The document proposes improvements to the Site Plan and Appearance Review Advisory Committee (SPAARC) process to make development application reviews more efficient and effective. Key changes include holding preliminary reviews privately between the applicant and SPAARC before a public discussion, distributing plans to departments one week in advance, and making final approvals for most applications through interdepartmental working sessions rather than public meetings. The goals are to reduce applicant meetings, enhance discussions between the applicant and city, improve review quality, and make SPAARC more effective at building interagency consensus.

1. Process Improvement
Proposal for Site Plan and
Appearance Review
(SPAARC)
City Council Adopted Goal:
To Improve Development Services and Design
Review
Objective:
To Make SPAARC More Efficient and Effective
as a Problem Solving, Interagency Consensus
Group Addressing Development Application
Review

2. Purpose of SPAARC
Historically (since 1989) :
 To insure interdepartmental
cooperation among projects and to
enhance customer service and
information sharing with the
applicant about a proposed project.

3. Significant Process Improvements
in Planning and Zoning
 Rule revision imposing a 120 day limitation
on Plan Commission review of a proposed
project.
 Plan Commission Rules Revision that limits
the time duration of applicant presentation
and enhances staff presentations and
recommendations.
 Issuance of weekly zoning report listing all
zoning applications received in a given week
with current status.

4.  Test demonstration has occurred of
three large development projects using
elements of the proposed process
improvement method for SPAARC:
Focus/Sienna, Central Street Station
Apartments and AMLI.

5. Proposed SPAARC Changes –
Preliminary Review
 Preliminary Site Plan Review will be a private working
session between the applicant for the proposed
project and SPAARC to be followed by a discussion
among departments without the applicant present to
coordinate preliminary City response to the proposed
project.
 All SPAARC members and the Ward Alderman will
receive site plans, elevations and a zoning analysis
one week before the preliminary site plan meeting.
 A report will be prepared and shared with the City
Council and posted on the City Web Site that will
include notes and outcomes from the preliminary site
plan review

6. Proposed SPAARC Review – Final
Approval and Recommendations
 Recommendations for the following
applications will occur in a formal meeting
open to the public similar to the current
process: Planned development, special uses
and major variations.
 All other final approvals would occur in an
interdepartmental working session not open
to the public but reported to the City Council
and on the City’s web site with appropriate
content and notes.

7. The process improvement proposal
for SPAARC will:
 Reduce the number of meetings for applicants;
 Enhance the depth of discussions between the
applicant and the City;
 Enable all relevant departments to receive plans one
week before the meeting thereby improving the quality
of review and reduce the number of meetings needed
by the applicant with individual departments.
 Make SPAARC a More Effective Problem Solving
Interagency Consensus Group.
 Produce more effective and timely communication
with Aldermen.

8. Questions???