DATE: February 28, 2017
TO: Board of Mayor and Aldermen
FROM: Eric Stuckey, City Administrator
SUBJECT:
title
Receive Envision Franklin and the FMPC Resolution 2016-91 to Adopt Envision Franklin
body
Purpose
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide information to the Franklin Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BOMA) concerning the adoption of Envision Franklin.
Background
On January 26, 2017 the Franklin Municipal Planning Commission passed Resolution 2016-91 to adopt Envision Franklin, the City’s Major Update to the Land Use Plan, with one amendment to the Plan involving a reduction in the height overlay map from 16 stories to 12 stories along the I-65 corridor.
The City’s previous Land Use Plan was adopted in 2004, but had not been updated since 2011. In the fall of 2014, the City was actively working with CHA Consulting to update the Major Thoroughfare Plan. To better link transportation and land use planning, Contract 2013-0135, establishing a professional services agreement between the City of Franklin and CHA Consulting, was amended to include professional services for land use planning.
Public meetings were held May 4-6, 2015 at Eastern Flank Battlefield Park to gather input and engage the community. Over the course of 2015 and 2016, the Planning and Sustainability Department (P&SD) staff worked with CHA (now Rundell Ernstberger Associates) to create a new planning document that provides clear and concise guidance to property owners and the development community.
The first draft of Envision Franklin was released to the public on July 20, 2016. During the following months, the P&SD staff provided many opportunities to the public to learn more about the plan and provide input, culminating in the open houses held on September 26 and September 27, 2016, in which over 200 people attended. Throughout the public engagement phase, 88 comment cards were collected and over 20 posts were made on the City’s social media pages. Moreover, presentations about Envision Franklin were delivered to various groups including the Downtown Franklin Association, the Franklin Tomorrow Board, the Franklin Breakfast Rotary, the Design Professionals, the Chamber Real Estate Roundtable, and a Special Work Session was held with the Planning Commission. In addition, Envision Franklin was discussed at four different Joint Conceptual Workshop meetings in the fall of 2016. Planning staff worked to incorporate much of the community input into the final draft released December 2016.
Envision Franklin seeks to articulate the long-term vision for the future of Franklin. The following are the major objectives:
• Create exceptional places for people through design of new development, building form, uses, setbacks, activated streets, and pedestrian focus.
• Direct higher intensity and taller buildings toward I-65 where infrastructure can support a thriving regional economy comprised of a balanced mix of regional office, commercial, and multifamily residential uses.
• While intensity is promoted in areas with supportive infrastructure, the emphasis in historic areas is to preserve the established character and ensure contextually compatible infill development.
• Strategically located neighborhood commercial and mixed use nodes to serve surrounding residential neighborhoods and help reduce traffic and trip length.
• Emphasize active transportation for both destinations and recreation by connecting land uses through multi-use paths, sidewalks, and trails.
• Protect Franklin’s natural beauty along its edges by preserving scenic corridors and viewsheds.
The Plan provides a framework for making land-use decisions, managing the quality of development, determining the timing and location of future growth, and directing investment and development activity. It should work in partnership with Connect Franklin, the Parks Master Plan, the Capital Improvements Plan, the Integrated Water Resources Plan, and other planning documents. Each are components of an interconnected, comprehensive approach to guiding the future of the City.
Financial Impact
There is no direct financial impact.
Recommendation
rec
The next step following the adoption of Envision Franklin is to begin the public process to update the Zoning Ordinance to better reflect the objectives of the Plan. This will involve numerous public meetings with the BOMA and FMPC. The process is expected to be managed in-house by city staff.
Staff recommends the receipt of Envision Franklin.