Lee County Master Plan

1. Lee County Master Plan April 21, 2009 Coordinating Committee

2. Agenda • Opening Remarks • Wendy Swann // Lee County • Schedule and Progress Update • Brandon Bias // Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Inc. • Results of Town Hall Meeting Report • Jamie Greene // ACP Visioning + Planning • Next Steps

3. Schedule and Progress Update Project coordination Ongoing (PC and Coordinating Committee) Public involvement              • First Town Hall MeetingsComplete • Second Town Hall Meetings 6/15-6/18/09 • Focus Groups 6/15-6/18/09 • County-wide Meeting  9/5/09 Preliminary Analysis 5/30/09 Assessment Report 6/30/09 Plan Elements 6/30/09 (assessment/concept plan) 8/30/09 (draft plan) Concept Plan Document 6/30/09 Draft Plan Document 8/30/09 Planning Comm. meeting/approval  11/15/09-12/15/09 County Comm. meeting/approval 1/15/10-2/15/10 Final Document 2/28/10            • Land-Use • Transportation • Econ. Development • Community Design • Infrastructure • Housing • Natural Resources • Community Facilities • Intergovernmental 

4. Lee County Master Plan Summary Town Hall Meetings: Round 1

5. Agenda • How did we get the word out? • What happened at the meetings? • What did we learn? • How do we use the results? • What’s next?

6. Meeting Preparation & Outreach How did we get the word out?

7. How did we get the word out?Meeting Preparation & Outreach • Coordinating Committee • Planning Commission • Newspaper articles • Radio advertisements • TV advertisements • Flyers • Web site

8. What Happened at the Meetings?

9. What Happened at the Meetings?Meeting Structure • Introduction to Master Planning Process • What is a Master Plan? • Why does Lee County need one? • What is the public’s role in the process? • Visual Preference Survey • Small Group Activities • Ideas for the Future • Strong Places, Weak Places • Exit Questionnaire

10. Visual Preference Survey What did we learn?

11. Visual Preference SurveyProcess • Series of 33 images of several types of physical conditions • “How preferred is this condition for Lee County?” • Rated 1 (not preferred) to 5 (highly preferred) • Commented on reason for rating

12. Visual Preference SurveyResults Most strongly preferred • Well-maintained properties • Attractive landscaping • Low-density residential development • Open space (wooded areas, meadows) • Accessible open space and recreation facilities • Family-friendly features such as • neighborhood parks and sidewalks Most strongly not preferred • Sign pollution • Manufactured housing • Developments with excessive pavement and minimal greenspace • Large-format (big-box) retail • Multifamily housing and high-density residential development • Clear-cutting of land • Overhead utility lines

13. Ideas for the Future What did we find out?

14. Ideas for the FutureResults • “What should be done to make Lee County the best it can be in the coming years?” • Individual Idea Generation • Small Group Breakouts • Group Member Introductions • Recording of Group Ideas • “Last Chance” Ideas

15. Ideas for the FutureResults • Most common topics: • Zoning & Growth Management • Recycling and Trash Pick-up • Community Centers • Healthcare, Schools, Police & Fire • Recreational Trails, Parks & Playgrounds • Agricultural and Environmental Protection • Preserving Historic & Rural Character • Signage, Parking, Landscaping

16. Strong Places, Weak Places What did we find out?

17. Strong Places, Weak Places • Strong Places • What places are desirable to visit? • …are special in a positive way? • …reflect well on the community? • …would you like to see more of? • Weak Places • What places are undesirable to visit or are eyesores? • …reflect poorly on the community?

18. Strong Places, Weak PlacesProcess • Identification of Top Three Strong and Weak Places • Individual Maps • Group Maps • Discussion of Top Three Strong and Weak Places

19. Strong Places, Weak PlacesProcess • Digital Compilation of Group Maps

20. Strong PlacesProcess • Strong Places • Auburn University • Bean’s Mill • Beauregard • Beulah • Chewacla Park • Downtown Opelika • Gold Hill • Keisel Park • Lake Harding • Loachapoka • Tiger Town • Strong Qualities • Business/Shopping/Employment Centers • Recreational, Educational, and Cultural Opportunities • Historic Places • Clean, Well-maintained Places • Natural Areas and Open Spaces • Rural Farmland and Pastures

21. Weak PlacesProcess • Weak Places • North Auburn (city) • Beulah • Blanton • Highways 14, 280, 379 • Loachapoka • Midway Plaza • Northeast Opelika • Opelika Rd. • Quarry • Salem • Smiths Station • Spring Villa • Weak Qualities • Traffic: Congested & Dangerous • High Density • Litter • Environmental Degradation • Poorly Maintained & Disorderly • Crime

22. Exit Questionnaire Who attended the meetings?

23. Exit Questionnaire • How many people attended the meetings? • What kind of people attended the meetings? • What did they think of the meetings?

24. Exit Questionnaire Who attended the meetings? • 161 Total Participants • 97% lived in Lee County • 75% were 45+ years old • 85% had at least some college education • 99% felt they had the opportunity to fully express their ideas

25. Exit Questionnaire What did they think of the meetings? • 99% felt they had the opportunity to fully express their ideas • 100% thought the process was fair to everyone in the group • “How was tonight’s meeting valuable to you?” • Voicing my concerns • Hearing others’ concerns & discussing • Learning about the area/community • Meeting people and sense of community • Learning about planning process & need for planning • Not sure - Skeptical about implementation of ideas

26. How do we use what we learned?

27. What’s next…

28. Next Steps • Town Hall Meetings // June 15-18 • Outreach for Under-Represented Populations • Study Groups • Format • Next Coordinating Committee // Planning Commission • May ?, 2009 • June 2, 2009 • Two Weeks prior to Second Town Hall Meeting Series