Title
Discuss the ONE McKinney 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update, Specifically Related to Mobility and Transportation
Summary
COUNCIL GOAL: Direction for Strategic and Economic Growth
MEETING DATE: August 15, 2016
DEPARTMENT: Development Services - Planning Department
Development Services - Engineering Department
CONTACT: Jennifer Arnold, Planning Manager
Gary Graham, P.E., P.T.O.E., CIP &Transportation Engineering Manager
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION:
• Discuss and gain general consensus on the key mobility and transportation elements of the ONE McKinney 2040 Comprehensive Plan, including the preliminary thoroughfare plan, illustrative cross-sections, and bikeway plan.
ITEM SUMMARY:
• An important element of the ONE McKinney 2040 Comprehensive Plan is mobility and transportation. This citywide component identifies the transportation system that is consistent with, and can functionally support, the community’s long range vision for growth and development (i.e. the Preferred Scenario).
• The Mobility and Transportation Element generally includes the following important components:
o The Master Thoroughfare Plan
o Illustrative Cross-Sections
o Key Mobility Considerations
• The major benefits of providing this information within the Comprehensive Plan includes:
o Identifying right-of-way (ROW) needs in advance of development;
o Identifying the roadways planned to accommodate anticipated traffic based on the preferred growth scenario; and
o Providing policy-level guidance for the desired design and context of arterial roadways.
MASTER THOROUGHFARE PLAN
• The Master Thoroughfare Plan identifies the network of arterial thoroughfares needed to accommodate the future growth plans of the community (i.e. the Preferred Scenario). Included within the Plan are the general locations, types and functional classifications of thoroughfares in McKinney.
• As proposed, updates to the Master Thoroughfare Plan generally include two new arterial connections, new recognized connections along existing roadways, functional classification changes, and the creation of a new functional classification known as the Greenway 6-Lane Arterial (G6D).
• In concert with the Thoroughfare Plan, Staff and the consultant team have been utilizing a Travel Demand Model (TDM) to evaluate the performance of the preliminary plan to ensure that it can adequately support the Preferred Scenario through the year 2040, as well as at full buildout.
• In addition to the TDM, the project team also considered other important factors such as regional mobility issues, alignment with the Parks Department master planning process and anticipated streetscape plan, and consistency with neighboring community and county master plans.
• Staff is now presenting a Preliminary Thoroughfare Plan for consideration by the Council.
ILLUSTRATIVE CROSS-SECTIONS
• Illustrative cross-sections outline the general design elements that should be included for each functional classification that is identified on the Master Thoroughfare Plan. These illustrations are needed to provide continuity throughout development of the thoroughfare system.
• As such, in conjunction with the Preliminary Thoroughfare Plan, Staff is also presenting the associated illustrative cross-sections for each of the different roadway classifications.
KEY MOBILITY CONSIDERATIONS
• Key mobility considerations describe the major influences related to mobility within the community. This will generally include references to regional connectivity and mobility issues (i.e. US 380), public transportation needs, and bicycle accommodations.
NEXT STEPS
• Based on feedback and direction from the Council, Staff will refine the draft Thoroughfare Plan and associated cross-sections, as needed. As well, the project team will begin developing the key mobility considerations to be included in the ONE McKinney 2040 Plan.
• The project team will meet with the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee on August 31 to review the latest draft elements of the Plan and to begin discussion of action planning and implementation.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
• A Comprehensive Plan is a statement of the community’s vision for today and tomorrow. It represents the desires of the citizens and their goals for the community.
• A Comprehensive Plan focuses on outlining a physical plan and business plan for the City. It is typically comprised of a number of interrelated elements such as land use, transportation, utilities, public services, socio-economic, and open space elements.
• Upon adoption, a Comprehensive Plan provides the basis for Zoning and Subdivision Regulations. The plan should also be referred to in capital improvement planning, zoning changes, annexation actions, and other choices made by the City.
• The current McKinney Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2004 after a lengthy public input process and planning effort. When the 2004 Comprehensive Plan was adopted, the McKinney population was roughly 86,000. Today, the City is home to over 155,000 people. With this significant growth comes a change to the physical environment around us and the needs and desires of the community.
• On June 16, 2015, City Council approved a project scope and contract with Kimley-Horn and Associates for professional services in support of an update to the Comprehensive Plan.
• An important element to the Comprehensive Plan Update was the creation of a consistent theme and message for the goal of the Initiative. As such, the project has been promoted as One Community. One Vision. ONE McKinney 2040. More information about the ONE McKinney 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update can be found on the project’s website www.onemckinney2040.com <http://www.onemckinney2040.com>.
• As part of the ONE McKinney 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update, the project team has hosted a number of community-wide outreach events, including:
o Community Summits (September 2015)
o Community Charrette (October 2015)
o Community Workshop (January 2016)
o Community Open Houses (May 2016)
• Throughout the ONE McKinney 2040 initiative, mobility and transportation topics have been included in each of the public outreach events. Specifically, potential updates to the current Master Thoroughfare Plan were included at the Open House events held in May of this year. As well, potential updates to the Thoroughfare Plan were also discussed with the City Council and Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee at the June 6th Joint Work Session.