A.   Forward Monroe, the City of Monroe’s blueprint for development and growth, was adopted on April 10, 2018. As the City’s Land Use and Transportation Plan, it is the foundation upon which future land use and transportation decisions are made. The plan is intended to guide future City-wide plans and the land development regulations. Forward Monroe expresses the community’s vision, identifies the community’s values, and outline the plans, programs, policies, and projects that will fulfill the vision over time.

   B.   The City uses Forward Monroe as a blueprint for staff and elected officials to inform land use decisions, transportation strategies, and public investment choices. Adopting Forward Monroe on April 10, 2018 was the first step toward shaping the City’s future and updating the City’s land development regulations is the next step toward achieving that goal. The land development regulations have been updated to the Unified Development Ordinance and contain.

   A.   It is the intent of the City of Monroe that this UDO implements the policies and goals of Forward Monroe. Forward Monroe serves as the policy guide for development under this UDO. The policies and items of the Forward Monroe Plan may be amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of this UDO.

   B.   In recognition of the legal significance of the Forward Monroe Plan, and that this UDO shall be a major tool for the implementation of land use and development policies, no development order or approval for construction or entitling of property shall occur under the provisions of this UDO unless determined to be consistent with Forward Monroe.

   C.   Nothing in this UDO or Forward Monroe shall be construed or applied to result in a temporary or permanent taking of private property, or property rights, without due process of law. Vested rights shall constitute due process of law for any situation in which a private property owner may feel their property rights have been infringed upon due to the provisions of this UDO. The vested rights process is defined in Section 3 of this UDO.