News

Planning consulting firm meets with city council

Scott Wagar

05/15/2012

Cyndy Grey of Fargo’s SRF Consulting met with the city council during its May council meeting to discuss a proposal of SRF conducting a comprehensive plan to assist the city of Bottineau with future land use and development due to increase oil activity in Bottineau County.

“Our comprehensive plan is a blueprint for a city’s future,” Grey said. “It deals with policies and plans to help guide a city’s growth.”

Grey pointed out that a preparation of a draft comprehensive plan includes text and maps addressing the following components:

  •  Background and existing conditions
  •  Projections for population, jobs and households
  •  Goals, objectives and policies
  •  Land use
  •  Transportation
  •  Housing
  •  Natural resources and environment
  •  Industry, economy and jobs
  •  Public services and facilities
  •  Quality of Life
  •  Implementation plan  


Grey also pointed out that SRF conducts comprehensive plans to create and preserve the quality of life through eight incentives, which include:

  •  Safety (traffic, pedestrians, mixture of work places and residential areas and personal safety)
  •  Freedom from excessive noise
  •  Freedom from excessive crowding
  •  Freedom from odor and poor air quality
  •  Protection of our environment
  •  Protection of our investments, our property values
  •  Ensure provision of appropriately sized public services and facilities
  • Plans and prepares for growth in public services and necessary investments


“Why do we plan?” Grey asked the councilmen. “We plan and prepare for growth in public services and necessary investments; and, it allows for sound fiscal decisions to be made about infrastructure and where growth should be accommodated.

“And, state statues require zoning decisions are based on an adopted comprehensive plan, which provides legal protection to the city, identifies your planned land uses so corresponding and compatible zoning district can be put in place,” Grey added. “It also identifies the priorities of the community’s goals, objectives and policies.”

Grey went on to say that state law requires a plan because it prevents the jurisdiction from making arbitrary decisions, and requires a process of thought and consideration before amending the plan to allow a certain zoning district.

“Plans can be amended through thoughtful, careful consideration with public notice and after considering the potential impacts to surrounding properties, utilities and transportation facilities,” Grey said.

In her conclusion, Grey asked the aldermen why they should consider SFR Consulting at the present moment.

“City leaders have seen the effects of the oil industry on other western North Dakota communities,” she said. “Having a land use plan and extraterritorial zoning in place is a proactive step to help protect property owners from incompatible land uses and overburden roadways. And, timing is important, because once the development starts, it moves quickly.”

Grey stated that the process of a comprehensive plan consist of data collection by documenting existing conditions, early public involvement in identifying issues, prepare draft goals and objectives, prepare draft land use plan, seek public input, prepare draft of comprehensive plan, obtain pubic input again, have a planning commission review it and then have the city council adopt the plan.  

SRF Consulting has assisted other impact oil communities like Watford City, Tioga, Killdeer and Parshall.

The council showed interest in SRF’s presentation and asked Grey for a cost estimate. Grey will present SRF’s estimated cost to the city of Bottineau during the June 5 city council meeting.