Corpus Christi finally has a new comprehensive plan in place after two years of sending the document back and forth between the council, planning commission, subcommittee workshops and public hearings. The new plan was finally approved on second reading  at the Sept. 27 council meeting. 
Now known as Plan CC rather than Plan CC 2035, the city’s guide on how to grow both economically and physically was stripped of anything that sounded like a mandate or specific detail. It replaces a general plan adopted by the city in 1987. 
“We believe this broadly guides decision making as we try to become the city we envision,” said Annika Yankee, senior planner from the development services department. Yankee presented the remade comprehensive plan to the city council Sept. 14. 
One opponent to the gutted plan called it a “nothing burger” during the public hearing portion of the meeting.
“Hundreds of people participated in putting this plan together,”
said John Kelley, representing Neighborhoods First and Bay Area Smart Growth. “Public and professional input was ignored.” 
The major changes came in terminology that opponents to the original document said could be interpreted as setting unfunded mandates. 
“Some saw an opportunity for government overreach,” chairman Philip Ramirez said when the plan was presented to the city council a week earlier. “We didn’t want to allow this document to become something someone could use against the city.” 
He called it a “living, breathing document” that was not a rule of law but a guideline that could be easily amended. 
“If someone comes in and says this is not working, that it is hurting him or his business, then there is now a straightforward process for amending it,” Ramirez said. “That is our intent. It allows for a fast change to solve unintended consequences.” 
Ramirez addressed another common complaint about the old plan during his comments before the city council: It does not favor one way of developing or growing the city over another. Some said the original document, which was developed by a Boston company for $1 million, favored urban over suburban development. 
“Everybody’s American Dream of their life is something different,” Ramirez said. “Some want the suburbs; some want a condo in downtown. We wanted a document that would allow people to realize those dreams and would allow the city to grow in a way to be all those things to all those people.” 
Mayor Nelda Martinez praised staff and the planning commission for their hard work incorporating public and council comments into a revised plan. 
“I believe this truly tells us what we want to be when we grow up,” Martinez said. “You are great sailors who have taken us through some challenging times.” 
Council member Chad Magill, who at one time submitted his own comprehensive plan called Plan CC 2036, also lauded the final result.
“This not only speaks to what we want to be when we grow up, but how we grow up,” he said. “Last year, I asked how do we amend this? That’s one of the most important aspects of this new document. Thank you for putting that in there.” 
The plan was approved on first reading in a 5-2 vote with Brian Rosas and Lucy Rubio casting the dissenting votes. It was approved unanimously on second reading Sept. 27. The document will be used to guide city staff as they put put together localized area development plans and master utility plans.