EXHIBIT B (pages 2-9 of the Marion County Comprehensive Plan) Additions: bold, italicized Deletions: strikeout PURPOSE The Marion County Comprehensive Plan was developed for the purpose of providing a guide to development and conservation of Marion County's land resources. It is a general­ized long-range policy guide and land use map that provides the basis for deci­sions on the physical, social, and economic development of Marion County. It represents a public statement of the most desirable land conservation projections for the next 10 to 20 years. These policies and statements are based on inventories, developmental limitations, projected needs, public attitudes, countywide urban growth management project framework and implementation strategy, and the State Land Conservation and Development Commission Goals and Guidelines. The Plan also coordinates the various factors which influence Public Works such as sewer and water, transportation, housing, commerce, industry, schools, land use, recreation, and natural resources. It establishes goals and policies which recognize and plan for the interrelationships and interactions of these factors. The main objectives of this Comprehensive Plan are: a. To prevent future conflicts between land use activi­ties. b. To provide an objective basis for the land use deci­sions of elected officials, plan­ners, public agencies, and individual citizens. c. To provide a source of information describing the conditions and characteris­tics of the community. d. To identify the direction and nature of changes which may be expected within the community. e. To provide a better understanding of specific actions, programs and regula­tions which may affect the general public. f. To establish a balance between the competing state and county resource preserva­tion goals and development preferences. The Plan has been revised with the express purpose of providing an accurate statement of the County land use program and to comply with the State land Use Goals. There are fourteen State Goals that are applicable to Marion County. It is the purpose and intent of the County Plan to comply with these State Goals. SCOPE The scope of the Plan is comprehensive and long range. It is intended to provide a broad framework within which more specific implementation policies and programs may be developed. Compre­hensiveness is required through the establishment of statewide planning goals and guidelines by the Land Conservation and Development Commission in 1975. It is recognized that urbanization must be a shared respon­si­bility between the County and the city involved. Within the general framework of the County Plan, it should be the responsi­bility of each individual city to develop detailed plans for land use allocation and Public Works within its urban growth boundary, and specific implementation programs for such plans. Where such detailed plans are already in existence, they have been incorporated within this Plan. ORS 197.190 195.025 specifically requires the County to coordinate land use planning within the County. It is extremely important to maintain a clear distinction between the Comprehensive Plan itself and implementing measures. Imple­menting measures include such controls as the zoning and subdivi­sion codes, public land acquisition, taxation policies and public improve­ments. These measures are specific actions which are taken to transform the Plan proposals and policies into reality. This Plan does not automatically change zoning; however, an Oregon Supreme Court decision in 1975 reaffirmed that the compre­hensive plan and the implementing zoning must be consistent with each other and the zoning must be subordinate to the Plan. The Comprehensive Plan establishes a guide for future zoning within the county as well as a Plan for all other land use decisions. As part of the Plan implementation process, existing zoning is reviewed to determine the appropriateness of the zoning to the achievement of the long-range goals and objectives for land use, conservation and development stated in the Plan. The views of area residents concerning zoning will be sought through the Citizen Involvement Program. Proposals for rezoning any portion of the County resulting from this review will be processed through the normal zone change procedures, requiring public notices, public hearings and citizen involvement. PLANNING PROCESS The preparation of a comprehensive plan involves several logical steps which may be referred to as the planning process. Basical­ly, the steps (or phases) of the process may be identified as: a. Research - the collection of physical, social, economic and demographic information. b. Analysis - the studying of information, definition of prob­lems, identification of possible solutions. c. Plan - the evaluation of possible solutions and the selection of a course of action. d. Implementation - carrying out the Plan directives by estab­lishing land use control ordinances and other specific programs that accomplish the intent of the Plan. e. Review and Amendment - continuously monitoring the validity of the policies and recommendations of the Plan, and amending them as necessary to accomplish long-range goals and objec­tives. Amendments and changes in the Comprehensive Plan can be made by the Board of Commissioners but only after holding public hearings on the proposed amendments and chang­es. The last step indicates that the process is continuous, and also implies that it may be repeated. While the Plan is being used to guide development and implementation pro­grams, it is constantly being monitored to be sure that its guidelines are still valid. With the passage of time and the changing of conditions, the Plan may require revision. CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT Citizen participation is desirable in many areas of governmental activity. In the planning process, where governmental policies are being established, citizen participation is not only desir­able but essential. The LCDC Citizen Involvement Goal No. 1 requires the opportunity for citizens to be involved in the planning process. In the preparation of the Marion County Comprehensive Plan, citizens participated in all phases of the Planning process. Marion County developed an active citizen involvement program by establishing Area Advisory Committees (AAC's) and a committee for Citizen Involvement (CCI). The CCI is a committee of citizens of Marion County that developed and monitored the citizen involve­ment program to assure that there are opportunities for all citizens to take part in planning decisions. Area Advisory Committees (AAC) are made up of interested citizens appointed by the Marion County Board of Commissioners to provide guidance and recommendations on planning issues. The members of the 8 area committees have reviewed and commented on the County Goals and Policies and land use designations contained in the Comprehen­sive Plan. These advisory committees also take part in the implementation phase of the planning process. In accom­plishing the planning goals and policies, the Area Advisory Committees plus individual citizen response, played a major role in determining the zoning patterns in their areas. A detailed description of the citizen involvement program used in the development of the Plan is included in the Background and Inventory Report. In anticipation of Plan implemen­tation the County has reevaluated its Citizen Involvement Program. The large committees in each of eight areas have been reduced in size to 4 to 6 members. At least one member of the County Planning Commission is on each area committee. The Planning Commission has been designated the Citizen Involvement Committee. Having a Commission member on each area committee will improve communica­tion. The Planning Commission will be studying and making recommenda­tions on ways to implement the Comprehensive Plan. They will seek the assistance and input of the members of each area commit­tee before forwarding their recommendation to the Board of Commissioners. Area committee members can provide their input through the Planning Commission or directly to the Board. The Staff will continue to seek input from the Planning Commis­sion members and/or area committee members located within the affected area on administrative decisions and permit applications scheduled for public hearing. Any input received will be noted in Staff reports and made part of the record. Policies 1. The Marion County Planning Commission shall serve as the Citizen Involvement Committee. The Committee shall periodi­cally review the citizen involvement process and make recommendations on how the process can be improved. 2. The Board of Commissioners shall appoint 4 to 6 citizens from each of eight geographical areas of the County to serve as an Area Advisory Committee. The Planning Commission shall designate one of its members to serve on each commit­tee. 3. A chairman shall be selected from the members of each commit­tee. The Chairman shall receive all Staff requests for input on applications within the area represented by the committee. The Chairman shall solicit input from those committee members familiar with the property in question. Committee members shall have the opportu­nity to provide their response directly or through a committee member to the Board of Commissioners Staff or Planning Commission. 4. At the request of the Planning Commission, a majority of committee members, or on his own initiative, the Chairman shall schedule meetings of the Area Committee. Members shall be given at least three days notice of meetings. 5. The CCI shall meet with the Chairmen of all committees at least once a year to receive comments on how the process is working and to report on the status of Plan implementation. 6. The general public shall be afforded the opportunity to be involved in all phases of the planning process as provided for in the Citizen Involvement Program adopted by the Board of Commissioners. USING THE PLAN A primary consideration in the preparation of the Comprehensive Plan should be its usefulness. The Marion County Plan is a statement of public goals, policies, objectives and, standards and guidelines that are intended to be used for coordination with other jurisdictions and in making specific decisions about present and future land use. The following explanation should help to understand what these terms mean and how they are used in the Plan. Definition Example Goal: A general statement of To provide areas in rural Marion County intent, point of view or desired for residential development with a status to achieve or maintain variety of locations, types and densities through implementing measures Policy: A commitment to pursue Rural Residential development should a course of action which will be limited to areas of non-farm or influence specific decisions forest lands and limited to rural densities Objectives: A scheduling of actions Marion County will identify rural lands outlining who does what and when suitable for residential development by identifying non-farm or forest lands and justifying an exception to the LCDC Agricul- tural Goals No. 3 and 4 Standards: A set of numbers or Rural Residential densities shall not exceed specifications which measure one dwelling unit per acre and quantify the subject matter found within the policy statement Coordination Guidelines: Flexible City plans should allow diverse housing types directions or measures that may be in multiple residential zones including a variety utilized to address specific policy of ownership types and should efficiently use statements within the urban growth multiple family zoned lands by not allowing the management framework. development capacity of the zones to be underutilized. Statements of goals, policies, objectives and, standards and guidelines are included within each appropri­ate plan section to specify the County's position on the subject matter. In some instances certain statements, such as a policy, may apply to more than one subject. These state­ments, together with the Land Use Plan Map, Transportation Map and Parks and Recreation Map, are the mechan­ism used to convey the desired direction and intent of County land use positions. In addition, the Plan contains intent statements in narrative form. These statements explain the basis and intent for the County's position on each subject in the plan and have signific­ance in clarifying and setting County policy. Goals, policies, objectives and, standards and guidelines are implemented when the County reviews individual land use actions. To determine whether a specific land use proposal is appropri­ate, a decision must be made of the applicability of each goal, policy or, stan­dard or guideline. These evaluations form the comparative justification for approv­ing or denying land use proposals. The Plan can be a very positive aid in providing information and guidance to anyone seeking to purchase or develop property. The Plan should be used by the County, other agencies, cities, private businesses, and individuals in planning for future investments and lifestyles. Before a decision is made to invest in or develop property, the Plan should be consulted to determine if the property owner’s interests are consistent with the Goals and Policies. If property owners purchase land that is not designated for their intended use, then they must bear the responsibility of the speculative decision. Expectations for the future use of land in Marion County are defined so that property commitments can be made with a degree of confidence and reliance on land use controls. This assists anyone involved with land in the County in making decisions that will be in the best interests of themselves and the public. PLAN AMENDMENTS: To maintain the Comprehensive Plan as an accurate statement of County land use goals and policies based on current inventory data, it is necessary to periodically review and evaluate it. If changes in the social, physical or economic conditions of Marion County occur it will be necessary to restate the land use goals and policies as well as the land use designations on the Plan Map. In any case Plan amendments must be consistent with the State Land Use Goals and applicable land use laws. Policy 1. The Comprehensive Plan and implementing measures shall be reviewed and updated at least every five years. The review process shall include opportu­nity for the general public, area advisory committees and state and federal agencies to submit proposed changes and to review and comment on any amendments being consid­ered by the Planning Commission and the Board of Commissioners. Plan amendments may range from individual property requests to a complete Plan revision. The need to revise the Plan on an individual property can be considered through an application by an affected property owner at any time. The complete planning process described earlier will be followed in the review of major Plan changes or complete Plan revisions. The flexibility of the planning program through amendments and changes based on new information is important but, at the same time, the integrity of the goals and policies must be maintained through long term stability and consistency in their application. Policy 2. The procedures which Marion County will use to consider Compre­hensive Plan amendments in addition to the re­quire­ments in State law, is as follows: Individual Property or Quasi-Judicial Amendments: Plan changes directly involving 3 5 or less properties will be considered a quasi-judicial amendment. Quasi-judicial amendments may be initiated by the subject property owners with an application form supplied by the Marion County Planning Division. The amendment will be reviewed by the zone change procedure established in the Marion County Zoning Ordinance. A Plan amendment application of this type may be processed simultaneously with a zone change request. Area-wide or Legislative Amendments: Where more than three six properties are involved, or where a change in the text of the Plan is proposed, the amendment will be considered a legislative amendment. Legislative plan amendments may be initiated only by the County Planning Commission or the Board of Commissioners. Any interested person may request changes in the Land Use Map or the text of the Plan by letter or petition, or with respect to the County Urban Growth Management Framework by request of a majority of the cities in the County. If the Commission or Board accepts the request and initiate a change, the review will follow the planning process described earlier. Urban Area Plan and Boundary Amendments: Urban Area Plan and Urban Growth Boundary changes shall be accomplished by the amendment procedure included in each city/county urban growth boundary and policy agreement or growth management agreement/compact. If no such agreement exists the applicable procedures described above shall apply. LAND USE As stated earlier, the central purpose of the Comprehensive Plan is to provide a guide for the Utilization of the land resources of Marion County. To do this, consideration must be given To all types and categories of land use. And because There are many other aspects of our Society that interrelate with land use activities they and all must be considered concurrently In developing a comprehensive land use plan. However, decisions on how to manage these Other concerns should be consistent with and based upon land use considerations. This has Been the approach used in developing the Marion County Comprehensive Plan. The Plan Recognizes the land use impact of existing conditions and anticipates the possible impact of Future changes. All other plan components that directly relate to land use such as transportation and recreation were first considered for their land use impact. Even though this Plan deals primarily with rural areas, both urban and rural lands are included within the jurisdiction of the County and land use planning must be done for both. And Planning must recognize the interrelationships that exist between them. First, there is the economic interrelationship. Rural land uses (agricultural and timber production) are dependent upon urban areas for facilities to process and finish their raw products, to supply them with Equipment needed for production and with household goods and for services such as medical, legal, educational, cultural, governmental, etc and so forth. Conversely, urban areas are dependednt upon rural areas to produce raw materials for processing and refining and as a market for goods and services. Secondary, there is the physical interrelationship between urban and rural areas. Land area is finite and urban area expansion consequently means rural area reduction. This fact has an obvious impact on rural land use patterns. Where rural land adjacent to urban areas is being utilized for agricultural production, urban expansion requires conver­sion of the agricul­tural land. Another part of the physical interrelationship between urban and rural land use is the open space and aesthetic benefits that occur to the urban areas just by the existence of rural lands. Consideration of these interrelationships has been an important part of the planning process. In addition to the urban-rural interrelationship, other rural land use related activities and interests must also be balanced. These include transportation, environmental quality, parks and recreation, economic development and energy planning. Individu­al consideration of these land use elements and appropriate policy statements are discussed in separate sections of the Plan. The Plan is primarily concerned with coordination of rural land use activities with lesser emphasis on coordination of land uses with other rural needs and interests. The major rural land use issues discussed in the Plan are agriculture, forestry and rural development. Goals and policy statements that attempt to balance these significant interests are the heart of the Plan and are the primary consideration in making County land use decisions. The following is a discussion of the interrelationship of these rural land use elements.