The first round of public meetings will be held in four different locations throughout the county next week (see table), according to Winston Associates, the firm hired to help update the plan.
The master plan contains a vision statement, goals, policies and implementation strategies dealing with infrastructures, such as water sewer and roads. It provides guidelines and visions to managing wildlife, mining, oil and gas extraction, recreation, transportation, land use and resource conservation. The plan is used by the county commissioners and planning commission, influencing their decisions on these topics. It is a guiding document, not a regulatory document, County Commissioner Gary Ellis said.
|
Advertisement |
There will be a variety of ways the community can participate and express opinions. For example, a “king/queen for a day” game will allow participants to place development “chips” on a map to suggest locations for new developments as well as what places are “sacred” and should not be developed, said Angie Hulsebus of Winston Associates.
Winston Associates also assisted in the city’s master plan and the public meetings will be similar.
The county started with the updating process in October 2008 and hope to have it completed by November 2009. There will be a total of three series of public meetings as part of the process.
The first and last county master plan was adopted in 2001, Waschbusch said.
“It’s kind of weak on transportation and is very, very general,” he said about the plan. “It doesn’t give details for implementation or actual guidelines. It lumps the county into one guideline.”
He said the 2001 plan has created hostility in that citizens come to the county with concern when possible development arises. Though the county may agree with citizens’ concerns, the plan allows it, Waschbusch said.
The new plan is expected to address some of the more controversial issues, such as the river corridor.
“It will address broader issues prudent to the county now,” Ellis said. He said the 2001 plan was appropriate for that time, but as the county grows, the new plan will express the community’s vision of the future.
Montrose County population is forecasted to grow from about 40,000 in 2007 to 60,000 by 2020 and 80,000 by 2035, according to projections by the state demographer.
A master plan Web site has been set up at http://www.winstonassociates.com/MontroseCounty/Home.html. The site will be updated throughout the process. It currently has contact information and contains the information obtained through stakeholder interviews already conducted.
Contact Kati O’Hare via e-mail at katio@montrosepress.com
———
Meetings, 6-8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 13
Olathe American Legion
313 North 5th Street, Olathe
Wednesday, Jan. 14
Naturita Town Hall
222 East Main Street, Naturita
———
Maher/Onion Valley Club
HWY 92, Maher
Thursday, Jan. 15
Montrose Pavilion
• Be respectful of others, the writer and the subjects in the story.
• Be relevant. Keep your comments on point.
• See the guidelines for TalkAbout. Perhaps your comment is best for that community forum, available from the home page, instead of commenting on a particular story.
Comment posters are responsible for the opinions they express and the accuracy of the information they provide. We urge comment writers to treat this as a public forum where manners matter. We encourage a collegial, non-insulting tone. All readers comments must be approved by our staff before posting to the Web site. Be aware, in accordance with the Communications Decency Act and provisions upheld in judicial appeal, that you are responsible for comments posted on this Web site. Montrose Press is not liable for messages from third parties.
DO NOT POST:
* Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults or threats.
* The use of another person's real name to disguise your identity.
* Comments unrelated to the story.
Opinions, advice and all other information expressed in montrosepress.com's reader comments represent the individual's own views and not necessarily those of the Montrose Press. Montrose Press does not endorse and is not responsible for statements, advice or opinions offered by anyone other than authorized Montrose Press spokespersons.
Thank you for your comments!