Comprehensive Plan - Carbondale, IL

Adopted June 22, 2010Agenda, includes the following elements andimplementation considerations:• Action Type. This relates back to the six typesof implementation methods highlighted earlierin this chapter (policy focused, regulatoryfocused, capital focused, program/initiativefocused, partnership focused, planning/studyfocused).• Implementation and Coordination Roles.In addition to identifying which Citydepartment(s) or function(s) would likely leada task, this portion of Table 6.1 also highlightsa variety of local and regional agencies thatmight have a role to play in certain initiatives,perhaps through potential cost-sharing,technical assistance, direct cooperation, orsimply by providing input and feedback ona matter in which they have some mutualinterest. In particular, whenever potentialregulatory actions or revised developmentstandards are to be considered, participationof the development community is essential toensure adequate consensus building.• Funding Sources. This final set of columnsin Table 6.1 indicates typical ways to financeplan implementation efforts. An obvioussource is through the City’s own annualoperating budget, as well as multi-year capitalbudgeting which is not strictly for physicalconstruction projects but also for fundingsignificant studies and plans intended to laythe groundwork for long-term capital projects.An Other Governments column is includedalong with a Grants column because grantsare often applied for and awarded through acompetitive process. Also, the County or othergovernment agencies might choose to commitfunds directly to an initiative along with theCity. On the other hand, grants can also comefrom foundations and other non-governmentsources. Finally, the Private/Other columnunderscores the potential for public/privateinitiatives, corporate outreach, universityparticipation, faith-based efforts, and othercommunity volunteer contributions. Theearly implementation of certain action items,while perhaps not the highest priority, may beexpedited by the availability of related grantopportunities, by a State or Federal mandate,or the willingness of one or more partners toSETTING A DIRECTION FOR ACTIONA mock task prioritization exercise wascompleted with members of the City Council,Planning Commission, and Plan ReviewCommittee prior to final considerationof the proposed Comprehensive Plan.Through this informal exercise, participantsended up rating a set of initiatives thatoriginate from various sections of the Planinvolving neighborhoods and Downtown,infrastructure, economic development,and housing conditions – all of which willrequire particular types of tasks to achieve, asdiscussed in this chapter.This type of ranking exercise, andthe ensuing workshop discussion ofimplementation opportunities andchallenges, demonstrates the value ofconsidering Plan implementation prioritiesamong the City’s leadership. It is essentialthat implementation priorities be revisitedannually to recognize accomplishments,highlight areas where further attention andeffort is needed, and determine whethersome items have moved up or down on thepriority list given changing circumstancesand emerging needs. One should keepin mind that the early implementation ofcertain items, while perhaps not the highestpriority, may be expedited by the availabilityof related grant opportunities by a State orfederal mandate or the willingness of one ormore partners to pursue an initiative with theCity. On the other hand, some high-priorityitems may prove difficult to tackle in the nearterm due to budget constraints, the lack ofan obvious lead entity or individual to carrythe initiative forward, or by the community’sreadiness to take on a potentiallycontroversial new program.Comprehensive Plan6.7Implementation