BEAVERTON'S CIVIC PLAN RECEIVES KEY ENDORSEMENTS
Posted: March 28th, 2011 2:14 PM
- Three citizen advisory groups voice unanimous support for the strategies -
Beaverton's Civic Plan has received endorsements from three key advisory groups. This support comes as the plan is scheduled for a public hearing before City Council on the evening of March 29, 2011.
The Visioning Advisory Committee (VAC), a group of citizen volunteers who are dedicated to fulfillment of the Beaverton Community Vision (BCV), endorsed the Civic Plan strategies in a letter submitted March 14, 2011.
"The VAC recently reviewed the proposed Beaverton Civic Plan implementation strategies for alignment with community goals and priorities in the Beaverton Community Vision", said VAC Chair Mark Fagin. "We are pleased to report a very high degree of connectivity, particularly with regard to land use and transportation, housing and downtown redevelopment."
On March 16, the Civic Plan Steering Committee provided their recommendation to City Council to adopt and begin implementation of the Civic Plan strategy documents. The committee is an advisory group representing various community interests including residents, business owners, property owners, and employers.
"This process has resulted in many great ideas from our community on how to revitalize our central city, focus our attention on economic development and employment growth, ensure a diversity of housing stock for future generations, and expand transportation options," said Chair Scott Winter. "These strategies will help set us on a path toward fulfilling the Beaverton Community Vision and making our city a more livable, sustainable, and attractive place to be."
Finally, the Beaverton Planning Commission passed a recommendation of support for the Civic Plan on March 23, 2011 recommending City Council support the initial implementing actions of the Civic Plan Strategies. The immediate implementation steps focus on nine elements:
1. Adopt the Civic Plan by May 1, 2011.
2. Move the Canyon Road facility design from conceptual-level to pre-engineering and final design.
3. Develop details for the Beaverton Creek Headwaters plaza, trails, and water quality concept.
4. Incorporate Civic Plan projects within Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) priorities.
5. Conduct informational outreach to help educate residents about Urban Renewal district for the center of Beaverton.
6. Create an Urban Renewal district for the center of Beaverton.
7. Identify high priority catalyst projects and focus new housing development in the Central City.
8. Complete a work plan the development of Comprehensive Plan, Engineering Design Manual, Development Code and Transportation Plan amendments.
9. Develop a complete a funding strategy to identify the potential costs and potential revenues of policy options.
The recommendations and letters of support will be provided as testimony at the Tuesday, March 29 public hearing. The City Council welcomes citizen comments about the Civic Plan at the hearing.
ABOUT THE CIVIC PLAN
The Civic Plan serves as the City's technical analysis, prioritization process and implementation plan for much of the Beaverton Community Vision. It creates a set of tools and partnerships for bringing many of the most critical and immediate elements of the Vision to life over the coming years. The Civic Plan kicked off in September 2010 with a series of public engagement events. Based on this input and technical analysis, three draft strategies have been developed and were released on January 31, 2011. Throughout February and March, a series of City Council study sessions and hearings were held to consider community feedback, Steering Committee recommendations, and document refinements. A revised draft of the strategies was released on March 21, 2011. The Civic Plan Strategies are expected to be adopted this spring. More information about the strategies and the Civic Plan process can be found at www.beavertoncivicplan.com.
ABOUT BEAVERTON
Beaverton was one of just four cities of its size recently recognized as a "Smarter City" energy leader by the Natural Resources Defense Council and one of the 100 Best Places to Live in America by Money magazine. In addition, Beaverton has been named one of the safest cities in the Pacific Northwest for three consecutive years, as one of the best places to raise kids by BusinessWeek magazine, an All-America City finalist, one of the 100 Best Walking Cities in America by Prevention magazine, the Recycler of the Year from the Association of Oregon Recyclers, a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, a Bronze Award Bicycle Friendly Community designation by the League of American Bicyclists and as one of the Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Communities. Beaverton also enjoys one of the most diverse populations among Oregon cities. For more information, please visit www.beavertonoregon.gov.
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