DeKalb city leaders tout new urbanism with updated comprehensive plan for city’s future

DeKALB – Plans to update the comprehensive plan in DeKalb are now in place, meant to help steer city leaders in the coming years on development and land use.

The plan comes equipped with more than 70 pages of guidance to help steer and guide city leaders on planning for development and land use matters.

During its regular meeting Monday, the DeKalb City Council adopted an update to the existing comprehensive plan. City leaders voted, 7-0, to make it happen and waive the second reading of the ordinance. Seventh Ward Alderman Anthony Faivre was absent.

“This comprehensive land use plan is overdue,” City Manager Bill Nicklas said.

The City Council previously adopted a comprehensive plan in 2005.

“There’s got to be a future land use plan,” Nicklas said.

The plan designates certain undeveloped land on the northwest and southwest sides of the city for agricultural use where there is no logical alternate land use that may fit otherwise.

Nicklas said it helps not only make it possible for the city to show a positive, purposeful preservation of farmland but also demonstrate commitment to planning for future development with integrity.

“Here we are living in an area that has some of the richest soils in the world and our economy is still about 90% agricultural in its purposes,” Nicklas said. “I think it’s important we look at that.”

First Ward Alderwoman Carolyn Morris – alluding to the tenet of new urbanism, a concept meant to plan cities focused around walkability, and a variety of housing and jobs – said she is excited about the comprehensive plan and what it means for the city.

“The promotion of an interdependence of land uses rather than promoting certain uses of items removed from normal patterns of travel tends to promote neighborhood clusters and combine residential districts with schools, daycare centers, small markets and other ancillary services,” Morris said. “I just really appreciate that being a focal point in here. I think being in my experience – I’ve lived all over the country – that’s really what makes a community amazing.”

Nicklas echoed that sentiment, saying new urbanism, which has been around 15 years, remains alive in the city’s comprehensive plan.

“I think it’s still as meaningful as it was when it was founded,” he said.

Mayor Cohen Barnes said he believes guidelines and recommendations can go a long way to making a difference in planning for development, whether architectural or aesthetic improvements on commercial and industrial properties such as varied rooflines or facade colors.

“We’re really trying to think about, ‘You’re going to develop something in our community now, you need to read this. You need to get an understanding of some of the guidelines that we’re talking about to start the conversation there,’ ” Barnes said.

Barnes said he appreciates the input the city received from the community regarding the comprehensive plan update during the public engagement process.

“It’s just a lot of great feedback from the community not just at those hearings but I’m also hearing a bunch of it as well,” he said.