2020-08-19 Erie Planning Commission Study Session on Comprehensive Plan Update

The Planning Commission held a study session on August 19, 2020, at 6:34 PM, focused on discussing the process for updating the town's Comprehensive Plan. Commissioners reviewed the previous update process (2015), debated whether to pursue a technical revision or a full overhaul, and emphasized the need for public engagement to align the plan's vision with current community values. The meeting concluded with a plan to draft a memo for the Board of Trustees recommending a public outreach effort, with three commissioners volunteering to attend the Board's upcoming study session.

Agenda Approval

• Motion to approve the agenda by Commissioner Witt, seconded by Commissioner Lucy. Unanimously approved via roll call (7-0).

Public Comments

• No members of the public were present; no comments were offered.

Discussion Items

• Scope of Update: Commissioners debated whether to conduct a technical revision (updating existing chapters) or a full comprehensive revision (starting from scratch). Commissioner Witt noted that the current plan was largely carried over from 1999/2005 with technical updates in 2015, while Commissioner Ames advocated starting with a top-down review of vision, mission, and goals to ensure alignment with community expectations.
• Previous Process: Commissioner Hoback described the 2015 update, which involved chapter-by-chapter review of the 13–17 chapters, editing language and content, and updating the land use map. That effort took several weeks with meetings lasting 1–2 hours each, and was primarily a technical revision without broad public engagement.
• Public Engagement: Chair Zuniga stressed the importance of public input given demographic changes since 2015, especially new residents and the impact of COVID-19. Commissioner Ames proposed starting with a community health check (survey or outreach) focused on the plan's vision and guiding principles (Chapter 2), rather than immediately committing to a full update. Commissioners supported a multifaceted approach (surveys, targeted outreach) contingent on Board approval and resources.
• Staff Resources: Town staff representative Deborah noted that planning staff are stretched thin due to current development activity and UDC amendments; a consultant would likely be needed for any significant comprehensive plan update. Staff had included a placeholder budget of several hundred dollars in the proposed budget for next year.
• Timeline Considerations: Commissioner Sawish suggested that a survey should not go out until after the November election to avoid political complications, targeting mid-to-late November at the earliest. Commissioners agreed to present a concept to the Board rather than a detailed survey, seeking direction and preliminary support.

Key Outcomes

• Directive: The Commission decided to draft a memo (based on meeting minutes) summarizing their discussion and recommendations, to be reviewed at the next scheduled meeting (September 2, 2020) and then submitted to the Board of Trustees for the September 14 packet. The memo will propose an initial public engagement effort to assess alignment of the comprehensive plan's vision and guiding principles with community expectations, as a precursor to potential revisions.
• Representation: Commissioners Hoback, Witt, and Ames volunteered to attend the Board of Trustees study session (end of September) as formal participants, pending administrative confirmation.
• Next Steps: Staff will prepare a draft memo after the September 2 meeting; the Commission will review and finalize it, then forward to the Board for discussion.