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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-09-03 Special Called Meeting Packet AGENDA City Council Meeting Tuesday, September 3, 2024 at 6:00 PM Anna Municipal Complex - Council Chambers 120 W. 7th Street, Anna, Texas 75409 The City Council of the City of Anna will meet on 9/3/2024 at 6:00 PM in the Anna Municipal Complex-Council Chambers, located at 120 W. 7th Street, to consider the following items. Welcome to the City Council meeting. If you wish to speak on an Open Session agenda item, please fill out the Opinion/Speaker Registration Form and turn it in to the City Secretary before the meeting starts. 1. Call to Order, Roll Call, and Establishment of Quorum. 2. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance. 3. Neighbor Comments. At this time, any person may address the City Council regarding an item on this meeting Agenda that is not scheduled for public hearing. Also, at this time, any person may address the City Council regarding an item that is not on this meeting Agenda. Each person will be allowed up to three (3) minutes to speak. No discussion or action may be taken at this meeting on items not listed on this Agenda, other than to make statements of specific information in response to a citizen’s inquiry or to recite existing policy in response to the inquiry. 4. Reports. Receive reports from Staff or the City Council about items of community interest. Items of community interest include: expressions of thanks, congratulations, or condolence; information regarding holiday schedules; an honorary or salutary recognition of a public official, public employee, or other citizen (but not including a change in status of a person's public office or public employment); a reminder about an upcoming event organized or sponsored by the governing body; information regarding a social, ceremonial, or community event organized or sponsored by an entity other than the governing body that was attended or is scheduled to be attended by a member of the governing body or an official or employee of the municipality; and announcements involving an imminent threat to the public health and safety of people in the municipality that has arisen after the posting of the Agenda. 5. Work Session. a. Discussion on creation of a Task Force for the Updated Comprehensive Plan (City Manager Ryan Henderson) 6. Items For Individual Consideration. a. Conduct a Public Hearing on the Proposed FY2025 Budget (Budget Manager Page 1 of 123 Terri Doby) b. Conduct a Public Hearing on the Proposed FY2025 Tax Rate (Budget Manager Terri Doby) 7. Closed Session (Exceptions). Under Tex. Gov't Code Chapter 551, the City Council may enter into Closed Session to discuss any items listed or referenced on this Agenda under the following exceptions: a. Consult with legal counsel regarding pending or contemplated litigation and/or on matters in which the duty of the attorney to the governmental body under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Texas clearly conflicts with Chapter 551 of the Government Code (Tex. Gov’t Code §551.071). b. Discuss or deliberate the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property (Tex. Gov’t Code §551.072). c. Discuss or deliberate Economic Development Negotiations: (1) To discuss or deliberate regarding commercial or financial information that the City has received from a business prospect that the City seeks to have locate, stay, or expand in or near the territory of the City of Anna and with which the City is conducting economic development negotiations; or (2) To deliberate the offer of a financial or other incentive to a business prospect described by subdivision (1). (Tex. Gov’t Code §551.087). d. Discuss or deliberate personnel matters (Tex. Gov’t Code §551.074). The Council further reserves the right to enter into Executive Session at any time throughout any duly noticed meeting under any applicable exception to the Open Meetings Act. 8. Consider/Discuss/Action on any items listed on any agenda - work session, regular meeting, or closed session - that is duly posted by the City of Anna for any City Council meeting occurring on the same date as the meeting noticed in this agenda. 9. Adjourn. This is to certify that I, Carrie L. Land, City Secretary, posted this Agenda on the City’s website (www.annatexas.gov) and at the Anna Municipal Complex bulletin board at or before 5:00 p.m. on 08/29/2024. ______________________________ Carrie L. Land, City Secretary Page 2 of 123 Page 3 of 123 Item No. 5.a. City Council Agenda Staff Report Meeting Date: 9/3/2024 Staff Contact: AGENDA ITEM: Discussion on creation of a Task Force for the Updated Comprehensive Plan (City Manager Ryan Henderson) SUMMARY: As part of the update to the Comprehensive Plan, Council is being asked on whether or not they would like to create a Task Force or just have the P&Z Commission work together with the City Council. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Based off the initial proposal received from Kimley-Horn, if we were to eliminate the need for a separate task force, we do anticipate a relatively small savings. BACKGROUND: On August 8, 2024, the City Manager's Office issued Memorandum No. 24-129 Comprehensive Plan Updates (attached). The memorandum outlined the process and budget to update the comprehensive plan based off the direction provided to staff at the July 30, 2024, Special Meeting. As part of the outlined process, staff made a recommendation to create a seven-member task force. Staff is asking whether or not the Council would like to proceed as recommended in the memorandum or to simply convene the P&Z Commission jointly with the City Council to serve as the working body for the updated plan. STRATEGIC CONNECTIONS: This item supports the City of Anna Strategic Plan, specifically advancing the strategic outcome area: Neighborly. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Memorandum 24-129 - Comprehensive Plan Updates Page 4 of 123 Memorandum Memorandum No: 24-129 Date: August 8, 2024 To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Ryan Henderson, City Manager Re: Comprehensive Plan Updates _____________________________________________________________________________________ On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, City Council held a special meeting to receive a presentation and provide feedback on the status of the Anna 2050 Comprehensive Plan and development processes in the City of Anna. Adopted in April of 2021, the Anna 2050 Comprehensive Plan outlines a strategic vision for Anna’s growth and development. Comprehensive plans are typically reviewed for updates every five years. However, Anna has been in a period of record growth over the past three years. As such, it is an appropriate time to review the plan to ensure that it continues to meet the community’s changing needs. Based upon the feedback received, city staff have developed a preliminary schedule for an update to the comprehensive plan. The primary focus of the update will be to update the Future Land Use Plan, Preferred Scenario Diagram, and the identified “Placetypes” which are used to describe the intended character of key areas within the community. These components are contained in Chapter 2 and 3 of the Anna 2050 plan. During the process, Chapter 10: Implementation Strategy will also be updated to reflect the completion of many action items originally identified in the plan, and the inclusion of new action items which may be required. A separate process to update the Parks, Trails, and Open Space Plan (Chapter 8) is proposed in the Fiscal Year 24-25 budget and will be led by the Neighborhood Services Department. Currently, staff does not see a need to make any revisions to the Downtown Master Plan. The anticipated budget for the Anna 2050 Comprehensive Plan update for Chapters 2, 3, and 10 is $125,000. The City has identified existing funding sources within the FY23-24 and FY24-25 budgets to provide funding for the process without requiring additional funding sources. However, once the update is completed, there may be action items which will require additional funding to be approved by the City Council. Due to the continued growth of the community and to be responsive to community feedback, the City is seeking to begin the update process as soon as possible. The process of updating and revising the comprehensive plan will require the input of the City Council, the Planning & Zoning Commission, City staff, Anna neighbors, the development community, and others. Staff recommends contracting Kimley- Horn to provide consulting services on the project. Kimley-Horn was the original consultant who worked Page 5 of 123 on the Anna 2050 plan and is in the best position to move quickly through the detailed process. City staff will provide oversight. The proposed preliminary schedule for the update is listed below. Staff will finalize the schedule and include a final detailed schedule with the consultant contract, which will be reviewed and approved by the City Council. Preliminary Project Schedule (subject to change) Date Range Item Description August – September 2024 Scope development Coordinate with consultant on scope & fee September 2024 Contract approval & project start City Council to review & approve professional services agreement with consultant, and select task force members to provide input during plan development October – November 2024 Data gathering & plan development Review of existing development and upcoming development, Task Force meetings November 2024 Draft revised plan Presentation of draft plan revisions at joint meeting November 2024 – January 2025 Public input & plan revisions Stakeholder meetings, online survey, changes based on feedback received February 2025 Final draft of revised plan Presentation of final draft plan at joint City Council/Planning & Zoning meeting for final feedback March 2025 Plan approval Formal adoption of revised plan City staff recommends a task force size of seven members. Furthermore, staff recommends the task force be comprised of the following mix of stakeholders: •Two City Council Members •Two Planning & Zoning Commission Members •One Economic Development Corporation Board Member •One land developer with experience successfully completing quality projects in the City of Anna •One resident of the city’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Following the formal adoption of the revised plan, staff will implement changes to city ordinances, development processes, and working through the specific tasks identified in the revised Implementation Strategies (Chapter 10). Attachments: Exhibit I – Anna 2050 Comprehensive Plan (current) Page 6 of 123 c: Greg Peters, Assistant City Manager Stephanie Scott-Sims, Development Services Director Lauren Mecke, Planning Manager Taylor Lough, Assistant City Manager Frances La Rue, Public Affairs Manager Management Team Page 7 of 123 COMPREHENSIVEPLAN PROLOGUE PLANNING S E R V ICES Exhibit I Page 8 of 123 Page 9 of 123 Table of Contents Chapter09 Downtown Chapter10 Implementation Chapter01 Introduction Chapter03 Future Land Use Chapter02 Strategic Direction Chapter04 Economic Development Chapter05 Housing Chapter07 Placemaking Chapter06 Mobility Chapter08 Parks, Trails, Open Space Page 10 of 123 Page 11 of 123 INTRODUCTION01 Page 12 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN6 INTRODUCTION 1. PROJECT BACKGROUND The City of Anna has prepared this comprehensive plan as a guide for accommodating the dynamic growth expected in the community in the years ahead and to allow it to respond in an informed way to changing circumstances and conditions. The current Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2010, when the City had about 8,200 residents. During the timeframe of that plan—through 2030—the City was expected to grow to a population of about 35,000. In January 2021, the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) estimated Anna’s population to be 17,460, more than double the number of residents in the community when the 2010 plan was prepared. In addition to the amount of growth the community has experienced, it has also seen changes in the diversity of its residents, in its job base and in technology. This effort establishes a plan that will enable Anna to address not only the growth that is expected in the coming years, but also to acknowledge these trends and to extend the planning horizon to the year 2050. 2. CREATING THE ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN The Anna 2050 Comprehensive Plan was created through a process that combined input from Anna’s neighbors, vetted with professional expertise and with decisions by a Comprehensive Plan Advisory Task Force and Anna’s elected and appointed leaders. Public input was received primarily online due to restrictions on large group gatherings during the COVID 19 pandemic. Beginning early and continuing throughout the process, online input was used to engage community members who wanted to find information or provide input on the plan. In the late summer of 2020, a virtual community open house was scheduled over several weeks, allowing Anna’s neighbors to provide feedback related to the future they desire for Anna through a series of virtual “engagement rooms.” A second virtual community open house was held in early 2021, allowing Anna’s neighbors to share their perspectives related to critical actions that will be necessary to achieve the community’s preferred vision. These virtual sessions gave City Staff and the consultant team insights into the community’s concerns and ideas about Anna, both today and in the future. A Comprehensive Plan Advisory Task Force was appointed by the Anna City Council. The Task Force was made up of representatives from several of Anna’s Boards and Commissions, including the Anna City Council, Anna’s Planning and Zoning Commission, Community Development Corporation, Economic Development Corporation and Parks Advisory Board, as well as representatives from the Anna Independent School District, the Greater Anna Chamber of Commerce and from several businesses and neighborhoods that could provide insight and support for the varied interests and perspectives held by all stakeholders in Anna. The Task Force was involved throughout the process in order to build consensus about the plan’s focus and its approach to key issues and geographic areas. Anna staff and a team of consultants provided professional expertise, analysis and the knowledge of best practices for planning and development. Staff’s insights into past initiatives and current programs and policies ensured that this plan reflects the experience and character that make Anna unique. At the onset of the project, all City departments participated in a State of the City work session, where they shared their department’s plans and policies as well as their unique expertise and perspectives. Page 13 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 7 The consultant team brought an understanding of the approaches other communities use to address issues like those facing Anna, as well as analytical tools to provide information on the specific implications of development and investment choices. This ensured that the decisions made for the future of Anna were made based on the best information available. The Anna Parks Advisory Board, Community Development Corporation, Economic Development Corporation, Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council also provided direction at two joint work sessions and through online surveys at key points during the process. The involvement of these elected and appointed leaders gave the planning process the benefit of the latest deliberations on topics already under discussion, reinforcing the direction established by current decisions and using the plan to provide clearer and more consistent direction for the future on important issues facing Anna. 3. PLAN STRUCTURE The Comprehensive Plan contains ten chapters. This chapter sets the stage for the information and policies that follow, and the second chapter provides the components of Overall Policy Direction—the Vision Statement, Guiding Principles and Preferred Scenario—that together describe the future the Anna community hopes to achieve. Chapters 3 through 9 are Plan Strategies that provide guidance on specific issues. These elements address: +Future Land Use, which primarily focuses on new, greenfield development, but also includes recommendations and policies related to redevelopment and maintenance of existing neighborhoods and business areas +Economic Development, with an overview of existing housing types and values and attention to future market demand by various economic sectors and specific tools for attracting business and expanding economic development +Housing, with an overview of existing economic conditions and attention to future housing trends and market demand by product type, ownership category and demographics +Mobility, for people in vehicles, on bicycles and walking and including updates to the City’s Master Thoroughfare Plan and Road Classifications +Placemaking, with discussions of citywide placemaking opportunities and specific opportunities in three Key Centers +Parks, Trails and Open Space, which summarizes the complete Parks and Recreation Master Plan that was developed as a part of the overall Anna 2050 planning process, with full details available in a separate report +Downtown, which summarizes the complete Downtown Master Plan that was developed as a part of the overall Anna 2050 planning process, with full details available in a separate report These Plan Strategies, except for Downtown, address issues that affect the entire city and set policies which, for the most part, apply throughout the study area. Chapter 10, the last chapter, addresses Implementation. The implementation recommendations are essential because any plan requires action if a community is to successfully achieve its vision. The implementation strategy includes six Action categories: capital investments, education and engagement, financial incentives, partnerships, regulations/ guidelines and studies. Each of these will play a role in carrying out the Anna 2050 Comprehensive Plan. The information and materials developed throughout the planning process are contained in a set of appendices, listed in the table of contents and available as a separate document for those who wish to review them. 4. GUIDING ANNA’S FUTURE The Anna 2050 Comprehensive Plan, together with the Downtown Master Plan and Parks and Recreation Master Plan, provide both the unified vision for the future and the plans and implementation strategies necessary to allow Anna to create the future its residents and property owners have described. It will serve as a guide for decision-making so that Anna’s limited resources can be used effectively and efficiently for key public infrastructure investments that will provide a return in the form of private sector development. By adopting and implementing this plan, Anna’s leaders are communicating their commitment to shaping the character and vitality of the community their children and grandchildren stand to inherit. Page 14 of 123 Page 15 of 123 STRATEGIC DIRECTION 02 Page 16 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN10 STRATEGIC DIRECTION 1. STRATEGIC DIRECTION ROLE OF STRATEGIC DIRECTION A Comprehensive Plan’s Overall Policy Direction should include three important components: +A Vision Statement +A set of Guiding Principles +A Preferred Scenario The Vision Statement describes the future that is desired by the Anna community in terms of its physical, social and economic conditions. It is an aspirational statement. It is not intended to describe the current situation; instead, it is designed to create an inspiring image of the future that the community seeks to achieve. A Vision Statement should: +Describe where the community wants to go (i.e., the result, not the process to get there) +Be succinct and memorable +Not be a laundry list of individual topics Guiding Principles provide overall guidance across plan components, articulating the important general principles that should be followed in order to achieve the Vision. These Guiding Principles apply at both the citywide level and for smaller geographic parts of the community (like Downtown), and they shape the more detailed policies that apply to each topical area, such as mobility or urban design. The Preferred Scenario is the graphic depiction of the future Anna community as it would exist if these Guiding Principles are followed and this Vision is realized. As with the Guiding Principles, the Preferred Scenario provides overall guidance for investors and decision-makers. By illustrating the general geographic development pattern which the Anna community hopes to achieve, the Preferred Scenario establishes the basic framework for the strategies that pertain to individual areas within the current city limits and the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). When the Preferred Scenario is detailed in the Anna 2050 land use diagram, it reflects the character of development and reinvestment the Anna community wants. A set of “PlaceTypes” is used to describe the desired character in particular places within the community. Instead of simply indicating a single land use (such as single-family residential use at two units per acre), the PlaceType describes the character of the development pattern that could be attracted to various parts of Anna. Each PlaceType includes a brief description and supporting images that define the places represented. WHY DOES THIS MATTER? This level of Overall Policy Direction is the foundation upon which the topical and geographic policies and recommendations in a comprehensive plan are based. It sets the overall framework for the plan’s more specific policy direction and informs stakeholders of what the plan seeks to achieve. Each of the plan’s strategy sections includes policies that should help the City achieve its vision in a manner that is consistent with the guiding principles. The Overall Policy Direction should be the basis for recommendations by city staff and decisions by elected and appointed officials on a variety of actions and investments that affect the future form and character of the community. 2. VISION STATEMENT The Vision Statement for the Anna 2050 plans is presented below. It describes the future Anna’s leaders and community members want to see by 2050. Anna 2050 Vision Statement Based on heritage and built on innovation, by 2050 Anna is a diverse and vibrant community, balancing big-city assets with a hometown character, where neighbors of all ages, races and abilities enjoy a premier community with the homes, jobs and community amenities they need to thrive. 3. GUIDING PRINCIPLES As noted above, the Guiding Principles in a comprehensive plan should provide overall policy direction that pertains to many or all of the plan’s topical areas. They should establish a basis for major decisions shaping the community. Their broad statements of principle and direction are applied and detailed in each of the topical Plan Strategies so that they can be put into practice as a city considers individual decisions on development, capital investments, public programs and other issues. Page 17 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 11 A set of twelve Guiding Principles is presented below. These principles reflect input from the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Task Force, Planning & Zoning Commission, Parks Board, CDC/EDC Boards and City Council through October 2020. They are not prioritized because they are all important to Anna’s future. They will be used to direct the individual Master Plans (Downtown and Parks, Trails and Open Space) and Plan Strategies that will be part of the final Anna 2050 Plan. ANNA 2050 GUIDING PRINCIPLES Today’s leaders in Anna want the community to grow. But they want growth that benefits Anna’s current and future neighbors. This desirable growth: +Occurs where and when it can be supported by the public facilities and services provided by the City of Anna and by other public entities (including Collin County and Anna ISD) that Anna’s neighbors need. +Maintains a healthy balance between old and new, and between residential and non-residential uses. +Builds on Anna’s heritage and history as the foundation of a unique 21st century identity. +Offers many diverse, vibrant and distinctive destinations for work and play. +Attracts and keeps neighbors who are multi-cultural and multi- generational and provides housing choices for people from a variety of backgrounds, income levels and stages of life. +Creates a community with strong communication, shared core values and connection between neighbors, as well as effective communication between neighbors and the City government. +Includes businesses that serve and provide high-quality jobs to Anna’s residents, that expand the tax base and that establish Anna as an important long-term employment center for the DFW region. +Makes Anna an education and training hub for people in Anna and the surrounding region. +Promotes the health and vitality of existing Anna neighbors, neighborhoods, businesses and infrastructure. +Provides neighbors with a range of flexible, practical and appropriate mobility choices to their destinations using all modes of travel (car, bike, walk, transit, and others). +Is resilient and adaptable in response to change and innovation, and responsive in times of emergency or disaster. +Is efficient and effective in its use of resources and infrastructure – fiscal, energy, water and natural assets. 4. PREFERRED SCENARIO The Anna 2050 process included the consideration of three alternative futures or scenarios for Anna—Baseline, Centers and Compact. These scenarios were developed based on input at the Joint Workshop held on August 11, 2020. The Kimley-Horn team developed geographic diagrams that reflect each of the alternatives, then analyzed their implications. The set of indicators for this analysis was developed through discussion with Anna City Staff. The three scenarios were analyzed by the Kimley-Horn team, and the results were presented to the CPATF on October 13, 2020. The Task Force members worked in teams to review this analysis, and their input and recommendations led to the creation of a single Preferred Scenario. This scenario is intended to achieve the Vision and follow the Guiding Principles presented above. Based on this direction, the Kimley-Horn team has developed this Preferred Scenario, which depicts the desired pattern of growth, development and reinvestment through 2050 and beyond. The scenario uses a set of PlaceTypes to describe the character of places that exist or will be created in the Anna 2050 Study Area (the existing incorporated City and the current ETJ). The PlaceTypes are described generally below; the detailed descriptions of all Anna 2050 PlaceType are found in the Future Land Use Strategy (Chapter 3). PLACETYPE DESCRIPTIONS PlaceTypes are the “color palette” used to represent the different sorts of places that could exist in the Anna community of the future. They communicate what’s important. Instead of referencing a single land use, they describe the character of the place and the quality of the place to be created—the mix of land uses, scale, how a pedestrian would experience the area and other aspects. This approach also gives the community more flexibility in addressing development proposals for specific properties and in responding to changing market conditions. The fifteen PlaceTypes below were used in the Alternatives Analysis phase of this process. They are used here to depict the general Preferred Scenario for future growth. In addition, they will be used at a smaller scale in the Future Land Use element and other Anna 2050 Plan components to show a more specific level of detail about appropriate future development. Each of these potential PlaceTypes is summarized in the chart below. The details of each PlaceType are provided in the Future Land Use Strategy, found in Chapter 3. Each PlaceType is represented by a set of characteristics, including the name, tile color and abbreviation, a brief description, a discussion of primary and secondary land uses and development densities and supporting images. Page 18 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN12 RANCHING & AGRICULTURE (RA) Character & Intent Agricultural areas are characterized by very large tracts of undeveloped land utilized for agricultural production, wildlife management, or ranching, including the raising of livestock. There are opportunities for additional uses that support the character and economic viability of agriculture. RURAL LIVING (RL) Character & Intent Rural Living areas are characterized by very large lots, abundant open space, pastoral views, and a high degree of separation between buildings. Lots are typically larger than 5 acres in size and residential home sites are located randomly throughout the countryside and the surrounding area. These lots typically utilize private well water and septic systems. ESTATE RESIDENTIAL (ER) Character & Intent Estate Residential areas are dominated by single-family housing on the urban fringe in large lot development. Unlike rural living, home sites may be in platted subdivisions that have water service, though they may have septic wastewater treatment. Residential uses are oriented interior to the site. Lots may or may not have farm and livestock restrictions. Lot sizes in the Estate Residential Place Type range from ½ acre to 2 acre lots. SUBURBAN LIVING (SL) Character & Intent Predominantly single-family housing on detached lots. Home sites are located in platted subdivisions with all utilities, residential streets, and sidewalks. CLUSTER RESIDENTIAL (CR) Character & Intent Cluster residential neighborhoods are intended to provide smaller single family detached and attached residential lots. Home sites are located in platted subdivisions with all utilities, residential streets and sidewalks. URBAN LIVING (UL) Character & Intent Urban Living areas support a variety of different housing types in a compact network of complete, walkable streets that are easy to navigate by car, bike, or on foot. Housing types can include small lot, single family detached, townhomes, duplexes, condominiums, or apartments, with a small amount of local retail and neighborhood services to serve the neighborhood. COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL (CC) Character & Intent Community Commercial development is typically characterized by small, freestanding buildings containing one or more businesses. Unlike larger shopping centers that may attract regional customers, Community Commercial developments primarily provide services for residents of surrounding neighborhoods. Business types may include restaurants, local retail, medical offices, banks, and other retail and services. Page 19 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 13 REGIONAL ACTIVITY CENTER (RAC) Character & Intent A Regional Activity Center is characterized by big box stores or multitenant commercial uses. They are typically located at high volume intersections and sometimes along both sides of a highway or arterial. Regional Activity Centers are accessible primarily by one mode of travel – the automobile. Buildings are typically set back from the road behind large surface parking lots, with little or no connectivity between adjacent businesses. A small amount of multi-family residential development may occur in these areas. DOWNTOWN (D) Character & Intent Downtown is the traditional core of economic, entertainment, and community activity for Anna. Downtown would also be an employment center and shopping destination for residents of surrounding neighborhoods. Buildings typically stand two or more stories with condominiums, apartments or offices over storefronts. The design and scale of the development encourages active living, with a comprehensive and interconnected network of walkable streets. The historic character of Downtown is preserved. ENTERTAINMENT CENTER (EC) Character & Intent Entertainment centers are emerging commercial centers planned or developed on large sites, including movie theaters or event venues, and based on an overall master plan. These centers include a horizontal mix of uses including destination retail, restaurants, employment opportunities, entertainment use, and commercial uses that serve a regional market. These centers may include a variety of housing types. The master plan for a regional entertainment center reinforces the interdependence of uses in the development, even though the uses are typically designed as separate pods or neighborhoods. The regional entertainment center may have a traditional shopping mall, event center or lifestyle area as an anchor of the Place Type. MIXED USE (MU) Character & Intent A Mixed-Use Center offers people the ability to live, shop, work, and play in one community. They include a mixture of housing types and multiple residential housing choices within close proximity to the goods and services residents need on a daily basis. This Place Type typically includes a higher intensity of uses developed in an urbane style that are supported by nodes of activity. The design and scale of development in a mixed-use center encourages active living, with a complete and comprehensive network of walkable streets. EMPLOYMENT MIX (EM) Character & Intent Employment Mix includes professional and service uses typically on smaller sized parcels with lower intensities than business Campuses. This type of development may support a variety of occupations including offices, research and development facilities, medical clinics, and business incubators. These uses are typically located with access to arterial thoroughfares, and street frontage of the businesses are appealing and have an increased level of aesthetics and landscaping. PROFESSIONAL CAMPUS (PC) Character & Intent The Professional Campus Place Type generally provides office jobs and is the location for major employers as well as smaller office or professional service companies. This Place Type features large, master-planned campuses. The sites are typically well landscaped and provide opportunities for many employment uses such a corporate headquarters, institutional facilities, university campuses, and medical campuses. They typically locate near major transportation corridors and may include office parks or technology centers. Page 20 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN14 +The corridor along the Collin County Outer Loop from the East Fork of the Trinity River to SH 121 would become a major employment district centered on SH 5, with a variety of areas designated for Professional Campus, Employment Mix and Manufacturing & Warehouse PlaceTypes. +Multiple future park investments will be focused on Key Centers (see Key Centers below) and key green corridors along floodplain areas. In these locations, park types and designs will be based on their development context. This approach will provide Anna with more diversity in new park types and an emphasis on access, amenities and walkability (through a connected trail network) for the local community and visitors. MANUFACTURING & WAREHOUSE (MW) Character & Intent Manufacturing and Warehouse areas provide basic jobs and keep people in the city during different working hours. The employee per square foot of building space is usually low in these areas due to the large buildings that are needed for storage and logistics. They typically locate near major transportation corridors (e.g., highways and railways) and may include manufacturing centers, warehousing, or logistic hubs. PREFERRED SCENARIO DIAGRAM The Preferred Scenario diagram depicts the anticipated geographic pattern of development in the future Anna community if the Vision and Guiding Principles are realized. It is shown on the next page. The Preferred Scenario addresses the entire Anna Study Area (the current incorporated area and the ETJ). It is a high-level, preferred diagram selected by the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Task Force indicating generalized future development patterns that are further refined within the more detailed Future Land Use component of this plan. The Future Land Use Plan provides final direction for future land use decisions. FUTURE DEVELOPMENT TRENDS AND POLICIES The Preferred Scenario is based on several basic assumptions related to future development trends and policies derived throughout the planning process, including: +Existing development patterns in many parts of today’s incorporated city will not change. Existing residential, commercial and employment areas of the city are expected (with some targeted investment) to remain desirable and viable in 2050. +Major planned developments previously coordinated between the development community and the City of Anna (i.e. Mantua, Anna Town Square, Villages of Hurricane Creek, etc.) are indicated in the Preferred Scenario with their currently planned uses and densities. +Higher density residential PlaceTypes (i.e. Suburban Living, Cluster Residential and Urban Living) would generally occur between the East Fork of the Trinity River on the west and at the Future Leonard Avenue on the east, where future expansion of sewer capacities can support that level of density. Page 21 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 15 Page 22 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN16 KEY CENTERS The Preferred Scenario also reflects the desired direction for four key Centers in Anna, each with distinct economic development opportunities. This approach to creating unique centers within the community is intended to allow for diverse development types in Anna so that each one has a special market focus. As a result, these centers should not compete with each other as individual developments. When considered as a whole, they create a strong portfolio of assets for Anna. 75 Center The US 75 corridor is expected to evolve into Anna’s primary activity center and will be a regional draw due to its combination of PlaceTypes— Regional Activity Center, Community Commercial, Mixed Use and a range of residential PlaceTypes. The 75 Center will be a major hub for shopping, entertainment, healthcare, recreation, employment and living. Downtown Anna Throughout the visioning process, many stakeholders have expressed a desire to celebrate and revitalize Downtown Anna. Stakeholders would like to see a combination of infill, redevelopment, and reinvestment in a manner that allows Downtown Anna to become not only a location where the community comes together for events and activities, but also a place where people live and work. The City is already catalyzing the Downtown area by investing in the new Municipal Complex Campus, and small shops and restaurants are beginning to be attracted to the older structures in the area. The primary PlaceType within this Center is the Downtown PlaceType. It includes a range of housing types and densities, as well as civic/governmental elements. It also includes office and commercial uses that will lead to the development of a unique, vibrant downtown. Walkability will be key so that people can move freely within Downtown and connect to the area from the surrounding community through a well-planned trail network. Anna Business Center The Anna Business Center establishes a significant employment hub along the future Collin County Outer Loop from SH 5 to US 121. This employment hub would be catalyzed by the existing Anna Business Park and would expand employment-oriented PlaceTypes to include Professional Campus, Employment Mix and Manufacturing & Warehouse. It is envisioned that the core of the Center could continue to expand and support additional employment-oriented development along the Collin County Outer Loop. Westminster – Future Key Center During the Anna 2050 development process, residents and other stakeholders identified a longer-term opportunity to build upon the Westminster community as a key Center, but market projections suggest this will be some time beyond 2050. Future development in the area should attract visitors who want to experience the quaint agricultural community center as a part of the overall experience in Westminster. Additional destinations in this area could be focused on the outdoors, sports and other sorts of entertainment. These options could benefit from trails and other recreational activities along the floodplain and could build on the existing assets of the Adventure Camp. Entertainment Center, Community Commercial and Cluster Residential are among the PlaceTypes that are envisioned to contribute to an entertainment node along the SH 121 Corridor. Opportunities for a sports complex with supporting restaurants and other commercial uses will be evaluated over time, with the goal of drawing families to Anna for sports-related activities. 5. DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL PREFERRED SCENARIO DIAGRAM CAPACITY If all the properties in the Anna 2050 study area were developed according to this Preferred Scenario Diagram, just over 200,500 residents, 77,100 housing units, and 72,500 jobs could be accommodated. The retail space per capita would be 41.5 square feet, slightly below the national and North Texas benchmarks of 46 and 52 square feet per capita, respectively. With a ratio of jobs to population of 0.33, this ultimate development pattern would need to include additional non-residential development areas to provide an equal balance between employment and residential uses (using a benchmark target of 0.48). DEVELOPMENT BY 2050 The capacity of this Preferred Scenario will not be fully utilized within the time horizon of the Anna 2050 plans. The population projections developed for this project anticipate a population range of 42,000 to 84,000 in the planning horizon year of 2050. To accommodate this anticipated population, only 21% (for the low end of the range) to 42% (for the high end) of the Preferred Scenario’s development capacity would be needed by 2050. This means that much of the land in ranching, agricultural or rural use today will still be in similar uses in 2050. The Future Land Use Strategy detailed in Chapter 3 identifies the areas for Page 23 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 17 development expected to occur by 2050. The strategy considers where infrastructure is or will be available, and which parts of the Study Area have projects already in the planning or design stages. Based on this analysis, the Future Land Use Plan found in Chapter 3 identifies the PlaceTypes anticipated throughout the Study Area by 2050. This plan anticipates development that will accommodate almost 40,000 jobs by 2050. The 2050 Future Land Use Plan reflects a desirable balance between residential and non-residential development. The retail space per capita is estimated at 54.3 square feet, very slightly higher than the national and North Texas benchmarks of 46 and 52 square feet per capita, respectively. With a ratio of jobs to population of 0.478, the development shown in the 2050 Future Land Use Plan provides a balance of jobs and residents that almost exactly matches the benchmark target of 0.48. These estimates of population, employment and housing are based on the general assumptions depicted in the Preferred Scenario Diagram. They do not represent caps or maximum levels of development far into the future. As development continues, the specific uses, timing and density or intensity of growth will affect the location and amount of population and employment in Anna. These estimates will be refined in future updates to this plan, ensuring that the development pattern continues to reflect the vision of Anna neighbors for their community. Page 24 of 123 Page 25 of 123 FUTURE LAND USE 03 Page 26 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN20 FUTURE LAND USE 1. INTRODUCTION The Future Land Use Strategy is a critical tool that will help guide the City along a path that ensures a predictable development pattern, fiscal stability, and a high quality of life for residents. It provides parcel-level detail of the physical development pattern that will be a key factor in achieving the Strategic Direction established in Chapter 2. It is intended to inform and assist City leaders in making important decisions regarding future land use, zoning, capital improvements and other significant investments that will contribute to Anna’s long-term success. It is important to note that Chapter 212 of the Texas Local Government Code states that “A Comprehensive Plan shall not constitute zoning regulations or establish zoning boundaries.” The Future Land Use Map, therefore, should not be regarded as a zoning map, which provides specific development requirements on individual parcels. Instead, it is intended to guide City Staff in assessing development proposals related to the appropriateness of land uses at specific locations within the community, and the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council in decision-making related to specific zoning proposals. While a property owner may choose to develop under existing zoning regulations regardless of the recommendations of the chapter, if that owner makes an application for rezoning, this chapter should provide important guidance related to the City’s approval or disapproval of the zoning proposal. Observance of the recommendations in this Future Land Use strategy will be important to achieving the desired future development pattern the community’s stakeholders desire in Anna. Significant deviation from this strategy could negatively impact the City’s infrastructure investments, municipal services, and economic resiliency. This chapter lays out the land use and development policies that should be considered as decisions are made related to zoning applications. 2. LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT POLICIES The following Land Use and Development Policies are intended to work in conjunction with the Future Land Use Plan to establish the community Anna neighbors hope to see in 2050. These policies were used to help guide the development of the PlaceTypes and determine the appropriate locations for each within the Future Land Use Plan. They are intended to inform decisions related to new development, redevelopment, adaptive reuse of existing buildings, design of the public realm, and the public investments that support the desired character of each part of Anna. LU 1. The City of Anna will use this Future Land Use Plan as its primary policy document for decisions related to the physical development and the desired future community character of Anna. LU 2. Decisions on rezoning, the subdivision of land, project design, the provision of incentives and other aspects of development should be made consistent with the Future Land Use Plan. LU 3. Public sector infrastructure investments will be made in accordance with this plan to facilitate the desired supporting private sector investment. LU 4. Investments by the private sector should be consistent with the Future Land Use Plan’s direction in terms of the scale, mix of land uses and development character. LU 5. New development and redevelopment in Anna will create a diverse mix of housing opportunities for people so that they can reside in Anna at all stages of their lives. LU 6. New development and redevelopment in Anna should create a range of locations for businesses that provide jobs for Anna residents, opportunities for business growth and success, long-term economic viability and the goods and services desired by Anna’s neighbors and residents of surrounding communities that choose to shop in Anna. LU 7. Reinvestment by the City, Anna property owners and developers will be encouraged to support the continued vitality of existing Anna neighborhoods so that they continue to appeal to new generations of residents. LU 8. Anna property owners and developers will be encouraged to retain, protect, and enhance existing cultural and historic assets to maintain Anna’s unique sense of place as the community continues to grow. LU 9. The City will discourage development in areas where steep slopes, flooding, exposure to toxins or pollutants or other hazards pose a threat to the people who will live or work in the area and to the investment they have made in their properties. LU 10. The City, Anna Independent School District and Collin College will coordinate planning for new residential development and new educational facilities so that future facilities and developments are well connected, mutually supportive and available at the appropriate time. LU 11. The City will participate in regional programs and initiatives that result in a more successful future development pattern for North Texas and will use its Future Land Use Plan to position Anna to contribute, thrive, and succeed within the region. Page 27 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 21 LU 12. If zoning decisions by City Council show a consistent pattern of not being in alignment with this Future Land Use Plan, the City should conduct a review of the plan to determine if community values, market conditions or other factors warrant a change to the plan’s Vision, Guiding Principles and Policies. 3. PLACETYPES As stated in Chapter 2, PlaceTypes represent the different sorts of places that Anna stakeholders hope to see in their community in the future. The PlaceType descriptions below speak not only to a single land use in their descriptions, but to many features of the place, including the uses, scale, pedestrian experience and other factors. The following characteristics are included in the description of each PlaceType: +PlaceType name and abbreviation +A color tile to show the color for the PlaceType on the Future Land Use Map +A description of the character and intent associated with the PlaceType +Discussion of the land uses that are expected to be primary or secondary components of the place that is created +Information on the range of development density or intensity expected +Supporting images that illustrate the character represented by the PlaceType Page 28 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN22 RANCHING & AGRICULTURE (RA) Character & Intent Agricultural areas are characterized by very large tracts of undeveloped land utilized for agricultural production, wildlife management or ranching, including the raising of livestock. There are opportunities for additional uses that support the character and economic viability of agriculture. Land Use Considerations Primary Land Use Farming, ranching and wildlife management Secondary Land Use Single-family detached homes and supporting structures, agriculture related tourism, local food production and distributed energy generation. Cluster Residential may be permitted within a larger Ranching and Agriculture property if an amount of open space equal to the platted lots is preserved and water and wastewater requirements can be met. Indicators & Assumptions +Lot size (range) typically greater than 10 acres +Platting and Utility Exceptions probable Page 29 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 23 RURAL LIVING (RL) Character & Intent Rural Living areas are characterized by very large lots, abundant open space, pastoral views, and a high degree of separation between buildings. Lots are typically larger than 5 acres in size and residential home sites are located randomly throughout the countryside and the surrounding area. These lots typically utilize private well water and septic systems. Land Use Considerations Primary Land Use Single-family detached homes Secondary Land Use Agricultural land, civic and institutional uses, parks, open space and local food production Indicators & Assumptions +Lot size (range) 5-10 acres +Platting and utility exceptions possible +In areas immediately adjacent to parcels developed with higher density residential products, similar product types may be considered for these areas if water and wastewater requirements can be met by the developer. Page 30 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN24 ESTATE RESIDENTIAL (ER) Character & Intent Estate Residential areas are dominated by single-family housing on the urban fringe in large lot development. Unlike rural living, home sites may be in platted subdivisions that have water service, though they may have septic wastewater treatment. Residential uses are oriented interior to the site. Lots may or may not have farm and livestock restrictions. Lot sizes in the Estate Residential Place Type range from ½ acre to 2 acre lots. Land Use Considerations Primary Land Use Single-family detached homes Secondary Land Use Agricultural land, civic and institutional uses, parks and open space Indicators & Assumptions +Lot size (range) ½-2 acre lots +Platting and utility exceptions unlikely to be granted +In areas immediately adjacent to parcels developed with higher density residential products, similar product types may be considered for these areas if water and wastewater requirements can be met by the developer. Page 31 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 25 SUBURBAN LIVING (SL) Character & Intent Suburban Living neighborhoods consist predominantly of single-family housing on detached lots. Home sites are located in platted subdivisions with all utilities, residential streets and sidewalks. Land Use Considerations Primary Land Use Single-family detached homes Secondary Land Use Civic and institutional uses, parks and open space, neighborhood-serving retail and office Indicators & Assumptions +Lot size (range) 7,500 SF - ½ acre lots +Platting and utilities required Page 32 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN26 CLUSTER RESIDENTIAL (CR) Character & Intent Cluster residential neighborhoods are intended to provide smaller single family detached and attached residential lots. Home sites are located in platted subdivisions with all utilities, residential streets and sidewalks. Land Use Considerations Primary Land Use Single-family detached homes, townhomes and other single-family attached homes Secondary Land Use Civic and institutional uses, parks and open space Indicators & Assumptions +Lot size (range) 5,000 – 7,500 SF Page 33 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 27 URBAN LIVING (UL) Character & Intent Urban Living areas support a variety of different housing types in a compact network of complete, walkable streets that are easy to navigate by car, bike or on foot. Housing types can include single-family detached homes on small lots, townhomes, duplexes, condominiums or apartments, with a small amount of local retail and neighborhood services to serve the neighborhood. Land Use Considerations Primary Land Use Small Lot, single-family detached homes, townhomes, duplexes, condominiums and apartments Secondary Land Use Civic and institutional uses, parks and open space, retail and commercial Indicators & Assumptions Densities of 6-40 units per acre Page 34 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN28 COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL (CC) Character & Intent Community Commercial development is typically characterized by small, freestanding buildings containing one or more businesses. Unlike larger shopping centers that may attract regional customers, Community Commercial developments primarily provide services for residents of surrounding neighborhoods. Business types may include restaurants, local retail, medical offices, banks and other retail and services. Land Use Considerations Primary Land Use Retail and Commercial Secondary Land Use +Civic and institutional uses +Indicators & Assumptions +Lot Size (Range) N/A +Typically 5 acres or less; 1 or 2 stories Page 35 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 29 REGIONAL ACTIVITY CENTER (RAC) Character & Intent A Regional Activity Center is characterized by big box stores or multitenant commercial uses. They are typically located at high-volume intersections and sometimes along both sides of a highway or arterial. Regional Activity Centers are accessible primarily by one mode of travel – the automobile. Buildings are typically set back from the road behind large surface parking lots, with little or no connectivity between adjacent businesses. A small amount of multi-family residential development may occur in these areas. Land Use Considerations Primary Land Use Retail, commercial, apartments and condominiums, offices, business park, hotels, entertainment centers, retail, service and office uses Secondary Land Use Civic and institutional uses, parks and open space Indicators & Assumptions +Lot Size (range) N/A +Typically 5 - 10 acres; 1 or 2 stories Page 36 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN30 DOWNTOWN (D) Character & Intent Downtown is the traditional core of economic, entertainment and community activity for Anna. Downtown would also be an employment center and shopping destination for residents of surrounding neighborhoods. Buildings typically stand two or more stories with condominiums, apartments or offices over storefronts. The design and scale of the development encourages active living, with a comprehensive and interconnected network of walkable streets. The historic character of Downtown is preserved. Land Use Considerations Primary Land Use Retail, commercial, offices, hotels, entertainment centers, service and office uses, small lot, single-family detached homes, townhomes, duplexes, condominiums and apartments Secondary Land Use Civic and institutional uses, parks and open space Indicators & Assumptions Lot Size (range) varies from very small lots in historic area to larger lots where properties have been assembled Page 37 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 31 ENTERTAINMENT CENTER (EC) Character & Intent Entertainment Centers are emerging commercial centers planned or developed on large sites, including movie theaters or event venues, and based on an overall master plan. These centers include a horizontal mix of uses including destination retail restaurants, employment opportunities, entertainment use and commercial uses that serve a regional market. These centers may include a variety of housing types. The master plan for a Regional Entertainment Center reinforces the interdependence of uses in the development, even though the uses are typically designed as separate pods or neighborhoods. The Regional Entertainment Center may have a traditional shopping mall, event center or lifestyle area as an anchor of the PlaceType. Land Use Considerations Primary Land Use Retail, commercial, offices, hotels, entertainment centers, services and office uses Secondary Land Use Condominiums, apartments, and work-force housing, civic and institutional uses Indicators & Assumptions Lot Size (range) N/A Page 38 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN32 MIXED USE (MU) Character & Intent A Mixed Use center offers people the ability to live, shop, work and play in one community. They include a mixture of housing types and multiple residential housing choices within close proximity to the goods and services residents need on a daily basis. This PlaceType typically includes a higher intensity of uses developed in an urbane style that are supported by nodes of activity. The design and scale of development in a Mixed Use center encourages active living, with a complete and comprehensive network of walkable streets. Land Use Considerations Primary Land Use Retail, commercial, townhomes, apartments, offices, hotels and personal service uses Secondary Land Use Civic and institutional uses, parks and open space Indicators & Assumptions Lot Size (range) N/A Page 39 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 33 EMPLOYMENT MIX (EM) Character & Intent Employment Mix includes professional and service uses typically on smaller sized parcels with lower intensities than business campuses. This type of development may support a variety of occupations, including offices, research and development facilities, medical clinics and business incubators. These uses are typically located with access to arterial thoroughfares, and street frontage of the businesses are appealing and have an increased level of aesthetics and landscaping. Land Use Considerations Primary Land Use Offices, professional service uses, office, parks and flex office Secondary Land Use +Civic and institutional uses, parks and open space +Indicators & Assumptions +Lot Size (range) N/A Page 40 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN34 PROFESSIONAL CAMPUS (PC) Character & Intent The Professional Campus PlaceType generally provides office jobs and is the location for major employers as well as smaller office or professional service companies. This PlaceType features large, master-planned campuses. The sites are typically well landscaped and provide opportunities for many employment uses such as corporate headquarters, institutional facilities, university campuses and medical campuses. They typically locate near major transportation corridors and may include office parks or technology centers. Land Use Considerations Primary Land Use Higher education, research and technology, professional offices, medical, restaurant and retail Secondary Land Use Civic and institutional uses, parks and open space Indicators & Assumptions Lot Size (range) N/A Page 41 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 35 MANUFACTURING & WAREHOUSE (MW) Character & Intent Manufacturing and Warehouse areas provide basic jobs and keep people in the city during different working hours. The number of employees per square foot of building space is usually low in these areas due to the percentage of each building that is needed for storage and logistics. They typically locate near major transportation corridors (e.g., highways and railways) and may include manufacturing centers, warehousing or logistic hubs. Land Use Considerations Primary Land Use Manufacturing, distribution centers, technology/data centers and flex office Secondary Land Use Logistics, retail and office uses, training facilities, civic and institutional uses and parks and open space Indicators & Assumptions Lot Size (range) N/A Page 42 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN36 4. FUTURE LAND USE PLAN The Future Land Use Plan has been developed in alignment with the Preferred Scenario Diagram (described in Chapter 2) based on detailed discussions in multiple meetings with the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Task Force and joint workshops with the Anna EDC and CDC, Parks Board, Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council, as well as online input from Anna neighbors. It is a graphic depiction of Anna’s ideal land use pattern for the year 2050. It should be used by the City, in conjunction with the Land Use and Development Policies listed earlier in this chapter, to guide future decisions on proposed zoning and development applications and development standards. Page 43 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 37 EXHIBIT 3.1FUTURE LAND USE PLAN Page 44 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN38 DEVELOPMENT IMPLICATIONS The Future Land Use Plan provides ample opportunity for Anna to accommodate the growth demands expected in the community through the year 2050. The specific growth implications related to the Future Land Use Plan are detailed below. PROJECTED GROWTH As indicated in Chapter 2, the population projections developed for this project anticipate a population range of 42,000 – 84,000 in the planning horizon year of 2050. To accommodate this anticipated population, only 21% (for the low end of the range) to 42% (for the high end) of the Preferred Scenario’s development capacity would be needed by 2050. This means that much of the land in ranching, agricultural or rural use today will still be in similar uses in 2050. The areas that do experience new development and redevelopment, however, will look much different than they do today. Consistent with the Plan’s Land Use and Development Policies and community feedback, the 2050 development pattern will offer a wider variety of choices in terms of housing and business development. Exhibit 3.2 compares the mix of PlaceTypes in Anna today with the mix of PlaceTypes expected by 2050 as illustrated in the Future Land Use Plan. The biggest change is in the Ranching & Agriculture PlaceType. Since much of the future development in the Future Land Use Plan occurs on land that is in agricultural use today, the share of the Ranching & Agricultural PlaceType declines from 91% in 2020 to approximately 76% in 2050, but even with this reduction, Ranching & Agriculture is still the most dominant PlaceType in 2050. PlaceType 2020 PlaceType Mix 2050 PlaceType Mix Acres % of Study Area Acres % of Study Area Ranching and Agriculture 39,119.13 91%32,667.15 76% Rural Living 1,213.80 3%1,320.09 3% Estate Residential 215.84 1%1,411.10 3% Suburban Living 467.13 1%2,466.54 6% Cluster Residential 631.10 1%1,791.23 4% Urban Living 10.33 0%77.41 0% Community Commercial 63.15 0%515.68 1% Regional Activity Center 51.82 0%212.49 0% Downtown 144.37 0%144.37 0% Entertainment Center -0%95.87 0% Mixed Use -0%182.49 0% Employment Mix -0%411.15 1% Professional Campus -0%337.55 1% Manufacturing and Warehouse 163.32 0%305.77 1% Schools 176.69 0%252.71 1% Parks 647.00 2%712.08 2% Total 42,903.68 100%42,903.68 100% Exhibit 3.2: PlaceType Mix Page 45 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 39 RESIDENTIAL MIX Anna’s neighbors have indicated a desire for an increased range in future housing choices in Anna that would allow residents to age in place. The mix of housing units anticipated in the Future Land Use Plan places Anna on a path to achieving this objective. Exhibit 3.3 compares Anna’s current housing mix with the housing mix anticipated in the year 2050. Single-family detached homes are the most common housing type in Anna today with a 94% share of the total housing supply, and they will continue to be the most common in the future with an 79% share of the total housing supply To support the community’s desire for a range of housing options to support Anna neighbors at all phases of their lives, a wider range in single family lot sizes, townhomes, row houses, apartments and condominiums will provide a larger share of the housing supply under the Future Land Use Plan than they do today. These housing types are all important to meet the market demand of young people beginning their adult lives, Millennial’s who want to walk to restaurants, shops and entertainment, empty-nester’s who no longer want the demands of a house and yard and people whose age or abilities make it difficult for them to drive. To achieve this range in housing, outreach to the development community will be needed to inform a broader spectrum of residential developers of the pent-up demand for more diverse residential products in the community. Additionally, rezoning of existing parcels should be considered to allow more diversity in housing as described in the Comprehensive Plan PlaceTypes. In 2050, townhomes and row houses will comprise approximately 10% of the housing units, and apartments and condos will account for 11%. NON-RESIDENTIAL MIX The Future Land Use Plan also encourages a development pattern that establishes a range of locations for businesses that will provide jobs for Anna residents, opportunities for business growth and success, long-term economic viability and the goods and services desired by Anna’s neighbors and residents. By 2050, the Future Land Use Plan could accommodate almost 39,000 jobs. Exhibit 3.4 compares the mix of jobs represented by the Future Land Use Plan with the current mix of jobs in Anna. Currently, almost 33% of jobs in Anna are in the service sector. By 2050, the Future Land Use Plan indicates more than a tenfold increase in jobs, with a greater focus on non-service-related jobs. This change in employment mix offers Anna’s future residents a wider range of job possibilities, including better opportunities for jobs with higher pay and career potential. Housing Type Existing 2050 # of Units % of Total # of Units % of Total Single Family Detached 6454 94%22,171 79% Townhomes 65 1%2,866 10% Multi-Family 321 5%3,176 11% Total 6,840 100%28,213 100% Job Type Existing 2050 # of Jobs % of Total # of Jobs % of Total Retail 973.0 33%7,362.0 19% Office 759.0 26%11,525.0 42% Public 761.0 26%16,069.0 8% Industrial 446.0 15%3,695.0 11% Agricultural 16.0 1%0.0 0% Total 2955.0 100%38,651.00 100% Exhibit 3.4: Employment Mix Exhibit 3.3: Residential Mix Page 46 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN40 KEY CENTERS The Future Land Use Plan identifies three Key Centers in Anna, each with distinct economic development attributes and opportunities. The goal is to create centers that don’t struggle to attract the attention of the same consumer, the same tenant or the same dollars; each is meant to succeed because of its unique character. These diverse centers will satisfy a broader range of consumer needs and have the potential to draw from a larger geographic area because of the mix of uses, activities and environments they offer. Details related to the three Key Centers are included in the following pages. Additional aspects of these centers related to Placemaking and Parks, Trails and Open Space are detailed in Chapters 7 and 8. 75 Center 75 Center is located on the east and west sides of US75 from the Collin County Outer Loop on the south to County Road 368 on the north. The most intense development within this center will be concentrated between White Street and County Road 370, with development to the north and south of this location transitioning into the surrounding residential PlaceTypes. This center will become a major regional draw and the most important center of activity in Anna. Destinations for shopping, entertainment, healthcare, recreation, employment and living in both vertical and horizontal mixed-use environments would be envisioned in this center. Defining Characteristics: The PlaceTypes within the 75 Center will include a mix of commercial uses that will support regional needs and offer a variety of jobs related to retail, personal and professional services and healthcare. The center is envisioned to be the preferred location for nationally- and regionally-focused businesses that the community desires, such as national restaurant chains, retail establishments and healthcare providers. Supporting these businesses will be higher density residential uses to enable the employees of the businesses in the center to live within walking or biking distance to their jobs if they choose. Locations within the center would be connected through a comprehensive network of walkable streets with amenities for walkers and cyclists and would provide pedestrian connectivity to surrounding single-family residential neighborhoods. Allowable PlaceTypes: Regional Activity Center, Community Commercial, Mixed Use and Professional Campus and Urban Living PlaceTypes: Downtown Anna* Downtown Anna is located near the intersection of SH 5/Powell Parkway and FM 455/White Street. The Study Area is generally bounded by Slayter Creek on the west and Rosamond Parkway on the north, and follows Smith Street on the east and Cunningham Boulevard on the south. The Future Land Use Plan recommends the revitalization of Downtown Anna with a combination of infill and redevelopment to transform Downtown into a place where the community can come together for events and activities, as well as a place where people can live and work. Defining Characteristics: The Downtown PlaceTypes will allow this center to transform into a unique mixed-use center that will become the “heart” of Anna with new businesses and residential neighborhoods built in a manner that accentuates Anna’s unique history, culture and spirit of place. Downtown is envisioned to be the preferred location for unique, local businesses that align with the community’s desires for business establishments and experiences that are unique to Anna. Downtown will be connected through a comprehensive network of walkable, streets, with amenities and accommodations for walkers and cyclists, and would have pedestrian connectivity to surrounding single-family residential neighborhoods. Allowable PlaceTypes: Downtown PlaceType: *Chapter 9 of this report is dedicated to the future vision for Downtown Anna. Anna Business Center The Anna Business Center is located along the Collin County Outer Loop from Slayter Creek on the west to County Road 418 on the east. Depending on the future success of the center, it could be expanded to SH 121. This center will build upon the success of the existing Anna Business Park. Defining Characteristics: This center is expected to be one of the primary employment centers in Page 47 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 41 Anna, providing a range of jobs including logistics, light manufacturing, warehouse, office and supporting retail for the employees working in the area. A range of PlaceTypes is envisioned to allow synergies between businesses that often collaborate but have distinct facility needs. This center has the potential to be branded as a distinct area utilizing proven placemaking techniques. Connectivity within this center will likely be achieved through the development of a range of street types that are designed to support PlaceType-dependent mobility needs that will range from pedestrian- to semi-truck-oriented environments. Allowable PlaceTypes: Professional Campus, Employment Mix, Manufacturing & Warehouse, Community Commercial, Mixed-Use PlaceTypes: 5. ACTION ITEMS The following action items are recommended steps to achieving the land use vision desired by Anna neighbors: Action 3.1 Comprehensive Plan Checklist. Develop a Comprehensive Plan checklist to be used as a tool for determining the consistency of development proposals and zoning applications with the Anna 2050 principles and policies and to assist City Staff in making recommendations to P&Z and Council. Action 3.2 Mixed-Use Guidance. Establish policies to guide the appropriate mix, intensity and design of mixed-use projects to help City Staff evaluate the implication of these types of development proposals Action 3.3 Fiscal Impact Analysis. Establish and utilize a fiscal impact analysis process for major new development and redevelopment so decision-makers can consider the costs and benefits to the City and the community when they make determinations on proposed projects. Action 3.4 Communication with Developers. Continue to work with the North Texas development community, property owners, realtors and brokers to inform these stakeholders about the new opportunities resulting from Anna 2050 vision and development policies. Action 3.5. Code Overhaul. Rewrite the City’s development-related ordinances to align them with the vision expressed in this comprehensive plan and to accommodate the Future Land Use Plan. Action 3.6. Proactive Rezoning. Conduct City-initiated rezoning of areas where such rezoning will remove an important barrier to development or revitalization. Action 3.7. Database Updates. Update the City’s GIS platform and database to incorporate the future land use pattern reflected in this plan and develop supporting themes to assist in the day-to- day implementation of the plan. Page 48 of 123 Page 49 of 123 ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT 04 Page 50 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN44 ECONOMIC DEVELOPEMENT 1. INTRODUCTION Economic development is characterized by the sustained, unified actions of policy makers and communities aimed at promoting and upholding the standard of living and economic health of a community. It is a collaborative effort between local governments and the private sector; therefore, it is critical that the public and private sectors coordinate economic development strategies in order to optimize outcomes. Economic development includes improving the quality of life, creating jobs, increasing wealth and maintaining and expanding infrastructure. The results of economic development efforts create a strong economy and opportunities for all residents by creating a cycle of events that promotes a sustainable tax base which, in turn, provides revenue to support additional services, amenities and capital for reinvestment. 2. POLICIES Anna’s Economic Development Policies are presented below. They are derived from the Anna Economic Development Type A and Type B Strategic Plan, adopted by the economic development boards and the City Council. These Policies will guide the development and implementation of Anna’s economic development strategies in the future. ED 1. The City should maintain a successful economic development program in order to achieve local, state and national recognition. ED 2. The City should continue to strengthen its commercial and employment base. ED 3. The City should continue to foster and develop relationships with businesses, partners and allies in order to retain and grow Anna’s tax base. ED 4. Anna will create and nurture a positive identity that differentiates the city from surrounding communities, promoting its unique characteristics through branding elements, unified marketing materials and first- class development. ED 5. Anna should work to transform Downtown into a vibrant district for living, shopping and working. ED 6. Anna should maintain policies, regulations and resources to improve the quality of life in the city. ED 7. The City should focus on efforts to improve the aesthetics and appearance of the community through public and private investment. ED 8. The City will partner with the CDC and EDC to develop first-class infrastructure in Anna to support private development. ED 9. The City will support efforts to increase a broad range of development types in order to diversify the local tax base. 3. OVERVIEW Anna’s economic development program is currently implemented by two economic development corporations—the Type A Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and the Type B Community Development Corporation (CDC). The Type B Corporation currently receives a ¾ cent sales tax to fund its operation while the Type A Corporation does not currently receive any sales tax collections. Type A corporations have a focus on primary employers— those companies whose product or service is sold to statewide, national and/or international markets, bringing new dollars into the economy. Type A corporations spend money on incentives for new jobs and investments, workforce development and infrastructure. Type B corporations have a wider range of options for their expenditures, including quality of life projects, parks, sports venues and retail. The combination of Type A and Type B corporations gives Anna a strong source of funds to drive economic and community development initiatives. Using these tools will create economic vitality that will result in: +Higher quality developments +Additional catalyst projects in the Downtown area +Mixed-use development along FM 455/US 75 +Strategic public/private partnerships +Increased investment in physical infrastructure +Stronger regional partnerships EXISTING CONDITIONS In 1995, Anna began experiencing explosive growth in its transition from a small, rural community to a fast-growth suburb in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Metroplex. Since 2000, Anna’s population has increased 1,125%, causing it to be ranked one of the six fastest-growing cities in North Texas since 2010 Page 51 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 45 (Dallas Business Journal, Nov 29, 2018). Strong residential growth, a stellar school district, a diversity of new projects and a prime location on US 75, SH 5, SH 121 and the future Collin County Outer Loop make Anna an excellent choice for corporations and residents alike. Regional Context Texas has a rapidly growing population of nearly 30 million residents. Texas’ population centers around a triangle from Dallas-Fort Worth to Houston to Austin/San Antonio. Substantial growth is expected to continue in these urban areas for the foreseeable future, with the greatest population increases likely to occur in adjacent outlying suburban cities like Anna. Anna is strategically located at the northern gateway to DFW and perfectly positioned to capture regional growth as it continues along US 75 and SH 121. Anna depends on a healthy DFW region and its major economic drivers as it strives to achieve a sustainable future. Those drivers include: +Favorable economic climate +Broad talent base +Available, quality Infrastructure +Affordable real estate opportunities +Quality of life Population Texas has experienced one of the highest growth rates in the nation. Texas’ four largest metro areas—Houston, DFW, Austin and San Antonio—have provided most of this growth. Anna is located in Collin County, and over the past two decades, Collin County, and particularly its northern cities, has undergone one of the highest population growth rates in the U.S. For example, Collin County is currently approaching a population of 1.1 million people and estimates for 2025 are projected at 1.25 million. According to the NCTCOG, Anna has a 2021 population of 17,460 residents. A variety of growth scenarios was analyzed to project future population. The results of the analysis reveal a projected 2050 population within the range of 42,000 to 84,000 residents. Full projections are included in Appendix 4.B. Income A community’s median household income (MHI) is one of the most important indicators of its economic health. Anna’s MHI is $81,734, well above the DFW Metroplex average of $70,779, but in the lower percentile of Collin County, which has a MHI of $99,061. Anna has a moderate Per Capita Income of $29,798 and an average household income of $92,641. A comparison of income levels between Anna, Collin County, DFW and Texas is included in Appendix 4.B. Age Anna has a relatively young population, with a median age of 32.0, younger than Collin County at 36.2 and Grayson County at 41.2. Anna’s median age increased from 2010 to 2020 (from 30.2 to 32.0), while Collin County’s increased by only about one year during that same decade. ESRI projects that Anna’s median age will be reduced to 30.4 by 2025, suggesting that young families with children are expected to join the population. Race and Ethnicity Racial and ethnic composition across the United States is growing increasingly diversified as net migration and higher birth rates continue to drive change. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that the nation will be minority-majority by 2060 and possibly as early as 2042. Anna has a predominantly White Alone population base of 74.4%. The Black Alone population makes up 9.4% of the total and Hispanic (any race) represents 22.4%. The biggest racial difference between Anna and Collin County is that only 1.6% of the population base in Anna is Asian Alone compared to Collin County’s 16.1%. A comparison of current and 5-year projected racial and ethnic composition is included in Appendix 4.B. Psychographics of the Community Psychographics is the study of personality, values, opinions, attitudes, interests and lifestyle traits in concert with traditional demographic factors. Psychographics are developed using quantitative and qualitative methodology to understand consumers’ psychological attributes. This includes a wide range of characteristics, from health, to politics, to technology adoption. Each consumer’s unique attitudes influence his or her lifestyle choices, and these choices impact their purchasing decisions relative to housing, clothing, food, entertainment and more. The segmentation profile for Anna’s Primary Trade Area (PTA)—the geographic area most customers travel from in order to shop in Anna—is based on the ESRI Tapestry lifestyle segmentation. Categorization based on these lifestyle segments provides the type of insight that helps businesses and marketing professionals identify potential customers and under served markets. The full descriptions of the top segments can be found in Appendix 4.C. The top segments within the Anna PTA are summarized as follows: +Up and Coming Families (36%) — Up and Coming Families is a Page 52 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN46 market in transition—residents are younger and more mobile and ethnically diverse than the previous generation. They are ambitious, working hard to get ahead and willing to take some risks to achieve their goals. The recession has impacted their financial well-being, but they are optimistic. Their homes are new and their families are young. This is one of the fastest-growing markets in the country. +Middleburg (24.6%) — Neighborhoods transformed from the easy pace of country living to semirural subdivisions in the last decade, when the housing boom reached out. Residents are conservative, family-oriented consumers. Still more country than rock and roll, they are thrifty but willing to carry some debt and are already investing in their futures. They rely on their smartphones and mobile devices to stay in touch and pride themselves on their expertise. They prefer to buy American and travel in the U.S. This market is younger but growing in size and assets. +Green Acres (21.4%) — The Green Acres lifestyle features country living and self-reliance. They are avid do-it-yourselfers, maintaining and remodeling their homes with all the necessary power tools to accomplish the jobs. Gardening, especially growing vegetables, is also a priority, again with the right tools, tillers, tractors and riding mowers. Outdoor living also features a variety of sports: hunting and fishing, motorcycling, hiking and camping and even golf. Self-described conservatives, residents of Green Acres remain pessimistic about the near future, yet are heavily invested in it. 4. MARKET DEMAND RETAIL Retail Trends U.S. consumer spending continued to grow into 2020, but the platforms used to deliver retail are becoming more complex. This change was accelerated in 2020 due to COVID-19. Despite rumors of a pending retail collapse, the sector is instead restructuring to adapt to consumer needs and preferences. Evolution of Retail in a Post-Pandemic Environment Traditional retail has changed forever. While historical factors included access to large parking lots and proximity to other peer retailers, physical stores are now only part of the equation. According to Cushman and Wakefield, a retailer’s network must also address other important elements, including experience and design. +Experience. While the Millennial’s are responsible for driving change towards a desirable experience over a product, Baby Boomers are still responsible for most consumer spending. Creating innovative ways of interacting with consumers is key in the new age of retail. +Design. In order to survive going forward, the retail industry must capture and hold the customer’s attention through the design of its physical stores. Designs should seek to be engaging with experiences and attractive in presentation. Anna’s Trade Area In April 2019, the Anna EDC conducted a Primary Trade Area analysis to better understand the community’s trade area. As has been described earlier, a Trade Area represents the geographic area most customers travel from to shop at a given location. The Trade Areas include a Primary and Secondary Trade Area. +Primary Trade Area (PTA) — captures the closest and densest clustering of 60%-70% of patrons +Secondary Trade Area (STA) — captures the closest and densest clustering of 70% to 85% of patrons Appendix 4.D. Illustrates the boundaries of both the PTA and STA for Anna. Retail Demand As part of this planning process, Catalyst Commercial updated data within the PTA to estimate current 2020 demand in square feet. To calculate demand, Catalyst analyzed leakage within the PTA. “Leakage” or the “retail gap” is a measure of the difference between potential demand in dollars and the existing supply in dollars. Retail demand for Anna can be traced to several sources. The primary driver of retail demand is generally new household growth in an area. Typically, the residential component of the community provides up to 80% of total retail demand in a given market. Based on the existing population and median household income within the PTA, there is a total Purchasing Power of over $3.6 billion. The total retail leakage within Anna’s PTA for total retail trade and food and drink is $218,828,918. The full demand analysis is included in Appendix 4.E. Based on existing demand generators, there is nearly 205,000 square feet of unmet retail demand in the PTA. The top categories of unmet demand are: +Department Stores +Clothing Stores +Shoe Stores +Sporting Goods Stores +Specialty Food Stores +Furniture Stores Page 53 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 47 Creating Successful Commercial Districts Some of the hallmarks of quality retail developments throughout the DFW area include: +High-quality design +An experiential environment +Regional accessibility +A mix of uses +Merchandise options +Activation As the northern gateway to DFW via the US 75 and SH 121 corridors, Anna should be poised to capture traffic headed into some of these regional centers or perhaps draw tourists from the south. Anna currently has just under 500,000 square feet of retail distributed across 54 buildings. Rental rates remain strong at around $19 per square foot, with much higher rates among primary retail locations like the FM 455/US 75 intersection. The Northern Collin County Outlying City submarket saw 67,000 square feet of absorption over the last twelve months, putting the submarket 12th overall in terms of absorption in DFW according to CoStar, a real estate information provider. Anna has an opportunity to participate in the regional success of the US 75 and SH 121 corridors and the future Collin County Outer Loop with properly planned, cohesive and quality developments. See Appendix 4.E. and 4.F. for further discussion of Retail Demand and Retail Trends. CORPORATE DEMAND CORPORATE ATTRACTION Office districts are becoming more intertwined with other community functions for many reasons, including the appeal of actively dense environments and the live-work-play lifestyle. The investment outlook for both medical and suburban office space is indicated as good; however, DFW has seen a great deal of new office space in recent years. Medical office, as well as treatment facilities, are often a good fit in suburban areas where new population growth is expected due to an increased supply of housing units. This is evidenced by the new freestanding emergency room and planned medical office development in Anna along US 75. As the population grows and ages, the market will continue to drive the need for medical services and space that will create quality jobs and a diversified tax base. The trend of large company relocations to the DFW market in Texas has been unprecedented and is expected to continue for some time. Several key factors that corporations consider when relocating include: +Distance to airports +Access to major transportation networks +Incentives +Presence/Synergies of similar industry makeup +Needed infrastructure (fiber, water, etc.) +Availability and price of land +Design/Features of development +Innovative areas +Access and composition to a broad range of quality housing Office Demand Almost 50% of the large company relocations to the DFW market have been related to information/technology. Advances in videoconferencing and teamwork software allow high-skill workers to split their time between working from home and working in an office just a short drive away. There is a relatively large portion of Anna’s businesses that could leverage these high-skill, high-demand, technologically driven jobs, including industries such as Finance & Insurance (4.7% of the jobs in Anna), Real Estate, Rental and Leasing (6.6% of the jobs), Professional, Scientific and Tech Services (5.8% of the jobs) and Health Care & Social Assistance (8.2% of the jobs). The full breakdown of businesses and employees in Anna, categorized by their North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) categories is included in Appendix 4.G. COVID-19 negatively affected the office sector. Most of the labor force is currently working from home, and distributed workforces will likely remain a trend, which may prevent Anna from absorbing office space in the short term. Anna currently has 64,800 square feet of office space, of which nearly 50,000 square feet has been built since 2nd Quarter 2017. While current vacancy sits at 26%, this is likely a combination of natural absorption delay and COVID-19 impacts that have stunted absorption. Rental rates remain strong throughout Anna and the submarket at $29.83 and $29.18 per square foot, respectively. Vacancy throughout the Outlying Collin County submarket remains high at 18.3%, and net absorption has dissipated to 33,200 square feet over the last 12 months (CoStar). Page 54 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN48 INDUSTRIAL ATTRACTION Anna is well-positioned to capture industrial development given its regional mobility assets and the availability of the EDC/CDC’s 85-acre, shovel-ready business park adjacent to the future Collin County Outer Loop and rail. Millions of square feet of industrial space have been added to the DFW market over the past decade, but deliveries of new space have slowed recently. An indicator of Anna’s strong industrial market can be observed based on the Northern Collin County submarket rental rate of $10.90 per square foot, which ranks second among all DFW submarkets. The overall market and the Northern Collin County submarket are expected to remain strong into the future as supply chains continue to evolve. With its south- central location in the United States, DFW is in a particularly strong position to experience continued growth in warehousing and distribution. Access to infrastructure (water, sewer, roads, fiber, natural gas) gives an advantage not only to the Anna Business Park, but to the entire city in terms of its ability to attract industrial users. Based on market demand, Anna could absorb approximately 50,000 – 100,000 square feet of industrial space per year. See Appendix 4.H. for more information. HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM COVID-19 has had a negative impact on the hospitality industry. Hotel development is dependent on two major sources to produce room nights in a market—corporate demand and group demand, both of which have been greatly curtailed due to COVID-19. +Corporate Demand — hotel demand generated as a result of local and proximate companies who have any number of business travelers coming to their corporate office +Group Demand — hotel demand generated by a sales team who presents a property as a good location to host a meeting or event that includes guests required to travel to the property; group meetings can be corporate in nature, but also include smaller groups for events such as weddings, reunions, conferences and team sports Other demand for hotel room nights can be generated by the property itself based on amenities and offerings that create a desirable destination. Hotel development should be planned for in conjunction with the presence of corporate office or major destination development timing. Tourists can be lured off US 75 with destination retail projects and attractions such as a revitalized Downtown. Small local restaurants can also draw from the highway, and a specialty restaurant that gets a reputation can be a huge tourist attraction. 5. EMERGING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THEMES Based upon current industry trends and input from stakeholders, the following economic development themes have been mentioned as part of an economic development-oriented vision: +Create unique, quality developments +Create neighborhoods and commercial areas that continue to increase in value over time +Create a phased approach that minimizes risk and maximizes returns for the city and its neighbors +Encourage development that maximizes tax benefits for the City of Anna +Preserve natural areas and protect open space For an expanded discussion of these themes, see Appendix 4.I. 6. TOOLS TO HELP ATTRACT BUSINESS AND EXPAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The CDC/EDC Board and City Council adopted a Comprehensive Economic Development Incentive Policy in October 2020. Incentives for individual projects are considered by the participating agencies on a case-by-case basis. The key criteria for evaluation include amount of capital investment, type of project, number of permanent jobs, wage levels and added tax value. Those receiving incentives are required to enter into a performance agreement. The following economic development tools are currently available to the City of Anna under Chapter 380 of the Texas Local Government Code and the provisions for Tax Increment Financing (Chapter 372, Subchapter A), Public Improvement Districts (Chapter 311 of the Texas Tax Code) and Tax Abatements (Chapter 312 of the Texas Tax Code). These techniques give cities a good amount of flexibility in structuring the required performance agreements. +Tax Increment Financing (TIF). According to Chapter 311 of the Texas Tax Code, the City may enter into economic development and infrastructure reimbursement agreements to pay for improvements within a geographic zone to attract new development. A Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) is created when a TIF project begins. The City of Anna has three active TIRZs. +Tax Abatements. Chapter 312 of the Texas Tax Code allows the City of Anna to designate tax reinvestment zones and negotiate tax abatement agreements with applicants. These abatement agreements authorize the appraisal districts to reduce the assessed value of the taxpayer’s Page 55 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 49 property by a percentage specified in the agreement; the taxpayer pays taxes on the lower assessed value during the term of the agreement. The City of Anna has no active tax abatements. +Public Improvement Districts (PID). In accordance with Texas Local Government Code Chapter 372, the City of Anna may create a public improvement district to finance the cost of qualified public improvements that confer a special benefit to a definable part of the city or its extraterritorial jurisdiction. The City of Anna has three active PIDs and created a PID Policy in 2020. +Triple Freeport Exemption. The City of Anna, Anna Independent School District and Collin County offer a business personal property tax exemption on inventory that is held within the State of Texas for 175 days or less from the date it was manufactured in, acquired in or transported to the state. Freeport Exemption Application forms must be submitted to the Central Appraisal District of Collin County no later than April 30th of each year. +Grants. The City, EDC or CDC may provide a grant to encourage new investment and reinvestment in the city and/or provide a foundation through which business may locate and expand their operations. The amount and duration of the grant may vary based on a determination by the City Council and/or the EDC or CDC board. An example is the City’s COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program. +Fee Reductions/Waivers or Infrastructure Assistance. The City may reduce or waive fees or assist with the cost or construction of infrastructure in order to spur development. +Loans. The EDC or CDC may enter into a loan agreement with eligible businesses as determined by their boards. +Property/Sales Tax Rebates. The City and/or EDC and CDC may enter into an agreement to rebate property and/or sales taxes based on the scope of the project. The table below indicates the Key Centers in which each of these economic development tools might be most effectively used. 7. ACTION ITEMS The Vision Statement, Guiding Principles and Policies contained in the Anna 2050 Plan will help to guide the development and implementation of the City’s economic development strategy by laying out a framework for the creation and expansion of programs and capital improvements to help maintain the fiscal sustainability and resiliency the community desires. The Action Items below were informed by the Anna Economic Development Type A and Type B Strategic Plan adopted by the EDC, CDC and the Anna City Council. Action 4.1. Quality and Innovation. Support high-quality and innovative economic development projects to advance economic development goals, providing adequate resources for economic development, coordinating economic oriented projects with the EDC and providing supportive policies and regulations to advance favorable projects. Action 4.2. Adequate Resources. Provide adequate resources to accommodate high-quality economic development initiatives by aligning Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budgeting with economic development projects to ensure available infrastructure. Action 4.3. Fiscal Alignment. Perform a fiscal analysis of the City’s long- term infrastructure investments to ensure future developments are supported and fiscally responsible. Action 4.4. Targeted Investment. Place greater emphasis on the Key Centers, aligning resources, policies and investments with these targeted investment areas. Action 4.5. Business Database. Develop and maintain a database of businesses in order to maintain communication and continuity with its business allies. Action 4.6. Positive Relationships. Develop a plan or program for maintaining positive working relationships with nearby communities, regional partners, state officials and national leaders. Action 4.7. Branding Policy. Develop and maintain a branding policy to ensure a singular and unified brand is communicated across all departments and is represented on future internal and external assets; evaluate every two to three years. Action 4.8. Public Investment in Downtown. Develop a program and identify funding for the implementation of the highest priority public improvements in the Downtown area to catalyze revitalization and advance Downtown as a place; review annually to assess progress. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL 75 CENTER DOWNTOWN ANNA CENTER ANNA BUSINESS CENTER Tax Increment Financing (TIF)X Tax Abatements X Public Improvement Districts X Triple Freeport Exemption X Grants X X Fee Reductions/Waivers or Infrastructure Assistance X X Loans X X Property/Sales Tax Rebates X X Page 56 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN50 Action 4.9. Standards and Regulations for Downtown. Adopt standards and regulations to ensure high-quality Downtown development. Action 4.10. Aesthetic Values and Strategy. Develop a plan to identify the City’s aesthetic values and to activate a strategy with the goal of becoming a unique, progressive and sustainable city. Action 4.11. Infrastructure Audit. Create and implement an infrastructure audit program to ensure that the City maintains smart, resilient and fiscally responsible infrastructure. Action 4.12. Smart Ecosystem. Consider working with partner agencies, including utility companies and telecommunications providers, to expand the digital infrastructure as necessary to enable a smart city ecosystem that is well equipped for the future. Action 4.13. Range of Development Types. Create design guidelines and prototypes to encourage a broad range of first-class development types. Page 57 of 123 HOUSING05 Page 58 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN52 HOUSING 1. INTRODUCTION There are nearly 123 million households in the United States, and approximately 2/3 of them are owner-occupied. The propensity to own a home decreases with the age of the primary resident; consequently, most renters are in their 20’s and most homeowners are over 30 years of age. Approximately 37% of those who rent live in multifamily housing, while the remainder reside in traditional single-family homes, townhomes, condos and other residential products. Owner-occupied households represent 89% of the total in Anna, and while owner-occupied units are typically dominant in suburban markets, the limited number of renter-occupied units (579 units) can be a deterrent to corporate uses and create barriers for the portion of the population that prefers to rent. It is critical that future housing choices in Anna align with the community’s vision while protecting and revitalizing past choices. Although Anna’s most transformational growth will occur near existing neighborhoods, future opportunities will also include mixed-use and infill options near Downtown. It will be equally important to preserve and continue building out established neighborhoods to create a complete community. As the community and economy at large continue to evolve, flexibility will remain a key component of success. Changes in a city happen incrementally as individuals make economic choices that shape and mold the community as a whole. One of the most significant choices that individuals make in shaping a community is with regards to their housing. This includes the typology, size, character and distribution of housing choices among neighborhoods. 2. POLICIES H 1. The City should encourage housing diversity in Anna to increase resiliency and sustainability and to attract a broad range of housing options. H 2. The City will work to maintain the integrity and quality of existing neighborhoods through effective code compliance and other means in order to protect and maintain housing stock and values. H 3. The City should permit the use of innovative programs, design, planning and construction methods that lower development costs while maintaining or increasing present standards. H 4. The City should maintain effective and efficient development regulations and administrative procedures to minimize delays in the development review process and in the issuance of development application approvals. H 5. The City should work to avoid potential blighting influences within residential areas through proactive land use planning. Where unavoidable, the adverse impacts of conflicting land uses should be minimized through performance criteria requiring adequate screening, landscaping and other design features that promote land use compatibility and appropriate land use transitions. H 6. The City will continue to improve neighborhood parks to ensure that they serve as focal points and gathering places for neighborhoods. 3. HOUSING OVERVIEW Both Collin County and Anna have experienced an increase in the number of residential units developed over the last 10 years. Today, Anna has approximately 5,866 households, more than double the number of households present in 2010. The average size of the households has remained steady over the past 10 years at around 3.1 persons and is expected to remain constant over the next five years as well. Most of these households (4,258) are classified as “Families.” The median home value of $221,701 in Anna is slightly lower than the median home value of $235,567 throughout DFW, making it an attractive place for young families to begin their lives. Anna is expected to add 1,353 new households within five years, which represents a 4.6% annual growth rate, significantly higher than the 1.8% House Values (Owner-Occupied) 2020 2025 Anna Dallas-Fort Worth Anna Dallas-Fort Worth Owner-Occupied Units 4,773 1,642,426 6,112 1,791,989 Less than $50,000 330 6.9%68,913 4.2%281 4.6%59,077 3.3% $50,000 to $99,999 239 5.0%164,079 10.0%171 2.8%139,636 7.8% $100,000 to $149,999 478 10.0%205,098 12.5%397 6.5%179,020 10.0% $150,000 to $199,999 831 17.4%236,273 14.4%813 13.3%218,404 12.2% $200,000 to $299,999 1,529 32.0%395,429 24.1%2,188 35.8%452,920 25.3% $300,000 to $499,999 1,175 24.6%390,507 23.8%1,913 31.3%501,256 28.0% $500,000 to $999,999 177 3.7%147,671 9.0%324 5.3%198,712 11.1% $1,000,000 or more 14 0.3%34,456 2.1%24 -42,965 2.4% Median (dollars)$221,701 $235,567 $243,715 $266,332 Source: U.S. Census 2010, ESRI Page 59 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 53 growth rate expected throughout the larger MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area; a term used in the Census to refer to a defined geographical area with certain characteristics). Based on projections, and using various land use scenarios, the number of Anna households could increase to a range of 59,000 to more than 80,000. 4. HOUSING DEMAND MARKET TRENDS Based on the prevailing demographics, new household demand is expected to remain strong throughout DFW, which includes Anna. As development patterns continue to expand outward along major interstates throughout the DFW Metroplex, Anna is poised to harness a substantial amount of household growth. While construction and new deliveries are likely to tighten due to COVID-19, the Anna market is still expected to grow at a rapid pace. Temporarily limited supply may put upward pressure on home prices, which would create additional opportunities to introduce a broader range of product types. A growing regional population will generate additional market demand for all household types, adding wealth and fueling additional opportunities for new housing products. OWNER-OCCUPIED DEMAND To understand owner-occupied residential demand, Catalyst Commercial calculated demand for the region and adjusted based on the estimated capture rate—the portion of total housing demand in a region satisfied in one market or geographical area—to reflect the historical percentage of homes built in Anna. Collin County is projected to gain over 55,000 new households over the next five years. Based on regional ownership trends and propensity to move across all income categories, these projections show that Anna has the potential to capture over 1,385 owner-occupied households annually, based on a conservative capture rate. Of these households, over 75% of the total new homes demanded will be valued above $250,000. Income levels also show a moderate need for housing under $250,000. To better understand the owner-occupied residential demand, this analysis explored demand by income and by age groups. Different age groups represent different preferences in home typologies and product type, further nuancing the need for differentiated home choices. Exhibit 5.1 outlines owner-occupied market trends by age group. RENTER-OCCUPIED DEMAND Market Trends The Dallas-Fort Worth multifamily market has been experiencing a long stretch of record high demand and high occupancies, with 2019 2nd Quarter occupancies at 95.1% according to CBRE Research, a global real estate market research firm. Due to COVID-19, however, vacancy rates may increase temporarily, causing rent growth to decline since multifamily hosts many residents that may be affected by the pandemic. Although the result will likely be a decline in construction starts and the amount of square footage under construction, deliveries should continue in a timely, yet reduced, fashion. According to the Texas A&M Real Estate Center, “Given the significant decrease in construction activity over the past two years, the DFW apartment market should be poised better than other Texas MSAs to weather the uncertainties of the COVID-19 crisis.” Market Demand As has been noted, Collin County is expected to gain more than 55,000 total new households over the next five years, with an annual demand for over 6,800 housing units based upon qualified incomes within the county. Based on regional ownership trends and propensity to move across all income categories, projections show that Anna has the potential to capture 585 new renter-occupied units annually across all income categories. To determine the capture rate, building permits were analyzed from the U.S. Census to determine Anna’s potential capture of the Collin County demand. Over 71% of the total units demanded will be market rate product ($1,500+/month rents). Income levels show a less significant demand for units priced under $1,500. To better understand the demand scenario, the renter-occupied residential demand was broken down by income categories and age groups. As is the - 50 Less than $100,000 $100,000-$150,000 $150,000-$200,000 $200,000-$250,000 $250,000-$350,000 $350,000-$450,000 $450,000+ 150 100UNITS200 250 Ages 25 - 34 Ages 35 - 54 Ages 55 - 64 Ages 65+ Anna Annual Owner-Occupied Demand Page 60 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN54 case with the owner-occupied market, different age groups have different preferences in home typologies and product type, requiring more refinement in determining the types of homes that each group is searching for Exhibit 5.2 outlines renter-occupied market trends by age group. 5. RESIDENTIAL SHIFTS As has been referenced, growth in the region will create demand for a wide spectrum of housing types. Markets that can cater to a broad audience will create greater resiliency and capture a greater share of total demand; therefore, policies that encourage more housing choices and minimize social inequity will ensure the long-term viability of the community. As Anna ages over the next few decades, a goal will be to incorporate residential products and planned developments that will attract and retain choice residents. Master planned communities can achieve that by offering a broad range of product, including higher-density residential units, single- family houses, senior housing and commercial developments. These master planned developments can integrate a broad range of commercial services to cater to residents of all ages, including grocery stores, restaurants, retail shops and healthcare services. See Appendix 5.C. for a discussion of master planned communities and another specific product type—senior housing. 6. RESIDENTIAL THEMES AND TRENDS Successful communities evolve with time and prove their resilience through a variety of economic cycles. They can meet both the current and future needs of their residents. New development can contribute to resiliency and economic stability through infill and net new development. Anna is a community with an established residential base, but there is still significant opportunity to bolster sustainability by taking advantage of opportunities for infill development. Infill development is the use of vacant or under-utilized property in areas that are already mostly developed. Infill development should optimize existing infrastructure investments and explore strategies to employ efficiencies in land utilization to create greater economies in regards to costs of service and economic impacts. There are several areas of Anna that are prime for infill development, including Downtown and on tracts adjacent to or near established neighborhoods and commercial corridors. Aligning new residential development with broader housing choices and amenities will help increase the diversity of existing housing stock in Anna, help stabilize and improve the values of existing homes and expand the housing options available to groups of people—first-time home buyers, young families and seniors—allowing residents to enjoy their entire life cycle in Anna. While single-family units have historically been the preferred housing type for generations, housing preferences continue to undergo a dramatic shift. Increasingly, people in both suburban and urban communities are looking for more varied product types, such as townhouses, apartments, age-restricted communities, rowhomes and brownstones, to meet a greater diversity of needs, including a variety of lifestyle choices and financial situations. 7. ACTION ITEMS The following Action Items can help attract a choice population and contribute to a sustainable future for the Anna community. Action 5.1 Housing Study. Conduct a housing assessment to determine the types of housing products that Anna can support and the policies and actions that can improve the health and vitality of Anna’s housing stock. Action 5.2 Database of Sites. Identify and maintain a database of sites with available infrastructure suitable for residential development based upon the adopted Future Land Use Plan. -$750-$1,000 $1,000-$1,500 MONTHLY RENT $1,500-$2,000 $2,000+UNITS180 160 140 125 100 80 60 40 20 Ages 25 - 34 Ages 35 - 54 Ages 55 - 64 Ages 65+ Anna Annual Renter-Occupied Demand $500-$750 Page 61 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 55 Action 5.3 Development Flexibility. Revise the zoning ordinance and other related regulations to accommodate innovative and flexible land development techniques that permit a variety of lot sizes and housing types and promote context-sensitive development. Action 5.4 Concentration of Multi-Family. Disperse high-density housing to maintain neighborhood integrity, focusing on appropriate locations around each of the four Key Centers. Action 5.5 Evaluation Criteria. Create evaluation criteria for neighborhood and housing quality through assessments that measure capital improvements (CIP) spending, residential sales and values, crime occurrences, code-related cases and actions, rental concentrations and other factors. Page 62 of 123 Page 63 of 123 MOBILITY06 Page 64 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN58 MOBILITY 1. INTRODUCTION Mobility planning combines both engineering and planning principles to help move people and goods to and from their destinations. The Mobility strategy for the City of Anna establishes the City’s transportation policy direction and provides a long-term overview of the major transportation improvements that will be necessary to support the Future Land Use Plan. In this chapter, the City of Anna’s thoroughfare network, crash history and multimodal network will be evaluated to provide context on the existing state of transportation. Developing a clear understanding of the existing conditions helps to set a strong foundation for specialized Policies and Action Items that will enable the City to achieve its future vision and goals. 2. POLICIES The following policies were created to provide a direction for the City as it strives to achieve its future mobility goals over the next 30 years: M 1. The City of Anna will establish and maintain a well-connected network of thoroughfares that supports the mobility needs of vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians. M 2. The City will identify, design and implement safety improvements on the roadways with the highest rate of crashes. M 3. The City will develop a complete trails network that connects parks with other major destinations. M 4. The City of Anna will coordinate with Collin County Transit, NCTCOG, and DART to provide residents with increased access to transit services. M 5. The Public Works Department will update the City’s right-of-way requirements to obtain additional width at thoroughfare intersections to allow for dedicated turn lanes and increased capacity. M 6. The Planning & Development Department will revise the subdivision ordinance to ensure that Minor Collectors are being properly utilized in new residential developments and creating connectivity within neighborhoods. 3. THOROUGHFARE PLAN THOROUGHFARE PLAN NETWORK A thoroughfare plan is an important tool that allows a city to preserve future roadway corridors and to protect or acquire the necessary right-of-way to establish the local thoroughfare network. To best serve the updated Future Land Use strategy and the associated future demand, the comprehensive planning process included a review and update of future thoroughfare alignments and classifications. Local public comment, stakeholder input and the Collin County Master Thoroughfare Plan were all taken into consideration in the update of the plan. Existing Facilities Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Facilities There are multiple major highways that connect Anna to the region. The major highways that run through the city are US 75/North Central Expressway, SH 121/Sam Rayburn Memorial Highway and SH 5. Both US 75 and SH 5 run through the western section of the city; SH 121 extends northeast from the southern city limit line in the eastern portion of the city. As for east-west connections, two important roadways run perpendicular to US 75, connecting with all of these highways*—FM 455/White Street in the middle of the city and the Collin County Outer Loop, which touches the southern boundary of Anna near the midpoint. City Facilities Within Anna, the TxDOT roadways—SH 5/Powell Parkway and White Street/ FM 455 —function as arterials. The intersection of these two roads is a key location in the city and the entrance to Downtown Anna. Other important connectors throughout the City include FM 2862, The Collin County Outer Loop Road, West Crossing Boulevard, Ferguson Parkway, Rosamond Parkway, and County Road 371/376. Exhibit 6.1 shows a map of the existing roadway network in the city of Anna. Page 65 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 59 EXHIBIT 6.1EXISTING ROADWAY NETWORK Page 66 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN60 THOROUGHFARE PLAN UPDATES The last Thoroughfare Plan created by the City of Anna was adopted in January 2010 as part of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan process. It took destinations such as parks, schools, water towers and City Hall into consideration and accounted for flood hazard areas in the planning of the network of future roadways. This plan created many new thoroughfares around the city with a curvilinear design. Since its adoption, development patterns have changed around the city, regional agencies have updated their thoroughfare plans and new projects have become more feasible, so an update of the plan is in order. Updates to this plan can be organized into the following categories: +Connectivity Improvements — updates that are focused around creating new roadway connections or realigning existing roadways to realign the curvilinear design into a more grid-like pattern +Removals — the deletion of previous proposed new roads that are no longer needed or conflict with new roads +Roadway Classification Revisions — upgrades or downgrades of a road classification based on anticipated future use and function in the city’s overall network +Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements — additions to Anna’s existing bicycle and pedestrian network to ensure connections to major destinations +Improved Interactions with Highways — changes to the road network’s interaction with major highways as well as the addition of the Collin County Outer Loop Road Classifications In addition to planning out the locations of future roadways, the Master Thoroughfare Plan also sorts roadways into functional classifications. The goal of a functional classification system is to balance the two major needs of roadway users: +Mobility — the need to move large distances +Access — the need to reach destinations Roadway classification levels range from high mobility/low access highways to low mobility/high access local roads. Figure 1 shows the relationship between mobility and access in a functional roadway classification system. Having a well-defined hierarchy in a road network helps to streamline the design standards for roadways within a jurisdiction, making the road network easy to navigate for users. The City of Anna’s 2010 Master Thoroughfare Plan defined three levels of road classifications: Major Highways, Major Collectors and Minor Collectors. This update of the Thoroughfare Plan uses these classification levels as a foundation for determining the new roadway hierarchy. The new Master Thoroughfare Plan for the City of Anna classifies roads into four types: Highway, Major Arterial, Minor Arterial and Collector. For roads within the boundaries of Downtown Anna, three context-specific road classifications have been created to help reinforce the placemaking principles envisioned for this plan. Highway During the reclassification process, several steps were taken to update the old hierarchy system. To start with, the Major Highway classification was previously split into two types: Highway and Major Arterial. Under the new plan, the Highway classification is reserved for Major Highways that have consistent speeds of 55 mph or more and have, or are planned to have, frontage roads for access. While these attributes all contribute to similar highway designs, it should be noted that the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) each determine their own design specifications. Major Arterial Major Arterial roads provide mobility to nearby areas outside the city while also providing access to major developments. Roads that were classified as Major Highways or Major Collectors in the previous plan, but functioned as arterials, were all candidates for reclassification to Major Arterials. The cross section for Major Arterials is a six-lane divided design within 120 feet of total right-of-way (ROW) width (Figure 2). The 15 feet of parkway area includes a 6-foot sidewalk buffered by a 4-foot planting strip along the back of curb and 6 feet of space on the other side of the sidewalk. Local Street Minor Collector Major Collector Minor Arterial Major Arterial Freeway Increasing AccessIncreasing MobilityExhibit 6.2: Conceptual Roadway Functional Hierarchy (Source: FHWA) Page 67 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 61 Minor Arterial Minor Arterials were designated based on the current surrounding context as well as future planned development. Minor Arterials provide connections between major developments and neighborhoods and are best suited for roads with moderate speeds. The cross section for Minor Arterials is a 4-lane divided design within 90 feet of total ROW width (Figure 3). The section plans for the 14 feet of parkway area to be utilized as a 6-foot sidewalk buffered by 4-foot planting strips on each side. Collectors Roads that are used primarily to connect neighborhoods to each other are classified as Collectors. Collectors provide a high amount of access but a low amount of mobility compared to arterials or highways. This usually makes them lower in speed and ROW width. Within the Collector road classification, two different subtypes have been identified: Major Collector and Minor Collector. A Major Collector is an appropriate classification for a roadway with no houses fronting on it. These roadways are designed within 80 feet of ROW and assume a higher travel speed than a Minor Collector. The cross section for a Major Collector is shown in Figure 4. The Minor Collector designation is appropriate for roads that provide mobility within a neighborhood but do not have houses fronting them. The cross section for Minor Collectors is a 3-lane undivided roadway within 60 feet of ROW (Exhibit 6.6). In addition to the two travel lanes (typically one in each direction), the Collector cross section allows room for a 14-foot two- way left turn lane. The 11 feet of parkway allows for a 5-foot green strip along the back of curb and a 6-foot sidewalk adjacent to the green strip. Local Roads The local road designation applies to all other roads in the city. This cross section is designed to provide users with a high amount of access. This section has 31 feet of pavement width that allows one lane in each direction and parking on both sides of the street. The full cross section for a local road can be seen in Exhibit 6.7. Downtown Street Types As mentioned previously, three new street types were created specifically for the roads within Downtown Anna. The goal of these new classifications is to reinforce a pedestrian-friendly environment and foster an enhanced sense of place within this special district. The three Downtown street types are: +Downtown Arterial — designed specifically for SH 5/Powell Parkway. This street type serves as the backbone for the Downtown area and includes streetscape elements that establish the aesthetic character of the area. The 15 feet of parkway allows for flexible uses such as street cafes or street trees. It is important to note that a modification of the design for SH 5/Powell Parkway will need to be cleared with TxDOT since this roadway is part of the state highway system. Exhibit 6.4:Minor Arterial Cross Section Exhibit 6.5: Major Collector Cross Section Exhibit 6.6: Minor Collector Cross Section Exhibit 6.7: Local Road Cross Section Exhibit 6.3: Major Arterial Cross Section Page 68 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN62 +Downtown Type A — prioritizes pedestrian mobility with 12-foot sidewalks on both sides of the street. This street type is meant for roadways that have the greatest number of Downtown businesses fronting on them. Creating a roadway cross section that maximizes pedestrian comfort is intended to increase the amount of interaction between people and the Downtown businesses. This cross section is best suited for east-west roads that intersect with Powell Parkway. +Downtown Type B — meant for roadway access to Downtown parking facilities. Pedestrian facilities are still accounted for in this street type, but due to the limited amount of access to adjacent businesses, these facilities are not as wide as the Type A street. This cross section applies mostly to north-south roads that are parallel to Powell Parkway. FINAL NETWORK The final roadway network incorporates the new functional classification system. Exhibit 2 shows the proposed Master Thoroughfare Plan for the City of Anna. Some of the roadways on this map are called out as also being part of the on-street bicycle network. The multimodal section of this Mobility Strategy describes how these roads will differ in cross section design. Exhibit 6.9: Downtown Type A Cross Section Exhibit 6.8: Downtown Arterial Cross Section Exhibit 6.10: Downtown Type B Cross Section Page 69 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 63 EXHIBIT 6.11MASTER THOROUGHFARE PLAN Page 70 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN64 4. SAFETY According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for more than 35,000 fatalities in 2019. This is an alarmingly high number considering that every motor vehicle crash is caused by human error and is therefore preventable. The nationwide safety initiative Vision Zero operates with the goal of reducing human error and preventing every death caused by vehicular crashes. CRASH HISTORY It is a top priority for the City to address potential safety risks in its transportation network. To identify these risks, crash history was examined for potential trends in crash locations and contributing factors. Between 2015 and 2019, there were 1,397 total crashes in the city of Anna, resulting in 8 fatalities and 56 serious injuries. Exhibit 6.12 below shows crash and population trends over the last 5 years. Exhibit 6.13 shows a breakdown of contributing factors for these crashes. Based on the data analyzed, the top five most common causes of crashes in Anna are construction, slowing or stopping vehicles, distracted driving, one-vehicle related crashes and losing control or skidding. A crash heat map was created using data collected from TxDOT’s Crash Records Information System (CRIS). The heat map shown in Exhibit 3 uses crashes that were reported from 2015-2019 in the City of Anna. The locations of fatal crashes are also included on this map. 0 4,000 8,000 12,000 16,000 0 100 200 251 250 CRASHESPOPULATION300 400 231 339 326 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Exhibit 6.12: Crash and Population Trends in Anna, TX (2015-2019) Construction – 32% Slowing/Stopping – 14% Attention Diverted – 13% One-Vehicle Related – 8% Lost Control/Skidded – 6% Top Five Contributing Factors for Collisions Construction – 32% Slowing/Stopping – 14% Attention Diverted – 13% One-Vehicle Related – 8% Lost Control/Skidded – 6% Exhibit 6.13: Top 5 Contributing Factors for Crashes Page 71 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 65 EXHIBIT 6.14CRASH HEAT MAP (2015 - 2019) Page 72 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN66 Based on the CRIS data collected for this analysis, US 75/Central Expressway, FM 455/White Street and SH 5/Powell Parkway stood out as corridors that could benefit from further safety analyses. Specifically, the intersections in the city with the highest crash rates are: +US 75 at FM 455, FM 283 and County Road 371/376 +SH 5/Powell Parkway at FM 455/White Street +SH 121 at FM 455 +SH 5/Powell Parkway at County Road 371/376 SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS Once the areas with the most safety problems were identified, recommendations were created to mitigate these issues. These recommendations include: +Partnership with TxDOT to develop a multi-year safety improvement plan to fund and construct signals and other safety measures. +Developing safety countermeasures at high crash intersections +Conducting an access management and safety corridor study along White Street from US 75 to SH 5 +Adopting a citywide traffic calming program Safety Countermeasures at High Crash Intersections FHWA defines a specific list of proven safety countermeasures to help mitigate safety problems along major roadways and intersections. For some of these locations in the City of Anna, further study should be conducted to determine which countermeasure would be appropriate. For the intersection of SH 5/Powell Parkway and FM 455/White Street, a roundabout is recommended to mitigate the high crash rate. There are multiple reasons why this intersection should be a focal point in the city. Both of these thoroughfares provide important access around the city and to major commercial developments. Except for US 75, these two corridors have the highest crash rates of all the roads within the city limits. These factors lead to the conclusion that a roundabout would be a compatible and appropriate solution to the observed safety problems. It is worth noting that an installation of a new roundabout will need to be approved by TxDOT, since both of these roadways are part of the state highway system. Roundabouts are an effective traffic calming tool because vehicles must slow down and yield to other vehicles moving through the intersection at the same time. Since they are a less common type of intersection control, drivers have a heightened sense of awareness when they encounter one. Roundabouts are not only a safe alternative, but also a good opportunity to establish a sense of place. The location of this intersection at the southern access point to Downtown Anna offers a unique placemaking design opportunity as well (Exhibit 6.16). The northern node of the intersection could be designed with enhanced streetscaping to make it a major gateway into Downtown. Exhibit 6.15 shows examples of how roundabouts have been used for this purpose in other cities. Exhibit 6.15: Roundabout Example Photos Page 73 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 67 E WHITE ST W WHITE ST S POWELL PKWYEXHIBIT 6.16ROUNDABOUT CONCEPT AT POWELL AND WHITE Page 74 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN68 Access Management Access management refers to the strategy local governments can utilize to control where roadway users enter and exit areas of high traffic demand, such as commercial or employment centers. Good access management minimizes crashes that are caused by vehicles making unsafe turning movements, failing to yield to bicyclists and pedestrians or driving unpredictably due to poor wayfinding design. By limiting the distance between driveways, access management also creates a more comfortable experience for pedestrians because a more continuous sidewalk network is likely to be perceived as safer and more comfortable for users than one frequently interrupted by driveways. An access management study would benefit the FM 455/White Street corridor due to its high number of crashes and its largely commercial context. This study should evaluate the current number of access points per development in the corridor, the current traffic demand, future traffic demand for planned developments and the road’s cross section design. Traffic Calming Traffic calming is a method of promoting responsible driving behavior through street design without relying on traffic control devices such as signals and signs or on police enforcement. Traffic calming programs can be implemented at the local level to establish a formalized process for the reporting of residents’ traffic safety concerns so that the City can evaluate these problem areas and design countermeasures. If implemented correctly, these design strategies can reduce traffic speeds, the frequency and severity of crashes and traffic noise levels. It is recommended that the City of Anna implement a citywide traffic calming program to help mitigate crashes that occur on neighborhood and collector type roadways. The City should partner with local stakeholders when developing this program to ensure that the measures included are appropriate to the needs of the residents. The goal of traffic calming is to slow vehicles down using a wide variety of strategies. These strategies generally involve horizontal or vertical deflections or increased visual awareness. Some of these commonly used traffic calming techniques include: +Speed Humps, Tables or Cushions — forms of vertical deflection that raise a portion of the road up by no more than 4 inches, accompanied by striping or signage to warn motorists +Chicanes — a series of raised or delineated curb extensions on alternating sides of a street that forms an S-shaped travelway +Traffic Circles — raised or delineated islands placed at intersections that reduce vehicle speeds and raise driver awareness of other oncoming traffic while moving through the circle +Pinchpoints — a set of curb extensions or edge islands placed on either side of the street to narrow the center of the lane so that two drivers must slow down to pass through simultaneously +Road Diets — redesigning roads that have wider pavement widths than the existing or projected traffic volumes require to accommodate more modes of traffic; often involves the use of multiple traffic calming measures to build a safer and more complete roadway 5. MULTIMODAL NETWORK Planning for modes of transportation other than motorized vehicles is an essential part of ensuring that the mobility system in the city of Anna is comprehensive and comfortable. Multimodal planning is most effective when taking into account the following elements: +Connection — providing a network that has a high level of connectivity with other facilities +Comfort — designing multimodal facilities that are separated from vehicular traffic to maintain a high level of comfort for users +Continuity — prioritizing projects that close gaps in the existing network before building new ones +Coherence — designing signage and wayfinding elements in the network that allow users to understand multimodal routes and interaction with other modes This section of the Mobility strategy will explain the recommendations related to bicyclists, pedestrians and transit users in the city of Anna. BICYCLE & PEDESTRIAN The DFW Regional Veloweb is a network of 1,876 miles of off-street shared- use paths (trails) designed by the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) for multi-use trip purposes by bicyclists, pedestrians and other non-motorized forms of transportation. The Veloweb serves as the regional expressway network for active transportation uses, such as walking and cycling, and improves overall pedestrian connectivity. In order to support regional bicycle and pedestrian connectivity, the City of Anna should prioritize trail projects identified as part of the NCTCOG Veloweb. Exhibit 6.18 shows the full hike and bike network proposed in this plan. The elements shown on Page 75 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 69 this map include the NCTCOG Veloweb network, the new proposed trails network and the proposed on-street bicycle network. This trail network is the backbone of Anna’s trails system and will be supported by completed streets. Since Anna still has opportunities to build and enhance its infrastructure system, the bicycle and pedestrian network can be constructed with modified versions of the previously proposed cross sections to work around right-of-way constraints. The Hike and Bike Network Map in Exhibit 6.18 shows exactly which roadways will be part of this active transportation network. Exhibit 6.17 below shows how each cross section can be modified to accommodate bicycle facilities. In addition to the Regional Veloweb network, local trail connections independent of roadway alignments should be evaluated to support connectivity to major destinations such as parks and schools. The Parks, Trails and Open Space Master Plan has more information on specific destinations and trail alignments the City of Anna should prioritize over the next 30 years. TRANSIT According to FHWA, public transportation provides people with access to employment centers, community resources, medical care and recreational opportunities in their communities. It benefits those who choose to ride as well as those for whom transit is the best or only option, such as individuals with disabilities, hearing and sight impairments or low-income households. Public transit provides a basic mobility service to these persons and to all others without access to a car. Other Regional Transit Programs Collin County Transit is a service provided by the City of McKinney, the McKinney Urban Transit District (MUTD) and the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA). Currently this service operates as a taxi voucher program available to its participating cities: Celina, Lowry Crossing, McKinney, Melissa, Princeton and Prosper. There are three programs allowing residents who have the highest amount of need for transit services to access these taxi vouchers. They are: +The Older Adult Program +The Individuals with Disabilities Program +The Low-Income Transit Subsidy Program Although Anna is not eligible to join this transportation authority, this does not mean residents will never be able to have access to similar benefits. If Anna were to develop a program to mirror what McKinney has established, this would provide a large benefit to residents who could qualify for these programs. It is recommended that the City partner with Collin County and NCTCOG to learn more about how they might be able to gain access to this or a similar service. Future DART Light Rail Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is the main transit authority for the City of Dallas and the surrounding area. One of the primary elements of the DART system is the light rail network. Though the light rail does not currently extend as far north as Anna, DART does own the main rail line right-of-way that Major Arterial Sidepath/Shared-Use Path (120’ ROW) Minor Arterial Sidepath/Shared-Use Path (90’ ROW) Major Collector Buffered Bike Lanes (80’ ROW) Minor Collector Buffered Bike Lanes (60’ ROW) Page 76 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN70 EXHIBIT 6.18HIKE AND BIKE NETWORK Page 77 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 71 runs north-south through Downtown. This alignment extends north from the existing Red Line, which currently terminates in Plano at the Parker Road Station. The City could consider partnering with DART and other organizations to coordinate future expansion of this rail line. 6. ACTION ITEMS All of the policies in the Mobility Strategy need to be supported by recommended actions in order to ensure that they are implemented. The following is a list of Action Items related to the Mobility policies in this plan: Action 6.1. Thoroughfare Plan. Review the Master Thoroughfare Plan every five years and update it as necessary. Action 6.2. Design Standards. Adopt flexible design standards that complement the City’s future PlaceTypes. Action 6.3. Capital Improvements Plan. Develop a Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) that reflects the roadway alignments and cross sections presented in this plan, including multimodal facilities. Action 6.4. Pavement Maintenance. Prioritize pavement maintenance projects on major roads and roads with multimodal facilities. Action 6.5. Roundabout Study. Conduct a feasibility study for the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of FM 455/ White Street and SH 5/Powell Parkway to calm traffic and reduce intersection-related crashes in the area. Action 6.6. Corridor Study. Conduct an independent corridor study of FM 455/White Street from US 75 to SH 5/Powell Parkway to further address safety issues, such as poor access management. Action 6.7. Traffic Calming. Create a citywide traffic calming program to identify and construct speed management devices as future projects. Action 6.8. Railroad Crossings. Perform an analysis of existing railroad crossings to enhance safety and consider the potential implementation needed for quiet zones. Action 6.9. Sidewalks. Prioritize the closing of sidewalk gaps along major roads to establish a connected pedestrian network. Action 6.10. Veloweb. Coordinate the construction of City trail projects with projects identified on the NCTCOG Regional Veloweb network, where appropriate. Action 6.11. Bicycle Network. Construct a network of on-street bicycle facilities as shown in the Master Thoroughfare Plan to support the off-street trails network. Action 6.12. Collin County Transit. Partner with Collin County and NCTCOG to create a transit program providing subsidies for older adults, individuals with disabilities and low-income residents. Page 78 of 123 Page 79 of 123 PLACEMAKING07 Page 80 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN74 PLACEMAKING 1. INTRODUCTION Placemaking helps establish a city as a desirable place to live and guides the selection of site amenities that support its vision. It is placemaking that will distinguish Anna from other communities within the DFW Metroplex. When people have a choice about where to live, they seek out the places that offer community, connection and a higher quality of life. These places tend to emerge where a city and/or a developer takes advantage of the attributes of the surrounding area—topography, vegetation, land uses, building form— and utilizes those attributes to create a place that is distinct from anywhere else in the region. Placemaking provides essential social and economic value that can set Anna apart as unique and special. The Anna 2050 Comprehensive Plan establishes policies that will help identify and define the key distinctive areas in the city. As key places are identified and further invested in, these centers serve to attract residents to the area and foster a strong sense of ownership and community pride. Ultimately, placemaking positions the community to realize its potential as a place people identify as uniquely Anna. 2. PLACEMAKING POLICIES P 1. The City of Anna will work with developers to create unique destinations that build off existing areas of cultural or architectural distinction to attract residents and businesses. P 2. The City of Anna will create a hierarchy of streets that meets the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists and automobiles and respects the architectural character of the surrounding area. P 3. The City of Anna will encourage the development of parks, open space and trails by utilizing land within floodplains to create connections across Anna. 3. PLACEMAKING OPPORTUNITIES In addition to Anna’s natural attributes of floodplains and native prairies, there are several key components that can be utilized to contribute to the overall quality and image of the city. Through continued investment and focused development in these areas, Anna can set itself apart as a unique and desirable place to live or work. Shops at Legacy, Plano, TX Firewheel Town Center, Garland, TX Klyde Warren Park, Dallas, TX CORRIDORS As the community has expanded, commercial corridors have developed along US 75 and FM 455 and are expected to grow along SH 5, SH 121 and the Collin County Outer Loop. These areas provide a placemaking opportunity from a regional perspective because they have the potential to attract outside businesses and residences to the city. In addition, there is a hierarchy of corridors within the city of Anna, as identified in Chapter 6: Mobility Strategy, that helps define a distinct public realm. From the major highway connections that run through the city in each direction, to floodplain and rail corridors, these linkages provide Anna with the ability to create unique places of interest and lasting value. The best way to achieve placemaking is not just with signage, banners or entry monuments, but also with the design of streets and trails, the siting and design of buildings and the use of streetscaping and strategically located open space. Utilizing these techniques will greatly enhance the overall mobility network and provide for alternative modes of transportation. Everyone who lives, visits or travels through a city develops a perception of the community based on the streets they travel and the places they are linked to. The public realm influences people’s perception of a city and how desirable it would be to live or work there. Street types and needs will vary based on their location within Anna, but site amenities can be chosen to support individual centers and the overall vision for the community. Page 81 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 75 DISTINCTIVE NEIGHBORHOODS AND NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT As Anna looks to create a community that is healthy and vibrant, it is important to recognize the characteristics in the existing neighborhood fabric that contribute to its overall identity. To create and support neighborhoods that are distinctive compared to other areas of the city or region, the community should emphasize natural features such as topography, vegetation, water features or green space and use specific design elements to create a special character. While there are several key neighborhoods throughout the community where improvements and upgrades should continue, the historic Downtown should be uniquely highlighted due to its significance in the community and its potential to attract investment. The old gridded network of streets, adjacent open spaces and public plazas and diverse uses, along with public infrastructure and historic structures, all play their part in forming a place that is unique to the community and providing a framework to build upon. The health and vitality of the city can be measured by the investment that occurs in the Downtown area and the city’s success in establishing itself as a place of intrinsic value. There are several challenges in Anna’s older neighborhoods that will require reinvestment. The City should consider adopting incentive programs to help address these issues and to help channel reinvestment into those areas. In addition, the community should consider investments that would make older neighborhoods more attractive and accessible. This could include upgrades to sidewalks and the installation of street trees and street lighting. The City should identify vacant parcels and promote infill development within the area. Finally, revisions to the zoning ordinance and city codes that would allow alternative housing types and greater flexibility in the range of available housing choices should be considered. Page 82 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN76 PUBLIC SPACES Places for community gathering are a central element in placemaking and urban vitality and celebrate the essence of Anna and its community members. Examples of such spaces, which may be of public or private ownership, include parks of various sizes, plazas and areas within the public right-of-way where people gather. These spaces may be located Downtown, in floodplain areas or dispersed throughout the city, but wherever they locate, they contribute to the identity of their respective neighborhood or district. As the city grows, continued investment in public spaces is necessary to sustain and improve the level of service that public spaces provide. The creation of public space should be a collaborative endeavor that involves community input and design consideration, because the development of these spaces serves multiple interests. Public spaces come in various forms and serve different functions in different areas. Large community parks can serve as gathering spaces and provide accommodations for major events. Smaller neighborhood park venues can be used as event spaces for more frequent neighborhood activities and programmed events. Public plazas and markets can host civic events and smaller but more active and pedestrian-friendly environments. Additionally, publicly owned open spaces can work in unison with privately owned, public open spaces (POPOS) to provide multiple venues for major events in the community. Floodplains provide an opportunity for linear public spaces that can stretch across and connect different neighborhoods and types of places. Because of their value, it is important to provide access and linkages to public spaces via roadways, sidewalks and trails. If physical infrastructure is necessary (e.g. bridges, trails, sidewalks), these improvements should be enhanced using architectural materials that reflect the character of their surroundings. Amenities like seating and planting should also be provided to improve usability and strengthen character. Page 83 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 77 4. KEY CENTERS A focal element of the Preferred Scenario, as reflected in the Land Use Strategy in Chapter 3, is the community’s desire to manage growth, focusing on specific district centers. As the city grows and development is dispersed throughout the city, these Key Centers are intended to become a series of centerpieces for the community. By implementing placemaking strategies, these areas can become the foundation of the community, where each center is positioned to succeed on its own and contribute to the overall vitality and success of Anna. 75 CENTER With a future focus on Community Commercial, Regional Activity Center and other high-density residential PlaceTypes (see Chapter 3 for additional information on PlaceTypes), this center will serve a regional audience, but should still be easily identified as part of the city of Anna. A modern aesthetic that draws from historical elements found throughout the city would be appropriate for this center. Building facades in the 75 Center should create an active and engaging public realm and encourage walking and the use of alternative transportation. Amenities for public transit and bicycle infrastructure should be included at key intersections/focal points. Page 84 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN78 DOWNTOWN ANNA* In the Downtown area, architectural elements and site amenities should reflect the history of the community, especially the history of the Downtown district. This center should have human-scaled architecture, walkable streets, public gathering spaces, attractive amenities and eye-catching detail. Key intersections and focal points should include amenities for public transit and infrastructure for bicycles. *Chapter 9 of this report is dedicated to the future vision for Downtown Anna. ANNA BUSINESS CENTER Center 3, the Anna Business Center, should be established as an area that would be attractive to existing or incoming businesses. A cohesive design aesthetic will go a long way in making the center feel established, even as new businesses continue to move in. A modern industrial feel would be appropriate for this district. Human-scaled architecture may be difficult to achieve due to the uses that this district may attract, but should be attempted wherever possible, especially where the building faces the street. Public transit and bicycle facilities should also be accommodated within this center. Page 85 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 79 5. ACTION ITEMS The following Action Items are tangible steps that the City of Anna should take to implement placemaking measures: Action 7.1 Neighborhood Design Guidelines. Develop or update design guidelines that support Placemaking in key PlaceType areas and the use of natural areas and resources in the design of Anna neighborhoods and amenities. Action 7.2 Employment Center Design Guidelines. Create design guidelines that ensure that employment centers are developed with the character that attracts highly-skilled, high-income workers. Action 7.3 Gateway Design Study. . Conduct a Gateway Image Study to determine the appropriate characteristics for the development and amenities at the major entrances to Anna. Action 7.4 Historic Preservation Plan. Develop a Historic Preservation Plan for Anna to identify those buildings and neighborhoods that should receive local protection and state and national recognition. Action 7.5 Historic Preservation. Establish a partnership among private interests to support historic preservation in Anna. Action 7.6 Placemaking and Wayfinding Strategy. Develop a Placemaking and Wayfinding Strategy that uses City branding to welcome visitors, identify historic landmarks and gateways and link together existing character areas through the use of a combination of environmental graphics, print materials and web-based information. Action 7.7 Performing Arts. Identify opportunities to host performing arts events in publicly owned spaces, including parks, streets rights- of-way and public buildings. Page 86 of 123 Page 87 of 123 PARKS, TRAILS AND OPEN SPACE 08 Page 88 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN82 PARKS, TRAILS, AND OPEN SPACE 1. INTRODUCTION PURPOSE OF THE PLAN The City of Anna is presently at a turning point and has the opportunity today to set the vision for the future of parks and open space within the city. There are currently a number of high-quality parks and open spaces that serve the existing population, but the city is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. There will need to be strategic improvements to the current recreation system so that outdated components can be replaced as needed and so that the system can adapt to evolving demographics and trends. With this update to the comprehensive plan, strategies are provided to implement these improvements and replacements based on feedback from the community throughout the process and on previous planning efforts and accomplishments. These recommendations provide detail as to how enrichment and improvement of the Anna parks and recreation system can take place so that the needs of Anna neighbors will be met, both today and as the community grows. PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN AND TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT This portion of the Anna 2050 Plan has been adapted and expanded as part of the City’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan, a separate document and contains more detail than this chapter, particularly with regard to recreation facilities, recreation programming and staffing/operations. The Parks and Recreation Master Plan was prepared so that it meets the criteria necessary for submittal to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to gain project priority for potential grant consideration for park, recreation and open space improvements. It conforms to the Master Plan Guidelines established by TPWD. RELATED PLANNING EFFORTS A city’s parks and recreation amenities make an important and positive contribution to the quality of life in a community and to its future. Adherence to the Vision Statement and Guiding Principles developed for the Anna 2050 Plan (see Chapter 2) will make this community a special place in the years ahead. Specific references in the Guiding Principles to issues related to parks, trails and open space indicate a desire to ensure that the growth envisioned for the city “…benefits Anna’s current and future neighbors…” and: +Occurs where and when it can be supported by the public facilities and services (including schools) that Anna’s neighbors need. +Offers many diverse, vibrant and distinctive destinations for work and play. +Promotes the health and vitality of existing Anna neighbors, neighborhoods, businesses and infrastructure. +Is efficient and effective in its use of resources and infrastructure – fiscal, energy, water and natural assets. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK As part of the development of this strategy for parks, trails and open space in Anna, a complete needs assessment was performed. The results and recommendations in this plan are based on an extensive process of community engagement activities related to the assessment and included the use of a project website and community input obtained through focus groups, stakeholder meetings, community wide public meetings, online survey, creating an in-depth profile of demographics of the Anna area and examining national and local recreational trends. This plan takes a look at Anna’s future and identifies the current Level of Service (LOS) as well as the upgrades needed to achieve the LOS recommended for future growth. General findings from the LOS analysis include: +Anna has a sufficient inventory of outdoor components for its current population; however, the anticipated growth will require new facilities. Amenities are currently concentrated in a few locations, primarily on the east side of US 75. +Anna is lacking in both indoor and outdoor facilities and the recreational offerings typically associated with these types of facilities. +Although Anna has a series of high-quality trails within its parks, these trails are not a well-connected network that allows people to get to parks or other desired destinations from throughout the city. +A set of minimum standards for park development has not been documented for the City of Anna in the past. Page 89 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 83 2. POLICIES PT 1. The City of Anna will create an exemplary parks and recreation system to provide Anna neighbors access to recreation close to home. PT 2. The City of Anna will work with developers to create unique destinations that build off of existing areas of natural, cultural or architectural distinction to attract new residents and businesses. PT 3. The City of Anna should encourage development of parks, open space and trails by utilizing land within floodplains to create connections across the community (see Chapter 7, Placemaking, Anna 2050 Comprehensive Plan). PT 4. The City will increase staffing levels commensurate with the addition of parks, facilities and programming responsibilities. PT 5. The City of Anna should develop and implement a plan for staff facilitated recreation programming for the community, to include activities such as youth and adult sports leagues, after school programs, summer activities, skills classes, senior programs, etc. PT 6. The City of Anna will pursue planning and design for additional trail connections, making important linkages to identified destinations throughout the city. PT 7. The City of Anna will expand its inventory of recreation facilities, including planning and design for an indoor recreation facility. PT 8. The City of Anna will pursue the planning and design of an outdoor sports complex to support the needs of Anna neighbors who want to play sports closer to home. PT 9. The City of Anna will pursue the planning and design of an outdoor space within Downtown that will become a destination and gathering space for Anna neighbors and visitors. PT 10. The City will adopt strategy for the development of active based recreation facilities. PT 11. The City will develop key active recreation facilities to serve the community. PT 12. The City will encourage other organizations to develop recreation facilities in Anna to serve community needs. PT 13. The City of Anna commits to developing a strong set of recreation programs and services to serve the needs of the community. PT 14. The City will make a clear and informed determination of the role it will play in providing community recreational programs. PT 15. The City will establish an overall basic programming philosophy, a program plan and a program classification system as required recreation program support initiatives. PT 16. The City should establish the required parks and recreation organizational support initiatives. 3. PARK SYSTEM AT A GLANCE The City of Anna presently has a variety of park, special use and trail facilities in its system to meet the recreational needs of the citizens. There are approximately 193 acres in seven developed parks, trails and other facilities. Some of the parkland is made up of undeveloped City-owned property that could be developed for park use. The location of each of the existing park is shown on the Parks and Open Space Map and Trail facilities are shown on the Trail Map. An amenity summary is included in the following table. A detailed inventory of parks is located in the Appendix of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. The city is also served by recreational facilities at Anna Independent School District sites and at several private recreational facilities owned and maintained by homeowner associations (HOAs) for the enjoyment of their residents. The Private Open Space Map identifies each school district, private school and HOA recreation site and the recreational amenities offered at each location. Name Address Size Bryant Park Co Rd 371 Anna, TX 75409 5 Acres X Slater Creek Park W Rosamond Pkwy Anna, TX 75409 77 Acres X X X X X X X X X X X Johnson Park N Sherley Rd Anna, TX 75409 3 Acres X X X X X X Sherley Heritage Park 101 S Sherley Rd Anna, TX 75049 1 Acre X X X X X X X X X X Natural Springs Park Anna, TX 75409 29 Acres X X X X X X X X X X Baldwin Park Anna, TX 75409 9 Acres X X X X X X X Geer Park 6th St Anna, TX 75049 25 Acres X X X Pecan Grove Anna, TX 75409 15 Acres X Creekside Anna, TX 75409 21 Acres X Oak Hollow Anna, TX 75409 8 Acres X Henry Clay “Yank” Washington Anna, TX 75409 1 Acres X Slayter Creek Linear Park Anna, TX 75409 41 Acres X X X X XParkingTrailsPlaygroundPavilionEducationBenchesOpen SpaceTrash CansShade TreesRestroomsPicnic TablesPicture SpotSports FieldsPage 90 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN84 EXHIBIT 8.1PARKS AND OPEN SPACE Page 91 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 85 4. NEEDS ASSESSMENT Community feedback provided essential background to the needs assessment completed with this plan update. A Level of Service was established as part of this exercise based on two specific measures: Population-based Assessment — provides a ratio of acreage to population Pedestrian Shed-based Assessment — provides a geographic range of where certain parks and/or open space may be needed, measured against a standard quarter-mile radius for typical maximum pedestrian walk A complete description of the needs assessment process is contained in the Appendix. STANDARDS AND PARK CLASSIFICATIONS In order to provide adequate parks, recreation and open space facilities for Anna residents, a set of accepted industry standards and criteria should be followed. For purposes of this planning effort, the parks in the city were categorized and classified based on park design concepts and standards identified by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). Park classification types in Anna include: Park Classification Acres Bryant Park Undeveloped Park 5 Acres Slater Creek Park Community Park 46 Acres Johnson Park Neighborhood Park 3 Acres Shirley Heritage Park Special Use Park 1 Acre Natural Springs Park Community Park 29 Acres Baldwin Park Neighborhood Park 9 Acres Geer Park Undeveloped Park 25 Acres Pecan Grove Undeveloped Park 15 Acres Creekside Undeveloped Park 21 Acres Oak Hollow Undeveloped Park 8 Acres Henry Clay ‘Yank’ Washington Neighborhood Park 1 Acres Slayter Creek Linear Park Undeveloped Park 41 Acres Anna Developed: 130 Acres (7.4 per 1,000) Anna Undeveloped: 74 Acres Anna Total: 204 Acres (11.7 Acres per 1,000) NRPA Typical Community: 9.9 Acres per 1,000 The following is a population-based assessment for each park type, providing a ratio of acreage to population, measured against NRPA standards and like-sized communities. NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS Neighborhood parks serve a variety of age groups within a limited area or neighborhood. They range in size from 1 to 15 acres and generally serve residents within a quarter- to half-mile radius. The neighborhood park typically includes areas for active recreation activities such as field games, court games, playgrounds, etc. Passive recreation activities may include walking, viewing, sitting and picnicking. There are three parks of this type in Anna: +Johnson Park: 3 Acres +Baldwin Park: 9 Acres +Henry Clay ‘Yank” Washington: 1 Acre COMMUNITY PARKS A community park is a large and much more versatile type of park developed to serve the broader community. These parks can be oriented to provide both active and passive recreational facilities for all ages. A community park can serve several neighborhood areas and can usually be accessed conveniently by automobile. A community park typically ranges in size from approximately 25 to 300 acres. In Anna, there are two community parks: +Slayter Creek Park: 46 Acres +Natural Springs Park: 29 Acres NRPA Recommended LOS 1.5 Acres for every 1,000 residents 2021 Population Estimate 17,460 (NCTCOG) 2021 Target LOS 26 Acres 2021 Provided LOS 13 Acres 2050 Population Projection 84,000 2050 Projected Target LOS 42 Acres NRPA Recommended LOS 5 Acres for every 1,000 residents 2021 Population Estimate 17,460 (NCTCOG) 2021 Target LOS 86 Acres 2021 Provided LOS 75 Acres 2050 Population Projection 84,000 2050 Projected Target LOS 420 Acres Page 92 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN86 SPECIAL USE/LINEAR PARKS Special Use Parks cover a broad range of specialized park and recreation facilities, often with a single major use. Golf courses, historical sites, community center sites, theme parks, water parks and other special use facilities fall into this category. These parks also include neighborhood or community park elements, but with amenities that have a regional appeal to visitors from outside the boundaries of the city. Linear parks are usually much longer than they are wide in terms of their configuration. Examples include parks or trails within old railroad beds, utility corridors, floodplain areas or excess or abandoned right-of-way. Because special use parks vary by size and type from city to city, there is not a specific recommended level of service. In Anna, there are two parks of this type: +Sherley Heritage Park: 1 Acre +Slater Creek Linear Park: 41 Acres UNDEVELOPED PARKS Undeveloped parks are tracts of land, typically City-owned, which could be improved for park purposes. There are several of these tracts in Anna: +Bryant Park: 5 Acres +Geer Park: 25 Acres +Pecan Grove: 15 Acres +Creekside: 21 Acres +Oak Hollow: 8 Acres +Total: 74 Acres PARKS “ON PAPER” During the planning process associated with this plan, several developments were in the planning stages and included future parkland dedication as part of the project. These projects are being closely followed by staff and integration of the parkland into the parks system is expected. At the time of this report, specific amenities, acreages and the timing of improvements is unknown. Conceptual plans and recommendations for these spaces are detailed in the Parks Master Plan. +The Woods at Lindsey Place: 22 Acres (Future Park/Current Plat) +Villages of Hurricane Creek: 148 Acres (Future Park/Current Plat) +Anna Crossing: 28 Acres (Future Park/Current Plat) NATURAL/OPEN SPACE These are natural areas, generally left undisturbed, but not necessarily characterized as land preservations. No organized, active recreational uses are typically accommodated in these areas; they are primarily intended for passive recreational use. SERVICE AREA MAP The map on the following page illustrates the service areas for neighborhood and community parks found within the Anna parks system. The service areas indicated on the map are consistent with the guidelines established by NRPA. Special use parks and facilities do not have defined service areas as they are considered to offer amenities and services that appeal to the entire resident population of the city. Open spaces also do not have defined services areas. In some cases, the actual service area of any park may be larger if the park includes amenities of regional appeal. Smaller service areas are also possible where major roadways act as barriers to park access. The service areas identified are as follows: +Neighborhood Park—1/4 mile (5-minute walk) +Community Park—Up to 3 miles In park planning, a pedestrian shed is an area that is centered on a specific destination, surrounded by a larger area, typically circular for planning purposes, that represents separation from the central destination. A pedestrian shed is measured in both distance and walking time. For purposes of this plan, the distance is a quarter-mile and the walking time is five minutes. Areas that fall outside of the pedestrian shed are considered undeserved areas because residents that live there are more than a five-minute walk away from a city park. For planning purposes, a circle is used to identify the pedestrian shed, but it should be understood that physical barriers, both man-made and natural, can alter the serviceability of a park space; it is not only a matter of distance. Neighborhood design is a common factor that can either help or hinder the accessibility of parkland. Connectivity to open spaces from Anna’s neighborhoods was highly requested in the citizen feedback. Page 93 of 123 EXHIBIT 8.2SERVICE AREA Page 94 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN88 GAPS IN SERVICE The current offering of neighborhood parks is shown to have a gap of approximately 13 acres when a ratio of 5 acres per 1,000 residents is applied. This gap is present when comparing the standard to the acreage in developed parks; however, the city has a surplus of undeveloped parkland, appropriately sized to serve as neighborhood parks. These properties, currently functioning as open space in the neighborhoods where they are located, should be improved with typical neighborhood park amenities to truly serve Anna neighbors with the minimal level of service amenities described in this report. As the City looks to expand the park system and acquire or transition properties into parkland, it should also be remembered that even though an undeveloped park is within a five-minute walk of a neighborhood, it cannot provide the same level of service as a developed park. This should be taken into account as land is being acquired for parkland purposes and slated for parks improvements. Undeveloped parks do, however, provide a great opportunity for the City to improve its service, either to the community or a particular neighborhood, with the addition of the appropriate amenities. Further analysis and focus areas for new development is located in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. TRAILS AND SIDEWALKS Trails and sidewalks are important components of Anna’s parks and recreation system. They serve many functions relating to mobility, connectivity, recreation, leisure, quality of life and wellness, all of which are vital to fulfilling the vision of the Anna community. In studying Anna’s system of trails and sidewalks, several factors are worth noting for the future: +Connections. Missing segments of trails that could improve connectivity in the trail network should be installed, and trails to key destinations in Anna and in adjacent cities should be provided. +Trail Master Plan. Alignments in a Trail Master Plan should be reevaluated as some connectivity priorities may have changed since its adoption. +Trail Types. Although a hierarchy of trail surface options is desired, there is an increased desire for soft-surface trails, off-street, multi-use trails and even paddling trails. +Trail Amenities. A variety of trail amenities, such as mile markers, parking, restrooms and directional signage should be provided, with an increased emphasis on pedestrian-scaled lighting, restrooms and security/safety enhancements, specifically. +Communication. Communication with users should be improved through website maps and tools, social media presence and in park/ on-trail signage (including contact information for any management or operational issues). The Parks and Recreation Master Plan prioritizes four trail alignments for consideration by the City in the near future to better serve the community: +Neighborhoods to Downtown +Slayter Creek Park to Natural Springs +Oak Hollow to Baldwin +Anna Crossing to Downtown Each of these alignments is illustrated in the Parks Master Plan. ANNA RECREATION FACILITIES AND PROGRAMMING Although the City does have recreational offerings currently offered by third party organizations, there is not a formal City recreation program. A formal recreation program would include, but not be limited to, diverse types and sizes of recreation facilities, recreational programming and activities, staff and special events. Anna does not currently have assets in all of these areas, but this plan recommends building on the existing assets in order to create a solid and recognizable recreation program. As Anna continues to grow, it will be important to add and/or expand facilities to meet the needs of the community. Phasing additions to the parks and recreation system will be key to continued success for Anna. Facilities Two new facility groupings are recommended for the City of Anna in the future—one type providing indoor programs and activities and the other providing outdoor programs and activities. An indoor facility could provide areas for children, adults and seniors, multi-purpose space, gymnasium space and aquatics/an indoor pool. A desire for this type of facility was at the top of the priority list based on community feedback. An outdoor sports and events complex was also important based on the input received. The community would like a facility that could accommodate one or more of the following: sports fields, trails, aquatics and water play activities, playgrounds, a skate park and/or festival/open space. It is possible to combine some or all of the two facility groupings on the same site, and land currently owned by the City should be considered as an option. Although it would appear to be economical and efficient to group the outdoor recreation elements in one area, if this is not possible due to physical constraints (size, topography, flood hazards) or for other reasons, alternate locations should also be evaluated. Each grouping should be explored and planned for the best possible placement and design. Page 95 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 89 Programming Recreation programming generally comes in four main forms: individual sports/exercise, team sports, special events and artistic activities. Recreation programming should not be confused with recreation facilities. Recreation programming involves activities on or within recreation facilities that are organized, coordinated, operated and/or sponsored by the City; it is not simply about having a location for these activities. Anna has the opportunity to provide a portfolio of recreation programming that will meet the needs of the community. A core set of programming and phased expansions could include exercise and fitness (indoor), special events (detailed further below), gymnastics/tumbling/cheerleading, basketball and court sports, aquatics and arts and crafts. An essential component to building a strong recreation program is providing dedicated parks and recreation staff to build and operate it. These needs are addressed in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Until additional indoor or outdoor facilities are constructed, programming can be added to existing facilities. Partnerships to provide additional competitive or tournament-level sports in Anna should be pursued to bring more activity into the local system. SPECIAL EVENTS The City currently hosts several special events throughout the year. High-quality special events are not only essential to a strong parks and recreation system, they are also important for overall quality of life and for economic development. Anna’s special events showcase the community’s warm and friendly hometown spirit. As a potential sports and event complex is planned and designed, as more parks amenities are provided and as dedicated parks and recreation staff are added, new special events could be included in the set of existing events. STAFFING With the limited number of parks and recreation facilities currently in Anna, the existing organization focuses primarily on parks maintenance; there is very little staffing for needs such as recreation programming, special events, parks planning or administration. As the number of parks and recreation facilities increases and recreation programming begins to develop, the staffing requirements for these additional functions, and for parks maintenance to address new parks, must be reviewed. The idea of a separate Parks and Recreation Department and a revised organizational structure should be considered as well. The Parks and Recreation Master Plan includes a detailed, step-by-step plan for this staffing increase and the administrative structure, including an approach to phasing in the changes. 5. KEY CENTERS The identification and emphasis on the Key Centers illustrated in the Future Land Use Plan (see Chapter 3) is a key plank in the community’s overall strategy for targeting its investments to build upon important existing assets. As the city grows and development becomes more dispersed, these Key Centers will become focal points in the community. Placemaking strategies, including the manner in which parks and open spaces are provided, will be critical to the success of each of the centers. 75 CENTER The 75 Center is designed to serve and attract a regional audience with Community Commercial, Regional Activity Center and other high-density residential PlaceTypes (see Chapter 3 for additional information). The built environment in this center should be supported by parks and recreation amenities to benefit residents, visitors and customers as well as connections to the surrounding community. Trails and linear parks can serve this purpose in some areas, and it will be very important to incorporate a pedestrian- scaled east-west crossing over US 75. This crossing can be incorporated into an existing vehicular bridge, but should be comfortable for pedestrians and should provide a clear separation from automobiles on the adjacent roadway. This bridge could be designed as a gateway feature visible from the main lanes of the highway. Further trail connections should be made to and from this bridge to allow Anna neighbors to access not only the 75 Center, but also both sides of the city. This center also provides opportunities for retail-supportive open spaces and plazas that would invite visitors to spend time outdoors after enjoying a restaurant or visiting a shop. Page 96 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN90 DOWNTOWN ANNA* The Downtown area is the heart of Anna and has the potential to become the place that all Anna neighbors call their own. It can include a combination of an open space, a plaza and a series of well-designed streets and sidewalks that connect various parts of the center together. The history of Downtown can be celebrated through thoughtful design. Pedestrian-scaled connections from the Downtown Core to Sherley Heritage Park can provide both a physical and an emotional connection to the past. Pedestrian-scaled improvements should be used to emphasize connections from the new City Hall Complex to the Downtown Core. Downtown’s central location also makes it a great location for community amenities such as a community/recreation center, library or an appropriately scaled sports complex and for special events and activities. *Chapter 9 of this report is dedicated to the future vision for Downtown Anna. ANNA BUSINESS CENTER Trail connections to the Anna Business Center will allow both neighbors and employees to access this center in multiple ways. This center is an important asset for the future of Anna, and it is important to pay attention to the amenities provided and the environment created so that it will compete well with employment centers elsewhere in the North Texas region. Page 97 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 91 6. ACTION ITEMS The following Action Items were identified as the five highest priority tangible steps that the City of Anna can implement in developing the new parks and recreation system in Anna. Additional Action Items and recommendations are presented in the Parks Master Plan as well as the implementation chapter of this report. Action 8.1. City-Owned Properties. Expand or enhance City-owned park and recreation properties that have the potential to better serve the surrounding residents or that could become a wellness and enjoyment destination for the community at large. Action 8.2. Property Acquisition. Acquire developable properties utilizing the key service criteria. Action 8.3. Open Space Standards. Incorporate standards, where appropriate, to evaluate new private development proposals on their efforts to provide outdoor open space with amenities and community gathering places. Action 8.4. Missing Segments. Complete missing trail segments and locate sources for funding the construction of these sections to improve network connectivity and provide links to key destinations in Anna and adjacent cities. Action 8.5. Feasibility Studies. Complete feasibility studies for each major facility described in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan— sports complex, recreation center, aquatic center; potentially racket sports facility, concrete skate park, special use pad. Page 98 of 123 Page 99 of 123 DOWNTOWN09 Page 100 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN94 DOWNTOWN 1. INTRODUCTION A VIBRANT DOWNTOWN A vibrant downtown is an important part of a thriving community. It contributes to the city’s image and vitality and is a reflection of its values and quality of life. The downtown area in a city often includes buildings and other structures and a street pattern that provide a historical connection to the original town center and, in fact, to the roots of the community. Many Anna neighbors feel the general character of the Downtown area should be preserved, where appropriate, and that future development should complement and enhance the existing Downtown assets. In Anna, the potential for Downtown to become an important center for living, doing business and gathering for community celebrations is so strong that a separate Downtown Master Plan was completed in conjunction with the Anna 2050 planning process. This master plan is described later in the chapter. Please see the Anna 2050 Downtown Master Plan report for more detailed information and recommendations. A Vibrant Downtown: +Sustains high-quality employment +Impacts bond rating positively +Can be utilized as a recruitment tool for industry +Stimulates the economy +Adds jobs +Is an economic driver +Increases tourism +Is a good investment STUDY AREA Anna is located in northern Collin County, along US 75, approximately 10 miles north of McKinney and 45 miles northeast of Dallas. Anna is currently 15 square miles in size, including the Downtown Study Area, which is approximately 1.3 square miles. The entire planning area, including the ETJ, is 61 square miles. As shown in the diagram below, previous plans have defined Downtown as the irregularly-shaped area bounded by Hackberry Lane on the north, South Easton Street on the east, FM 455/East White Street on the south and Slayter Creek on the west. The primary arterial roadways that bisect the Downtown area are SH 5/Powell Parkway, which runs north to south, and FM 455/White Street, which runs east to west. The DART railroad right-of-way runs north to south through Downtown, parallel to Powell. Most of the historic part of what this plan refers to as the Downtown Core is located along Fourth Street adjacent to the railroad. Early in the study process, community feedback, comprehensive research and detailed analysis confirmed that the boundaries of the study area for this plan should be expanded from the limits used in the 2015 Anna Downtown Development Plan. The new boundaries capture several tracts of land that have the greatest potential to impact and contribute to the core, both geographically and economically, and to improve the district’s long-term viability as an interconnected and sustainable downtown. The delineation of this area was informed by existing features and boundaries, community feedback on housing types and commercial activities and considerations for future development. For this Downtown plan, the boundaries of the study area remain irregularly shaped, but have generally been extended to Slayter Creek on the west, Rosamond Parkway on the north, Easton Street on the east and Cunningham Boulevard on the south. Page 101 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 95 Page 102 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN96 BRIEF HISTORY OF DOWNTOWN The town of Anna was originally the location of a railroad stop on the Houston & Texas Central Railroad (H&TC; later the Southern Pacific Railroad). The stop was initially established circa 1872. There was not a community with buildings or population, however, until more than a decade after the stop was initially installed, but with the opening of a post office in 1883, the arrival of about 20 residents, and the establishment of a school that same year in the home of one of the residents, the town was born. Anna was most likely named after the daughter of one of the H&TC railroad officials according to research done by resident Chester A. Howell and described in his 1985 publication A Town Named Anna. The original buildings, all of them wooden structures until 1904, were located on the west side of the railroad, backing towards the tracks. The town was officially incorporated in 1913. Anna was an early 20th Century railroad town, and some of the remnants of those times remain. There are several old one-story brick buildings with mixed architectural styles along Fourth Street and a few other historic structures throughout the area. The railroad remains a focal element of Downtown. It is surrounded by Sherley Park, the Sherley & Bros. Hardware Store and the Anna Train Depot. Vehicular access in the district is provided via a gridded network of streets, but pedestrian improvements are very limited; most of the roadways do not have sidewalks. There are several neighborhood parks in the Downtown area, and there are opportunities to link these spaces together as the city grows. On the northern and southern ends of the district there is land that is undeveloped and of a different character than the more traditional core; however, these undeveloped areas are in close proximity to the Downtown Core and will contribute to the district by presenting the potential for catalytic growth and investment. 2. STRATEGIC POLICIES This portion of the Anna 2050 Plan identifies specific policies crafted to make Downtown a better place to live, do business, visit and enjoy. Based on a study of physical and market conditions and a robust community engagement process, this plan is intended to be responsive to the community’s needs. It is a policy document designed to target public investment and leverage public sector initiatives. Strategic Policies of the plan include: Policy 1. The City of Anna and the CDC/EDC should make the identified Catalyst Areas the highest priority for public focus and investment for landowner/private developer partnerships in order to spur development, economic growth and reinvestment in Downtown. Policy 2. The CDC/EDC should continue to market, promote and incentivize Downtown as a top-priority location for locally-owned small businesses and restaurants, as well as for the services that support entrepreneurial businesses and nearby residents. Policy 3. The City of Anna, in partnership with other Downtown stakeholders, should establish a Downtown entity to ensure the continued success of programming efforts and to market and promote it as a center for locally-owned businesses. Policy 4. The City of Anna should encourage development of and prioritize community gathering spaces, with major public spaces located in the Identity Points identified on the maps within this plan. Policy 5. The City of Anna should secure funding and prioritize the design and construction of multimodal facilities in the public realm Page 103 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 97 according to the street types established in this plan, including streets with sidewalks and trails, to encourage walkability and connectivity throughout the district and to nearby neighborhoods and destinations. Policy 6. The City of Anna should use its regulatory powers, guidelines and incentives to remove regulatory barriers to provide for a more diverse range of uses and housing choices for the community, achieve the desired character of the area, create housing that allows residents to age in place and improve market adaptability. Policy 7. The City of Anna should continue to invest in Downtown through the construction and maintenance of parks, trails and paths to ensure outdoor activities and natural areas are targeted as assets for the community, and should use parkland dedication or fees to ensure that parks, trails and paths are provided as part of new development, redevelopment and adaptive reuse projects. Policy 8. The Anna Historical Society should continue to work closely with the City to ensure that historical assets and the character of Downtown is preserved and celebrated. Policy 9. The City of Anna should utilize the Municipal Campus site to develop an outdoor public plaza and gathering space that knits together the pedestrian infrastructure along its perimeter and throughout Downtown, creating an attractive and active pedestrian environment for daily activities, community events and festivals. Policy 10. The City of Anna should use branding and high-quality improvements in the public realm to transform Downtown into a unique and identifiable place in Anna. Policy 11. The City of Anna, CDC and EDC should reinforce the Downtown as a mixed-use environment, with the character and development intensity described in this plan, to accommodate a diversity of uses and building types and provide economic stability and a diverse tax base. Page 104 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN98 3. STRATEGIC DIRECTION VISION STATEMENT In the early days of settlement, the Anna Train Station was the central place for trading goods, hearing the latest news, celebrating events and connecting with friends and family. During the late 20th Century, much of Anna’s attention shifted to new neighborhoods and shopping centers, but Downtown places like Spurlock’s Malt Shop carried on the tradition of unique local gathering places. As Anna looks to the future, it is focusing once again on the original Downtown area. Downtown Anna’s future expands the traditional role of the Anna Train Station, creating a larger area where Anna neighbors find local goods and services, enjoy gathering in diverse indoor and outdoor spaces, and come together to celebrate and strengthen the unique character of the Anna community. CHARACTER FRAMEWORK/FOCUS AREAS During the planning process, two distinct character areas were identified within the overall Downtown—the Downtown Core and the Downtown Neighborhood. These two sub-areas are reflected in the Downtown Map on the next page. The boundaries of these areas reflect differences in the key attributes in each one and the feedback from the community as to potential housing types and commercial uses. Stakeholders recognized that the Downtown Core is distinctive from the remainder of the study area, but that the Downtown Neighborhood also contributes to a better overall district. Downtown Master Plan Themes The Downtown Master Plan is a separate document containing a more comprehensive strategy for the future of Downtown; it was completed as part of this effort. Strategizing for the Downtown Master Plan update started early in the Anna 2050 planning process. Securing input from Anna neighbors and Downtown stakeholders was a priority. By combining the Downtown engagement activities with the overall Anna 2050 Comprehensive Plan process, the planning team was able to provide a wide range of interactive opportunities for the community, including the key Downtown stakeholders (property and business owners, developers and community leaders) who will play an important part in any revitalization effort. Throughout the development of both plans, the planning team employed an ongoing engagement process that allowed the community to define problems, brainstorm ideas, respond to design concepts and create solutions and strategies to fashion a vision that is unique to Downtown Anna. Stakeholder interviews, a charrette, an online survey and two stakeholder workshops all informed the final plan. From this effort the theme of the Downtown emerged as follows: Downtown Core The Downtown Core is envisioned to be the heart of the community. There are possibilities for outdoor recreation and entertainment, local boutiques and shops and restaurants that spill out onto the sidewalk. This portion of the district is bounded by Powell Street/FM 455 on the south, Slayter Creek on the west, Hackberry Lane on the north and Easton Street and East Hackberry Lane generally on the east. At the center of Downtown lies a historic gridded street network with a collection of modest buildings and structures that speak to Anna’s heritage as an early 20th Century railroad town. Included in its collection of important structures and places, both old and new, are the Municipal Campus, the Train Depot building, Sherley Heritage Park, the water tower and the First Christian Church of Anna. The Downtown Core is intended to become the community’s major gathering space and a place where special events and activities are held. As an example, the new Municipal Campus, adjacent to Fifth Street and Powell Parkway, has been designed with a public open space and provides an opportunity to connect to other parts of the district to help make it the center of civic life. As this area becomes more active, it will be essential to plan for event management for the programming and maintenance of the space in order to make it a successful location. Page 105 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 99 Downtown Neighborhood Area The area that surrounds the Downtown Core—the Downtown Neighborhood— is characterized by a different development pattern, with larger block sizes containing single-family residences and undeveloped land. This area is critical since it surrounds and feeds into the Core and provides the largest catalytic sites for Downtown development. The Downtown Neighborhood, with its Mixed Use and Urban Living PlaceTypes, is intended to provide a transition from the Downtown Core to the rest of the community. The Downtown Neighborhood includes several key elements that are important to the district. On the north, Anna Elementary School and Slayter Creek Park are well-used public facilities that draw people to Downtown and provide linkages to the community through the Slayter Creek pedestrian trails and the open space along the creek. Slayter Creek provides an opportunity to create linkages along the western boundary and throughout the Downtown Core. Geer Park and Johnson Park on the east are currently undeveloped but are planned as neighborhood parks. It will be important to create linkages between these facilities and new development so that they can serve as an enhanced amenity for the area. In addition, there are key gateway areas along SH 5 in the Downtown Neighborhood at the northern and southern entrances to the district. Once developed, the Downtown Neighborhood will establish new linkages to the surrounding community to facilitate a healthy multimodal network, open space and trail connectivity, improved walkability and enhanced connections to the Downtown Core. Page 106 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN100 DOWNTOWN FRAMEWORK/CHARACTER AREAS Throughout the formulation of the Downtown effort, research and analysis was conducted that informed the Strategic Direction of the plan. The Downtown Framework and Illustrative Plan below compile that information into a single map. Within the Downtown Core and Downtown Neighborhood, five distinctive Character Area classifications have been developed in order to distinguish and define the diverse development pattern that exists in varied locations and to understand the opportunities that they provide. These areas are designated as Retail Center, Catalyst Areas, Adaptive Reuse/Infill, Intown Residential, and Transitional Development. Because each area is unique and contributes to the makeup of Downtown in different ways, a wide range of development, housing, office, retail and recreational amenities can be combined to achieve the vision of a diverse and vibrant Downtown. A more comprehensive analysis of each Character Area can be found in the Anna 2050 Downtown Master Plan described below. DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN The Downtown Master Plan was developed through a parallel process with the Anna 2050 Comprehensive Plan and is a stand-alone document on which this chapter is based. It describes and details a more comprehensive study of character areas, mobility, historic resources, parks, trails and opens space and provides further recommendations as it relates to the Downtown Core study area, placemaking and implementation strategies. The Downtown Master Plan provides a detailed outline that will enable the City to fulfill its hopes and aspirations for this very unique part of the community. The City can utilize the Implementation Matrix to ensure that the recommended short-term, mid-term and long-term Actions are completed and its goals are met. With continued adherence to the recommendations and implementation strategies outlined in the plan, ongoing community support and strong, visionary leadership, the community will be able to achieve its overall vision for a vibrant and sustainable Downtown Anna. IMPLEMENTATION Success in implementing this vision for Downtown Anna in 2050 will require a continued coordination with Downtown property owners, organizations, operators and developers. It will also require an adequate allocation of staff and financial resources to ready the Downtown environment for private sector investment and prioritization of Downtown Anna as a resource that receives continued attention. As the Downtown grows and evolves, it will be essential to revisit the plan periodically—at least every five years—and update it as needed so that it remains relevant and serves as an instructive tool for managing and capitalizing on the opportunities created and to ensure the future for Downtown that the community wants to achieve. 4.ACTION ITEMS The following is a list of the highest priority Action Items for achieving the community’s vision of a vital and sustainable Downtown. For a full list of all action items, please reference the Downtown Master Plan. Action 9.1. Zoning Alignment. Carry out a City-initiated rezoning of all or portions of the Downtown Core, using techniques such as a Form Based Code, Planned Development ordinance or zoning overlay to codify the community’s vision and align zoning in the Downtown area with the Anna 2050 Future Land Use Plan and the Downtown Master Plan. Action 9.5. Downtown Street Types. Implement the new Downtown Street Types and proactively redevelop roadways that are critical to optimizing reinvestment in the Downtown Core. Action 9.8. Downtown Parking. Conduct a study and develop a strategy for providing public parking to serve future development in the Downtown area, which could include on-street parking, various temporary solutions and one or more public parking lots or centralized parking facilities to be constructed as development occurs. Action 9.13. Programming Space. Enhance the Downtown street network and open spaces to accommodate more programming opportunities. Action 9.19. Sidewalk and Trail Connectivity. Identify, prioritize and implement sidewalk and trail projects that knit together and enhance the Downtown Core and provide safe routes for pedestrians from the neighborhoods surrounding Downtown to Anna Middle School and to Downtown restaurants, shops, open spaces, civic and institutional places and other important destinations. Action 9.24. Incentives. Create and promote an incentivized process/ program for Downtown development, which may include tax incentives, rebates, a public improvement district, cash grants, tax increment funding, TIRZ, and other performance-based or value-capture programs. Action 9.35. Public Investment in Downtown. Develop a program and a strategy for funding construction of the highest priority improvements to Downtown infrastructure and the public realm in order to attract new businesses and residents, promote revitalization and restoration and develop a unique character and identity for the Downtown district. Page 107 of 123 IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY 10 Page 108 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN102 IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY 1. INTRODUCTION The vision in the Anna 2050 Comprehensive Plan reflects the desires and aspirations for the future of the community from the perspective of many different stakeholders. The Plan: +Addresses a variety of basic issues and requirements—land use, economic development, housing, mobility, parks and open space and others—that will affect the community’s ability to plan for and achieve that vision +Informs capital improvements planning, because the character of development—land use type and development density—is important in determining how, where and when to invest city resources in costly infrastructure +Provides a basis for the review of zoning and development applications for consistency with the way the community envisions the future +Helps identify changes in existing development regulations, such as zoning and subdivision ordinances, that are necessary to support the vision 2. POLICIES I 1. The Implementation Strategy will be used as a plan of action for achieving the community’s vision for the future. I 2. The Implementation Strategy will be a reference for City officials in the making of decisions affecting physical development within Anna. I 3. The City Council’s annual City of Anna Strategic Plan will conform to the Anna 2050 Comprehensive Plan. I 4. The Implementation Strategy will be a tool for capital projects planning. I 5. City departments will be encouraged to use the Anna 2050 Plan and the Implementation Strategy as input for planning and budgeting. I 6. City Staff will routinely track progress on plan implementation and report regularly to the City Council. 3. VISION STATEMENT AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES REVISITED The Vision Statement and Guiding Principles were developed early in the planning process and set the direction and tone for the remainder of the project. The Vision Statement for the Anna 2050 Plan is: Based on heritage and built on innovation, by 2050 Anna is a diverse and vibrant community, balancing big-city assets with a hometown character, where neighbors of all ages, races and abilities enjoy a premier community with the homes, jobs and community amenities they need to thrive. A set of Guiding Principles provided a foundation for the remainder of the plan and will continue to serve as a reference for City leaders as they deliberate on policies, programs, capital investments and development applications (see Chapter 2, Strategic Direction). These principles also tie together the interrelated elements represented in the chapters of this document, which address a variety of topics related to the physical development of the community—the development of land and buildings and the infrastructure to support it as well as the use of the city’s natural areas. 4. IMPLEMENTATION Fulfilling the community’s vision for the future will depend upon more than simply adopting a plan. There must also be a clearly articulated strategy for implementation. This strategy must be translated into a coordinated and comprehensive approach that includes not only the list of specific tasks or actions to be taken, but a recognition of the amount of time and resources needed, an indication of the parties that will be involved in getting the job done and a system for monitoring and adjusting the plan as needed over time. CITY’S ROLE The City will play a major role in executing the Anna 2050 Plan. In the beginning, the City will need to take the lead in informing the community of the outcome of the planning process. At all stages of plan implementation the City will be responsible for prioritizing actions, developing a work plan, allocating staff resources, identifying and obtaining funding (which may require voter approval of bond programs in the case of major capital improvements), coordinating with partner agencies and organizations and monitoring progress. Page 109 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 103 PARTNERS The City will need to collaborate with a variety of other individuals, agencies and organizations from both the public sector and private sector to achieve the community’s 2050 vision. These individuals, agencies and organizations include: Governmental/Quasi-Governmental Agencies Governmental and quasi-governmental agencies are very important to a community’s ability to accomplish its goals. They control funding, provide educational resources and perform economic development functions. These agencies include: +Collin County +North Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) +State of Texas, including the Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and others +Federal government, including the Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Commerce and others +Independent School Districts (ISDs), including the Anna ISD, Blue Ridge ISD and potentially others if property within the ETJ is annexed +Anna Economic Development Corporation/Community Development Corporation (EDC/CDC) Private Sector Entities Private sector entities are critical in the delivery of goods and services to the community and to the creation of jobs. They increase the local tax base by making investments in their businesses, and they can play a key role in attracting other business to the community. They also control land and capital that will be required for new development and improvements to existing properties. Among these private sector partners are: +Businesses and business owners +Landowners/Property owners +Real estate developers and brokers +Financial institutions Non-profit Organizations and Civic/Community Associations Non-profit agencies and organizations often fill gaps that the local government cannot address as easily because of its many and diverse priorities and due to funding limitations. Often they focus on a specific aspect of community life (such as business or charitable support) or an area of special interest (such as recreation or the arts). Their members contribute time and talent to issues important to them. Homeowners associations and similar neighborhood groups can be particularly effective partners for the City in communicating with the broader community and keeping an eye out for potential problems before they become bigger issues. The commitment and passion of these groups also makes them enthusiastic cheerleaders for the community. Examples of these organizations include: +Greater Anna Chamber of Commerce +Anna Area Historical Preservation Society +Faith-based organizations +Arts and cultural organizations +Athletic leagues +Civic groups Anna Neighbors The ongoing involvement of Anna neighbors will be important to the fulfillment of the community’s 2050 vision. These individuals, their families and friends buy, maintain and invest in their homes and neighborhoods and support their schools. They volunteer to serve on boards and commissions, take part in community events and become involved in arts, cultural and recreational groups. They can organize and educate themselves and provide critical support for issues and initiatives that affect them and contribute to the success of the community. MONITORING AND UPDATING THE PLAN Progress towards plan implementation should be monitored by City Staff on an ongoing basis to ensure that there is movement in a positive direction, that momentum is maintained and that adjustments are made to the plan as needed. The City should review the Implementation Plan and the relevant regulations and work programs regularly to ensure that policies, funding and staff resources are being allocated appropriately to fulfill the community’s vision. The City Council should be briefed at least annually on the findings of this review. It is important to remember that no plan, regardless of how thorough, can anticipate every possible situation that may occur after adoption. For this reason, the community should revisit the plan periodically—perhaps every five years or so—to determine whether it needs to be updated to reflect conditions as they change, community values as they evolve or an unexpected opportunity that is presented. Page 110 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN104 APPLICATIONS INCONSISTENT WITH THE PLAN A zoning request that conflicts with the plan but deserves consideration does not have to be denied just because of this inconsistency. If the Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council feel that the zoning application would provide a significant public benefit, it can be approved; however, in order for the City to protect itself and its interests, the Council may want to make the reasons for the approval a part of the public record. Preferably, this type of situation would not be a regular occurrence, but as has been alluded to, information is never perfect, communities are not static and market opportunities come and go, so the future cannot be predicted with 100% certainty; however, if applications like this are received and approved fairly often, this may suggest that a plan update or a change in zoning or other types of regulations is in order. STAFFING As the city of Anna continues to grow, it will likely be necessary to hire and assign staff specifically to addressing comprehensive planning functions— tracking progress, monitoring codes and ordinances, reviewing applications for plan conformance, etc. In the beginning, a single planner may be able to perform these duties, but as development activity increases over time, creating a separate comprehensive planning division may become a more appropriate staffing strategy. 5. KEY FACTORS FOR SUCCESSFUL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION Successful implementation of the Anna 2050 Comprehensive Plan will require all of the following: +Committed City leadership +Support from the community +Cooperation and communication between the City of Anna and its stakeholders—other governmental/quasi-governmental agencies, private sector partners, non-profit and civic/community groups and Anna neighbors +The coordination of projects with public and private sector partners, particularly projects related to investments in infrastructure +The elimination of obstacles to achieving the vision, such as ordinances, standards or processes that are contrary to plan implementation The City of Anna will depend on the cooperation and resources of partner agencies, which can be instrumental in providing the infrastructure necessary to support new development, and private sector developers and property owners, who hold the land and capital needed to carry out the plan. 6. IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX City Staff will have the responsibility for monitoring progress on the Anna 2050 Plan. The Implementation Matrix was developed as a tool for both staff and elected officials (Appendix 10.A). It represents a plan for the steps required for implementation. It is organized around a set of plan strategies and includes a supporting set of Action Items for each strategy, plus information as to the type, applicability and timing of each one, whether assistance from any outside entity will be required and how costly each one will be. The most important part of the Implementation Strategy is a set of Action Items. These Action Items function like a to-do list for the many parties that will play a part in implementing the plan. Terms and concepts important to understanding the matrix are defined below. +Action Item. An Action Item is a specific task that needs to be completed to achieve the goals of the plan. Each Action Item in the matrix is further described by a set of characteristics that define what kind of action it is and where and when the action is likely to be applied. A brief explanation of this concept and each of the categories is as follows: +Type of Action. This column indicates one of several categories that describes the nature of the Action Items. This type of categorization could allow those responsible for implementing the Anna 2050 Plan to assemble similar or related items together for more efficient implementation or to ensure that steps that must be completed before a specific Action Item can be accomplished are programmed in the right order. Each Type of Action category is described below. »Capital Investments. The repair and construction of major public facilities and utilities represent long-term investments in the community and should be coordinated with the Future Land Use portion of the Anna 2050 Plan in order to make the best use of the resources required to complete them, including public funds. These projects must be designed to serve both the short-term needs of residents and businesses and to accommodate future growth. Actions of this type include both the acquisition of the necessary land and the construction of the physical assets. Page 111 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 105 »Education and Engagement. Anna’s neighbors, businesses, non-profits and agency and institutional partners will all need to understand the impacts of adopting the new Anna 2050 Plan in order to see the community in a new way. Engagement with these parties will be important, not only in the days immediately following adoption of the plan, but also as time goes by. This ongoing process will draw upon the energy, ideas and enthusiasm of these same parties. All means of education and engagement should be used to reach them. »Financial Incentives. Financial incentives can be an important tool in the attraction of desirable development. Fee reductions or waivers, quicker processing of plans and permits, tax abatements and infrastructure investments are all options the City can use to attract the type of development the community envisions. »Organizational/Operational Changes. Among the recommendations in a comprehensive plan may be staff additions/ changes or modifications to city or department procedures. These organizational or operational changes can be an important part of successful plan implementation. »Partnerships. At any given time, a city has a list of programs and projects they would like to implement. Often, the cooperation of other parties and agencies is necessary in the form of joint planning, coordination, the provision of land or funding, construction of physical assets, project management, etc. Collaborative partnerships with outside entities can give programs and projects a better and more timely chance of success. »Regulations and Guidelines. Public and private construction and development projects are typically governed by a set of regulations, particularly the zoning and subdivision ordinances, aimed at protecting community health, safety and welfare. The application of these ordinances is important to creating and maintaining a desirable community. In some instances and locations, a set of guidelines may apply as a means of preserving existing assets or creating a unique place or environment. Guidelines are strong recommendations, not requirements, but they should be observed unless there is a valid reason. If a city finds that existing regulations and/or guidelines prevent the implementation of important aspects of a comprehensive plan, there may be a need to create, refine, amend or repeal them. Many cities do not have the staff resources to devote to the rewriting of codes and the creation of guidelines. In these cases, they often engage consultants to assist with this process. »Studies. Public projects can be both complicated and costly to execute, so to be certain that public funds are used in the most responsible and effective way, the study of a topic or project may be necessary. These studies often require the use of outside expertise. +Timing. This characteristic indicates the general time frame for initiating an action, defined here relative to the date of adoption of the Anna 2050 Plan. +Public Sector Cost. This is a general indication of the City’s level of financial responsibility for completing an item, ranging from $ (relatively low cost) to $$$$ (approximate cost in excess of $1 million). +Responsible Parties. These are the individuals or organizations responsible for completing an Action Item. Depending on the Action Item, one entity may bear the full responsibility or that organization may take the lead with support from other individuals, agencies or organizations. +Applies To. Not all Action Items will be relevant to all projects and locations, so it is important to understand where each one will apply. The matrix includes a column that denotes whether each Action Item is most applicable to one or more of the Key Centers identified in the Future Land Use Plan or whether it applies to multiple locations across the city. Short-term 0-5 years Mid-term 6-10 years Long-term More than 10 years Ongoing Underway, in process or occuring/will occur on a continuing basis $Up to $150,000 $$$150,000 to $500,000 $$$$500,000 to $1 million $$$$More than $1 million Page 112 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN106 7. ACTION ITEMS Below is a list of specific Action Items that should be undertaken in order to implement the Anna 2050 Plan. Action 10.1. Staff Resources. Identify City of Anna Staff who will be most involved in implementing the Anna 2050 high priority actions and inform them of the Guiding Principles, Policies, Action Items and how to use the plan in their daily operations. Action 10.2. Department Use. Encourage City departments to refer to the Implementation Matrix in the preparation of their annual budgets and work plans. Action 10.3. Review/Revise Regulations. Review the zoning ordinance, subdivision ordinance and other pertinent regulations and guidelines, as well as other plans—utility master plans, Capital Improvements Plans, the plans of partner agencies, etc.—for conformance with Anna 2050 and revise, rewrite or adapt as necessary. Action 10.4. Consistency Review. Evaluate an application’s conformance with the Anna 2050 Plan in the review of zoning requests and other development proposals using a checklist and/or section of each staff report to provide the conclusion of the evaluation. Action 10.5. Communicate Progress. Inform Anna neighbors, partners and other stakeholders about steps taken and steps to come in the implementation of the Anna 2050 Plan. Action 10.6. Progress Tracking and Annual Report. Monitor progress on plan implementation in a continuous and ongoing way, and present a report on the status of plan implementation to the City Council and other pertinent boards and commissions on at least an annual basis. Action 10.7. Comprehensive Planning Staff. C r e a t e a n d s t a f f a C o m p r e h e n s i v e Planning section within the Planning & Development Department responsible for long-range planning issues and other related duties, including tracking progress on plan implementation, monitoring and managing necessary updates to codes and ordinances, reviewing zoning and development proposals for consistency with the plan, managing amendments to the plan to reflect new priorities and opportunities and preparing an annual report on the status of implementation. 8. HIGHEST PRIORITY ANNA 2050 ACTION ITEMS A city cannot undertake all its planned Action Items at one time for a number of reasons. Some will require extensive planning and may need to be coordinated with other Action Items or even other projects not included in the Anna 2050 Plan. Others may require financial or staff resources that are not currently available. The full list of Action Items identified throughout this planning process, organized by Plan Strategy, is included in Appendix 10.A. Below are the Action Items selected from the full list as having the highest priority in terms of implementation. These Action Items were chosen based on input from the CPATF, the responses in the online community survey and the expertise of City Staff and the consultant team. They are not prioritized within the list, but represent the broad range of Action Items the City should begin to work on as soon as is feasible in order to make the best use of the time, resources and partnerships available and to build on existing community support developed through the Anna 2050 planning process. 3. FUTURE LAND USE Action 3.1. Comprehensive Plan Checklist. Develop a Comprehensive Plan checklist to be used as a tool for determining the consistency of development proposals and zoning applications with the Anna 2050 principles and policies and to assist City Staff in making recommendations to P&Z and Council. Action 3.3. Fiscal Impact Analysis. Establish and utilize a fiscal impact analysis process for major new development and redevelopment so decision-makers can consider the costs and benefits to the City and the community when they make determinations on proposed projects. Action 3.5. Code Overhaul. Rewrite the City’s development-related ordinances to align them with the vision expressed in this comprehensive plan and to accommodate the Future Land Use Plan. Action 3.6. Proactive Rezoning. Conduct City-initiated rezoning of areas where such rezoning will remove an important barrier to development or revitalization. Page 113 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 107 4. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Action 4.1. Quality and Innovation. Support high-quality and innovative economic development projects to advance economic development goals, providing adequate resources for the economic development, coordinating economic oriented projects with the EDC and providing supportive policies and regulations to advance favorable projects. Action 4.3. Fiscal Alignment. Perform a fiscal analysis of the City’s long- term infrastructure investments to ensure future developments are supported and fiscally responsible. Action 4.4. Targeted Investment. Place greater emphasis on the four Key Centers, aligning resources, policies and investments with these targeted investment areas. Action 4.7. Branding Policy. Develop and maintain a branding policy to ensure a singular and unified brand is communicated across all departments and is represented on future internal and external assets. Action 4.10. Aesthetic Values and Strategy. Develop a plan to identify the City’s aesthetic values and to activate a strategy with the goal of becoming a unique, progressive and sustainable city. 5. HOUSING Action 5.1. Housing Study. Conduct a housing assessment to determine the types of housing products that Anna can support and the policies and actions that can improve the health and vitality of Anna’s housing stock. Action 5.2. Database of Sites. Identify and maintain a database of sites with available infrastructure suitable for residential development based upon the adopted Future Land Use Plan. Action 5.3. Development Flexibility. Revise the zoning ordinance and other related regulations to accommodate innovative and flexible land development techniques that permit a variety of lot sizes and housing types and promote context-sensitive development. Action 5.5. Evaluation Criteria. Create evaluation criteria for neighborhood and housing quality through assessments that measure capital improvements (CIP) spending, residential sales and values, crime occurrences, code-related cases and actions, rental concentrations and other factors. 6. MOBILITY Action 6.2. Design Standards. Adopt flexible design standards that complement the City’s future PlaceTypes. Action 6.3. Capital Improvements Plan. Develop a Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) that reflects the roadway alignments and cross sections presented in this plan, including multimodal facilities. Action 6.4. Pavement Maintenance. Prioritize pavement maintenance projects on major roads and roads with multimodal facilities. Action 6.8. Railroad Crossings. Perform an analysis of existing railroad crossings to enhance safety and consider the potential implementation needed for quiet zones. Action 6.9. Sidewalks. Prioritize the closing of sidewalk gaps along major roads to establish a connected pedestrian network. Action 6.10. Veloweb. Prioritize the construction of trail projects that are identified in, or complement, the NCTCOG Regional Veloweb network. 7. PLACEMAKING Action 7.1. Neighborhood Design Guidelines. Develop or update design guidelines that support Placemaking in key PlaceType areas and the use of natural areas and resources in the design of Anna neighborhoods and amenities. Action 7.2. Employment Center Design Guidelines. Create design guidelines that ensure that employment centers are developed with the character that attracts highly-skilled, high-income workers. Action 7.3. Gateway Image Study. Conduct a Gateway Image Study to determine the appropriate characteristics for the development and amenities at the major entrances to Anna. Action 7.4. Historic Preservation Plan. Develop a Historic Preservation Plan for Anna to identify those buildings and neighborhoods that should receive local protection and state and national recognition. Action 7.5. Historic Preservation. Establish a partnership among private interests to support historic preservation in Anna. Action 7.6. Placemaking and Wayfinding Strategy. Develop a Placemaking and Wayfinding Strategy that uses City branding to welcome visitors, identify historic landmarks and gateways and link together existing character areas through the use of a combination of environmental graphics, print materials and web-based information. Page 114 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN108 Action 7.7. Performing Arts. Identify opportunities to host performing arts events in publicly owned spaces, including parks, streets rights- of-way and public buildings. 8. PARKS, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE Action 8.1 City-Owned Properties. Expand or enhance City-owned park and recreation properties that have the potential to better serve the surrounding residents or that could become a wellness and enjoyment destination for the community at large. Action 8.2 Property Acquisition. Acquire developable properties utilizing the key service criteria. Action 8.3. Open Space Standards. Consider incorporating standards, where appropriate, to evaluate new private development proposals on their efforts to provide outdoor open space with amenities and community gathering places. Action 8.7. Trail Opportunities. Explore additional areas for trails through wooded and riparian corridor areas. Action 8.10 New Connections. Install additional trail and sidewalk connections utilizing the Capital Improvements Program and grants funding when available; priorities recommended in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan include Neighborhoods to Downtown, Slayter Creek Park to Natural Springs, Oak Hollow to Baldwin and Anna Crossing to Downtown. Action 8.19. Priorities. Establish priorities for citywide facility development. Action 8.22 Incentives. Establish development incentives for the construction of new recreation facilities. 9. DOWNTOWN Action 9.1. Zoning Alignment. Carry out a City-initiated rezoning of all or portions of the Downtown Core, using techniques such as a Form Based Code, Planned Development ordinance or zoning overlay to codify the community’s vision and align zoning in the Downtown area with the Anna 2050 Future Land Use Plan and the Downtown Master Plan. Action 9.5. Downtown Street Types. Implement the new Downtown Street Types and proactively redevelop roadways that are critical to optimizing reinvestment in the Downtown Core. Action 9.8. Downtown Parking. Conduct a study and develop a strategy for providing public parking to serve future development in the Downtown area, which could include on-street parking, various temporary solutions and one or more public parking lots or centralized parking facilities to be constructed as development occurs. Action 9.13. Programming Space. Enhance the Downtown street network and open spaces to accommodate more programming opportunities. Action 9.19. Sidewalk and Trail Connectivity. Identify and prioritize sidewalk and trail projects that knit the Downtown Core together and provide safe routes for pedestrians from the neighborhoods surrounding Downtown to Anna Middle School and to Downtown restaurants, shops, open spaces, civic and institutional places. Action 9.25. Incentives. Create and promote an incentivized process/ program for Downtown development, which may include tax incentives, rebates, a public improvement district, cash grants, tax increment funding and other performance-based or value- capture programs. Action 9.36. Public Investment in Downtown. Develop a program and a strategy for funding construction of the highest priority improvements to Downtown infrastructure and the public realm in order to attract new businesses and residents, promote revitalization and restoration and develop a unique character and identity for the Downtown district. 10. IMPLEMENTATION Action 10.3. Review/Revise Regulations. Review the zoning ordinance, subdivision ordinance and other pertinent regulations and guidelines, as well as other plans—utility master plans, Capital Improvements Plans, the plans of partner agencies, etc.—for conformance with Anna 2050 and revise, rewrite or adapt as necessary. Action 10.4. Consistency Review. Evaluate an application’s conformance with the Anna 2050 Plan in the review of zoning requests and other development proposals using a checklist and/or section of each staff report to provide the conclusion of the evaluation. Action 10.5. Communicate Progress. Inform Anna neighbors, partners and other stakeholders about steps taken and steps to come in the implementation of the Anna 2050 Plan. Page 115 of 123 ANNA 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 109 Action 10.6. Progress Tracking and Annual Report. Monitor progress on plan implementation in a continuous and ongoing way, and present a report on the status of plan implementation to the City Council and other pertinent boards and commissions on at least an annual basis. Action 10.7. Comprehensive Planning Staff. C r e a t e a n d s t a f f a C o m p r e h e n s i v e Planning section within the Planning & Development Department responsible for long-range planning issues and other related duties, including tracking progress on plan implementation, monitoring and managing necessary updates to codes and ordinances, reviewing zoning and development proposals for consistency with the plan, managing amendments to the plan to reflect new priorities and opportunities and preparing an annual report on the status of implementation. Page 116 of 123 PROLOGUE PLANNING S E R V ICES Page 117 of 123 Item No. 6.a. City Council Agenda Staff Report Meeting Date: 9/3/2024 Staff Contact: Terri Doby AGENDA ITEM: Conduct a Public Hearing on the Proposed FY2025 Budget (Budget Manager Terri Doby) SUMMARY: The Annual Budget is one of the most important financial responsibilities of a local government, and preparation of the budget typically takes 6 months to complete. The Annual Budget is developed through an extensive process of reviewing requests received from various City departments, then prioritizing those requests in a manner that utilizes resources effectively, within fiscal constraints, while working to achieve the City's strategic goals. The proposed budget was presented to the City Council on August 13th and can be found on our website at www.annatexas.gov /912/Budget The proposed budget is funded by a property tax rate of $0.507200, which is lower than the current tax rate. When compared with other cities in our area, the City of Anna continues to have one of the lowest per-capita property tax levies. According to the most recent population estimates, the City of Anna’s population is approximately 27,823. We anticipate a steady increase of 7 to 10 percent annual growth over the next few years. As Anna continues to grow, the City remains committed to its Strategic Success Statements. The FY2025 budget is designed to preserve and enhance the quality of existing services and respond appropriately to our city’s continuing growth and development. The Council will vote to adopt the FY2025 budget on September 10, 2024. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Process to adopt the FY2024-2025 Budget. BACKGROUND: Texas Local Government Code 102.006 requires that a public hearing on the proposed budget be held the 15th day after the proposed budget is filed with the municipal clerk but before the date of the tax levy. STRATEGIC CONNECTIONS: This item supports the City of Anna Strategic Plan, specifically advancing the strategic outcome area: Excellent. Page 118 of 123 ATTACHMENTS: Page 119 of 123 Item No. 6.b. City Council Agenda Staff Report Meeting Date: 9/3/2024 Staff Contact: Terri Doby AGENDA ITEM: Conduct a Public Hearing on the Proposed FY2025 Tax Rate (Budget Manager Terri Doby) SUMMARY: At the Tuesday, August 13th meeting, the City Council set the date, time and location of tonight’s public hearing on the FY2025 proposed tax rate as required by the Texas Tax Code. The Notice of Public Hearing was published in the Herald Democrat on August 22, 2024. After properties are appraised by the Collin County Appraisal District, the Collin County Tax Assessor-Collector calculates both the No-New-Revenue tax rate and the Voter- Approval tax rate for the City of Anna as the designated officer to complete the tax rate calculation forms created by the Texas Comptroller and to certify the calculations as accurate. No-New-Revenue tax rate: The No-New-Revenue tax rate is a calculated rate that would provide the taxing unit with the same amount of maintenance and operations property taxes on existing property as the previous year after taking into account changes in appraised value. If property values rise, the No-New-Revenue tax rate will go down and vice versa. The No-New Revenue tax rate for FY2025 is $0.482976 per $100. Voter-Approval tax rate: The Voter-Approval tax rate provides the taxing unit with the same amount of maintenance and operations property taxes on existing property as the previous year plus a 3.5 percent increase for those operations, in addition to sufficient funds to pay debts in the coming year. If a taxing unit adopts a tax rate higher than the Voter-Approval tax rate, a tax rate approval election must be held on the November uniform election date. The Voter-Approval tax rate for FY2025 is $0.505711 per $100. De minimis rate: The De minimis rate is the rate equal to the sum of the taxing unit’s current debt rate, the no-new-revenue maintenance and operations rate, and the rate that when applied to a taxing unit’s current total value, will impose an amount of taxes equal to $500,000. The de minimis rate is an option for small cities with a population of 30,000 or less. The De Minimis rate for FY2025 is $0.507200 per $100. The proposed budget is supported by a tax rate of $0.507200. Under the Texas Property Tax Reform and Transparency Act of 2019, a city that adopts a rate exceeding Page 120 of 123 the lower of the No-New-Revenue tax rate or the Voter-Approval tax rate must hold one public hearing. The following table is a comparison between the proposed tax rate, last year's rate, the No-New-Revenue rate, the De Minimis rate and Voter-Approval tax rate. Proposed FY2025 Tax Rate $0.507200 per $100 Preceding FY2024 Tax Rate $0.510717 per $100 No-New-Revenue Tax Rate $0.482976 per $100 Voter-Approval Tax Rate $0.505711 per $100 De Minimis Tax Rate $0.507200 per $100 The budget and tax rate are scheduled for adoption at the September 10th Council meeting. Since the proposed tax rate is higher than the No-New-Revenue rate, section 26.05 of the Texas Tax Code requires a minimum of 60% of the Council members to vote in favor of that rate. That would require at least 5 Council members to vote in favor of the proposed tax rate. FY2024 FY2025 Change Total tax rate (per $100 of value) $0.510717 $0.507200 (0.003517) Average homestead taxable value $316,786 $345,072 $28,286 Tax on average homestead $1,617.88 $1,750.21 $132.33 Total tax levy on all properties $15,862,897 $18,620,856 $2,757,959 FINANCIAL IMPACT: Process to adopt the Tax Year 2024 (FY2025) property tax rate. BACKGROUND: Texas Property Tax Code 26.04 requires that by August 7th or as soon thereafter as practicable, the designated officer shall submit the tax rates to the governing body. Texas Property Tax Code 26.05 requires that the governing body of a taxing unit may not adopt a tax rate that exceeds the lower of the voter-approval rate or the no-new- revenue rate until the governing body has held a public hearing on the proposed tax rate. STRATEGIC CONNECTIONS: This item supports the City of Anna Strategic Plan, specifically advancing the strategic outcome area: Excellent. ATTACHMENTS: Page 121 of 123 Page 122 of 123 Item No. 7.d. City Council Agenda Staff Report Meeting Date: 9/3/2024 Staff Contact: AGENDA ITEM: Discuss or deliberate personnel matters (Tex. Gov’t Code §551.074). SUMMARY: FINANCIAL IMPACT: BACKGROUND: STRATEGIC CONNECTIONS: ATTACHMENTS: Page 123 of 123