Year In Review
2006 was the most exciting year yet for CMDC. In the next few pages, you’ll find some of the highlights of the efforts and accomplishments of the last 12 months.

• Media and communications
• City issues
• Ordinance development
• Community issues
• Governmental relations
• Zoning battles
• Looking ahead…

Media And Communications
CMDC made a big push on community awareness and membership communication this year. The newsletter entered its second year of publication and continued to be well-received by members and other interested parties. The information each quarter helped to keep members on the same page in terms of the progress, challenges and activities of CMDC.

Ads were produced for both print and radio. These ads carried forward a positive message on behalf of developers and the development community, and presented CMDC and quality growth in a positive light. CMDC members also wrote op-eds for the Columbia Daily Tribune, garnering additional publicity for issues and efforts related to CMDC’s mission.

Development began on a Web site to publicly launch in January. The site will provide current and up-to-date information and also present a public face of CMDC to non-members.

Finally, CMDC commissioned two studies in order to collect accurate information about important topics to developers in mid-Missouri. One study analyzed the changes in fees assessed by the city over the last decade and a half. The other surveyed Columbians about their attitudes toward development and developers. Both studies produced interesting and critical data as CMDC moves forward in its mission. Much of this data has been highlighted in the newsletter, and full copies of the studies are available by request.
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City issues
As always, one of CMDC’s core goals was to monitor city issues. While some of these issues never leave the discussion table, others are critical to encouraging and allowing positive growth. In 2006, the issues CMDC observed and discussed included:

• Big box architecture
• Elimination of conventional zoning
• Commercial occupancy requirement
• Stormwater management and manual
• Transportation planning / CATSO
• Renewal of DNR – EPA permit authority
• City appointments
• County appointments
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Ordinance Development
Another critical piece of CMDC’s mission is to help examine and encourage positive regulatory changes. These can have a dramatic impact on the cost of growth and development, and on our ability to build, develop and grow appropriately. 2006 was a heavy year for the initiation and adoption of new ordinances. CMDC reviewed, spoke on and scrutinized a significant portion of these, including:

• Water and light fees and electrical extension
• Lighting ordinance
• Stream buffer
• PUD revision
• City planning and zoning process report
• Revising planning and zoning regulations
• Revising tree ordinance
• Cut and fill limitation policy
• Stormwater manual and ordinance
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Community Issues
Community issues affect the local economy and the overall ability to succeed in healthy growth and development. CMDC worked aggressively in the last year to support Columbia and mid-Missouri in the following issues:

• Boone Hospital lease
• Courthouse expansion (capital improvements, tax allocation and planning)
• Water and light bond issues
• Community visioning project
• Discovery Ridge
• MOHELA funding
• Life sciences programs planning
• Opposed sale of Mark Twain Forest
• ABC Labs Chapter 100 bonds
• Columbia Regional Airport
• Chamber of Commerce role expansion
• Hinkson Creek and Bonne Femme Watershed committees
• Educational program support
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