Lee County Master Plan

Lee County Master Plan

April 21, 2009Coordinating Committee

LEE COUNTY MASTER PLAN

Agenda

• Opening Remarks Wendy Swann // Lee County

• Schedule and Progress Update Brandon Bias // Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Inc.

• Results of Town Hall Meeting Report Jamie Greene // ACP Visioning + Planning

• Next Steps


Schedule and Progress Update

Project coordination Ongoing (PC and Coordinating Committee)Public involvement

First Town Hall Meetings Complete Second Town Hall Meetings 6/15-6/18/09 Focus Groups 6/15-6/18/09 County-wide Meeting 9/5/09

Preliminary Analysis 5/30/09Assessment Report 6/30/09Plan Elements 6/30/09 (assessment/concept plan) 8/30/09 (draft plan)Concept Plan Document 6/30/09Draft Plan Document 8/30/09Planning Comm. meeting/approval 11/15/09-12/15/09County Comm. meeting/approval 1/15/10-2/15/10Final Document 2/28/10

• Land-Use• Transportation• Econ.

Development• Community Design• Infrastructure• Housing• Natural Resources• Community

Facilities• Intergovernmental

Lee County Master Plan

SummaryTown Hall Meetings: Round 1


Agenda

• How did we get the word out?• What happened at the meetings?• What did we learn?• How do we use the results?• What’s next?


Meeting Preparation & Outreach

How did we get the word out?


How did we get the word out?Meeting Preparation & Outreach

• Coordinating Committee• Planning Commission• Newspaper articles• Radio advertisements• TV advertisements• Flyers• Web site


What Happened at the Meetings?


• Introduction to Master Planning Process What is a Master Plan? Why does Lee County need one? What is the public’s role in the process?

• Visual Preference Survey• Small Group Activities

Ideas for the Future Strong Places, Weak Places

• Exit Questionnaire

What Happened at the Meetings?Meeting Structure


Visual Preference SurveyWhat did we learn?


• Series of 33 images of several types of physical conditions

• “How preferred is this condition for Lee County?” Rated 1 (not preferred) to 5 (highly preferred) Commented on reason for rating

Visual Preference SurveyProcess


Visual Preference SurveyResults

Most strongly preferred• Well-maintained properties• Attractive landscaping• Low-density residential

development• Open space (wooded areas,

meadows)• Accessible open space and

recreation facilities• Family-friendly features such as• neighborhood parks and

sidewalks

Most strongly not preferred

• Sign pollution• Manufactured housing• Developments with excessive

pavement and minimal greenspace

• Large-format (big-box) retail• Multifamily housing and high-

density residential development• Clear-cutting of land• Overhead utility lines


Ideas for the FutureWhat did we find out?


• “What should be done to make Lee County the best it can be in the coming years?” Individual Idea Generation Small Group Breakouts Group Member Introductions Recording of Group Ideas “Last Chance” Ideas

Ideas for the FutureResults


• Most common topics: Zoning & Growth Management Recycling and Trash Pick-up Community Centers Healthcare, Schools, Police &

Fire Recreational Trails, Parks &

Playgrounds Agricultural and Environmental

Protection Preserving Historic & Rural

Character Signage, Parking, Landscaping

Ideas for the FutureResults


Strong Places, Weak PlacesWhat did we find out?


• Strong Places What places are desirable to visit? …are special in a positive way? …reflect well on the community? …would you like to see more of?

• Weak Places What places are undesirable to visit or are eyesores? …reflect poorly on the community?

Strong Places, Weak Places


• Identification of Top Three Strong and Weak Places Individual Maps Group Maps

• Discussion of Top Three Strong and Weak Places

Strong Places, Weak PlacesProcess


• Digital Compilation of Group Maps

Strong Places, Weak PlacesProcess


• Strong Places Auburn University Bean’s Mill Beauregard Beulah Chewacla Park Downtown Opelika Gold Hill Keisel Park Lake Harding Loachapoka Tiger Town

• Strong Qualities Business/Shopping/Employment

Centers Recreational, Educational, and Cultural

Opportunities Historic Places Clean, Well-maintained Places Natural Areas and Open Spaces Rural Farmland and Pastures

Strong PlacesProcess


• Weak Places North Auburn (city) Beulah Blanton Highways 14, 280,

379 Loachapoka Midway Plaza Northeast Opelika Opelika Rd. Quarry Salem Smiths Station Spring Villa

• Weak Qualities Traffic: Congested & Dangerous High Density Litter Environmental Degradation Poorly Maintained & Disorderly Crime

Weak PlacesProcess


Exit QuestionnaireWho attended the meetings?


• How many people attended the meetings?• What kind of people attended the meetings?• What did they think of the meetings?

Exit Questionnaire


• 161 Total Participants• 97% lived in Lee County• 75% were 45+ years old• 85% had at least some college education• 99% felt they had the opportunity to fully express

their ideas

Exit QuestionnaireWho attended the meetings?


• 99% felt they had the opportunity to fully express their ideas

• 100% thought the process was fair to everyone in the group

• “How was tonight’s meeting valuable to you?” Voicing my concerns Hearing others’ concerns & discussing Learning about the area/community Meeting people and sense of community Learning about planning process & need for planning Not sure - Skeptical about implementation of ideas

Exit QuestionnaireWhat did they think of the meetings?


How do we use what we learned?


What’s next…


Next Steps

• Town Hall Meetings // June 15-18 Outreach for Under-Represented Populations Study Groups Format

• Next Coordinating Committee // Planning Commission May ?, 2009 June 2, 2009 Two Weeks prior to Second Town Hall Meeting

Series

Documents

Lee County Master Plan