Template for Future Master Plans

“A good plan is like a road map: it shows the final destination and usually the best way to get there.” - H. Stanely Judd

The Countywide Comprehensive Plan provides the vision of overall community character for the County and provides direction for planning efforts within the County; dictating the shape of future regulatory revisions, programmatic efforts, and the basic framework for basin and subbasin plans. It is the general intent that countywide issues of broad community interest are to be addressed in the Countywide Comprehensive Plan. Basin and subbasin plans are intended to better define the unique character of specific geographic locations. Issues specific to basins should be addressed in basin master plans and subbasin specific issues should be addressed in subbasin plans (also sometimes referenced as neighborhood plans). Overall, the intent is to eliminate redundancy and duplication of policies in different master plans. Master plans should be presented in a clear, concise, and easily understood manner. The following goals, policies/actions provide guidelines for information that should be contained in different master plans.

Goal A. Develop master plans to provide guidance for future decisions in Summit County.

Policy/Action 1. Amend the Land Use and Development Code to require that the framework outlined below in Policies/Actions 2-7 is followed for all future master plans.

Policy/Action 2. The Countywide Comprehensive Plan shall, at a minimum, include the following sections or elements:

a. Community Vision

b. Land Use Element (including discussion of extractive natural resources)

c. Environment Element

d. Transportation Element

e. Housing Element

f. Community and Public Facilities Element (including Infrastructure)

g. Design and Visual Resources Element

h. Historic and Cultural Resources Element

i. Open Space Element

j. Recreation and Trails

k. Economic Opportunity Element

The Countywide Comprehensive Plan shall provide policy guidance on issues related to the above elements. Each Plan element shall contain germane background data, goals, policies/actions, realistic implementation strategies to carry forth the goals (including identification of expectations, responsible parties, and priorities), policies/actions, and pertinent sustainability measures.

Policy/Action 3. Basin master plans shall focus on issues that are unique to basins and at a minimum, address the following:

a. Land use maps and accompanying text that describes appropriate land uses for the different geographic locations in the basin.

b. Identification and mapping of significant summer and winter routes for various recreational purposes and accompanying text that outlines strategies to protect those significant routes.

c. Incorporation of unique or specific trail and trailhead issues.

d. Identification, prioritization, and mapping of visually important lands and accompanying text that describes strategies to maintain the visual character of those lands.

e. Identification of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) sending and receiving areas.

f. Encouragement of development in locations which minimize fiscal impacts on governmental service providers.

g. Consideration of the implications on issues of broader community interest (e.g., housing, transportation, natural resource extraction) as a result of basin master plan policies.

Policy/Action 4. Basin master plans may include the following:

a. Goals, policies/actions related to basin specific issues that are not already addressed in the Countywide Comprehensive Plan.

b. Unique or specific community and public facility/infrastructure issues.

c. Identification and mapping of ‘high quality’ wetlands and development of basin specific wetland strategies.

d. Identification of appropriate locations for a diversity of affordable, employee and permanent resident housing types.

e. Identification of needs and appropriate locations for different types of dispersed and developed recreation uses or new recreational facilities (e.g., neighborhood parks).

f. Identification and mapping of winter recreation areas delineating trails and trailheads for motorized and non-motorized users.

Policy/Action 5. Basin master plans shall not include the following:

a. Goals, actions, or policies that address issues that are countywide (and not basin specific) in nature and are similar in intent to goals, actions, and policies already addressed in the Countywide Comprehensive Plan.

b. Goals, policies/actions that directly conflict with the Countywide Comprehensive Plan.

Policy/Action 6. Subbasin plans and neighborhood plans may include the following:

a. Issues that are specific to subbasins and neighborhoods and are not addressed in basin master plans or the Countywide Comprehensive Plan.

b. Whenever possible, subbasin plans and neighborhood plans should be incorporated into basin master plans, eliminating the need to have separate stand-alone documents.

Policy/Action 7. All County master plans and plan updates shall be undertaken with an emphasis on extensive public participation.

a. Afford opportunities for residents to effectively shape the future of their community through participation in the master planning process.

b. Involve landowners in the planning process and emphasize respect for private property rights in planning decisions.

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