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Commission adopts updated comprehensive plan on second reading; LDR rewrite next
Summary
After a multi-year process of public workshops and consultant work, the City of Newberry adopted its updated comprehensive plan on second and final reading. Staff said land-development regulations (LDRs) will be overhauled next to implement the plan; commissioners asked for timelines and budget details for an expedited rewrite.
The City of Newberry adopted an updated comprehensive plan on second and final reading Monday, completing a multi-year update staff and consultants said was designed to carry the city's 2022 strategic vision into planning policy.
Stacy (planning staff) explained the update process began with public meetings in 2023, work by consultant CHW (now NV5) on future land use, transportation and housing elements, and subsequent revisions to address state technical-assistance comments. The ordinance, read into the record as Ordinance 2024‑09, implements updated planning periods and other state-requested clarifications in several elements and will be transmitted back to state reviewers as required.
Paul Hornby, a resident commenter, urged a tiered-density approach and higher development standards to preserve downtown character and to require developers to meet with adjacent property owners before submitting applications; commissioners agreed to keep those priorities in mind during the next phase.
Commissioners and staff discussed the next, more technical phase — a comprehensive overhaul of the city's land‑development regulations (LDRs) to implement the new comprehensive plan. Stacy said the current municipal code includes 16 LDR articles across about 350 pages, last revised in a major way in the 1990s, and staff began a rewrite in December 2024. Her office outlined a three-phase approach: reorganize the code, perform a "clean-up" pass to streamline language, then pursue substantive updates for standards such as downtown flexible zoning, parking, signs and planned developments.
Staff reported $50,000 in the current budget to support the LDR rewrite over a two‑year schedule; commissioners asked staff to return with cost and timeline estimates if the commission wanted to compress the timeline to one year. Commissioner Martin moved adoption of Ordinance 2024‑09 on second reading; Commissioner Maison seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Staff said the wastewater element and capital-improvements updates were pulled earlier in the process and will return shortly for separate review to ensure the state has the most current data with the city's budget cycle.
