County seeks public help for land use plan

The county commissioners are putting together a steering committee to guide the creation of its updated comprehensive land use plan.

The committee will be comprised of up to ten residents of Crook County, who will meet monthly with contractors as development of the new plan continues.

Members of the committee will be appointed through a combination of requests for applications and personal invitation.

The aim will be to ensure that the committee represents as wide a variety of people as possible, particularly in terms of geography. The commission hopes to include members from all areas of the county.

The committee will be, said Megan Nelms of Y2 Consultants, the, “Face of the plan as we go into this process.”

A refresh of the existing land use plan is a potential first step towards zoning, which the commissioners have been considering as a way to provide more control over growth.

However, due to a mixed response at the public listening sessions held in each municipality a year ago, the commission has not yet made a decision regarding zoning and does not intend to revisit the question until the plan has been created.

However, the board has opted to update the county’s land plan, because this has not been done since 2014 and therefore must be completed either way.

The county’s land use plan is a guidance document that lists goals for natural resource use and covers everything from air quality and grazing to recreational use and water resources.

Though the plan is not enforceable without a zoning ordinance, it is often used in negotiations with state and federal agencies as a written guide to Crook County’s unique situation and needs.

For example, last year, the commission requested that updates to the Bureau of Land Management’s sage-grouse plan and updated land use plan for this area and the U.S. Forest Service’s old growth forest plan be developed in line with the county’s land use plan.

The commission is looking for people who have an interest in this process. They also hope to include people on both sides of the question of whether the county should introduce zoning.

On the recommendation of Planning Director Tim Lyons and County Attorney Joe Baron, the positions will be advertised to the community and communicated to everyone who signed up for updates during last year’s public meetings about zoning.

Lyons noted that the commission should also be looking at potential stakeholders, such as business owners throughout the county. Interested stakeholders will also be asked to participate in one-on-one meetings, with the aim of finding out what roadblocks and issues they currently face.

If you are interested in participating as a committee member or stakeholder, you are invited to contact the County Clerk’s Office.