What Do We Want to Become and How Do We Get There?

G

oals and Objectives describe what a community values about its past, present and future. They are also the basis for plans and strategies that determine how those values will be preserved or enhanced. The statutory basis for planning in Kentucky, Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) Chapter 100.193 (1) provides the direction for how goals and objectives relate to the rest of the plan:

“The planning commission of each planning unit shall prepare and adopt the statement of goals and objectives to act as a guide for the preparation of the remaining elements and the aids to implementing the plans.”

The goals and objectives presented in this Chapter were developed from two primary sources. The first source was the existing Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 1997. These goal and objective statements were reviewed and have been either incorporated or updated. This process provides an important element for comprehensive planning – continuity.

The second source for the statements that follow includes four primary community plan workshops that were conducted between November 2002 and March 2003, several working meetings of the Comp Plan Advisory Committee held in April 2003 and a community-wide workshop for review of draft statements.

The format of goal and objective statements is intended to accomplish the following:

· Goals are the general statement of the community value or direction established for a particular plan topic;

· Objectives are intended as measurable and specific statements about the methods, resources, or responsibilities for achieving a goal;

· The format identifies the community workshop from which the goal or objective statement emerged and links the statement to other goals and objectives or elements of the Plan;

· The “Implementation Guidance” section provides additional explanation or basis for the goal and objectives, and generally describes how the applicable elements of the Comprehensive Plan should be developed for implementation; and

· The format also provides, where applicable, a clearly articulated connection to the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan updated in 1997.

Regional Coordination

The first “element” or topic for goal and objective statements is Regional Coordination. This element of the 2003 Comprehensive Plan Update is not one that is required by KRS 100, rather it is an “optional” element that Versailles, Midway and Woodford County has chosen to include.

The first Plan Update Workshop focused on two elements, People, Jobs and Housing and Regional Coordination. Workshop groups made a number of comments and suggestions to address a variety of regional issues. These comments and suggestions were reviewed and four (4) common themes emerged. These “themes” are addressed in the draft goals and objectives.

Theme—Begin with Our Most Common Resource

Regional planning and zoning based on the equine resource as a beginning (regional economy).

Regional planning committee to oversee equine resource areas, tourism, and monitoring residential zoning in rural/equine resource areas.

Theme—Sharing the Wealth

Revenue Sharing – regional sharing of the benefits of regional resources

Theme– Regional Transportation But Not at Expense of Local Character

Roads—Safety issue and recognize transportation plan but with character i.e., Paris Pike, Midway Road, Pisgah Pike.

Theme– Growth at the Expense of the Environment….Not!

Recognize environmental issues—water quality and greenspace.

Plan Element	Subject	Linked With
Regional Coordination	Partnering This subject not addressed in 1997 Plan Update	Regional Coordination, People, Jobs & Housing, and the Use of Woodford Lands
Goal RC-1 To share responsibility with other local governments in the region for the identification of a regional “equine-shed” and development of a common set of economic, planning, marketing and management tools that can be implemented by local governments to support and enhance the equine industry as a regional resource.		Plan Workshop Theme “Regional Coordination…Begin with our Most Common Resources”
Objective RC 1.1 Timeframe - Year 1/2	Woodford County will seek to develop a formal partnership with Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government for the purpose of establishing a common vision and strategy for the protection and promotion of the regional equine industry and spin-off opportunities for agricultural/equine based tourism.
Objective RC 1.2 Timeframe – Year 1/2	Establish a partnership project fund with Fayette County for the purpose of implementing Objective RC 1.1. A board of directors should be established to guide the activities of the partnership.
Implementation Guidance
The discussion of Trends and Issues for Regional Coordination, as well as other Plan Elements, underscored the importance of the equine industry to Woodford County and the Bluegrass Region. This “industry without a roof” creates several benefits including: a means for preservation of the rural character of Woodford; jobs and revenue for local economies; the base it provides for “growing” agricultural tourism opportunities; and support for regional cooperation to protect the quality of the region’s water resources. This goal’s focus is on “regional partnering” for a specific purpose or purposes – over a short time frame. There are existing organizations in the Bluegrass Region that focus on “regional planning” or “regional economic development”. It is not the intent of this “partnering activity” to duplicate the services and focus of the existing organizations. Instead, the intent is to focus people, financial, and technical resources from public and private organizations on a specific problem or opportunity for a defined period of time and with fairly immediate and measurable results. This goal and supporting objectives should be further defined in the Comprehensive Plan through the identification of a preliminary geographic description of that portion of the regional “equine-shed” that occurs in Woodford County.

Plan Element	Subject	Linked With
Regional Coordination	Watershed Protection and Enhancement This subject not addressed in 1997 Plan Update	Woodford Resources and Land Use
Goal RC-2 To continue working with other Kentucky River Watershed communities and the State to improve and maintain the quality of water in the River as a source for drinking water and for human contact recreational activities.		Plan Workshop Theme “Growth at the Expense of Environment…Not!”
Objective RC 2.1 Timeframe - Year 1	Establish a surface and groundwater protection zone (SGWPZ) within [2,500 feet – placeholder number] of the Kentucky River in which Woodford County, through the Health Department and affected State agencies, would not permit underground or above ground discharge of sanitary sewer waste or the use of lands for the disposal of any type of solid waste.
Objective RC 2.2 Timeframe – Year 2	Evaluate the recreational potential of the Kentucky River surface and groundwater protection zone and develop a plan that would expand recreational use and education opportunities within the zone.
Objective RC 2.2 Timeframe – Year 3	Expand opportunities for the purchase of conservation easements within the River based SGWPZ.
Implementation Guidance
The area of Woodford County immediately adjacent to the Kentucky River is both scenic and environmentally fragile. The aim of this goal and supporting objectives is to delineate a specific area adjacent to the River as a resource protection zone. The restrictions placed on the use of lands within this “zone”, and for waters flowing through the area, would be developed to enhance the quality of water entering the river, its wetlands and associated riparian drainage areas. Much of Woodford’s history stems from its physical proximity to the River. A program designed to highlight this history and promote environmental education and recreational use could be a compatible and productive use of the zone. This may be an aspect of “growing” the agricultural tourism industry in Woodford that could easily enhance the overall effort. The Comprehensive Plan should provide further refinement for this goal by addressing and defining the physical boundaries for the resource protection zone and a broad outline of a framework of policies or regulations needed to support the objectives of the zone.
Plan Element	Subject	Linked With
Regional Coordination	Partnering to Resolve a Regional Transportation Issue – This subject not addressed in 1997 Plan Update	Mobility, The Use of Woodford Lands
Goal RC-3 To develop partnerships with adjoining communities for the purpose of addressing land use, transportation, resource management and related issues and opportunities of mutual interest.		Plan Workshop Themes “Sharing the Wealth” and “Regional Transportation But Not at Expense of Local Character”
Objective RC 3.1 Timeframe - Year 1/2	Woodford County will seek to establish a short-term partnership with Anderson County and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to identify and implement alternatives to: maintaining US 62 under Federal administrative control; and the planned extension of the Bluegrass Parkway from US 60 north to I-64.
Objective RC 3.2 Timeframe – Year 1/2	The VMW Planning Commission, in partnership with its legislative members (Versailles, Midway and Woodford County), will work to confirm the current Regional Planning Council as the primary agency through which intergovernmental review of comprehensive plans and development proposals can be accomplished. As part of this effort, Woodford will seek support of other Council members to define thresholds for development proposals that would have regional impacts and should be submitted to the RPC for review and comment by affected members.
Objective RC 3.3 Timeframe – Year 1	The Planning Commission will appoint a committee, whose membership includes a broad range of community representatives as well as Commission members, to manage and support the implementation of Regional Coordination goals and objectives. Continued Next Page
Implementation Guidance
Planning is an ongoing process and the goal and objectives above lay the institutional groundwork to continue working on issues of regional significance. The establishment of a committee to oversee implementation would raise the importance of regional coordination within the committee structure of the Planning Commission. Objective RC 3.3 anticipates a committee of 6-10 whose primary responsibility would be to advocate for implementation of the adopted RC goals and objectives. The inclusion of the objective about the proposed extension of the Bluegrass Parkway is intended to address a long-standing local and regional planning issue. Work is already underway to identify viable alternatives to this proposed improvement, but a coalition is needed to bring the discussion to a conclusion. Finally, Objective 3.2 would bring formal recognition and support to an existing process that has received very limited use from local governments Woodford’s immediate region. State legislation provides for Area Development Districts (Bluegrass ADD) to establish “regional planning councils” for the purpose of creating and coordinating regional plans. There are several RPC’s, including the one that Woodford is a member of, that meet regularly to review and comment upon proposed plan updates and other region impacting activities. However, it is rare that RPC’s provide an opportunity for members to review and comment on development proposals that may impact more than one jurisdiction. Given the emphasis on coordination for the equine/agri-tourism industry and environmental assets, Woodford’s ability to comment on development or capital improvement proposals (such as the Bluegrass Parkway Extension) that affect these regional resources will be very important in the future. For example, a development proposal, in the rural area of Fayette County, that would effectively eliminate an important horse farm should be reviewed through the RPC – providing Woodford with an ability to review and comment on this proposal. The RC and Use of Woodford Lands components of the 2003 Plan Update should be developed to provide additional implementation guidance for these objectives. For example, the Use of Woodford Lands should spell out in more detail the types of development or capital improvement proposals that Woodford should lobby the RPC to include in its policies related to regional review and comment responsibilities. In addition, the Mobility component should provide additional clarification about the range of options or alternatives that are available in a discussion of the Bluegrass Parkway Extension issue.

People, Jobs and Housing

The future quality of life in Woodford County will be measured, in part, by: the economic well being of its residents; the availability of multiple types of housing affordable to all income levels of residents; neighborhoods and workplaces that afford a high degree of satisfaction; and economic development programs that build on the County’s assets as well as provide for more job diversity.

Several “themes” were identified from the comments and suggestions received during the Planning Workshop for this element. Each of these “themes” is addressed by draft goals and objectives.

Theme—Grow Within

Improve/redevelopment of existing areas/infill urban service boundary

Priorities—high wage industry/diversified residential growth within existing urban service area

Theme– Diversify with Higher Paying Jobs

Attract professional jobs/Diversify employers/Encourage tourism

Bring higher wage/skill jobs-clean industry—tourism and education/develop agricultural-tourism

Theme– Quality Housing for All

Concern about agricultural housing and availability of entry level and affordable housing

Planning needs to provide for affordable housing/concentrate housing density within “city” limits

Follow task force regulations for quality housing that meets all requirements (strong building codes)

Plan Element	Subject	Linked With
People Jobs and Housing	Pattern of Population, Job and Housing Growth	Regional Coordination, the Use of Woodford Lands and Community Facilities and Services
Goal PJH-1 To direct future population, employment and housing growth to the urban service areas of Versailles and Midway, as well as the small communities of Woodford County.		Plan Workshop Theme “Grow Within...”
Objective PJH 1.1 Timeframe - Year 1/2	Monitor the urban service areas annually to determine that adequately served developable lands are available to meet market demand for residential and workplace uses. The findings of this analysis should be reported to the Planning Commission, the Legislative Members, and the Community.
Objective PJH 1.2 Timeframe – Year 1/2	Manage the size and specific boundaries of the Versailles and Midway urban service areas through the annual monitoring program and only permit expansions when the total amount of land available for development within a USA reaches a predetermined threshold.
Objective PJH 1.3 Timeframe – Year 3/4	Develop a “linkage” program between the development “rights” available within designated small communities and the rezoning and master plan approval of large scale projects within an urban service area.
Objective PJH 1.4 Timeframe – Year 1-5	Accommodate new job creation in the rural service area when it is necessary to support equine and agricultural tourism objectives, farmland and rural character preservation and other community planning objectives. Continued on Next Page
Implementation Guidance
The urban service areas are the principal means for directing future growth in Woodford County. The Planning Commission should monitor the pace and characteristics of development occurring in the USA’s more closely than once every five years. Although the Planning Commission staff maintains comprehensive data about available platted lots and vacant land, a monitoring report should be prepared on an annual basis and reviewed to determine if and when adjustments to the USA boundaries or policies may be necessary. An objective measure is also needed to provide the Planning Commission with the means to determine when and if USA boundary adjustments are warranted.

Plan Element	Subject	Linked With
People Jobs and Housing	Resident Job Growth and Job Attraction Strategies	Regional Coordination, People, Jobs & Housing, and the Use of Woodford Lands
Goal PJH-2 To improve the resident employment base of Woodford County and attract workplace uses that can provide the types of jobs that will provide Woodford young adults with a viable alternative to out-migration for employment.		Plan Workshop Theme “Diversify and Attract Higher-Paying Jobs”
Objective PJH 2.1 Timeframe - Year 1-5	Increase the resident employment rate to sixty (60) percent (was approximately forty-five (45) percent in 2000) over the next ten years through economic development programs that encourage existing and new employers to give preference to Woodford residents.
Objective PJH 2.2 Timeframe – Year 2	Increase the young adult retention rate by seeking employers whose employment profile most closely matches the types of jobs that Woodford young adults seek. Conduct an analysis of the types of jobs that Woodford young adults seek following graduation from high school and/or college and compare with the current employment base for the County. Utilize the information to develop a profile of what workplace uses would be most advantageous to retention of Woodford youth in the local employment market. Continued on Next Page
Objective PJH 2.3 Timeframe – Year 1-5	Provide continued support to the Midway College/City of Midway/Midway Commerce Park “partnership” effort to develop additional resident job opportunities within the Midway Urban Service Area conducive to the character of the area.
Objective PJH 2.4 Timeframe – Years 2/3	Develop a public-private partnership that would create a new knowledge/information or health services based workplace center within the City of Versailles.
Objective PJH 2.5 Timeframe – Year 4	Investigate opportunities with Midway College to create degree programs that would support the growth of the equine and agricultural tourism industries.
Implementation Guidance
Many planning workshop participants spoke about a need to create more jobs within Woodford County so that residents would have greater opportunities to live near their place of employment. People who live and work in the same census area are referred to as “resident employment”. PJH 2.1 establishes a measurable objective to work toward for increasing the resident employment to attendant employment ratio. The People, Jobs and Housing element of the Plan Update should categorize existing or recommended programs that would be beneficial to reaching this objective within the five-year timeframe.

Plan Element	Subject	Linked With
People, Jobs, and Housing	Diversity and Affordability of Housing	Regional Coordination, People, Jobs & Housing, and the Use of Woodford Lands
Goal PJH-3 To support the ability of the private market to deliver a range of housing types affordable to all income levels and household types existing or projected for Woodford County.		Plan Workshop Theme “Quality Housing for All”
Objective PJH 3.1 Timeframe - Year 1	Modify subdivision and zoning regulations to require that development proposals with more than 50 dwelling units, and Planned Unit Developments, include multiple housing types, such as neighborhood homes (single-family detached), avenue houses, townhouses, row houses, and apartment houses.
Objective PJH 3.2 Timeframe – Year 2	Evaluate existing zoning regulations and districts applicable within the urban service areas for potential adverse impacts to housing affordability such as underdevelopment of land and underutilization of infrastructure.
Objective PJH 3.3 Timeframe – Years 1-5	Preserve the County’s most abundant supply of affordable housing in existing neighborhoods, particularly those in close proximity to the Versailles and Midway town centers.
Objective PJH 3.4 Timeframe – Year 3/4	Incorporate measures within the development approval process for equine and agricultural tourism industry expansions to assure that the housing needs of workers in this industry can be met in close proximity to the place of employment.
Implementation Guidance
These objectives describe potential changes to development regulations – an aid to implementing the Comprehensive Plan. Additional information to direct these changes should be provided in the appropriate sections of the 2003 Plan Update.

Plan Element	Subject	Linked With
People, Jobs, and Housing	Tourism Contained in 1997 Comprehensive Plan Update	Regional Coordination, People, Jobs & Housing, and the Use of Woodford Lands
Goal PJH-4 To promote the growth of the tourist industry in Woodford County as another means of broadening the county’s economic base and to provide a linkage between the various segments of the community that offer goods and services to visitors.		Plan Workshop Theme “Diversify and Attract Higher Paying Jobs”
Objective PJH 4.1 Timeframe - Year 1-5	To encourage the increase of Woodford County’s share of the Bluegrass area’s tourist dollars.
Objective PJH 4.2 Timeframe - Year 1-5	To encourage the development of tourism related businesses.
Objective PJH 4.3 Timeframe - Year 1-5	To encourage cooperation among the various local interests that serve as attractions for visitors, i.e. hotels, motels, restaurants, museums, and bed and breakfast houses.
Objective PJH 4.4 Timeframe - Year 1-5	To support and encourage the preservation of historic sites, archaeological sites, unique scenic areas, and horse farms that serve as “drawing cards” for the traveling public.
Objective PJH 4.5 Timeframe - Year 1-5	To support new and innovative means to encourage tourism and to seek the assistance of state and local governments, as needed
Implementation Guidance
These objectives could address traditional as well as new forms of tourism, such as agricultural and eco-tourism. These objectives should be updated when the work efforts of the Agricultural Tourism committee has completed its recommendations. The PJH section of the Plan will need to define, for example, what “tools” will be most advantageous to the preservation of resources mentioned in PJH 4.4, and the encouragement of tourism.