On July 31, 2007, the City of Murphy entered into a contract with Sefko Planning Consultants (a division of Freese and Nichols, Inc.) to update the Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan was last updated in 1999 with a minor update in 2002. The Comprehensive Plan will address the following areas.
Overview and Existing Information Review
Data Collection and Analysis
Citizen Participation
Goals and Objectives
Future Land Use Plan
Thoroughfare Plan
Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan
Economic Development and Redevelopment
Community Facilities and Service
Implementation
Each project task will be expanded upon in the Comprehensive Plan itself. It is anticipated that the process to update the Comprehensive Plan will take approximately 10-12 months.
The Comprehensive Plan Update is being funded out of the Community Development Department budget in the amount of $75,000. The contract amount was originally approved by the City Council with the adoption of the Fiscal Year 2007 budget in September, 2006. The unused amount was carried over to the Fiscal Year 2008 budget in September, 2007.
Visual Character Survey (VCS)
On January 10, 2008, a Town Hall Meeting was held to gather public input on the visioning portion of the Comprehensive Plan. There was a great turnout of over 60 people. The following are the results of the survey, which indicate the most favorable responses to the categories studied:
Street Design – wide, landscaped medians with large mature trees
Building Materials – masonry, stone and rock
Building Design – articulation with height and depth variations
Mixed Use – non-residential, outdoor seating areas and trees
Signage – signs with natural elements, including rock and landscaping
Public Space – including water features
Pedestrian Amenities – sidewalks with connections to open space
Open Space – park like settings
Housing Mix – traditional single family housing
Non-Residential Development – retail uses
The entire results are outlined in Chapter 2 of the Comprehensive Plan.
Draft Chapters
The following are the chapters that the Planning and Zoning Commission have reviewed to date.
The next Comprehensive Plan Update meeting will be Monday, July 14, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall in the City Council Chambers (206 North Murphy Road).