Round 2 of the Boone Co. Public Comprehensive Plan & Economic Development Plan Meetings

I attended the 2nd round of the public meetings held by the Boone County APC last night. The focus of the meeting was to get public input to develop the Vision, Goals, and Objectives for a comprehensive plan while also providing information gathered during the 1st round of meetings.

The 1st meetings were designed to gain public opinion on Boone County's S.W.O.T's (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). The information obtained during the 1st round of meetings was compiled and provided to us via hand-outs. The information was interesting to say the least and here is a quick breakdown:

Weaknesses- "Lack of diverse tax base" ranked #1 with 30 votes, with a "Split County-vision, communications, municipalities, townships" obtaining the #2 spot with 24 votes. No impact fees, planning and zoning choices, maintaining agricultural character, and condition of the roads, were also identified as important concerns.

Threats- "Developers have too much control" earned the top spot here (33 votes) with "Taxes" right on it's heals(26 votes). Other leading threats identified: Growth/development impacts, loss of Agri-business, zoning, and the Ronald Reagan Parkway location.

Opportunities- "Preserve Agriculture" earned more votes than any other item on any of the lists with 48 votes. Other important opportunities were controlled growth/zoning, recreational opportunities (parks, trails, etc.), long term unified vision, and using the I65 corridor as a business opportunity.

Using the information from the 1st meetings, we were to brainstorm ideas for a 20years vision for Boone County. Most of the evening was spend in groups developing ideas for Boone County's vision which were then shared with the entire group. To end the meeting, the APC split the meeting into 5 different groups to discuss the top 5 themes uncovered during the meeting.

Personally, I believe 2 of the biggest concerns to attract quality growth within the county involve the school systems and our infrastructure. Simply put, we won't get good quality people/employers to relocate to Boone County unless they believe we have superior school systems, and without adequate waste water facilities and other utilities in place, we will be unable to support proper growth.

I was very impressed with the format and atmosphere of the meetings. There is a genuine concern for obtaining public opinion along with an open minded approach to problem solving. I feel that the Anson development is the beginning of many changes for Boone County in the next 10-20 years and it is refreshing to see the APC take a proactive hands-on approach regarding the Comprehensive Plan and Economic Development Plan. This is a pivotal point in Boone County's history and the effects on Boone County Real Estate and the overall economic well-being of the county can be improved with careful planning. Watch my blog for further updates or contact me if you would like to attend a meeting.