About the Plan

PURPOSE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN:

The Woodland Park Comprehensive Plan will provide the framework for decisions that affect the City's physical, social and economic realm. Because the plan represents the goals of the majority of Woodland Park's citizens, rather than those of individuals or special interest groups, it provides a strong foundation for policy direction, land use decisions and public investments. It can also help the City prioritize and direct resources to specific actions that will help achieve the community's goals.

THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WILL:

• Incorporate citizen views into a shared vision of the future;
• Help us arrive at a future of our own choosing;
• Provide policy direction and guide land use decisions;
• Coordinate City functions that are interrelated;
• Help balance competing interests;
• Promote orderly growth and economic health; and
• Encourage regional cooperation and consideration of both the built and natural environment.

WHO IS DOING THE UPDATE?

The nine members of the Planning Commission are responsible for creating and adopting a Comprehensive Plan to guide the physical development of the community in a way that promotes the City’s prosperity and well-being.  The Planning Commission is working with the Project Team, which consists of the planning and engineering firm Civil Resources and the non-profit PlaceMatters to devise the plan.  Civil Resources will identify the community’s needs, integrate all of Woodland Park's existing reports and plans (such as the 2007 Parks, Trails and Open Space Master Plan) into the Comprehensive Plan, and devise strategies to implement the Plan.  PlaceMatters will facilitate the public input process and strive to ensure that the vision set forth in the Comprehensive Plan celebrates the diversity of our residents’ opinions and backgrounds.

THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESS

Strategic Planning

The Planning Team met with City Staff to gather background information, tour the community and discuss their goals for the process.  The Team then analyzed existing City documents for inclusion into the Comprehensive Plan (such as the 2008 Hazard Mitigation Plan and the 2007 Parks Trails and Open Space Master Plan).  The Team is developing a “community portrait” to describe Woodland Park’ existing conditions and characteristics.

Community Input

• Members of the Planning Team will:Facilitate two public workshops to learn what citizens want to see included in a roadmap for Woodland Park.  For example, how much should we encourage growth?  How will the community address water issues?  Where should we put housing?  How should we pursue strategies to put a brake on growth?  Would you like to see the City identify more strategies for encouraging economic development?  If so, should the strategies focus on making downtown more of a stopping place for residents and visitors?  Would you like the City to identify strategies for making walking, driving, biking or taking the bus easier?  These are all important questions that require public input to pursue the right path.
• Engage citizens in the “Imagine Woodland Park” project to describe what makes the community special and unique.  We will collect written stories, poems, songs, videos and photographs via the website and submissions to City Hall to learn what makes Woodland Park vibrant and unique.
• Distribute an online community survey (hard copies will be available at City Hall, the Ute Pass Cultural Center, Senior Center and the Woodland Park Library).

Writing the Comprehensive Plan

Civil Resources will compile all of the public input and information gleaned from existing documents and create goals, objectives, implementation strategies and maps 

Reviewing the Comprehensive Plan

Civil Resources will post the draft Comprehensive Plan on this website so that residents may review and email comments about the plan to the Project Team.  Hard copies of the draft Comprehensive Plan will also be made available at City Hall and at the Woodland Park Library. 

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

Why must Woodland Park complete a Comprehensive Plan?  The Colorado Revised Statutes states, "it is the duty and responsibility of the (planning) commission to make and adopt a master plan for the physical development of the municipality (C.R.S. 31-23-206)." The statue further states, "the plan shall be made with the general purpose of guiding and accomplishing a coordinated, adjusted and harmonious development of the municipality and its environs which will, in accordance with present and future needs best promote health, safety, order, convenience, prosperity and general welfare (C.R.S. 31-23-207)."

DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL AFFAIRS:

Please click below to read the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) Master Plan Primer to learn more about Comprehensive Planning.

Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC):

Interested in helping craft the Woodland Park Comprehensive Plan?  Download the CAC participant form.  Please fill out the form and return it to City Hall, attention Sally Riley.  CAC members will help spread the word about upcoming Comprehensive Plan related events and provide feedback and guidance to the planning team throughout the update process.