The following version of the Westwood Comprehensive Plan, dated June 2017, will be considered at the July 13, 2017 Westwood City Council meeting for adoption.
The Comprehensive Land Use Plan reflects the results of an almost two-year planning process that involved many Westwood patrons and residents committing many hours to envisioning the future of the City.
The Comprehensive Plan document is based on several Plan Themes that sets forth the city’s strategies for the future. These include the themes of: Character, Choice, and Collaboration.
For Character, the plan is established to promote and protect the neighborhood character of existing single-family detached homes, while respecting the scale and design of the existing built environment. The defined gateways and corridors of the community strive to establish a unique and distinctive identity. There is a strong desire for additional community civic spaces & additional open green space areas, and the need for continued property maintenance & codes enforcement.
For Choice, the plan encourages the reinvestment and improvement of the existing housing stock, and encourage family occupancy in all residential types. While single-family detached homes are and will remain the predominant land use, the plan does recognize the need to provide different home types for all ages and a broader market demand. The plan embraces improved mobility, with a desire for additional pedestrian and bicycle improvements.
For Collaboration, the plan identifies keeping Westwood View School open and assisting the school district in planning for the future as a benchmark task for the community. The plan recognizes that the community is made up of existing and new residences, with a need to listen to the past while looking to the future. Local businesses, patrons and visitors to the city are all different constituent populations than the city’s residents, with their own needs and priorities. The plan also identifies the need for greater collaboration with neighboring municipalities and other elected officials, and promotes forming partnerships with agencies that can build upon a shared understanding of values and culture to support mutual needs of the community.
The Comprehensive Land Use Plan document and it’s maps and graphics is a general guide to assist local civic and government leaders, business interests, and citizens to make informed decisions on development, efficient use of land, and anticipated changes to developed areas of Westwood. The plan is designed to be a fluid document, capable of adapting to changing conditions in the community.
A Framework Plan Map was established to effectively guide future development in a way that will accomplish Westwood’s Vision and Plan Themes. When used in concert with the goals and policies outlined in the plan document, the Comprehensive Land Use Plan forms the basis for most all development and redevelopment decisions. A community achieves its goals through leadership, vision and determination.
The plan denotes a Stabilization Policy Area. This is areas in Westwood where the current residential character is maintained and enhanced and the land use is not anticipated to change in the future. Policies identified within the plan look to foster active neighborhood environments, maintain and improve residential properties and streets.