LWVC Position: Community Planning

(Originally Adopted 1970, Last Update 2020)

League supports healthy, diverse, and inclusive communities where people can live, work, shop and play. This is accomplished through comprehensive planning, urbanization policies, local transportation, and open space with opportunities for community input in all decision making.

Comprehensive Planning (County and City)

League supports:

1. Long term comprehensive planning which involves consideration of social, cultural, and aesthetic factors, as well as land use, utilities and transportation facilities.
2. Extensive, representative community (city, county, region) participation in the development of comprehensive plans.
3. Measures to insure effective, impartial, prudent, and lawful or legitimate enforcement of the implementation of comprehensive plans.
4. Emphasis on livability, sustainability and environmental quality in the development and implementation of comprehensive plans.
5. Citizens’ right to determine by ballot the expansion of municipal limits resulting from proposed annexations, delayed or otherwise, excepting only state-mandated annexations. (Adopted April 1997)
6. Development impact fees, such as Systems Development Charges (SDC), which require new development to pay a fair share of the costs of development impact on the community. (Adopted April 1997)
7. A strong central core of urban and governmental activity, including commercial, residential and recreational facilities while protecting the riverfront and historic structures, and maintaining the vitality of downtown.
8. Encouraging energy conservation through promotion of an efficient transportation system.

Urbanization

League supports:

1. Development that maintains and enhances community livability and protects resource lands.
2. Efficient use of land.
3. Prevention of urban sprawl by concentrating development utilizing infill, redevelopment, and other compact development forms while taking into consideration protection of the livability of existing neighborhoods.
4. Integration of multi-modal transportation planning and implementation with emphasis on connectivity and pedestrian orientation.
5. Provision of opportunities for a variety, range, and mix of housing densities, types, and prices.
6. A range of land uses for all community needs, i.e. residential, institutional, commercial, industrial, etc.
7. Provision of public areas, parks and open space (see also Parks and Open Space).
8. Provision of public services in an orderly, economic and efficient manner.
9. Assurance of opportunities for public participation in all decision-making processes.

Transportation (Originally adopted 1974)

League supports:

1. Planning and management of multi-modal transportation systems that promote good land use, conserve natural resources, and maintain environmental quality. The transportation system should
   • include safe and efficient right-sized streets, walkways, bikeways, and parking facilities.
   • ensure safe bikeways for transportation as well as recreation.
   • ensure safe and convenient pedestrian facilities.
   • ensure connectivity between various modes.(Adopted 2020)
   • include an adequate public transit system
2. Adequate public transit systems
   • should be funded by the government whether operated by the government or by private entities with government contracts.
   • provide access to places of employment, education, shopping, medical and social services, and recreational and cultural facilities during the day and evening seven days a week.
   • provide special services to overcome inequities of access for particular groups such as the disabled, elderly, low income.
   • are required by local government to have adequate operational standards, particularly with regard to qualifications of drivers, public safety, and frequency of service.
   • are coordinated by local government with all local and regional transit systems.
3. Encouraging ride-sharing to help decrease reliance on single occupancy vehicles.
4. Adoption of a comprehensive parking management system. (Adopted 2020)
5. Promotion of non-fossil fuel transportation choices. (Adopted 2020)

Parks and Open Space (Originally adopted November 1991)

League supports:

1. Protection through identification, regulation and/or preservation of areas of critical concern, such as rare and valuable ecosystems, wetlands, borders of rivers and streams, unique scenic and historic areas, and significant wildlife habitat.
2. Regulation of natural hazard lands where development could endanger life and property, such as flood plains and areas of unstable geologic formations.
3. Acquisition of land to provide green belts around urban areas in Benton County
4. Provision of open spaces for active community recreation. (Adopted 2020)
5. Access to parks in all neighborhoods for recreation and nourishment for the soul. (Adopted 2020)