Published: May 23, 2008 11:11 pm      

Mineral comprehensive plan reviewing to begin

First two sections will be ready for county commission’s June meeting

The first two sections of the Mineral County Comprehensive Plan will be ready for review by the county planning commissioners at their June meeting, according to the consultant working on the project.

Michael Dougherty of the West Virginia University Extension Service reported on progress on the plan development during the monthly planning meeting Wednesday evening.

He provided a recap of the public input sessions held in Keyser, Elk Garden, Wiley Ford, Burlington and Fort Ashby.

A total of 162 people attended the meetings that were in addition to meetings held with representatives of agencies and organizations that provide a wide range of services in the county.

Analysis of the comments collected during the public sessions divided commentary into three distinct categories, community assets, challenges to overcome and future vision.

The goal for the plan is to provide a guideline for future development in the county as envisioned by the members of the community and its leaders.

“It is your vision,” Dougherty said. “I am the process expert.”

Themes arose within each category that will identify strengths that can be tapped to allow the plan to address issues such as infrastructure deficiencies and change, both known and unknown.

The future vision comments discuss the concept of livable communities, planned growth, adequate and sustainable emergency services, proactive leadership and effective economic development that leverage the community assets.

He provided the commission members with an outline of the plan. The first two sections, the introduction and the current situation, should not be difficult to complete, he said. They include the legal authority, the coverage area and the background of the plan as well as general and historical information about the county, various statistics and the public input.

“It’s when we get to the subsequent sections that there will be more work involved,” he said.

Sections three through seven include land use, community design, infrastructure, public services, development activities and a closing section that summarizes the plan, its significance and the vision.

Financing the goals will be addressed within each section.

“You don’t want to do that separately, but it needs to be listed and talked about with each section,” he said. “For instance, when you are looking at infrastructure you want to look at bonds and recreation, talk about user fees.”

Dougherty and the commissioners reviewed the timetable leading up to a first draft of the plan by September.

Public hearings will be held beginning in October, with a target date for adoption of the plan by the end of December.

Dougherty emphasized that under state law, updated plans will be more detailed, with goals and action steps to achieve those goals.

“It will not be ambiguous,” he said.

County Commissioner Wayne Spiggle and member of the planning commission said that the county and the region are looking at more planning around watersheds.

He said that he did not see that in the plan outline and asked if it could be included.

Dougherty said that watersheds do not conform to legal boundaries and that he has not had a lot of experience in looking at things in that way.

Spiggle pointed out that both Allegany and Garrett counties are focusing on watersheds in their plans.

Kolin Jan of the planning commission pointed out that Maryland is requiring water resources be a part of planning in that state.

Contact Mona Ridder at monaridder@verizon.net.