Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Hailey wants to measure progress

Planning Department calls for ‘benchmarks’ in comp plan


By TONY EVANS
Express Staff Writer

The Hailey Planning Department is hoping to send a leaner and more effective comprehensive plan to the City Council for review this summer. Quantifiable benchmarks to measure progress toward stated goals in the plan could put some teeth into a document that will be used to guide land use and development for the next 20 years.

Public hearings on the formation of the new plan will be held in April and May.

Planning Director Beth Robrahn called the inclusion of benchmarks a "fresh approach" Monday while presenting the transportation section of the draft plan to the Planning and Zoning Commission for review. She stressed the need for quantifiable indicators of progress as the city moves forward.

"The comprehensive plan we have now doesn't help us attain any of the goals we've set out," she said.

The goals in the transportation section of the comprehensive plan have not changed in the new draft: "to create and maintain a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly community that provides safe, convenient and efficient multi-modal transportation for all Hailey residents."

The city has long sought to increase pedestrian connectivity between neighborhoods and support the use of public transportation. The proposed new comprehensive plan would include a list of indicators of progress on the way to meeting those goals. It would also contain benchmark goals for each indicator that the city could try to meet at specific dates.

The Planning and Zoning Commission took a look at some proposed transportation section indicators Monday. They include:

· Average commute lengths for major destinations in Blaine County.

· Public transit ridership rates.

· The percentage of population within one-quarter mile of a transit stop.

· The percentage of residents who walk, bike, use transit or carpool as alternatives to the single-occupancy vehicle.

Indicators such as those would be periodically assessed to make sure the city is making progress toward meeting the comprehensive plan's goals.

The P&Z made no decisions on the proposed indicators and benchmarks and will continue discussion of the new draft of the comp plan on Monday, April 5, with a focus on the Energy and Clean Air section of the plan.

The P&Z will hold final public meetings to discuss indicators and benchmarks in all sections of the comp plan on Monday, April 12, and Monday, May 3.

Tony Evans: tevans@mtexpress.com




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