[MAY 9, 2006]
Four new members of the newly seated Logan County
Regional Planning Commission took part in the May meeting. Jean Ann
Hutchinson of Lincoln, Jim Lindgren and Dean Sasse, both of Atlanta,
and Steve Anderson of Elkhart joined seasoned members in the second
session of the newly reorganized group. The reorganization was done
to afford more representation and thereby broader perspective from
the communities involved. It also reduces redundant influence of
county board members on it.
The commission made several major changes under its chairman, Bill
Glaze (Mount Pulaski mayor). It has refocused its efforts to direct
the quality and quantity of growth in the county. The major
component in doing this was to redevelop the long-outdated
comprehensive plan.
The status of the comprehensive plan and the county GIS were the
major subjects of the evening. Both projects represent the top
manner is which communities attract economic growth in this day and
age.
Glaze and the vice chairman, Bill Martin (Atlanta mayor),
actively pursued support and then directed the revision of the
comprehensive plan. McLean County Regional Planning Commission has
led the structural work. Local people sat on committees evaluating
and overseeing significant special interest portions. A greenways
plan has also been added.
A preliminary plan was completed last month. Martin said that
they have since found some more recent statistical data to work into
it, and when that is done the draft will be evaluated with an
emphasis on land use and taken to communities for their input. After
that the final draft will be created and then put to the public for
approval.
Martin complimented the intense effort that the special interest
committees put forth.
County engineer Bret Aukamp provided an update on the GIS. The
project is now in the hands of engineers from Bruce Harris &
Associates. They are adding parcel lines to the new county map. They
will begin with farmland parcels, starting with Prairie Creek, in
order for the county to meet the new Bulletin 810 farmland
assessment deadline of Dec. 31. Then they will parcel map the
remainder of the county properties. This process will take 12-18
months.
In the meantime, Aukamp said they would be looking for how
offices can best communicate with one another the information that
goes into the GIS system.
A $100,000 Illinois Department of Transportation grant got the
project off the ground a couple of years ago, and a slow-growing
fund from county recording fees was set up to help with the expense.
Opportunities to continue its financing are still being developed.
The total cost for the parcel mapping contract is $336,000. This
will be paid in installments over five years.
County coordinator Dewey Colter presented a number of options
that the system presents, some of which might help pay for its
development and might have grant funding. Communities and a wide
diversity of agencies, such as the health department and emergency
management, could benefit by layering their information into the
county GIS.
Another aspect to consider at this time is who will maintain the
system. A person could be hired to do that job, but there are other
choices too, Aukamp said.
