Council Resolution 679
Creating the Comprehensive Plan Group

WHEREAS, the city's comprehensive plan has not had a major review and update since it was first approved in 1994; and

WHEREAS, conditions in Langley and the surrounding society have changed significantly since 1994; and the people of Langley have expressed multiple concerns about Langley's future that are best addressed through the comprehensive plan; and

WHEREAS, the increased pace of development in Langley has the city's planning advisory board already operating at full capacity; and

WHEREAS, a major update to the comprehensive plan requires considerable effort and focus; State law requires that the process of amending the comprehensive plan involve broad public participation; and

WHEREAS, the city's previous major work on the comprehensive plan prior to its adoption in 1994 was undertaken by a special committee formed for that purpose.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Langley that there is hereby created a "comprehensive plan group" that shall:

• exist until March 1, 2008;
• become a part of the city's planning agency through an ordinance amending Chapter 18.20 of the Langley Municipal Code (to be presented to council on March 15, 2006);
• be responsible, while it exists, for the review and recommendation to the city council of all updates and amendments to the comprehensive plan of the city;
• fulfill all state requirements for both the process and the content of such comprehensive plan amendments;
• work in close collaboration with and take its policy direction from council;
• consist of the mayor, all councilmembers, and at least seven appointed members;
• have a chair and vice chair(s) appointed by, and removable by, the council;
• have an executive team composed of the chair, vice chair(s), and mayor, which is responsible for managing the group and its internal process;
• have the chair of the planning advisory board as a member and the designated liaison with the planning advisory board;
• have other members appointed by the executive team and approved by the council;
• be staffed by consultants selected by the executive team and approved by council;
• spend in 2006 from the general fund on these consultants no more than the $30,000 already budgeted for planning consultants plus any grants and donations raised specifically for this purpose;
• do its work through subcommittees appointed by the executive team and confirmed by the council;
• make its final recommendations to council based on the decision of a committee, known as the integration committee, composed of the chairs of all of the aforementioned subcommittees, the executive team, and the planning advisory board liaison.

PASSED by the City Council of the City of Langley, Washington, at a regularly scheduled meeting held this 15th day of March, 2006.