The Dublin Community Plan is a comprehensive planning guide that provides a compilation of policy objectives and strategies recommended for implementation. To be effective the Plan should be used on a regular basis to gauge public and private decisions concerning development, redevelopment, capital improvements, economic incentives, and other matters affecting the community. The following is a summary of how the Plan should be used to ensure effective implementation; City Council will be able to prioritize policies within the Plan according to timing and importance, and identify those entities for which achievement of particular objectives and strategies should be emphasized.
Annual Work Programs and Budgets
Individual departments and administrators should be aware of the recommendations of the Plan when preparing annual work programs and budgets. Many policy directives of the Plan can be achieved administratively, and the review of work programs by City Council should occur in accordance with the Plan’s strategies.
Development Approvals
Administrative and legislative approvals of development proposals, including rezoning requests and subdivision plats, should be a central means of implementing the Plan. Zoning and subdivision regulations should be updated in response to those strategies presented in the Plan that require regulations.
Capital Improvement Plans
Annual, five-year, and 10-year Capital Improvement Programs (CIPs) should be consistent with the Plan’s land use policies and infrastructure recommendations. The Plan may need to be updated to reflect unanticipated improvements that could dramatically impact the Plan’s land use or infrastructure recommendations.
Economic Incentives
Economic incentives and other encouragement activities that assist in retaining existing businesses and the attraction of new corporate citizens should be reviewed in light of the Plan’s recommendations. These incentives should be integrated with other Plan policies to ensure consistency, particularly with the Plan’s land use recommendations.
Private Development Decisions
Property owners and developers should consider the recommendations of the Plan in their planning and investment decisions. Public decision-makers will also be using the Plan as a guide in their development-related deliberations, such as zoning matters and infrastructure requests. Property owners and developers should understand the Community Plan when submitting requests to public bodies and are encouraged to contact the city to discuss development proposals prior to submitting a formal application.
Future Interpretation
The Community Plan is a major planning tool that provides general guidance for policy decisions. While comprehensive in nature, questions of interpretation will arise in the future that will require additional direction. In these cases, the City Council or Planning and Zoning Commission should be asked to provide written interpretations of major items that are not fully addressed by the Plan to maintain its consistent and fair implementation. The City Council or Commission will be able to call upon outside experts and other sources of knowledge for advice, when necessary.
