Richardson City Plan Commission Meeting October 29th, 2024
All commissioners and alternates are present.
The only item on tonight’s agenda is a public hearing on the comprehensive plan update.
Planning Projects Manager Keith Krum presents. Keith reviews the public engagement process for the comprehensive plan update. He also explains the content structure of the plan document. He also explains that there have been edits to the plan since the Oct. 21st joint meeting. Grammar, spelling, and formatting corrections have been made. Maps have also been updated to make labels and features clearer. Guiding principles and action items have been added under each chapter within the plan. A page that explains what a comprehensive plan is has been added. Chapter numbers have been added to improve navigability in the document. Some adjustments to the Future Land Use Plan have been made to match existing zoning boundaries. Additional ethnicity information has been added. Information about future water/wastewater efforts has also been added. Cover photos have also been updated. And the sustainability statement was updated to emphasize a local focus.
The public hearing now opens. Three speakers are present. The first speaker compliments the plan. The second speaker wants compact residential neighborhoods to be replaced with mixed use to create more destinations for people to visit. The third speaker, president of UTD-based Comets for Better Transit, asks for a bolder vision for increasing transit access. She requests that the W. Campbell/Floyd reinvestment zone vision statement be changed to reflect a desire for a higher density mixed use area with more housing and restaurant/retail options. She also requests the same vision be applied to the area at Campbell/Coit Rd.
Chair Marsh asks Keith to explain how they arrived at the current recommendations for reinvestment areas. Keith explains that these areas and their vision statements were guided by community feedback collected throughout this process. Chair Marsh points out that some of the feedback collected indicated that not everyone supports higher density in the areas mentioned by the speakers. Vice-Chair Southard asks how these reinvestment areas will progress. Keith explains that there will be a webpage maintained that provides updates on progress in these areas. Future surveys will also be sent out to those who engaged during this comprehensive plan update to ask if they want to continue to receive updates on the implementation of the plan.
Chair Marsh compliments the increased flexibility and implementation guidance in this plan compared to the previous comprehensive plan update. Vice-Chair Southard encourages citizens to continue staying involved and providing input. Commissioner Beach compliments the document and suggests that we shouldn’t let the pursuit of perfection prevent an excellent plan from being approved. Commissioner Poynter asks how often this plan will be evaluated. Keith answers that it will be evaluated annually with a progress report via an online dashboard, but they will evaluate as needed on an ongoing basis. Commissioner Roberts asks if outreach is planned as part of the implementation matrix. Keith answers that planning projects will include outreach but that will be specific to the item being implemented.
The CPC unanimously recommends approval of the comprehensive plan update. Councill will review the plan for final adoption on Nov. 11th. Meeting adjourned.