|
The governing body responsible for overseeing growth in the county
is the Logan County Regional Planning Commission. The commission set
forth almost two years ago to revise the county's 30-year-old,
outdated, useless text and make it useful again. Unlike the previous
plan and commission, this group is set to make it a powerful tool
for the active communities, lead them in its use, get them to bring
their community plans up to date and even hope to bring in some of
the communities that have not been participating in order to help
them.
Wednesday night, commission members heard the recommended
revisions that came from public hearings in the current active
communities of Atlanta, Elkhart, Mount Pulaski and Lincoln. Then the
commission president, Bill Glaze, took additional public comments.
Most of the changes were minor corrections to zoning, street
identifications, mislabeled properties and the like.
The city of Lincoln is advised to plan zoning for 1 1/2 miles
beyond the city limits. Along with that goes a look at development
at the interchanges. The western entrance is the seat of current
development. The interchange to the south is considered not likely
for development due to natural disruptions, such as Madigan State
Park.
However, Exit 133 to the north holds high potential, with
interests in commercial development already being expressed.
Also aiding development to the northeast, identified under the
transportation plan, an airport study recommends extending runways
and adding jet fuel.
A concern for private property owner rights led to new wording
that will be included in the plan. It reads as such:
Real estate/real
property "bundle of rights":
Rights include:
Right of
possession;
Right to control
the property within the frame of the law;
Right of enjoyment
(to use the property in a legal manner);
Right of exclusion
(to keep others from trespassing, entering, using);
Right of
disposition (to sell, will, transfer or encumber)
[to top of second column]
 |
 Nothing contained
in the Logan County Comprehensive Plan will in any way interfere,
alter, distract, infringe, restrict, limit, impede, remove or
encumber any landowner's bundle of rights. The landowner may have
private enjoyment of the rights that are guaranteed by law in the
United States Constitution.
County representatives and community mayors said that they would
be putting this language past their lawyers for approval first.
During public comments Dr. Ron Pierce questioned identifying
property due east and northeast from Eaton as light industrial. The
property is currently zoned for agriculture. It was once being
considered for an ethanol plant, but feasibility studies were
stopped when it was discovered that it was heavily undermined.
Pierce questioned if this property should be labeled for industrial
development when it might be not be suitable. It might be
time-consuming for businesses seriously considering locating here
when they could be looking at more suitable properties.
A McLean County expert in land use, Jennifer Sicks, said that it
was targeted for its transportation accessibility to highways and
railroads.
Logan County Planning and Zoning director Phil Mahler said he
thought that it would still be a viable property for light industry.
He said that most of Lincoln and the trek south to Mount Pulaski is
also mine subsidy and has a lot of industry on it.
The property borders Lincoln city limits and as such is part of
the 1 1/2-mile outlook for the city. It would likely be annexed into
the city if developed. Mayor Beth Davis agreed to take it under
advisement and discuss it with the city engineer.
Pending the revisions discussed, the commission voted unanimously
to approve the preliminary draft of the Logan County Comprehensive
Plan and recommend its acceptance to the Logan County Board.
The plan will be presented to the Logan County Board on Sept. 14
and go up for a vote on Sept. 19. Both meetings will be at 7 p.m. at
the Logan County Courthouse.
[Jan
Youngquist] |
