standards. These codes are used to insert minimum standards for residential , commercial and industrial development. The building are used to properly regulate building materials and structural condition. To insure that the physical development of the planning area occurs in an environmentally safe atmosphere, building code enforcement is imperative. SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS The subdivision of land is the first step in the process of urban development. The arrangement of land parcels within the prime urbanized area for residential , commercial , and industrial uses as well as community facilities and utilities will determine to a large degree the physical urban form of the community. various pro- posals regulations will be helpful in implementing of the land use plan. Through their plan. t circulation a Land residential eareaselop- ment can be properly coordinated with heneeded for parks, schools, and other public facilities can be anticipated ahead of time; detailed planning requi�ednin the preparation the proper r densdignub- nf division will improve the land use pattern. at In short, traffic movement, a a subdivision will greatly assist in maintaining g stable pattern of land uses and will assist in the economical development of needed public facilities. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMMING Capital improvement programming is the scheduling of public physical improvements for a community over a certain period of time. The scheduling is based on a series of priorities according to the need, desire, or importance of such improvements, in the community's present and anticipated financial standing. A capital improvement program should be reviewed and updated annually -33- and concurrently with the preparation of the annual operating budget. For it is the capital improvement programming that perhaps best exhibits the primary implementing tool in establishing a balance between the people of the community and the facilities needed to serve their needs. -34- TTITTTH, J I - I i H Ui m v. l'., . . .�.-- to �1; 1 e. ri Q_ E\ 1 Xp��} ifs -_ '� }, iWt f!, , fuelµ, I' i i � ] *��.,f br ffi1!$�v { / �flfb lL.. g6 \ `tlX, W I ,.rya ° , L, , ai� r a : IN .$1 I I -� 1t Z a #o — —� , , (( i /mod r.... . j / I _ v / � i �� i 8{ _ `p , ICC GOALS , l�. P * . } POLICIES ., LAND USE MAP, , ,a- c", 1 ,.. , , , t y i- . f. _ . eg , I mew INTRODUCTION This publication contains the .three etementa 06 the St. Vnain Valley Comprehena.ive Plan, the go'pa, potLelea and Land use map. These elements are to be cona.ideted bon adoption by the Planning and Zoning Commi.aeion and City Council. The entih.e proceedings ob the Long Range Planning Comm,i,se.Lon and the technical papers reviewed by them wilt be compiled Later as a Background Report to the Plan. The Background Report will not be cone.i.dered Got adoption rather .it .i4 to be used to .in6onm .interested ob the detailed cons.i.denations which Led to recommendationb by the Long Range Planning Comm.i4eion. This publication is intended to show the retation4hcp o6 the three elements, explain the poti.ci.ea .intent and outline the contents 06 the Land Ube Map. The goals were adopted by City Council £n 1974; they have acted as guides to the Commioe.ioners in 6ormulating theiic Policy and Land Ube recommendations and they cute presented 6.Uwt. The recommended Poticiea 6oLtow the goals. The Policies are bet 6onth £n upper cage type. Each Policy .is 6oLtowed by betected excehpts bram related goats, background papers, and Commioo4-ion meetings, which ahow the relationship 06 the poticies to the goals and outline the .intent o6 the poti.ci.eo. The Land Ube Map has been reproduced and .i.a attached to the back 06 this Report. The pehtinent eta iztical .inbonmation concerning the various Land Uses .i.s pnovLded on the map. GOALS URBAN DESIGN TO DEVELOP A COMPATIBLE AND FUNCTIONAL SYSTEM OF LAND USES. TO PROMOTE THE ORDERLY AND FUNCTIONAL GROWTH OF RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS DESIGNED AROUND AND WORKING TOWARD THE OBJECTIVES OF SOCIAL AND INCOME BALANCE. TO PRESERVE AND/OR ENHANCE GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT TO ATTAIN THE WIDEST RANGE OF BENEFICIAL USES OF THE AREA WITHOUT DAMAGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT, RISK TO HEALTH OR SAFETY, OR OTHER UNDESIR- ABLE AND UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. PLANNED GROWTH TO PLAN, GUIDE AND ACCOMMODATE A DESIRED RATE OF GROWTH OF THE PLANNING AREA; TO ENSURE THAT A FUNCTIONAL BALANCE EXISTS BETWEEN MUNICIPAL SERVICES AND THE POTENTIAL CAPACITIES OF LAND USES; AND TO EVALUATE FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT PLACED UPON THE ENVIRONMENT. AS THE CITY INCREASES IN SIZE, CHARACTER, AND COMPLEX- ITY, TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE AN ENVIRONMENT WHICH PROVIDES SATISFACTION TO ALL GROUPS OF CITIZENS, WHILE OFFERING NEW POSSIBILITIES TO ENLARGE THEIR INTERESTS AND MEET THEIR NEEDS. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO PLAN AND GUIDE A HEALTHY, WELL-BALANCED AND BROAD BASED ECONOMIC ATMOSPHERE BY ENCOURAGING A SYSTEM OF STABLE LAND USES AND OFFERING ADEQUATE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO THE CITIZENRY. TRANSPORTATION TO PROMOTE A SAFE AND EFFICIENT SYSTEM OF TRANSPORTATION MODES DESIGNED TO SERVE THE OVERALL NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT TO PROVIDE FOR A SUFFICIENT QUANTITY OF HOUSING TO THE EXTENT THAT AN EFFICIENT EQUILIBRIUM EXISTS BETWEEN THE NEED FOR, AND THE SUPPLY OF, HOSUING. TO ENCOURAGE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES WHICH OFFER INNOVATIVE DESIGNS, NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTIFICATION, A BALANCE OF QUALITY HOUSING TYPES, AND OVERALL INTERESTING PLACES IN WHICH TO LIVE. 1 COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT TO PROMOTE VARIOUS TYPES OF SHOPPING DISTRICTS THAT SUFFICIENTLY SERVE THE NEEDS OF NEIGHBORHOODS FOR CONVENIENCE-TYPE GOODS AND SERVICES, THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY FOR VEHICULAR ORIENTED GOODS AND SERVICES, AND THE NEEDS OF THE OVERALL TRADE AREA FOR GENERAL BUSINESS, GOVERNMENTAL, SERVICE, AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES. TO EMPHASIZE THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT AS THE DOMINANT COMMERCIAL FEATURE OF THE PLANNING AREA. TO ENSURE THAT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS ARE COMPATIBLE AND HARMONIOUS WITH SURROUNDING LAND USES. INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT TO PLAN AND GUIDE DESIRABLE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE OVERALL GROWTH POLICIES OF THE CITY. TO PROVIDE LAND IN WELL DEFINED INDUSTRIAL LOCATIONS AND TO ENSURE THAT IT IS HARMONIOUS AND COMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING LAND USES. 2 POLICIES RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF BOTH THE PLANNED UNIT AND CONVENTIONAL TRACT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS, SINCE A COMBINATION OF BOTH APPROACHES WILL BETTER SERVE THE VARYING HOUSING NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION, SOMEWHAT HIGHER DENSITIES OF DWELLING UNITS PER ACRE THAN WHAT PRESENTLY EXISTS ARE ENCOURAGED WITHIN NEW DEVELOPMENTS TO BETTER UTILIZE THE LIMITED RESOURCES ASSOCIATED WITH OUR URBAN LAND. TO RECOGNIZE THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT AS AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO BETTER LAND UTILIZATION AND TO CONTINUE TO EXAMINE AND DEVELOP ITS CHARACTERISTICS TO THE EXTENT OF MAKING IT DESIRABLE TO THE HOUSING MARKET. The Residential Development policy is intended "to encourage residential development practices which offer innovative designs . . . . and a balance of quality housing types" as stated in the Residential Development Goal. The Commission felt that there was some developer resistance and market resistance to planned unit developments in Longmont. This is probably due to lack of experience and in some cases poor design, however, an important consideration is incentive to use P.U.D. and this must come from the City regulations. They encourage the City to examine methods of providing more incentive to use P.U.D. In order to provide a balance of housing types both conventional subdivision development and planned unit development techniques must be used. Overall density of dwelling units to total acres devoted to residential use in Longmont is 3.5 dwelling units per acre. The Commission felt that a somewhat higher overall density would provide a better revenue base, increase public facility support and reduce urban sprawl . P.U.D. is encouraged in those areas where density transfer can be used to avoid problems related to the natural site conditions and where open space is desired. 3 NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL DISTRICT POLICY TO ENCOURAGE A COMBINATION OF "FUNCTIONAL AND MULTI-FUNCTIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS" THAT WILL SERVE NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS WITH GOODS AND SERVICES OF A CONVENIENCE NATURE. THE "FUNCTIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL SHOPPING" FACILITY IS INTENDED TO SERVE ONLY THE RESIDENTS OF A SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD IN WHICH THE SHOPPING FACILITY IS LOCATED. THE "MULTI-FUNCTIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD SHOPPING" FACILITY IS INTENDED TO SERVE THE DAY-TO-DAY COMMERCIAL NEEDS OF SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOODS AND SHOULD BE PLANNED WHEN "FUNCTIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD SHOPPING" FACILITIES ARE ABSENT WITHIN SEVERAL CONTIGUOUS NEIGHBORHOODS. The Neighborhood Commercial District Policy is intended "to promote various types of shopping districts that sufficiently serve the needs of neighborhoods for convenience type goods and services---and to ensure that commercial developments are compatible and harmonious with surrounding land uses" as stated in the Commercial Development Goal. The functional neighborhood shopping area concept is concerned with locating convenience shopping centers within the neighborhood to be served. The types of uses in the center should be those businesses primarily serving the daily needs of the immediate neighborhood. The neighborhood shopping center has a service radius of 3/8 to 3/4 mile. The intent is to provide convenient pedestrian access as well as vehicular access. In certain areas of the Community neighborhood shopping centers may not be practical because appropriate locations are not available or commercial zoning is already committed. In these areas somewhat larger shopping centers serving more than one neighborhood are planned. These centers are termed multi-functional and would provide a broader range of services with larger facilities than the neighborhood center. Access would be primarily vehicular. 4 CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT POLICY TO ENCOURAGE A CONCENTRATED PATTERN OF DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, WHICH EMPHASIZES INTENSIVE RETAIL, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATIVE, FINANCIAL, AND GENERAL BUSINESS USES. THE EAST AND WEST CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT BOUNDARIES SHOULD NOT BE EXPANDED INTO ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOODS IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT AND RE- DEVELOPMENT. CITY REGULATIONS AND CODES SHOULD BE CAREFULLY ANALYZED RELATING TO DEVELOPMENT IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, TO THE EXTENT THAT THE REGULATIONS DO NOT DISCOURAGE RE-DEVELOPMENT. TO ENSURE THAT THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT REMAINS AS THE DOMINANT COMMERCIAL FEATURE, A SEPARATE ZONING CATEGORY SHOULD BE DEVELOPED TO SEGREGATE USES NOT FUNCTIONAL WITH THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT. The Central Business District Policy is intended "to emphasize the Central Business District as the dominant commercial feature of the planning area", as stated in the C.B.D. Goal . There are approximately 66 acres of commercial zoned property, exclusive of street rights-of-ways, in the Central Business District. Only 25 acres are being used for commercial purposes; 24 acres are in some form of residential use and approximately 16 acres are in public, quasi-public or transportation uses. There are approximately 800,000 square feet of floor area on the 25 acres being,used for commercial purposes. That is less than one square foot of floor area per square foot of land area. The commercial zone permits 2 square feet of floor area per square foot of land area. If the 24 acres in residential use were redeveloped to commercial uses at the intensity of present commercial uses it would add close to a million square feet of floor area to the C.B.D. The potential floor area in the C.B.D. through redevelopment is an additional 3 million square feet over what exists today. Additional commercial zoning in this area would be detrimental to development of a more intensive Central Business District an3Nwould add to land speculation and blight in the adjacent residential areas. 5 HIGHWAY COMMERCIAL DISTRICT POLICY TO PROVIDE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHWAY-ORIENTED COMMERCIAL USES WITHIN APPROPRIATE COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS AND TO DESIGNATE GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS WITHIN THESE DISTRICTS MOST COMPATIBLE TO THE NATURE OF SUCH USES. The Highway Commercial District Policy is intended "to promote various types of shopping districts that sufficiently serve---the needs of the Community for vehicular oriented goods and services", as stated in the Commercial Development Goal. Longmont has an abundance of commercial zoned land along the major highways (287 and 119) . The commercial strip has become a catch-all for uses not necessarily related to highway oriented services. Under present regulations there is not adequate distinction between highway oriented commercial uses and uses which serve different functions. The locational criteria for various highway oriented uses should be compiled and used to establish appropriate locations for such uses. INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY TO ENCOURAGE A CONTINUATION OF A COMBINED POLICY OF A CONCENTRATED INDUSTRIAL AREA SUPPLEMENTED WITH A LIMITED NUMBER OF DISPERSED SITES. SUCH A POLICY ENCOMPASSES A MORE CRITICAL REVIEW OF A PARTICULAR INDUSTRY'S NEEDS IN REGARD TO ITS LOCATIONAL CRITERIA. IN ADDITION, VALID CRITERIA MUST BE ESTABLISHED CONTROLLING ACTIVITY LEVELS PERMITTED AND TECHNIQUES USED TO MAKE DISPERSED INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES COMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING LAND USES. The Industrial Development Policy is intended "to provide land in well defined industrial locations and to ensure that it is harmonious and compatible with surrounding land uses", as stated in the Industrial Development Goal. Some industrial activity in Longmont has concentrated along St. Vrain 6 ! � . + ! 'r f it, 3 E�� EI � :1 tI I I 1 Creek. The low areas along the Creek tend to collect air pollution and retain it for long periods because the prevailing winds are less effective in dispersing contaminants from these low areas. A partial solution to this problem is strict enforcement of existing air pollution laws. In addition, guiding new industrial development to higher areas away from the Creek will avoid compounding the problem of retained air pollution. Present City policy seems to be a combination of both a major area of industrial activity with selective review of industrial locations outside of the concentrated area. This policy is evidenced by the presence of the ED Zone in the City Code. This industrial zone requires that develop- ment within it be compatible to any adjacent residential areas thereby implying dispersal. Two examples of dispersed industrial (employment) activity in the City are the FAA Center on 17th Avenue east of Hover Road, and the Gould Plant north of 9th Avenue at Atwood Street. In order to function without being detrimental to other land uses a policy permitting dispersed industrial sites will require criteria controlling air, visual, and noise pollution, bulk limitations, long term employment levels and other factors related to levels of activity. UTILITY SERVICE AREA POLICY 1 . THE CITY OF LONGMONT SEWER SERVICE AREA SHOULD FOLLOW THE AREAS AS DESIGNATED IN THE DRCOG WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. THE CITY OF LONGMONT SHOULD CONTINUE ITS POLICY OF SERVING ONLY THOSE PROPERTIES WITHIN THE CITY OR CONTIGUOUS TO THE CITY LIMITS AND THEN ONLY ON THE CONDITION THAT THOSE PROPERTIES ANNEX TO THE CITY OF LONGMONT. 2. THE CITY OF LONGMONT ELECTRIC UTILITIES SHOULD CONTINUE TO OPERATE WITHIN THE SERVICE AREA ARRIVED AT THROUGH AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER ELECTRIC COMPANIES AND SUPPORTED BY THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION. ADJUSTMENTS OF THE SERVICE AREA AGREEMENT MAY BE NECESSARY FROM TIME TO LIME AND THESE SHOULD BE REVIEWED BY THE LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMISSION AND ICITY COUNCIL TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEY ARE IN THE OVERALL PUBLIC INTEREST OF THE CITY PRIOR TO ADJUSTING THE SERVICE AREA AGREEMENT. 3. THE CITY OF LONGMONT SHOULD CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS WITH LEFT HAND WATER COMPANY AND LONGS PEAK WATER COMPANY IN REGARD TO RESPECTIVE AREAS OF SERVICE. THE CITY SHOULD AVOID EXTENDING WATER SERVICE TO COUNTY AREAS WHICH ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR ANNEXATION AND WHICH HAVE SUB-STANDARD IMPROVE- MENTS EXISTING. 7 ali SCI Ei I 4 The Utility Service Area Policy is intended "to ensure that a functional balance exists between municipal services and the potential capacities of land uses", as stated in the Planned Growth Goal . A service area is essentially a planning tool . It gives an opportunity to project community facility and utility needs. It shows the direction of future community expansion and is used as the basis for proper design of utilities and for locating public facilities. Development should remain contiguous with existing urban areas to minimize disjointed and scattered public facility costs and development. Haphazard development in areas several miles from the fringe of existing urbanization although initially cheaper for the developer and buyers, ultimately must be provided with urban facilities and amenities that cost more to provide over a large area. That cost is ultimately absorbed by public funds. Under the DRCOG Water Quality Treatment Program, Longmont's Sewage �I Treatment Plant will function as a regional plant until a new regional plant is needed and constructed further east on St. Vrain Creek or possibly on the Platte River. The service area for the Longmont Plant is described as approximately that area lying south and west of the Rough and Ready Ditch, and north and west of Left Hand Creek. FLOOD PLAIN POLICY THE FLOODWAY AREA OF THE 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN SHALL BE CONSIDERED BY THE CITY FOR OPEN SPACE USES. THE FLOOD STORAGE AREA OF THE 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN SHALL BE DESIGNATED WHERE APPLICABLE, FOR VERY LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL USES. HOWEVER, THE INTENT IS TO PERMIT RESIDENTIAL USES TO TRANSFER DENSITY TO HIGHER GROUND OUTSIDE OF THE 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN, THUS PRESERVING THE 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN AREA FOR OPEN SPACE USES. THOSE AREAS WHICH ARE CONSIDERED TO BE IMPORTANT TO THE OPEN SPACE PROGRAM AND CANNOT BE OBTAINED BY DENSITY TRANSFERS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR ACQUISITION BY THE CITY WITH FUNDS AVAILABLE THROUGH PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SOURCES. INDUSTRIAL USES AS PERMITTED BY THE FLOOD PLAIN REGULATIONS MAY BE LOCATED IN THE FLOOD STORAGE AREA IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ADOPTED INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY. The Flood Plain Policy is intended, "to preserve and/or enhance geographical areas of community interest" and "to attain the widest range of beneficial uses of the area without damage to the environment, risk 8 j AEI ' 4. r. x � Uy 4 04 IJ ilC itq I 'i Iti I44I ' to health or safety, or other undesired and unintended consequences", as stated in the Urban Design and Environmental Management Goals. Both the City of Longmont and Boulder County have adopted regulations limiting land use and development within flood plains. The 100 year flood plain has been subdivided into the "floodway area" and the "flood storage area". The floodway area corresponds somewhat to the stream channel and is the area of significant depths and velocities. The flood storage area is that area within the 100 year flood plain that serves as a temporary storage area for flood waters. The velocity and water depth is usually less than in the floodway area . New structures should not be permitted within the floodway area of the 100 year flood plain. The flood storage area should be assigned industrial and recreational uses permitted by the Zoning Code, open space controlled by the City and very low density residential uses to be transferred to higher ground outside the flood plain. The appropriate areas for these uses should be designated on the land use map. URBAN DEVELOPMENT POLICY TO ENCOURAGE NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT USING TILE NEIGHBORHOOD CRITERIA AS A GUIDE TO POPULATION LEVELS, LAND USE, DENSITIES AND PUBLIC FACILITIES REQUIREMENTS. The Urban Development Policy is intended, "to promote the orderly and functional growth of residential neighborhoods designed around and working toward the objectives of social and income balance,". . . "to ensure that a functional balance exists between municipal services and the potential capacities of land uses, and as the City increases in size and complexity, to continue to promote an environment which provides satisfaction to all groups of citizens," as stated in the Urban Design and Planned Growth Goals. Neighborhood planning units are an important part of community planning that has found almost universal acceptance as a service district for local facilities such as the elementary school , the park and playground and the neighborhood shopping center, all within convenient and safe walking distance of residential living areas. 9 II II �htd ,.�,I i :'N 1 ; 'I ' ii I O,lw , , Ii, ` {I In the Land Use Analysis it became apparent that most areas of the City contained the basic framework for neighborhood development and that the neighborhood concept was an appropriate basis for projecting future community expansion and determining the public facilities necessary to support that expansion. Generally the neighborhood studies were concerned with balancing the number of people projected to live in a neighborhood with practical numbers of public facilities needed to serve the people within that neighborhood. GROWTH GUIDANCE POLICY BY THE ADOPTION OF THE PRIME URBANIZED AREA AS PART OF THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE CITY HAS ATTEMPTED TO DETERMINE WHERE AND HOW THE CITY SHOULD DEVELOP OVER THE NEXT 10-15 YEARS. LAND AREAS SITUATED WITHIN THE PRIME URBANIZED AREA HAVE BEEN DETERMINED TO BE THE MOST APPROPRIATE AND LOGICAL AREAS WHERE URBAN GROWTH SHOULD OCCUR. ADMINISTRATION BY THE CITY OF DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE PRIME URBANIZED AREA SHOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE FOLLOWING: 1. BY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PRIME URBANIZED AREA, THE CITY, FOR THE PRESENT, INTENDS TO CONSIDER ANNEXATIONS ONLY FOR '.., THOSE AREAS ELIGIBLE FOR ANNEXATION WHICH LIE WITHIN THE PRIME URBANIZED AREA: 2. THE CITY WILL CONSIDER REQUESTS FOR CITY SEWER AND WATER UTILITIES ONLY FOR PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN THE PRIME URBANIZED AREA: 3. BY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PRIME URBANIZED AREA, THE CITY IS NOT AGREEING TO ANNEX LAND OR PROVIDE UTILITIES TO LAND LOCATED WITHIN THE PRIME URBANIZED AREA; REQUESTS FOR ANNEXATIONS AND UTILITY SERVICES WILL BE CONSIDERED CONSISTENT WITH THE POLICIES AND REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO SUCH REQUESTS, INCLUDING THE CITY'S LAND USE PLAN; 4. THE CITY WILL GUIDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF EXISTING AND UNDEVELOPED AREAS IN THE PRIME URBANIZED AREA INTO FUNCTIONAL NEIGHBORHOODS CONSISTENT WITH THE CRITERIA ESTABLISHED IN THE LAND USE ELEMENT; 5. THE CITY WILL DEVELOP A LONG—RANGE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM AND A PROGRAM OF PUBLIC SERVICES IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY FACILITIES AND SERVICES DEMANDED BY THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRIME URBANIZED AREA. 10 ! I PI i a ' 4 fi IfF, l,l WHILE IT IS NOT ANTICIPATED THAT ADJUSTMENTS TO THE PRIME URBANIZED AREA SHOULD IMMEDIATELY OCCUR, IT IS BELIEVED THAT AS GROWTH TAKES PLACE AND EXPERIENCE IS OBTAINED UNDER THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, REQUESTS FOR EXPANSIONS OF THE PRIME URBANIZED AREA WILL BE FORTHCOMING. REQUESTS FOR EXPANSIONS OF THE PRIME URBANIZED AREA MAY BE INITIATED BY THE CITY OR BY PERSONS HAVING AN INTEREST WITHIN THE PROPOSED AREA. THE DETAILED STUDIES AND REPORTS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO ADJUST THE PRIME URBANIZED AREA SHALL NOT BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE STAFF WITHOUT SPECIFIC AUTHORIZATION BY THE CITY COUNCIL AFTER RECEIVING AND REVIEWING ADVISORY REPORTS ON THE PROPOSED ADJUST- MENT FROM THE LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMISSION, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, AND THE CITY ADMINISTRATION. THE CITY COUNCIL MAY AUTHORIZE THE ADMINISTRATION TO PREPARE A DETAILED STUDY CONCERNING WHETHER OR NOT TO ADJUST THE PRIME URBANIZED AREA IF IT IS OF THE VIEW THAT, BASED ON A PRELIMINARY REVIEW, THE PROPOSED AREA MEETS THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: 1. THE AREA CAN BE SUSTAINED AS A FUNCTIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD(S); 2. THE AREA HAS A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST WITH THE LONGMONT COMMUNITY AND IS CAPABLE OF BEING INTEGRATED INTO THE CITY OF LONGMONT; 3. THAT THE PROPOSED AREA WILL BE URBANIZED IN THE NEAR FORE- SEEABLE FUTURE; 4. THAT THE CITY'S UTILITIES AND PUBLIC FACILITIES HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SERVE THE SUBJECT PROPERTY; AND, 5. THAT THE CITY OF LONGMONT AND ITS CITIZENRY WILL BENEFIT FROM THE INCLUSION OF THE PROPOSED AREA INTO THE PRIME URBANIZED AREA. The Growth Guidance Policy is intended, "to plan, guide and accommodate a desired rate of growth of the planning area, . . . .and to evaluate future developments in terms of the impact placed upon the environment "as stated in the Planned Growth Goal. The Municipal Annexation Act of 1965 expressed certain purposes of the Act which are consistent with what Longmont is attempting to do. Colorado Revised Statutes 139-21-2 (1965 Perm. Cum. Supp.) expresses the purpose of the Act, in part, as follows: "to encourage natural and well ordered development of municipalities of the State"; "to distribute fairly and equitably the costs of municipal services among those persons who benefit therefrom;" "to extend municipal government services and facilities to eligible areas which form a part of the whole community;" "to provide an orderly system for extending municipal regulations to newly annexed areas;" "to increase the likelihood of municipal services in urban areas being able to provide their citizens with the services they require. " We believe the essential substance of the Longmont Plan is entirely consistent with the explicit purposes set forth above.* 11 I °� Ii ' t a: _ It is important to recognize that Cities are authorized to plan for the physical development of the municipality for both areas within and without the City. C.R.S. 139-59-6.* We have concluded that what Longmont is attempting to do is well within the authority vested in municipalities and that the degree of analysis that has been engaged by the City to this point can allow the City to exercise its power in a rational manner as opposed to an arbitrary or capricious manner.* *Excerpts from legal review, Report on the Prime Urbanized Area Concept, R.B. Porter, Dietze and Davis, Attorneys at Law. Public and quasi-public facilities are designed to serve specific functions. Experience of using these various types of facilities over the years has given us guidelines or tolerance levels within which these facilities function at optimum levels. In order to properly locate these facilities it is necessary to know where the users are or will be living. For this reason the land use plan projects areas in which the City may grow over the next 15 years. By doing this the City and School District can locate public and quasi-public facilities in a manner that will best serve the intended users. OPEN SPACE POLICY OPEN SPACE FACILITIES 1. PARK DEVELOPMENT - TO ENCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT OF PARK LANDS WITHIN THE LONGMONT PLANNING AREA INTO THREE FUNCTIONAL TYPES - THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE COMMUNITY, AND THE DISTRICT PARK. A. THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK - AT LEAST ONE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK SHOULD EXIST WITHIN EACH NEIGHBORHOOD TO ADEQUATELY SERVE THE ACTIVE AND PASSIVE RECREATIONAL NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS LIVING WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. A STANDARD OF 2.5 ACRES PER EVERY 1000 PEOPLE SHOULD BE USED WHEN DESIGNATING APPROXIMATE PARK AREA. WHEN POSSIBLE, THE PARK SHOULD BE LOCATED ADJACENT TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND COLLECTOR STREETS. B. THE COMMUNITY PARK - COMMUNITY PARKS SHOULD BE DESIGNATED TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOODS WITH FACILITIES SUCH AS A MAJOR RECREATION CENTER AS WELL AS THOSE FACILITIES THAT CANNOT BE FUNCTIONALLY PROVIDED WITHIN NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS. THE SIZE STANDARD OF 2.5 ACRES/ 1000 PEOPLE SHOULD BE USED AS AN AREA GUIDELINE AND THE PARK SITE SHOULD BE LOCATED ON OR NEAR MAJOR TRANSPORTATION ARTERIES. 12 1O 111-1, 1 It '11 p I La f �I 3 l Ip it .,�.i� ri Ali PP C. THE DISTRICT PARK - DISTRICT PARKS ARE INTENDED TO SERVE RESIDENTS OF THE ENTIRE CITY AS WELL AS AREAS OUTSIDE THE CITY. THIS PARK TYPE IS CHARACTERIZED BY LARGE LAND AREAS OF MANICURED AND NATURAL FEATURES AND SHOULD SERVE CONSERVATION AND WILDLIFE INTEREST AS WELL AS RECREATIONAL NEEDS. LAND AREAS SHOULD BE ACQUIRED ACCORDING TO A RATIO OF 5 ACRES/1000 PEOPLE ANTICIPATED TO BE SERVED AND SHOULD EXIST ON OR NEAR MAJOR TRANSPORTATION ARTERIES. II. GREENWAY DEVELOPMENT - GREENWAYS ARE INTENDED TO BE RELATIVELY NARROW CORRIDORS OF EITHER PUBLICLY OR PRIVATELY OWNED OPEN SPACE DESIG- NATED FOR PASSIVE, SCENIC AND SELF-PROPELLED TRANSPORTATION MODES WHICH PROVIDE LINKAGE OR CONNECTIONS BETWEEN COMMUNITY ACTIVITY GENERATORS AND RESIDENTIAL LIVING UNITS. TWO TYPES OF GREENWAYS ARE CHARACTERIZED - A PRIMARY AND A SECONDARY TYPE. (THE SPECIFIC LOCATIONS, SIZES, AND OTHER CONDITIONS OF THESE GREENWAYS SHOULD BE DETERMINED THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE DEVELOPER AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT) . 1. PRIMARY GREENWAYS WITHIN NEWLY DEVELOPED AREAS ARE INTENDED TO SERVE VARIOUS OPEN SPACE AND SELF-PROPELLED TRANSPORTATION FUNCTIONS. THEY SHOULD PROVIDE FOR BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENT AS WELL AS OPEN SPACE TO MEET POSITIVE HUMAN NEEDS. PRIMARY GREENWAYS SHOULD BE LOCATED IN SUCH A MANNER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NATURAL FEATURES COMPATIBLE WITH BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENTS AND BE DESIGNED IN AN EFFICIENT AND INTERESTING MANNER TO SAFELY MOVE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC WITHIN AND BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOODS. 2. SECONDARY GREENWAYS ARE DESIGNATED AS OPTIONAL OPEN SPACE AND TRANSPORTATION ROUTES SITUATED WITHIN SUBDIVISIONS TO PROVIDE OPEN SPACE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN LIVING AREAS AND ACTIVITY GENERATORS AS WELL AS OTHER PRIMARY GREENWAYS. SECONDARY GREENWAYS SHOULD EXIST WHERE A NEED FOR SAFE AND EFFICIENT PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENT HAS BEEN DETERMINED. III. GREENBELT DEVELOPMENT - WHERE IT IS DETERMINED THAT GREENBELTS ARE A NECESSARY AND PURPOSEFUL LAND USE, THE CITY SHOULD EXPLORE THE DESIGNATION AND ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY THROUGH VARIOUS MEANS IN ORDER TO FULFILL THE FUNCTIONS OF THE GREENBELT. IF METHODS SUCH AS FEE SIMPLE PURCHASE, LEASE-OPTION, ETC., ARE CONSIDERED AS IMPRACTICAL OR INFEASIBLE, DECISION MAKERS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE PROSPECT OF DENSITY TRANSFERS TO ACHIEVE PERMITTED GREENBELTS. THIS PROSPECT INVOLVES TRANSFERRING THE ALLOTTED DENSITY PERMITTED BY THE UNDERLYING ZONING, FROM ONE AREA OF A PARCEL TO ANOTHER IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE A REDUCTION OF LOT SIZES AND THUS PERMIT THE CLUSTERING OF DWELLING UNITS FOR OTHER LAND USES IN EXCHANGE FOR PUBLIC OR PRIVATE OPEN SPACE. OPEN LAND SHOULD BE PROVIDED WITHIN THE FLOODWAY AREA OF NEARBY RIVERS AND DESIGNATED AS A GREENBELT ONCE THE 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN HAS 13 ,r' BEEN DIVIDED INTO THE FLOOD STORAGE AND FLOODWAY AREAS. WITHIN THE FLOODWAY AREAS, THE DESIGNATED GREENBELT SHOULD YIELD RECREATIONAL USES SUCH AS LINEAL PARKS, BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PATHS AS WELL AS OTHER RECREATIONAL USES. The Open Space Policy is intended, "to preserve and/or enhance geographical areas of community interest" and "to attain the widest range of beneficial uses of the area without damage to the environment, risk to health or safety, or other undesirable and unintended consequences" , as 'stated in the environmental management goal . The City of Longmont has 15 parks ranging in size from 1/2 acre (Alta) to 52.6 acres (Clark Centennial) . Eleven of these parks are improved for recreation use, the remaining four are scheduled for development by the end of 1977. The total area of the 15 parks is approximately 180 acres. Assuming present population at 32,500 the population to area ratio is 5.5 acres of parkland for every 1,000 people. The standards contained in the policy recommended reducing the popula- tion to area ratio for high maintenance parks such as neighborhood and community parks. The recommended ratio is 5 acres for every 1,000 people for these types of parks. However, the ratio will actually be somewhat less than this because community size parks will also function as neighborhood parks in their specific neighborhood locations. The recommendation for district parks and greenbelt can be accomplished by acquisition of, or purchase of recreation rights on McIntosh Lake and Calkins Lake, and acquisition of the area along St. Vrain Creek. These areas are not intended to be manicured type parks. Rather, they are intended for conservation areas, water related recreation activities, nature trails and other similar types of uses not requiring high levels of maintenance. The greenways shown on the land use map follow the existing irrigation ditches. These ditches must be retained for irrigation purposes and eventually for carrying storm drainage, therefore the greenways are not forced but are natural to the area. In areas of residential concentration the ditches must be resloped and shaped in such a manner that they will not become maintenance problems and will be safe and aesthetically compatible with the residential areas. The greenways will permit access to adjacent residential uses, provide maintenance access to the ditches and provide for pedestrian and bicycle circulation. 14 Hello