General Plan Overview
What is the General Plan?
The General Plan is a comprehensive, long-range statement of goals and related policies that guides physical, economic, and environmental growth and revitalization of a city. It acts as a blueprint for the future growth and development by guiding the City’s day-to-day decision-making for land use and City services. Therefore, a general plan must be all-inclusive, internally consistent, forward-thinking, and realistic. It must address the full range of planning issues.
The purpose of a general plan is to:
- Formally state the development policy of the City
- Set forth a framework of principles and standards
- Guide future decisions affecting the development of the City
- Create a desirable environment for living, working, and playing
- Acceptably locate facilities contributing to the social, economic, and cultural goals of the community
Why is an Update Needed?
First, it is mandated by the state legislature under the Smart Growth Plus legislation. This legislation that became effective in May 2000 builds upon the 1998 Growing Smarter Act, which initially mandated communities to create and adopt a General Plan. However, it does more than just meet legal requirements. It is a statement of our community's values and a vision of Avondale's future growth and evolution. This update -- the first comprehensive update since 2002 -- will articulate our values and visions of what Avondale should be and will translate those values and visions into specific goals, policies, and implementation strategies.
While the strategies in the current General Plan serve as a consistent and stable framework, Avondale continues to grow and evolve. The General Plan Update offers Avondale an opportunity to reflect on its history, culture, and accomplishments, build on this foundation, and continue to the course for the future. Ultimately, this Update will provide a blueprint for responding to these new challenges while retaining our high standards of quality and community character.
Why you should get involved?
A general plan is only successful when it reflects the priorities and values of the community. In Avondale, community members, state agencies, and City staff will help guide the planning process through a series of stakeholder meetings. However, we still need to hear from all voices. What do you like about the City? What needs improvement? This is your opportunity to say how the City should develop over the next 20 years.
No matter where you live or how much time you have to spare, there are important ways you can contribute to this process. The General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) has been meeting regularly to discuss new goals and objectives on the General Plan and each element. These meetings are open to the public for informational purposes; a schedule is available on line. The City’s in-house group of experts, the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), will be on hand throughout the process to provide guidance from the City’s perspective. Also, we invite you to attend one or all of the three community meetings which will be held next year beginning in January to share your vision for the City’s future. Finally, you can also complete a survey, which is available on-line here. Please let us know what you think!
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