POSITION IN BRIEF: Support
state land use planning that recognizes land as a resource as well
as a commodity. The state should establish guidelines and standards
for land areas of more than local concern.
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Decisions for these areas should be made at the
lowest level of government feasible, but should be subject to state
review. Citizens must have a meaningful participation in land use
planning and regulation.
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POSITIONS
Policies
1. State policies, guidelines, and standards should be developed
for land areas such as fragile or historic lands, renewable resource
lands (including agricultural lands), natural hazard lands, and
land impacted by public investment.
Planning
2. State land use planning should be part of an integrated overall
state planning effort. The state land use plan should coordinate
plans and policies of local and regional agencies, maximizing local
decision making. Environmental, social and economic impact statements
should be required on major developments, public and private. The
state government should help local governments develop and exercise
land use management functions by increased state financial aid for
research, technical assistance, and data collection.
Arbitration
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3. Mechanisms should be established to arbitrate conflicts between
governmental bodies and between citizens and governmental bodies
in order to implement land use planning.
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The state should assume authority for land use planning and control
where local governments fail to regulate land use of local concern.
Regional Planning
4. The state government should encourage formation of sub-state
regional bodies with authority for land use planning and regulation
in matters of more than local concern.
Local Planning
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5. Local land use planning should be utilized as a means to determine
how local communities should change and develop. General plans should
be used as a basis for zoning and other planning decisions at the
local level. Land use decisions should relate to and protect the
over all quality of the environment. Local government should plan
for the preservation of open space and provide for adequate parks
and recreation.
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Regulation
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6. In land use planning and regulation, government must provide
for involvement of citizens in the earliest planning and regulatory
stages and throughout the process adequate funding of the public
information process, and development of mechanisms to minimize conflict
of interest on the part of persons who make land use decisions.
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Adopted 1975. Readopted at last convention
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