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V.2. Planning Application 2019-08-AMD Final 2040 Comprehensive Plan - Cultivate Hopkins May 28, 2019 Planning Application 2019-08-AMD 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update – Cultivate Hopkins Proposed Action: Staff recommends the Planning & Zoning Commission adopt the following motion: Move to adopt Planning & Zoning Commission Resolution 2019-09, recommending the City Council direct the City Planner to distribute the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update – Cultivate Hopkins to the Metropolitan Council pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Section 473.864 Overview The latest version of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update – Cultivate Hopkins is now available on the City’s website for your review. This version reflects edits and revisions made based on feedback received during the required 6 month interjurisdictional review period. The plan is summarized in the attached memo from Haila Maze, Senior Planner with Bolton & Menk, Inc (the city’s consultant for this project). Staff will present this information during the meeting and accept feedback from the both the public and Commission during the public hearing. The action before the Planning & Zoning Commission tonight is to conduct a public hearing on the plan and consider a recommendation to the City Council authorizing submittal of the plan to the Metropolitan Council for formal review. Primary Issues to Consider • Alternatives Supporting Documents • Planning & Zoning Commission Resolution 2019-09 • Summary Memo from Haila Maze, Senior Planner with Bolton & Menk, Inc. _____________________ Jason Lindahl, AICP City Planner Financial Impact: $ N/A Budgeted: Y/N ____ Source: _____________ Related Documents (CIP, ERP, etc.): _________________________________________ Notes: Planning Application 2019-08-AMD Page 2 Alternatives 1. Recommend the City Council direct the City Planner to distribute the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update – Cultivate Hopkins to the Metropolitan Council for review. By recommending approval, the City Council will consider a recommendation to direct the City Planner to distribute the 2040 Comprehensive Plan to the Metropolitan Council for review. 2. Recommend the City Council not direct the City Planner to distribute the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update – Cultivate Hopkins to the Metropolitan Council for review. By recommending denial, the City Council will consider a recommendation to not direct the City Planner to distribute the 2040 Comprehensive Plan to the Metropolitan Council for review. Should the Planning & Zoning Commission considers this option, it must also identify specific findings that support this alternative. 3. Continue for further information. If the Planning & Zoning Commission indicates that further information is needed, the items should be continued. CITY OF HOPKINS Hennepin County, Minnesota PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION RESOLUTION 2019-09 A RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECT THE CITY PLANNER TO DISTRIBUTE THE 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE – CULTIVATE HOPKINS TO THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL PURUANT TO MINNESTOA STATUTES SECTION 473.864 WHEREAS, Minnesota Statutes section 473.864 requires each local governmental unit to review and, if necessary, amend its entire comprehensive plan and its fiscal devices and official controls at least once every ten years to ensure its comprehensive plan conforms to metropolitan system plans and ensure its fiscal devices and official controls do not conflict with the comprehensive plan or permit activities that conflict with metropolitan system plans; and WHEREAS, Minnesota Statutes sections 473.858 and 473.864 require local governmental units to complete their “decennial” reviews by December 31, 2018; and WHEREAS, on April 1, 2018, the City Council of the City of Hopkins approved Resolution 2018-038 requesting additional time within which to complete the Comprehensive Plan “Decennial” Review Obligation; and WHEREAS, the City Council, Planning & Zoning Commission, and the City Staff have prepared a proposed Comprehensive Plan intended to meet the requirements of the Metropolitan Land Planning Act and Metropolitan Council guidelines and procedures; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes section 473.858, the proposed Comprehensive Plan was submitted to adjacent governmental units and affected special districts and school districts for review and comment on September 12, 2018, and the statutory six-month review and comment period has elapsed; and WHEREAS, Hopkins Planning and Zoning Commission, pursuant to published notice, held a public hearing on the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update – Cultivate Hopkins and reviewed such draft plan and all public comments on May 28, 2019: all persons present were given an opportunity to be heard; and WHEREAS, Minnesota Statutes section 473.858 requires a local governmental unit to submit its proposed comprehensive plan to the Metropolitan Council following recommendation by the planning commission and after consideration but before final approval by the governing body of the local governmental unit. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Planning & Zoning Commission of the City of Hopkins hereby recommends the City Council direct the City Planner to distribute the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update – Cultivate Hopkins to the Metropolitan Council Pursuant To Minnesota Statutes Section 473.864. Adopted this 28th day of May 2019. ________________________ James Warden, Chair 1 MEMO To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Planning & Zoning Commission From: Jason Lindahl, City Planner and Haila Maze, Senior Urban Planner Date: May 28, 2019 Subject: Cultivate Hopkins Comprehensive Plan Comments Overview The latest version of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update – Cultivate Hopkins is now available on the City’s website for your review by clicking here. This version reflects edits and revisions made based on feedback received during the required 6 month interjurisdictional review period. This memo provides an overview of the plan, summarizes the responses received during the comment period, addresses potential changes to the draft plan and describes next steps for plan review and approval. The action before the Planning & Zoning Commission today is to recommend to the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing submittal of the plan to the Metropolitan Council for formal review. Purpose of the Plan The purpose of this plan update is to provide long range guidance for growth, development, and investment in the City of Hopkins. It will replace the City’s current comprehensive plan which was adopted in 2009. This comprehensive plan envisions the growth and change the community will see by 2040, and creates a framework for what the City needs to do to get there. To do this, the plan interweaves guidance from City-established goals, public comments and feedback, past plans and initiatives, and analysis of data and trends. As a community within the seven county Twin Cities metropolitan region, Hopkins is required by state statute to update its comprehensive plan every ten years, as part of an overall regional planning cycle managed through the Metropolitan Council. This plan will fulfill all requirements of this cycle. Over the next ten years, the City will make numerous decisions related to development, infrastructure, public services, budgeting, and many other topics that need to be aligned with its overall goals. This plan provides a framework for this decision-making process – to ensure consistency, and progress toward longer range goals. Cultivate Hopkins Vision The concept for Cultivate Hopkins came out of a desire to continue to cultivate and grow the City of Hopkins as a distinct and meaningful place. Based around principles of sustainability, resilience, equity, 2 and complete and connected communities, it provides a framework for preparing for the future. The plan emphasizes retaining what is valued, while proactively addressing and welcoming change. The vision statement for Cultivate Hopkins is: “Hopkins will cultivate the best elements of the Built, Natural, Social, and Economic Environments into complete and sustainable community that is rooted in tradition, characterized by vibrant and unique places, physically and socially connected, and resilient to changing conditions.” The plan also reflects the 2018 Hopkins City Council Goals and Strategic Plan, adopted by the City Council in 2017. While these goals do not provide detailed guidance for every area covered by the plan, they focus attention on important elements for consideration and action. Sustainability Framework The vision for Hopkins is that of a sustainable community – defined as one that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It is also envisioned as a resilient community – defined as one that is able to respond to social, economic, and environmental changes and disruptions while maintaining its integrity and purpose. The City of Hopkins consulted several best practice materials to shape and inform the framework for the comprehensive plan update. The primary source was Sustaining Places: Best Practices for Comprehensive Plan (American Planning Association, 2015). This document details national best practices for creating a sustainable, resilient and complete community. Traditionally, comprehensive plans were developed from a top-down approach with separate stand-alone chapters focused primarily on land use and physical development. By comparison, Hopkins is using the Sustaining Places document to further enhances the City’s existing work and ensure the new comprehensive plan fully embraces the topics of resilience, system thinking, community engagement, equity, adaptation and measurable implementation practices. To supplement this framework, the following resources have been used to provide more detailed information, implementation strategies, and best practices. • STAR Community Rating System. The Sustainability Tools for Assessing and Rating Communities (STAR) system, developed by STAR Communities, is used to rate community performance on a range of topics related to promoting local sustainability. • GreenStep Cities. Minnesota GreenStep Cities is a voluntary program for cities that helps them achieve goals in sustainability and quality of life. • Regional Indicators Initiative. Hopkins has participated in the Regional Indicators Initiative, which helps participating communities to benchmark their status on a range of metrics, to measure progress against itself and peer communities. • Climate Resilience Workshop Series. In early 2017, Hopkins participated with six other cities in a workshop series designed to identify opportunities to build resilience related to local climate change. What’s New? The vision for this plan contributed to the decision during the planning process to go over and above what is required by the Metropolitan Council for a comprehensive plan, to include some new elements not previously featured. These sections, detailed on the following page, include: 3 • New element on quality of life in Hopkins, facilitated through cross-sector and cross- discipline collaboration, including safety and emergency preparedness, community facilities and infrastructure, and public health • New element on sense of community, exploring equity, race, and social connectedness, and the role of the city in addressing disparities and encouraging engagement and connections. • New details related to natural resources and environmental responsibility, including renewable energy, climate change and resilience, and sustainable building practices. • Expanded focus on economic competitiveness, including community economic development, business development, education, and disparities. The table below summarizes the change in plan format: Existing Plan: Stand-Alone Chapters New Plan: Interconnected Elements Preface and Goals Introduction Community Demographics Community Profile (appendix) Built Environment Land Use Land Use Transportation Transportation Housing Housing Social Environment Quality of Life Sense of Community Natural Environment Water and Solid Waste Sustainability and Natural Resources Parks and Trails Parks and Trails Economic Environment Economic Competitiveness Downtown Downtown Implementation Implementation The Four Environments Sustainability may be new to comprehensive planning but not to Hopkins. The City Council Goals and Strategic Plan and many of the City’s existing practices and planning documents incorporated various aspects of sustainability. The Cultivate Hopkins 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update seeks to fit together the City’s existing vision, goals and policies with comprehensive planning best practices in a more relatable, interconnected and measurable comprehensive plan for the future of Hopkins. Rather than traditional individual chapters focused on land use and physical development, the Cultivate Hopkins plan looks at the community’s through four environments detailed below. 4 Built Environment The built environment is defined as all human-made elements of a space where people live, work, and play. It includes sections on land use and development, multimodal transportation, and housing and neighborhoods. This is the most traditional element of city planning – and the land use map and supporting descriptions are at the hub of the planning framework. This includes Land Use, Transportation, and Housing elements. Social Environment The social environment is defined as human interaction and engagement in the community. It includes sections on public services and facilities, education, public health, community connections, equity, and arts and culture. Much of the content for this element is new to the Hopkins comprehensive plan this time around, motivated by the City’s focus on related issues as citywide priorities. This includes Quality of Life and Sense of Community elements. Natural Environment The natural environment relates to natural systems and resources, including land, water, air, habitat, and ecology. In addition to addressing policies around these specific systems and resources, it includes direction for practices that are specifically aimed at protecting or improving the natural environment, including guidance for parks and open space, renewable energy, and climate change resilience. Economic Environment The economic environment covers the economy, jobs, businesses, income and poverty, and affordability. This section includes economic development and competitiveness, and guidance for Downtown Hopkins (as the city’s economic hub). Issues related to affordability and poverty are covered in overlapping sections in the built environment (housing) and social environment (equity). This includes Economic Competitiveness and Downtown elements. 5 A Plan for the Whole City As is traditionally the case for comprehensive plans, the task of developing the document is being led by the planning staff of the city. However, as this is a plan for the entire city, there are elements which apply to the work of all city leadership and staff. Ways this plan will be used across the entire city include: • Provides support for any major new initiatives or investments • Guides priorities for capital project budgeting • Puts short term implementation in context of longer term goals • Establishing a framework for making decisions This plan has been developed to reflect direction for all city operations, although some topics are covered in more detail than others. Review Process to Date In the fall of 2018, the City of Hopkins completed its draft comprehensive plan update and released it for the required six-month interjurisdictional review. The Planning & Zoning Commission held a public hearing to review the draft plan during their regular meeting on August 28, 2018. There was also a public open house prior to the public hearing. The City Council reviewed and officially released the draft plan for public review and comment on September 4, 2018 On September 12, 2018, the City release the draft plan and began the required 6 month interjurisdicational review period. As required, the plan was circulated to adjacent jurisdictions for review and comment, from September 12, 2018 to March 12, 2019. The list of these jurisdictions is provided below. Those in bold provided comments back to the City by the March 12, 2019 deadline. • City of Edina • City of Minnetonka • City of St. Louis Park • Hennepin County • Hopkins School District #270 • Edina School District #273 • St. Louis Park School District #283 • Minnehaha Creek Watershed District • Nine Mile Creek Watershed District • Three Rivers Park District • Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) • Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) For the purposes of the review, it is not required that comments be received from all jurisdictions. While the City did not receive written comments from adjacent cities or the county, Hopkins staff have met with staff from St. Louis Park and Minnetonka to discuss shared issues and areas for collaboration. 6 Ongoing coordination between cities and other stakeholders ensures that there is a regular opportunity to address and manage any concerns that arise. During the six-month review, the plan was also submitted to the Metropolitan Council for informal review. This optional step provides an opportunity for feedback regarding consistency with Metropolitan Council standards in advance of the formal review. After the Metropolitan Council staff provided comments, City of Hopkins staff sat down with them to talk through potential responses. During the six month review period the City took the extra step to put the draft plan online and solicit public comments through social media. By the conclusion of the comment period, the City had received comments from the following respondents. The additional stakeholders listed reflect the City of Hopkins’ commitment to higher standards in priority areas, particularly related to equity, the environment, and housing affordability. • Peg Keen, Executive Direct at ICA Food Shelf • Nathan Miller, Resident of the Moline • Larry Hiscock, Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee member and housing advocate • Anonymous online commenter • Great Plains Institute • Center for Economic Inclusion While this memo is focused on elements that need to be updated in the plan, the comments included recognition that the city has already made significant progress on these issues. Comments received and associated changes to the plan are detailed in the attached Comment Tracker table. Comments in the tracker are organized by the for plan elements (Built, Natural, Social and Economic). Summary of Comments Received The comments received during the comment period and from the Metropolitan Council’s informal review are included in the attached table. This also includes comments from the Planning Commission and public hearing in August 2018, in the interest of completeness, although some have already been addressed in the current draft. A summary of the comments by plan element is provided below. The table distinguishes between Incomplete Comments and Advisory Comments. Incomplete Comments are identified by the Metropolitan Council as incomplete or inconsistent with regional policy, and must be addressed for the plan to be approved. Additionally, there are advisory comments that may still be important, but are not necessary to meet regional policy standards. • Introduction and Forecasts o Need more details as to intentional inclusivity of engagement process o Ensure table of contents is numbered o Update population and employment forecasts to reflect fact that growth has exceeded expectations in recent years Built Environment • Land Use 7 o Add more detail to housing density guidance around transit station areas to reflect minimum density requirements of 50 units/acre, per Metropolitan Council guidance o Various clarifications regarding wording and calculations related to density requirements • Transportation o Add more information on roadway lanes o Identify local issues related to freight traffic o Update transit facility information with data on current facilities, existing bus service, and planned improvements • Housing o Strengthen language and guidance for how affordable housing tools will be used in the community o Clarify approaches in housing implementation plan regarding specific tools o Consider additional housing strategies such as accessory dwelling units, inclusionary housing policy, and tenant protection policies o Ensure policies reflect high percentage of renters in Hopkins o Clarify language regarding encroachment into single family areas Social Environment • Quality of Life o Address artist housing in context of broader affordability and equity needs • Sense of Community o Disaggregate data by race where possible to show disparities, and identify needs and opportunities o Add more tools and approaches for addressing racial equity Natural Environment • Sustainability and Natural Resources o Update solar access section with performance standards if possible o Add policies to support native plantings and landscaping o Add policies that take planning for wildlife into consideration with development and transportation projects o Include additional natural resource information in the plan o Add resilience policies related to electric vehicles, emergency response, and stormwater management; lessen focus on wind power as its not applicable in Hopkins o Consider targets for carbon reduction and other renewable energy targets • Surface Water Management o Extensive comments from both watersheds related to compliance, documentation, and proper procedures – most of which can be fulfilled directly o Request for citywide stormwater modeling may be accomplished over time, but does not seem necessary at present • Water Supply 8 o Review of water supply plan is occurring on a parallel path; revised version will be incorporated here, reflecting MN DNR and Metropolitan Council input • Wastewater o Include documentation of existing system and its characteristics o Need copies of intercommunity service agreement o Additional detail as to approach to managing inflow and infiltration • Parks and Trails o Minor comments related to 17th Avenue study status and length of existing trails Economic Environment • Economic Competitiveness o Focus on encouraging business start-ups by people of color, as well as targeting education and other strategies to these populations to support equity o Include reference to growing tax base and using resources efficiently • Downtown o Emphasize the uniqueness of downtown as a key differentiator, including central social district concept • Implementation o Strengthen language in implementation steps around race equity, including tracking disparities and other tools o Strengthen policy language and toolkit for affordable housing and tenant rights o Zoning and parking related priorities should be short term Recommendation and Next Steps The action before the Planning & Zoning Commission today is to recommend to the City Council adopt a resolution to submit the plan to the Metropolitan Council for formal review. Once the plan is approved and submitted, the Metropolitan Council will have 15 business days to review the plan for completeness. If any issues are found, they will be brought to the attention of the city via a letter. The City then will have an opportunity to work with the Metropolitan Council to resolve any remaining items before final review and approval by both the Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council.