Agenda - 02-08-2005-3 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Iq • Water Resources Element • Historic Preservation Element Update (existing, adopted 1992) • Proposed Agricultural Element (proposed by the Agricultural Preservation Board, 2003) into a single- multi - chapter Natural and Cultural Systems Element. All of these elements share a common theme — the conservation of natural or cultural resources. I envision the document containing chapters that address each separate area of focus (a Water Resources chapter, a Natural Areas/Wildlife Habitat chapter, etc.), along with an intertwining mechanism that would identify and highlight the many inter- relationships between these components, with a concluding section that ensures that all of the strategies proposed are consistent with the overall resource conservation approach. I think such an approach would also mesh well with the underpinnings of the proposed new Land Use Element, as I understand it. A common strand or thread weaving throughout these chapters would be goals like Lands Legacy, Sustainability, Environmental Responsibility, which transcend the topical boundaries. The idea for a combined document came from a recent web site visit and conversation with a staff person in Marin County, California. Located just north of San Francisco, Marin County has been lauded in planning circles for many years as the paragon of what has come to be known as the "California - model" comprehensive plan (multiple but inter - linked elements), and when Orange County converted its plan methodology to this in 1990, Marin's plan was the basis for the series of elements called for in Plan today, In talking with Marin County staffers, their rationale for this integration of elements is similar to our own needs - they too are in the midst of a plan update, and have combined several of their elements into a Natural Systems Element for many of the same reasons listed above (need for concise readable documents, creating a more- doable project for staff, the inter - relationships between the different elements). I have attached a few pages about their plan. If this is acceptable, I would like to begin planning for creation of a Natural and Cultural Systems Element to be undertaken between July 1, 2004 and June 30, 2005, and submit this idea to the Board of Commissioners for consideration at an upcoming worksession as a proposed major topic of activity in 2004 -05. * - The 1988 version of this document is termed the Recreation and Parks Element. In keeping with the resource -based approach to these plan documents — and in keeping with the New Era for Parks report that noted the distinction between the land resource function of parks and open space and the human resource function of providing recreation facilities and programs — I would propose that the Recreation portion of the document be "spun off' from the Parks and Open Space portion and addressed either in a separate element, or perhaps as part of another planned element that is similar Is topic — the Service and Facilities Element. Although this would separate the functions by their primary governmental function, the documents would continue to recognize the inter - relationships between park facilities and recreation programming and the use of the land for parks and open space, separating them only for consistency with the resource -based approach. EIQviraN xO e' apta ResoLti ce cal sei' a6 iolc PO 8,,x 81,RS /305 -,q Revere Roaa HLCfsGar�c<gln, Nc2 2, 8