Cover, Executive Summary, and Table of Contents

DRAFT:
DRAFT:
2-10-2014
2-10-2014
City of Norcross, Georgia
2034 Comprehensive Plan
DRAFT: 2-10-2014
DRAFT: 2-10-2014
City of Norcross:
2034 Comprehensive Plan
Acknowledgments
CITY OF NORCROSS MAYOR AND
COUNCIL MEMBERS
CITY STAFF STEERING COMMITTEE
PARTICIPANTS
Bucky Johnson, Mayor
Rudolph Smith, City Manager
Keith Shewbert, Mayor Pro Tem*
Chris McCrary, Community Development Director
Andrew Hixson
Rusty Warner, Director of Economic Development
David McLeroy
Tixie Fowler, Director of Public Relations
Craig Newton
Jeff Mueller, City Engineer
Charlie Riehm*
Greg Cothran, IT Director
*Also served on Steering Committee
Officer Arelis Rivera, City of Norcross Police Department
Robert Patrick, Community Development Coordinator
Eric Medina, City Manager Intern
CONSULTANTS – JACOBS
Brant Aden
Jim Summerbell, Project Manager
Gary L. Brace
Amanda Hatton
Tom Forkner, Jr.
Kyle Van Klompenburg
Robert Girard
Joe Shoffner
Mary S. Hester
Wade Carroll
Tim Q. Le
Kalanos Johnson
Jim McGarrah
Paul Culter
Randy Meacham
Megan Will
Nolly Pabón
Martha Santamaria
Alyssa Sinclair
2
City of Norcross
STEERING COMMITTEE
Comprehensive Plan
Acknowledgments
3
DRAFT: 2-10-2014
1
DRAFT: 2-10-2014
Executive Summary
The City of Norcross Comprehensive Plan is a policy guide for making rezoning and
capital investment decisions and sets policies for City officials and staff concerning the
future development of Norcross. This update of the Comprehensive Plan builds upon a
long city tradition of planning and community involvement. At its foundation is the 2030
Comprehensive Plan adopted in 2008, and its building blocks include the numerous planning
studies undertaken over the past five years. Its preparation was guided by an extensive public
outreach effort. That effort included press releases, an online survey, three public workshops, an
open house, several steering committee meeting and one-on-one interviews with local leaders.
Since the last update of the plan in 2008, a number of events have occurred that created the
need to once again revise and update its findings and recommendations. These events include
the annexation of over 2.1 square miles of land area, a major downturn in the national economy,
and the completion of several major planning studies. This update reassesses where Norcross
stands today and how it intends to develop as result of these events. It presents an updated
community vision and corresponding goals, an assessment of needs and opportunities that the
community will address in working toward that vision, and a work program designed to make
that vision a reality.
Updated City Boundary
Former City Boundary
Updated City Boundary
141
Annexed Area
Former City Boundary
Parcel Boundaries
Annexed Area
141
13
140
Major Roads
Parcel Boundaries
Railroads
Major Roads
13
ROW
Railroads
Source: City of Norcross GIS Dept.
January 2014
ROW
140
Character Area Workshop Activity
City of Norcross
Comprehensive Plan
Executive Summary
Source: City of Norcross GIS Dept.
January 2014
Small Group Visioning Workshilp
85
0
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Miles
FIGURE 1-2: Annexation Map
85
2
DRAFT: 2-10-2014
The Vision
“Norcross will be a dynamic and whole community in which generations of
diverse citizens can engage, create, contribute and flourish.”
This vision is supported by five overarching goals that will help shape the City’s direction.
• Continue to Define Norcross’ Sense of Place
• Continue to Strengthen Norcross as a Livable and Safe Environment
• Increase Opportunities for Travel via Different Modes within and Outside Community
• Maintain a Vibrant Economy and Continue to Facilitate Job Growth
• Further the City’s Tradition of Strong Leadership and High Level of Quality Services
The community’s vision is further defined by the Future Development Map, which divides the
city into thirteen unique character areas along with associated subarea visions, policies and
implementation measures. The Future Development Map plays a key role in guiding Norcross’s
elected officials, staff, and planning boards in future development and policy decisions. This
Future Development Map is further supported by a Gateway Corridors and Structures Map,
which identifies the preferred locations of gateway monuments, signs, and corridor streetscape
treatments that are designed to enhance the community’s sense of place. The gateways should
reflect the character of traditional downtown Norcross, or the vision and recognized design
elements of the character area that they lie within.
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ROW
DRAFT: 2-10-2014
Priority Needs and Opportunities
The recommendations of this plan were crafted to address a list of 30 Priority Needs and
Opportunities identified through the public outreach effort and existing conditions analysis.
These were organized by the six primary elements of the plan’s assessment outlined below.
cultural Acceptance and Tolerance.
1. Pursue Funding & Implementation
Partnerships.
2. Continue to Attract the Creative Class.
2. Expand Bicycle Infrastructure.
3. Support Lifelong Communities
3. Improve Downtown Railroad Crossings.
Initiatives.
4. Expand Community Engagement.
5. Connect the Two Sides of Buford
Highway.
Housing
1. Encourage Desirable Residential
Development.
2. Maintain Existing Housing Stock.
3. Expand Inter-parcel Connectivity and
Interior Sidewalks.
Economic Development
1. Maintain and Improve Infrastructure.
2. Promote Buford Highway
Redevelopment.
3. Maintain and Enhance a Business
Friendly Environment.
4. Continue to Support the Arts.
Land Use
1. Revisit Zoning and Development
Regulations.
2. Promote Development of Mixed Use
Nodes at Key Gateway Intersections.
3. Promote Redevelopment along City’s
Principal Roadways.
4. Expand Sidewalk Infrastructure
5. Increase Local Public Transportation
Options.
6. Maintain Street Resurfacing. Program
7. Manage Traffic Flow
Community Facilities and Services
1. Improve Access to Community
Facilities.
2. Continue to support the Norcross Police
Department and its Presence in the
Community.
3. Implement and update the Norcross
Parks Master Plan, adopted in January
2011.
4. Construct Additional Parking in the
Downtown Area.
5. Maintain & Improve Stormwater
Infrastructure.
6. Implement High Tech Solutions in
Service Provisions to Enhance the
Community Image.
7. Develop a Citywide Geographic
Information System (GIS).
City of Norcross
1. Maintain an Environment of Multi-
Transportation
Comprehensive Plan
Executive Summary
Population
4. Improve Gateways and Way Finding
Signage.
4
DRAFT: 2-10-2014
Key Recommendations
Over 250 action items were evaluated as part of this plan. These action items were compiled
from the previous comprehensive plan, the numerous plan studies undertaken over the past
five years, and the recommendations and input of the public as part of this effort. An evaluation
matrix was developed based on the goals of the plan to prioritize action items and to serve
as a tool for local officials in the evaluation of community projects. The matrix is part of the
Community Work Program and was utilized to help update the City’s five-year Short Term
Work Program.
Among the many recommendations of this plan, the following items stand out as key in
achieving the community’s vision for the future. These projects help to achieve multiple City
goals, and its long-term vision.
1. Initiate a review and revision of certain key elements of the zoning and
development regulations, including the following:
• Sign Ordinance. Amend sign ordinance to address improvements identified
by sign ordinance evaluation.
• Repurposing of old buildings to allow for loft apartments where appropriate,
to maintain historic character if present, and promote redevelopment.
• Industrial Zoning District. Revisit the M-1 zoning district to ensure
appropriate users are allowed in the district.
• Parking. Amend parking ordinance to provide for banking of parking and
lower minimum parking requirements in the Town Center
• New mixed-use zoning districts
• Revisions to Redevelopment Area Overlay District
• Develop streetscape standards and overlay for the Jimmy Carter Boulevard
Corridor and Beaver Ruin Road corridors
• Improve notification procedures for adjacent property owners at the time of
rezoning
2. Promote Buford Highway Redevelopment. Continue to collaborate with GVCID
to incentivize redevelopment of properties near Buford Hwy Highway within
the CID’s boundaries, and hold Regular regular Buford Highway roundtable
discussions to promote business and redevelopment of the corridor.
5
DRAFT: 2-10-2014
3. Strengthen historic area regulations and consider the creation of a Historic
Preservation Authority and local historic district. In the past, the City has
adopted and rescinded the creation of a historic district. Interest in utilizing
this regulatory tool to preserve and protect the City’s historic resources has
resurfaced.
4. Continue positive relationship with ethnic and international communities,
such as the Latin American Association, through the support and enhancement of
community programs and events.
5. Undertake a Gateway Enhancement Study to develop Gateway Design
Guidelines and refine preferred locations and style of City gateway monuments.
6. Establish a Sidewalk Connectivity Program - Inventory and prioritize
sidewalk improvements on an annual basis to fill gaps in existing pedestrian
network
7. Construct the Beaver Ruin Road multi-use path – support the Gwinnett
Village Community Improvement District (GVCID) and Gwinnett County efforts
to build a multi-use path along Beaver Ruin Road.
8. Update and implement the Norcross Parks Master Plan to create a
citywide recreational trail network and plan for the recreational needs of the
annexed area.
9. Support efforts to extend rail transit parallel to the I-85 corridor. This will be a
long term effort primarily due to funding issues, but its impact on the growth of
City of Norcross
Comprehensive Plan
Executive Summary
the community will be large
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DRAFT: 2-10-2014
1
DRAFT: 2-10-2014
Table of contents:
Chapter 1: Plan Overview
A.Purpose
B.Scope
C.Methodology
Chapter 2: Community Vision
A.Introduction
B. Vision Statement
C.Goals
D. Character Areas
E.Gateways
Chapter 3: Needs and Opportunities
A.Introduction
B.Population
C.Housing
D. Economic Development
E. Land Use
F.Transportation
G. Community Facilities
H. Summary Table
City of Norcross
Appendix (Printed Separately)
A. Population Technical Addendum
B. Housing Technical Addendum
C. Economic Development Technical Addendum
D. Land Use Technical Addendum
E. Transportation Technical Addendum
F. Community Facilities Technical Addendum
G. Public Involvement Details
H. Record of Accomplishments
Comprehensive Plan
Table of Contents
Chapter 4: Community Work Program
A.Introduction
B. Ranking Methodology
C. Project Evaluation List
D. Short Term Work Program
E. Long Term Work Program
F.Policies
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