The first draft of an updated city master plan that came due for an update six years ago is finally complete.
The "Moab Comprehensive Plan," completed over the past five months by professionals on the city staff, will be available for public review after the city Planning and Zoning Commission approves the preliminary recommendations.Kathlyn Collins, planning assistant, said this week the process will have to be pushed back about a month because of the budget process.
"It's still kind of the idea stage. People have been wondering why it isn't done by now, but we're doing it as fast as we can," said Dave Olsen, city planning coordinator.
A schedule in the master plan set June 4 for the beginning of the 30-day public review and comment period. A public hearing was planned for early July. Final approval was expected by August but is now more likely in the fall.
The planning commission and Moab City Council received copies this month. No doubt both groups will want to make changes, Collins said.
The commission, at its latest meeting May 23, took issue with a recommendation to extend the C-5 (commercial) zone to include the area along 400 East from the intersection with Mill Creek Drive north to Center Street.
"We discussed zoning, but nothing was resolved, and they didn't have enough time to look at the changes," Collins said. "We'll be working with them on the zoning and transportation."
The 36-page master plan will be available at city offices and the Grand County Library once it is readied for public review.
She said the 1968 plan expired in 1985. In 1989, the Southeastern Utah Association of Governments prepared a draft of a master plan for both Moab and the county.
"Apparently, Grand County adopted theirs right away and Moab wasn't happy with theirs and it wasn't mapped out. It was put on hold," Collins said.
About 10 percent of the association of governments plan was used in the current draft, which is more indepth than the 1968 plan, she said. The original "Master Plan for Moab's Future" was done in 1957.
"I would say this is a moderate, modern version of a master plan. There is a lot of leeway in it, as a master plan should have, but it really sets a direction that Moab wants to go in," Collins said.
The delay this month allows time to modify the zoning map and complete the transportation map, said Collins. "Those will be worked on a lot before it goes to public review."
The planning assistant said she plans to arrange special meetings with different community groups to offer opportunity for comment, in addition to a public hearing near the end of July.