§ 8.11. Land Use Policies and Recommendations

Policies and recommendations build on goals and objectives by providing more focused responses to the issues that the city is concerned about. Policies and recommendations become the tools that the city can use to aid in making land use decisions.

Policies identify the way in which activities are conducted in order to fulfill the goals and objectives. Policies that direct action using the words "will" or "shall" are advised to be mandatory and regulatory aspects of the implementation of the comprehensive plan. In contrast, those policies that direct action using the word "should" are advisory and intended to serve as a guide.

Policies

1. All development proposals approved in the city shall meet the intent of the preferred land use map and land use classification definitions, goals and objectives as described within the Land Use element or as amended in accordance with due process requirements.

2. Ensure that infill and redevelopment projects are well-designed and compatible with surrounding uses and building types.

3. Ensure site/master planning is done for targeted types of development and redevelopment.

Recommendations

Recommendations are specific actions or projects that the city should be prepared to complete. The completion of these actions and projects is consistent with the city's policies, and therefore will help the city fulfill the comprehensive plan goals and objectives.

1. Amend the city zoning ordinance to be consistent with the Preferred Land Use Map (Map 8-2) of the City of Greenwood Year 2025 Comprehensive Plan.

2. The city should exercise its extraterritorial plat review authority as needed to protect its borders from unplanned development.

3. The city should continue to utilize the official map to augment the comprehensive plan.

4. For other land use related ordinance updates, please consult the Implementation element, Section 9-2 of this plan.

9. Implementation.

The comprehensive planning process takes a community through data collection, analysis, visioning, and goal setting. Through public participation, the community members voice their concerns and articulate their hopes. Through identification of these concerns and hopes, a foundation for community strategies and objectives is created. A community then adopts the plan which summarizes and interprets the planning process through maps, graphs, and written text. The comprehensive plan continues to serve the community by providing proactive steps toward future implementation.

Just as the comprehensive plan does not work independently of other community documents, the Implementation element does not work independently of the other elements in the plan. In fact, the Implementation element is one of the best ways to demonstrate the integration of all the elements. Through implementation, the connectivity among community issues and opportunities, housing, transportation, utilities and community facilities, agricultural, natural, and cultural resources, economic development, intergovernmental cooperation, and land use is realized. Decisions should be made based on the knowledge that one decision can affect all the elements involved and there are direct and indirect effects of all actions.

The Implementation element includes a compilation of programs and specific actions to be completed in a stated sequence. These include, but are not necessarily limited to, proposed changes to any applicable zoning ordinances, official maps, sign regulations, erosion and stormwater control ordinances, historic preservation ordinances, site plan regulations, design review ordinances, building codes, mechanical codes, housing codes, sanitary codes or subdivision ordinances. These programs and specific actions will be used to implement the goals, objectives, policies, and recommendations contained within the earlier elements of this plan.

The Implementation element also includes a section on mechanisms to measure progress that will allow the community to determine if it is successfully implementing its comprehensive plan. In addition, this element also describes how all of the plan elements will be integrated and made consistent, as well as amendment and comprehensive plan update procedures.