Community Planning
Land Use Education Project
Charlotte P. Burckhardt, AICP, PCP
Principal Planner
Presentation Outline
• Why communities plan
• How communities create a Plan
– Process
– Considerations
• How communities implement their Plan
– Zoning
– Site Plan Review
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Key ideas students would take away
from this curriculum
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Land Use issues affect our daily lives
Communities plan for their future
You have an opportunity to participate
Think like a planner
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Presentation Outline
• Why communities plan
• How communities create a Plan
– Process
– Considerations
• How communities implement their Plan
– Zoning
– Site Plan Review
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Communities plan for their future
• Similar to students planning for their
futures
– What are they good at now?
– What would they like to do in the future?
– What steps do they need to take to get
there?
Why communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Communities come in all shapes
and sizes
• In what kind of community would they
like to live in the future?
– Urban
– Suburban
– Rural
Why communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Urban
Why communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Urban
Why communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Suburban
Why communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Suburban
Why communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Rural
Why communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Rural
Why communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Why do communities plan?
• To prepare for change--puts the
community in the driver’s seat
Future
Why communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
I-75 and I-696 in 1963
Why communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
I-75 and I-696 in 2002
Why communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Why do communities plan?
• To balance individual property rights
against the greater good
Why communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Why do communities plan?
• To create a sustainable community that
people want to live in now and in the
future
– environmental
– fiscal (tax base)
– societal (someplace people care about)
Why communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Why do communities plan?
• To develop policies for growth and
communicate those policies in a document
• A community master plan is the
document that identifies those policies
and shows what the community would
look like in the future (future land use
map)
Why communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Waterford Future Land Use Map
Why communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Presentation Outline
• Why communities have a Master Plan
• How communities create a Master Plan
– Process
– Considerations
• How communities implement their Master Plan
– Zoning
– Site Plan Review
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Type of local government
• Home Rule
– The most local unit of government is
responsible for the planning and zoning
• Cities, villages, and townships
– Oakland County has 61 local governments
How communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Map of Oakland County
How communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Who creates the Plan?
• Planning Commission is composed of
citizens (5, 7, or 9) who represent
everyone in the community.
• Residents and business-owners are also
asked for their input
• One to two year process
How communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Planning process identifies:
• Where the community is now
• Where the community has been
• Where the community wants to be in the
future
How communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Master Plan Process
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Collect information about the community
Analyze the data
Get public input
Review options
Select a preferred future
Prepare an implementation strategy
How communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Types of Information Collected
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Population
Land Use
Infrastructure
Economic
Natural Features
Other community-specific issues
How communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Population Data
• Current Population (Census data)
– Age groupings
– Income levels
• Growth rates from previous data
• Population projections
– The population you are planning for.
How communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Waterford – 1990 and 2000 Census
• Population in 1990 was 66,692
• Population in 2000 was 73,150
• 9.7 % increase (6,458 people)
• There were 1,568 12 and 13 year-olds in 1990
• There were 1,718 12 and 13 year-olds in 2000
• Increase of 150
How communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Waterford Age Comparison
2000
1990
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Waterford 2000 and 2030
Population by age
Age 65+
Age 35-64
2030
2000
Age 18-34
Age 5-17
Age 0-4
0
How communities plan
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
35,000
Land Use Data
• Existing land use statistics
– How much land is used for residential, commercial,
parks, or industrial?
– How much land could still be developed?
– What opportunities exist for development?
• Historic land use
– Look at past statistics to see changes in different
categories.
• Development potential
– Vacant, underutilized, or redevelopment areas
How communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Waterford Land Use Map
How communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Infrastructure Data
• Circulation and access
– Hand out street maps
• Water and sewer
How communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Economic Data
• Where do people work--in or out of the
community
• Types of jobs available in the community
– industrial/manufacturing
– office
– commercial/retail
– commercial/service
• Employment rate
How communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Natural Features
• Larry will cover the environmental and
recreational topics
• He will illustrate a process to plan with the
environment
How communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Community-Specific Issues
• Lack of
– Recreational land or open space
– Housing for specific needs
– Town-center
• Community character
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Housing
Commercial corridors
Image of public facilities
Traffic congestion
Lack of sidewalks
• Growth rate – too fast
• Loss of population and need for redevelopment
How communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Planning Commission asks for
Public Input
• Public Meetings
– “Prouds and Sorries”
– Dot Voting
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Surveys
Visioning Sessions (brainstorming)
Key Person Interviews
Public Hearing
How communities plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Presentation Outline
• Why communities have a Master Plan
• How communities create a Master Plan
– Process
– Considerations
• How communities implement their Master Plan
– Zoning
– Site Plan Review
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Methods of Implementing
• Zoning
– The legal requirements that govern what you
can do with your property
• Site Plan Review
– The process to see how the building will be
sited on the property
Implementing the plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Zoning
• Parcel specific
• Regulates
– use
– setback-front, rear, and side
– coverage of the lot
– parking
– signage
– landscaping
Implementing the plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
COMPARING A MASTER PLAN TO A ZONING ORDINANCE
Zoning
The zoning ordinance is
law.
Master Plan
The master plan is a
guide.
The zoning ordinance is
adopted by the elected
body.
The master plan is
adopted by the planning
commission (elected
body may adopt too if
desired).
The zoning ordinance
shows how land is
regulated today.
The master plan shows
how land is to be used
in the future.
Site Plan Review
• Makes sure the zoning requirements for
that particular use are met on that lot
Implementing the plan
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Suggestions for Teachers
• Obtain copy of local master plan
• Create a newspaper clipping file
• Have students identify where they live in
their community
Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Community Planning
Land Use Education Project
Charlotte P. Burckhardt, AICP, PCP
Principal Planner