Addressing the Land Use Water Quality Connection: Incorporating Watershed Restoration

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Addressing the Land Use Water Quality
ConnectionIncorporating Watershed Restoration
Protection into Land Use Planning
Decision-Making

• WRAPS Conference
• January 18, 2007 P Wichita, Kansas
• Robert Wilson
• K-State Research Extension

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Session Overview

• ? Basics of land use planning management
• ? Strategies for integrating watershed issues
• into land use planning decision-making
• ? QA / group discussion

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Basics of land use planning

• ? Comprehensive plan
• ? Zoning
• ? Subdivision
• ? Capital Improvements Plan (CIP)

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Comprehensive Plan

• ? Vision
• ? Goals guiding principles
• ? Background info
• (key issues, community characteristics)
• ? Policies
• ? Action plan
• ? Special plans

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Comprehensive Plan

• Elements
• ? Land use growth management
• ? Natural resources environment
• ? Public facilities services (infrastructure)
• ? Transportation
• ? Housing neighborhoods
• ? Economic development
• ? Historic preservation
• ? Community design
• ? Special planning areas

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Zoning

• ? How property can be used what restrictions
  apply
• ? Map ordinance
• ? Ordinance permitted uses, conditional
• uses, density, lot size, bulk, use
  limitations
• ? Guides current future development

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Zoning Map
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Subdivision Regulations

• ? Apply when land is divided into smaller
• lots/parcels or boundaries are altered
• ? Required plats identify existing site
• characteristics proposed developments
• ? Requirements for additional studies
• (Ex transportation impacts)
• ? Guides future land use / development

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Capital Improvements Plan (CIP)

• ? Major public infrastructure projects/
• improvements
• ? Prioritized list
• ? Schedule for implementation
• ? Costs / financing funding
• ? Guides future land use / development

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Integrating Watershed Restoration Protection
into Comprehensive Plan

• ? Include restoration protection goals
• ? Expand natural resources element to
• include watersheds
• ? Include watershed conditions impacts of
• development in background info
• ? Identify adopt WRAPS as a special plan
• ? Designate watershed protection area
• as special planning area

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Integrating Watershed Restoration Protection
into Zoning

• ? Review uses permitted by right potential
• negative impacts on watersheds?
• ? Conditional use permits to require BMPs
• ? Include watershed issues/concerns into
• criteria for rezonings
• ? Utilize overlay zones to implement watershed
• protection areas
• ? Limit impervious cover

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Integrating Watershed Restoration Protection
into Subdivision Regs

• ? Require BMPs in site design standards
• low impact development
• ? Include watershed issues in site plan review
• process criteria for approval
• amount of impervious cover
• location within watershed planning area
• ? Require watershed impact study

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Integrating WatershedRestoration Protection
into CIP

• ? Require adequate public facilities be in place
  
• before development is approved
• ? Invest in infrastructure that supports
• watershed restoration protection
• ? Encouraging development in areas that may
• negatively impact watersheds?

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Strategies for Integrating Watershed Restoration
Protection into Land Use Decision-Making

• ? Educate decision-makers
• ? Integrate watershed issues/concerns into
• other plans and codes ordinances
• ? Conduct a build-out analysis
• ? Address existing land use activities
• ? Collaborate with other jurisdictions

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Strategies for Integrating Watershed Restoration
Protection into Land Use Decision-Making

• ? Encourage watershed-based planning
• Change geographic focus to watershed
• boundaries/scale
• Consider cumulative impacts of individual
• projects
• Direct development to suitable areas within
  
• watershed to minimize impacts

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QA / Group Discussion
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Resources

• Kansas Local Government Water Quality Planning
  Management Guide
• www.oznet.ksu.edu/olg/publications/index.html

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Contact Information

• Robert Wilson
• Watershed Planner
• Office of Local Government
• K-State Research Extension
• 785-532-7823
• rmwilson_at_k-state.edu
• www.oznet.ksu.edu/olg