[DEC. 20, 2005]
What is the best-kept secret in Logan County?
Well, that would depend on whom you ask, but if you asked one of the
members of the Logan County Regional Planning Commission, most would
probably give you the same answer. They say that they hear that no
one seems to know what the Comprehensive Plan is.
Another best-kept secret seems to be the GIS, Geographic Information
System. Those two and one more plan, the CEDS, Comprehensive
Economic Development Strategy, actually work together reaching the
same ends, directed growth, but we'll hold off talking about the
latter two for today and focus just on the Comprehensive Plan.
So, what is this plan? What is in it? Where does the information
come from, who uses it, and what is it used for?
The plan serves government and community leaders as a guide to
the future. It does this by assessing what is here and setting goals
and types of growth desired, such as commercial, residential,
industrial.
It includes facts and figures about businesses, homes, jobs,
services, recreational opportunities and transportation --
everything that is already in existence.
It provides specific statistics on economics, natural resources,
transportation systems, health care, leisure opportunities and sets
forth development policies.
In short definition, it is a collection of current information
about all aspects of living in Logan County that will serve as an
information base for businesses or citizens seeking a new location
to work or live in.
At the core of the plan is land use and policies for where homes
and businesses may be located. This helps to focus where limited
municipal and county dollars will be spent on infrastructure, such
as sewers, drainage and streets.
It also helps avoid bad neighbor combinations, such as not
putting a smelly hog confinement or noisy industrial facility with
truck traffic next to a subdivision. It even serves to separate
types of neighborhoods by setting building codes and restrictions,
such as for modular home foundation requirements.
The plan contains vital statistics gathered from government
research, such as the U.S. Census Bureau. It defines the population
type by age groups, income, education levels, types of households
and types of residences, such as number of units of single homes or
units of apartments in Logan County.
Logan County's last plan was updated in 1978. Is this too long
for an update? Well, planning commission president Bill Glaze said
that the 1978 plan recommended not to allow business development on
Woodlawn Road between Old Route 66 and Interstate 55. That is
nearest the best access to I-55. It's where we have Wal-Mart, Sysco
and the most business development going on currently.
Current recommendations are to update a plan every five to six
years. Because it is so old and obviously misdirected from today's
current direction of advancement, the Logan County Comprehensive
Plan is close to a total remake.
The Logan County Regional Planning Commission is in the middle of
creating the new plan. Glaze and Bill Martin are directing the
project. A planning team led by Paul Russell from the McLean County
Regional Planning Commission is organizing the plan. Focus groups
composed of Logan County citizens and community leaders have been
meeting to develop new areas for the plan. A first draft of the plan
is anticipated in January.
See what has been happening by reading meeting notes, survey
results and other information on the Logan County Regional Planning
Commission site. You can make a difference in our future by
participating in the open forum you will find there.
