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Planning
Responsibilities
The Planning Department promotes the orderly and balanced use of land while improving the quality of life for current and future generations. Staff within the department provide assistance to applicants and reviews requests including street and alley vacations, rezoning requests, special use permits, land sales, buffer appeals, and subdivisions of land. The department is also charged with developing and maintaining the City’s Comprehensive Plan; a document which dictates public policy in terms of transportation, utilities, land use, recreation, and housing. Zoning and land use regulations are the City’s primary tool for implementing and enforcing its plans and is found in the Superior Code of Ordinances, Chapter 122-Zoning.
The Planning Department provides staff support for the Plan Commission, Redevelopment Authority of the City of Superior (RACS), Zoning Board of Appeals, Community Development Block Grant Advisory Board and the Historic Preservation Committee. In addition, staff reviews site plans to determine compliance with zoning and development code requirements. The department provides information to private developers and members of the development community conducting market analyses for clients as well as advice on site design and layout.
Economic Development is one of the primary focus areas of the Planning Department and the City of Superior. Goals within the Economic Development focus include: growing local businesses, facilitating expansion, and recruiting outside businesses to locate in the City of Superior in order to increase the quality of living, add well-paying jobs, and grow tax base. The Small Business Grant Program makes $200,000 available annually for supporting small businesses.
The Redevelopment Authority of the City of Superior, guided by City Administration and staff, works to carry out redevelopment within in the community as well as urban renewal projects.
One tool that is used as an incentive to spur new development in an area is Tax Incremental Financing (TIF). TIF options are available in most of the Tax Incremental Districts (TID) located throughout the City. In some cases a new TID can be created to help facilitate development projects. TIF is a method of splitting the cost of public works within a designated space with the other taxing bodies that will benefit from an increase in the tax base. Any increase in value in the TID above the initial base value is not included in determining the tax rate. However, the tax rate is applied to all taxable property in the TID. The additional revenue generated (tax increment) is used by the municipality to help pay for the public works that stimulated the increase in the value in the TID. This process continues until the public works are paid for, the legislative body terminates the TID, or the prescribed number of years has passed.
Please review the linked documents below carefully, and call or visit the department to inquire about the requirements and feasibility of your request.
Economic Development
Economic Development is one of the primary focus areas of the Planning Department and the City of Superior. Goals within the Economic Development focus include: growing local businesses, facilitating expansion, and recruiting outside businesses to locate in the City of Superior in order to increase the quality of living, add well-paying jobs, and grow tax base. The Small Business Grant Program makes $200,000 available annually for supporting small businesses.
The Redevelopment Authority of the City of Superior, guided by City Administration and staff, works to carry out redevelopment within in the community as well as urban renewal projects.
One tool that is used as an incentive to spur new development in an area is Tax Incremental Financing (TIF). TIF options are available in most of the Tax Incremental Districts (TID) located throughout the City. In some cases a new TID can be created to help facilitate development projects. TIF is a method of splitting the cost of public works within a designated space with the other taxing bodies that will benefit from an increase in the tax base. Any increase in value in the TID above the initial base value is not included in determining the tax rate. However, the tax rate is applied to all taxable property in the TID. The additional revenue generated (tax increment) is used by the municipality to help pay for the public works that stimulated the increase in the value in the TID. This process continues until the public works are paid for, the legislative body terminates the TID, or the prescribed number of years has passed.
Applications and Procedures Documents
Please review the linked documents below carefully, and call or visit the department to inquire about the requirements and feasibility of your request.
ApplicationsBuffer Appeals |
Procedures Buffer Appeals |