Fiscal Note
No additional City appropriation is required with the adoption of the Mifflandia Neighborhood Plan. Implementing recommendations within the Plan will require the inclusion of expenditures in future capital and operating budgets, subject to Common Council approval at that time.
Title
Adopting the Mifflandia Neighborhood Plan as a supplement to the Comprehensive Plan and the Downtown Plan and directing staff to implement the recommendations contained in the plan.
Body
WHEREAS, the Downtown Plan was adopted in July, 2012 (Legistar File # 24468) and contained recommendations for the Mifflin and West Washington areas, including to “Prepare a detailed development concept plan, design standards, and a comprehensive implementation strategy to guide future redevelopment. Recommendations may include building form as well as streetscape design standards to help create a distinctive urban character and sense of place;” and
WHEREAS, the Comprehensive Plan, adopted in August, 2018 (Legistar File # 51349), provided a vision for the City’s future and established goals, strategies and actions in the following areas: Land Use and Transportation, Neighborhoods and Housing, Economy and Opportunity, Culture and Character, Green and Resilient, and Effective Government; and
WHEREAS, the Comprehensive Plan’s Future Land Use Map includes a note referring to the Downtown Plan for guidance on issues such as viewshed preservation, mix of land uses, building design standards (including heights and stepbacks/setbacks), streetscape design; and other land use and design elements; and
WHEREAS, in July, 2018, the Common Council adopted a resolution (Legistar File # 51892), authorizing the development of a special area plan for the greater West Mifflin/West Washington area; and
WHEREAS, the Mifflandia Neighborhood Plan is the special area plan that focused on implementing the recommendations of the Downtown Plan and Comprehensive Plan for the area generally centered on the 400-500 blocks of W Mifflin St and W Washington Ave; and
WHEREAS, the Mifflandia Plan process utilized multiple traditional public engagement activities (public meetings, focus groups, surveys, etc.) as well as integrated social practice artists as a way to involve stakeholders who are less likely to partake in more traditional planning activities; and
WHEREAS, the Mifflandia Plan is organized by the Comprehensive Plan topics and includes notable recommendations including:
- Altering the Generalized Future Land Use Map in the Comprehensive Plan and Downtown Plan;
- adjusting the Maximum Building Heights Map in the Downtown Plan;
- establishing building setbacks and stepbacks along street frontages;
- enhancing street design and improving bicycle and pedestrian safety;
- creating an urban design district; and
- identifying a preferred location for a new park.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mifflandia Plan is hereby adopted as a supplement to the Comprehensive Plan and Downtown Plan.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that staff is directed to implement the recommendations contained in the plan.