2008 Network Impacts: Changes in Land Use Plans > Changes in Land Use Regulations > On the Ground Changes > Decision Making Process Changes > Informed Decisions > Beyond Local Impacts
Changes to Land Use Plans
Plans constitute the backbone of local land use decision-making by setting out long term goals and a vision for how a community will grow. They can be comprehensive in scope or focus on particular community issues or resources such as economic development or open space protection. Regardless of the type, community land use plans act as a guide to a communities priorities and objectives. NEMO programs are working with communities to help ensure their interests in protecting natural resources is reflected in those plans.
| Colorado |
| Following AWARE Colorado (CO NEMO) education efforts, the City of Fort Collins launched a review of its Stormwater Utility’s best management practices, which will include an investigation and recommendation of appropriate Low Impact Development (LID) standards. |
| Connecticut |
| The towns of Killingworth and Killingly and the City of Torrington all made changes to their comprehensive plans to include strategies to protect water quality. The Towns of Morris, Killingworth and North Stonington created new open space plans. The Towns of East Haddam, Salem and Lyme jointly adopted the Eightmile River Watershed Management Plan to help protect the quality of the watershed. |
| Georgia |
| Towns County is including several of the model principals from the TN Growth Readiness (TN NEMO) workshop series in their comprehensive plan. Towns County is implementing an innovative new Appalachian Conservation Development Incentive Program for conservation-based subdivision development. The Hiawassee River Watershed Coalition worked with the Towns County Conservation Board to design the program’s required practices, based on the TN Growth Readiness workshop recommendations. The County also produced a DVD that highlights local developers experience with clustering building lots and green space to save mountainous areas/provide visual protection. |
| Indiana |
| Through Planning with POWER (IN NEMO), Porter County adopted Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND) guidelines developed at a two-day design charrette facilitated by U.S. EPA and POWER. The guidelines encourage compact, walkable, mixed use design that protects open space and natural resources within the development tract. |
Planning With POWER facilitated a the establishment of a special Land Use Planning Committee in Jasper County that looked at updating the comprehensive land use plan and zoning ordinances to address rural residential housing, large agricultural operations, and water/septic issues in the county. Based on recommendations from that process, Jasper County is updating their Comprehensive Land Use Plan including ordinance revisions that address agricultural land, natural resources, water quality, septic issues, economic development, and other priorities. |
| Oregon |
| Oregon NEMO provided assistance to the cities of Wheeler and Sutherlin to help them create stormwater master plans. |
| Kansas |
| Kansas NEMO was instrumental in the development of a watershed management plan for the City of Olathe, KS to protect Lake Olathe. The plan was adopted by the City Council for inclusion in the city’s master plan. The plan includes recommendations for protection of important natural resources, either limits on the amount of impervious surface or best management practices that reduce alteration of hydrologic impacts, riparian buffer preservation/creation to protect streams from impacts from urban runoff. |
| Maine |
| A NEMO presentation on open space planning in Raymond catalyzed the community to develop an open space plan that was based on the presentations recommendations. According to the City, “Our approach drew significantly on your presentation and helped spring us into action!" |
| Minnesota |
| After working with Northland NEMO educators, the City of Duluth completed a natural resource inventory as part of their comprehensive plan revision, and designated protection areas in their future land use map based on mitigating forest fragmentation, trout stream impacts, steep slopes, and other criteria. Duluth is now working on developing form-based codes based on their comprehensive plan. |
| NEMO education efforts on the importance of natural resource inventories led to the development of resource management plans in the Cities of Lino Lakes and Blaine. Developed by a local NEMO partner, the Rice Creek Watershed District (RCWD), resource management plans (RMPs) seek to balance the goals of restoring wetlands and improving water quality with providing viable options for land development. The RMPs rely upon sophisticated computer models, supplemented with on-the-ground observations, to predict the quantity and quality of water pre- and post-development as well as the impact that development will have to wetland habitats. In order to move forward, new developments must demonstrate that the project adheres to the goals of the RMP. |
| After a Northland NEMO presentation about Natural Resource Based Planning, the City of Medina formed an open space task force to develop the open space plan component of their comprehensive land use plan, and enacted a 6-month moratorium on new development. The NEMO presentation helped guide the formation of the task force and helped them focus their work. The Task Force recommended adoption of the plan by the Comprehensive Plan Committee and portions were included in the current draft version of the comprehensive plan. The open space plan called for the development or updates of the following ordinances: natural resource design standards, conservation development ordinance, establishment of a local purchase of development rights (PDR) program, and minor adjustments of the Park and Trail Dedication Ordinance. Currently, they are working these ordinance provisions . |
A Northland NEMO hosted planning charrette produced a plan of development for a 100 acre site alongside a trout stream within the City of Duluth that included several areas that had been targeted for preservation in the city’s new comprehensive plan. Existing zoning would allow 36 units, with an estimated 10.4 acres of impervious surface, but the final charrette plan allows for 42 units clustered on 30 acres, with only 4.7 acres of impervious surface, with all units adjacent to an existing neighborhood with transit lines and neighborhood commercial services. The proposed preservation areas were protected by this design as well. |
| Nevada |
| The North Valley of Reno’s Specific Area Plan, which is used to guide development in different areas of the City, requires consideration of infiltration BMPs and LID practices for all new development. |
After participating in NV NEMO workshops, Washoe County’s Comprehensive Plan incorporated LID and stormwater protection into the conservation element. |
| New Hampshire |
| One of the communities NROC (NH NEMO) worked with, Wakefield, commissioned and participated in the development of a water resources chapter for their master plan. They are currently working on an implementation plan for that chapter. |
| South Carolina |
| The Town of Surfside Beach is incorporating pond management strategies learned in NEMO stormwater education workshops, including vegetated buffers and maintenance activities, into its stormwater management plan. |
As part of a countywide conservation planning effort that included SC NEMO, Jasper County community stakeholders representing local and regional government officials and staff, state and federal resource agencies, nonprofit conservation organizations, local businesses, private land owners, and concerned citizens completed a natural resources inventory for the entire county. This comprehensive natural resource inventory is being used to identify areas for protection, assist with directing future growth to appropriate areas, and to preserve the rich heritage and quality of life in the county. In addition to conducting the resource inventory, community stakeholders and project partners developed a comprehensive natural resources plan for Jasper County. Ultimately, many of the goals, objectives, and strategies were integrated into the Natural Resources Element of the revised comprehensive plan, in addition to including the entire publication as an appendix to the County’s approved plan. |
| Texas |
| Inspired by TX NEMO, stakeholders within the Dickinson Bayou Watershed Partnership have put together a watershed protection plan. The plan is currently in the final editing stages and will serve as a roadmap in the present and future protection of the watershed. This plan identifies the present state of the watershed, pollutants found in the watershed and possible sources, as well as suggestions for actions to mitigate these water quality issues. |
| The Arroyo Colorado Watershed Partnership completed their watershed protection plan with assistance from TX NEMO. Incorporation of wetlands into the treatment train of local wastewater treatment plants was one new critical practice introduced through the plan. The plan is final and implementation is well underway with several new funded grant projects. |