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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/12/24 Planning Commission Minutes/ MINUTES Town of Pulaski Planning Commission Municipal Building, East Wing Conference Room August 12, 2024 Present: Kevin Meyer, Rachel Arthur, Van Taylor, AJ Schrantz, Absent: Terry Hale, Dustin Davis Guest: Jeremy Clark (appointed to Planning Commission 8/20/24) Call to Order Chairman Meyer called the meeting to order at 6:07 PM. The roll was called. A quorum was determined with four members present. Review of Minutes Mr. Meyer called for a review and motion of July’s minutes. Mr. Taylor moved that the minutes be adopted as written. Ms. Arthur seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously. New Business—Work Session: Evaluating Town’s Future Land Use Map Mr. Meyer called for a staff report. Ms. Bork explained that many of the town’s future land use goals involve a critical analysis of the future land use map and the data that went into creating the comprehensive plan. She explained that future land use mapping is supposed to be the vision for the town at some point in the future and is intended to inform and guide policy decisions. Future land use maps do not necessarily need to match the existing use of property. She cautioned that proposed map changes need a basis in comprehensive plan goals and policies. She highlighted some of the data collected as part of the town’s Comprehensive Plan Survey 2 years prior and some community data statistics from ACS. She explained that she particularly hoped that the commissioners would review the town’s land use to address the following policies: “Reassess land use classifications and amend the future land use map to add additional residential future land use categories to differentiate the different residential densities.” (Land use 1.1.14, 2022 Comp. Plan) and “Identify different neighborhood types and develop specific land use policies to address their needs direct future development patterns and enhance the areas.” (Land Use 1.1.11, 2022 Comp. Plan). She explained that she had provided each commissioner with unclassified parcel maps of the town and colored pencils, as well as a copy of the town’s goals across the comprehensive plan and policies and a copy of the Land Use Element of the Comprehensive Plan. She pulled up the Counties Parcel Map on the projector. She explained that commissioners would use the provided materials to draft a “personal” future land use map for the town. Throughout the exercise, commissioners’ comments and discussion included: Which sections of town have and do not have green space, and where new open space might be feasible without distracting from other priorities? Whether extending commercial land use along Route 11 might spur economic growth. The counterargument is that the town should focus on filling our commercial before expanding it. Whether it made sense to have the town’s emergency services in the floodplain Memorial Dr. and the town’s property. Should that be included in the plan, there might be an opportunity to move it to a new location. The types of housing the town presently has and where and how it might be best to categorize it. How the towns might utilize/reclaim old industrial parcels near the creek, and whether leaving them as industrial is beneficial to the town, and its seeming contradiction with the protecting natural asset goals found in the Comp. Plan. Where should it be located in town if we move industrial uses away from Peak Creek? We need industry for economic stability. Brief conversation revolved around promoting service, technology, and R&D-type businesses as they would be an economic driver but may not present as great an environmental impact along the creek. This led to a brief discussion about company attraction and retention. Ms. Bork reminded commissioners that the town had recently hired an economic developer, and that would be something the economic developer would likely be doing as part of their position. Discussion expanding mixed-use zoned areas, particularly along Route 11, Route 99, and the downtown area, and whether that would help create “town gateways” that would draw folks from the surrounding area into Pulaski. One commissioner cited the new Food City and asked how much activity there is. A brief discussion about what could be done to protect historic housing within the town while still encouraging neighborhood development. Once the exercise had concluded, Ms. Bork explained that she would be using their maps and the comprehensive plan to draft a collective map that they would discuss in a future meeting. Mr. Meyer asked if Ms. Bork if she had a staff report to deliver. She said that she had folded it into the intro of the exercise. With there being no further business, Mr. Schrantz moved, and Mr. Taylor seconded that the meeting be adjourned. With no objections, the meeting was adjourned at 7:19 PM.