The Downtown Investment Authority will have its agendas full in April.
Not only will the nine-member board evaluate and select a proposal for the Shipyards, it will provide insight for the city’s Comprehensive Plan, as it concerns elements of Downtown, in a series of workshops.
The workshops, April 13, 20 and May 11, will give the DIA a chance to suggest changes to roughly 60 policies in the Comprehensive Plan.
No formal policy changes will be adopted during the workshops. That is up to the City Council.
At the April 13 meeting, the board will review conservation, coastal management, recreation, open space as well as housing.
On April 20, the board will review the future land use and capital improvements.
Finally, on May 11, transportation will be discussed.
Special attention is being given to both future land use and transportation, because of the complexity of those policies.
Only three board members were present at City Hall for the introduction of the workshops Thursday: DIA Chair Jim Bailey, Craig Gibbs and Oliver Brarakat.
Also present were members of the Planning and Development Department, including Director Bill Killingsworth, who answered questions about the recommendation process.
While not required, Killingsworth said he would make himself and staff available for future workshops to answer questions.
As for the absent board members, the Planning and Development Department said recommendations can be made via email if needed.
The review is part of a larger overview of the city’s Comprehensive Plan, according to Planning Department staff.
A memo sent to DIA board members March 28 said the city will take the recommendations and update the Comprehensive Plan in two stages.
First, the draft update will be sent to the state for review. Then, changes could be adopted if needed next year.
(904)356-2466