Plan forecasts county's future   

[JUNE 14, 2006]  Members of the Logan County Regional Planning Commission, the body responsible for the creation of a new comprehensive plan, were the first to view the preliminary draft released on June 7.

The plan will serve as the primary tool to guide economic development and growth for Logan County. It addresses the county as a whole and communities individually. Its purpose is to provide and protect a way of life as expressed by the current population.

The new comprehensive plan has been in stages of development for over a year. It began with a public survey. The results of that survey were used to direct the composition of the plan.

It was determined that the most expeditious manner to complete the plan would be to hire another entity familiar with the process of compiling the data and government standards. The McLean County Regional Planning Commission team, led by Paul Russell, was hired.

A core comprehensive plan committee met monthly to keep the project on track. Focus groups were formed out of the interests expressed from the survey. These groups began meeting late last year and met into the spring of this year. They worked hard and contributed significantly to content in the plan, co-chairman Bill Martin said.

The mayors of the key communities involved -- Beth Davis, Lincoln; Bill Martin, Atlanta; Bill Glaze, Mount Pulaski; and Steve Anderson, Elkhart -- sit on the commission. Each agreed to get the draft to their councils or boards for review.

The draft will also go to each community's planning commission and be scheduled for public hearings in July. The public is invited to attend any community's public hearing or come to the regular Logan County Regional Planning Commission meeting at 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month at the Logan County Courthouse. "We'll be discussing it at every meeting," chairman Bill Glaze said.

The plan had three phases: set goals and objectives, create document, and contribute to the ongoing planning process. In the future it will aid significantly in the continued redevelopment of zoning and land use in the county as a whole and in each community.

After thanking everyone who worked hard on the plan, Glaze said he hoped it will be ready for final approval in August.

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