Community meetings have happened before. However, this was the first public hearing under state code for how the Commission and Board make official decisions.
One of the main sticking points for the handful of residents who spoke is with the language and substance of the plan.
“There’s a lot of fluff in that 500 and some page document, which I feel like it’s a sales pitch, really.”
That’s Mike Uzel. He’s the president of a County watch group called Chesterfield Citizens United. He says it’s inappropriate to use the Plan as a sales document.
However, Planning Manager Steve Haasch said businesses from across the country look at Comp Plans.
“And you come across our Comp Plan. We’re going to have some information for you in there, telling you why should, as a business, choose our county. It’s a little bit of a marketing piece in there.”
Versions of the draft have been in the public domain since 2017. Haasch says since that time, he estimates his department has received more 150 comments--all of which are logged. He says this week’s hearing, won’t be the last.
“For where we are today, this is our first public hearing once the commission of course makes a recommendation; we’ll go to the Board of Supervisors for another public hearing, at least one, depending on how many the Board would like to have.”
The next public hearing is scheduled for March 19th.
