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JUNE 2005

6. OPERATIONS / ADMINISTRATION

As a consequence of the implementation aspects and orientation of the North Liberty Comprehensive Plan, operational and administrative goals and policies are of a prime concern. All people involved need to have a clear understanding of how development and redevelopment in the City will be achieved. To this end, the following is the operational and administrative goals and policies.

6.1 Operations and Administration Goals:

6.1.1 Promote private development and civic projects that enhance the community’s image on a regional basis, as well as improve the sense of community identity within the City.

6.1.2 Ensure that all development and/or redevelopment that occurs in the community is in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan and related ordinances should be amended as necessary to reflect changing community needs and priorities.

6.1.3 Allocate, to the extent possible, administrative and improvement costs to those activities generating the demand or utilizing the service.

6.1.4 Promote a responsible fiscal balance on an ongoing basis.

6.1.5 Facilitate City involvement when economically feasible in redevelopment efforts initiated by private interests.

6.1.6 Ensure that existing ordinances meet modern standards and needs of the area.

6.1.7 Provide opportunities for active and direct participation and involvement of residents, business people, and property owners within community development project areas.

6.1.8 Maintain the general citizen awareness of the purpose, plans and accomplishments of all redevelopment and development projects.

6.1.9 Monitor future development within the extra-territorial jurisdiction area to ensure such developments are consistent with long-term goals and objectives of the City.

6.1.10 Ensure that all land use and transportation policies and decisions are consistent with providing quality and timely emergency services to all residents of the City.

6.1.11 Ensure that all emergency services within the City have the highest level of communication equipment and that the lines of communication are established among service providers.

6.2 Operations and Administration Policies: General

6.2.1 Annually review the Comprehensive Plan on a formal basis to ensure that it is current and reflective of the community’s interest and changing needs.

6.2.2 Ensure that the Comprehensive Plan, including long-term and interim policies, promotes a responsible fiscal balance (revenue versus service costs) on an ongoing basis.

6.2.3 Annually review the Zoning Ordinance and related development codes and design standards and policies on a formal basis to ensure maintenance of the most advanced standards and provision and full compliance with legislative requirements.

6.2.4 Monitor federal and state programs and the possibility of assisting the City with implementing the Comprehensive Plan and meeting the needs of the community.

6.2.5 Monitor legislative changes and new requirements in ordinance and city control responsibilities, notably in the area of environmental protection and development management authority.

6.2.6 Prepare and annually update a Capital Improvement Plan for the management, programming, and budgeting of capital needs.

6.2.7 Ensure that all development proposals are adequately considered to determine all economic, physical, social and service demand implications and that sufficient time is provided for thorough analysis and decision-making.

6.2.8 Ensure that all analysis and basis for decision-making on development proposals is thoroughly substantiated and documented.

6.2.9 Formulate and implement a system which continues to use the City’s impact fees which assigns the City’s costs for development proposal review to the potentially benefiting property owner rather than having the City as a whole, assume the burden.

6.2.10 Use special assessments or tap on fees in assigning costs for public improvements to benefiting parties.

6.2.11 Require land dedication, easements and other such requirements at time of subdivision and/or development to insure the physical capability for necessary public/semi-public utilities and improvements.

6.2.12 On far-reaching and complex developments, utilize professional advise and recommendation to assist with related decision-making.

6.2.13 Maintain communication and promote continued coordination between the City and neighboring and related governmental jurisdictions.

6.2.14 Annually review and analyze the City’s financial position and debt service to ensure proper fiscal programming and management.

6.3 Operations and Administration: Community Image and Identity Policies

6.3.1 Promote private development of the highest quality to increase North Liberty’s attractiveness in the regional market.

6.3.2 Establish development performance standards that ensure attractive commercial and industrial areas.

6.3.3 Concentrate commercial development to promote identity and pedestrian circulation.

6.3.4 Give due consideration to community and neighborhood identity in the siting of public facilities.

6.3.5 Develop a public trails and open space system which connects areas of the City and promotes pedestrian and bicycle transportation.

6.3.6 Promote private and public efforts aimed at preservation of North Liberty’s historic structures and places to enhance City image and identity.

6.4 Operations and Administration: Codes and Ordinances Policies

• Development:

6.4.1 Any development or expansion of facilities shall result in full compliance with current ordinance standards.

6.4.2 Compliance may, upon City Council approval, be phased over a limited time period pursuant to an established schedule. If phasing is to occur, a security deposit shall be posted by the developer/property owner to insure compliance with ordinance standards.

6.4.3 The terms and conditions of all project/development approval shall require the completion of a developer’s agreement and a subdivider agreement.

• Zoning:

6.4.4 Until area plans are established and adopted, zoning of the area will remain as currently established and updated on a parcel-by-parcel request basis.

6.4.5 Approval of rezoning within development and redevelopment areas shall be contingent upon the proposed district and allowable uses conforming to the Comprehensive Plan and applicable area plans.

6.4.6 The provisions of the Zoning Ordinance shall be constantly reviewed, updated and adhered to for ensuring a response to the changing needs of development and redevelopment areas.

• Subdivision:

6.4.7 The provisions of the Subdivision Ordinance shall be constantly reviewed, updated and adhered to for ensuring a response to the changing needs of development and redevelopment areas.

6.4.8 State enabling legislation shall be pursued which facilitates expanded City control of development and related requirements.

• North Liberty Municipal Design Standards:

6.4.9 Ordinances shall be updated and enforced to improve the image and identity of the area.

6.4.10 Performance standards that provide for attractive and well functioning residential, commercial and industrial development shall be incorporated into the Zoning Ordinance.

6.4.11 Whenever changes in existing uses occur, they shall be brought into immediate conformance with design guidelines unless an extension can be justified over a limited period of time and conformity is assured through some type of acceptable financial security.

6.4.12 Once established, provisions and concepts of design guideline regulations shall be constantly monitored and updated to insure a response to the changing needs of the project area and improved techniques and standards of design excellence.

• Property Maintenance:

6.4.13 Ordinances shall be formulated and established which govern the minimum and proper maintenance of private property within development and redevelopment areas.

6.4.14 Once established, the provision of maintenance ordinances shall be constantly reviewed and updated to ensure a response to the changing needs of development and redevelopment areas and standards of living and environmental quality.

6.4.15 Property maintenance regulations shall be applied to all types of uses within development and redevelopment areas.

6.5 Operations and Administration: Public Participation Policies

6.5.1 Establish a program for the direct involvement and input of area residents, business persons and owners in the planning and implementation of any development or redevelopment project in the City.

6.5.2 Utilize existing business and civic organizations as a means of communicating and informing project area landowners and tenants, and the general citizenry of area plans and accomplishments.

6.5.3 Prior to formal public hearings, hold informational meetings with project area residents, business people, and property owners on a neighborhood or sub-unit basis to advise them of area plans and recommendations and seek their options and comments.

6.5.4 Hold formal public hearings on area plans and projects with prior notice to all citizens in the community.

6.5.5 Utilize the City newsletter on a continuing basis to keep the general citizenry informed and updated on plans and accomplishments in the City.

6.5.6 Make use of all public media, notably area newspapers, the local access channel, and the City’s web site as a means to keep citizens informed of all redevelopment projects.

6.5.7 Enlist specialized expertise that can contribute to the area plans from individuals of the community at large.

6.6 Operations and Administration: Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction Area/Annexation Policies

6.6.1 Ensure that the Comprehensive Plan addresses issues and strategies related to the surrounding extra-territorial jurisdiction area as well as the incorporated boundaries of North Liberty.

6.6.2 Wherever possible, apply all natural environment, land use, transportation and community facility policies to the extra-territorial jurisdiction area.

6.6.3 Exercise the authority for the City to review and approve all development proposals within the extra-territorial jurisdiction area.

6.6.4 Enforce all development standards adopted by the City when reviewing and approving development plans within the extra-territorial jurisdiction area. Development standards may also be considered within the development agreement.

6.6.5 Coordinate a fringe-area agreement with Johnson County to ensure that the long term goals and objectives of both governmental jurisdictions are compatible regarding the extra-territorial jurisdiction area.

6.6.6 Work with property owners to attempt to eliminate existing “islands” of unincorporated land within the City as directed by the State of Iowa.

6.6.7 Review all annexation requests by property owners to ensure the annexation is in the best interest of the City.

6.6.8 Monitor and evaluate annexation plans of adjacent communities to ensure future development in the region is of maximum benefit to the City.

Tools to Administer Operations and Administration Goals and Policies

• Comprehensive Plan
• Subdivision Ordinance
• Zoning Code
• Fringe-area Agreement with Johnson County
• Building Maintenance Codes
• Commercial / Industrial Maintenance Code
• City’s Website and newsletter

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