Story - The Meade County Messenger


Vol. 114, No. 47	November 21, 2007

Looking forward . . .
City’s comprehensive plan charts what future could hold

By LARRY SEE JR.
Messenger Staff

A future road map was unveiled during the Nov. 12 meeting of the Brandenburg City Council.

“The comprehensive plan is subject to periodic review and necessary revisions,” planning commission chairman Phillip Henning said.

Henning admitted the plan’s last update was in 1970, adding commissioners had other issues to deal with before tackling revisions.

Henning said the commission spent considerable time on the plan’s goals and objectives, adding the plan is a vision for the city’s future.

“Brandenburg has a lot of commercial land available,” Henning said, adding council members are working hard at encouraging businesses to relocate.

The plan has been revised over the years, Henning said, in response to a question from council member Bruce Fackler. But, he added, this was the first large scale revision.

“This is sort of what the county is going through now, only with an outside firm,” Henning said.

County officials have enlisted the aid of HNTB, a Louisville-based firm, to develop their master plan. The document, has undergone two public comment sessions, is expected to be presented to the county Fiscal Court early next year.

“The city adopted this original plan and has done some revisions, although this most recent is a little overdue,” Henning said. “The city council needs to approve this plan by resolution.”

Following that, the planning commission will start incorporating plan elements into the city’s zoning ordinance.

“Lincoln Trail has helped us quite a bit,” Henning said. “The comprehensive plan is broad and generic and the zoning ordinance is the one that makes it work.”

Henning lamented the fact no citizens attended public hearings regarding the plan.

“Citizen participation isn’t great in Brandenburg unless you have a good issue,” he said. “We are always there and a politician once told me if no one came that meant you were doing a good job.”

Henning encouraged citizen participation and wished more would have occurred.

Fackler thanked Henning and the commission for the work they have done.

“You have done a great job helping to advise the city,” he said. His comments were echoed by other members.

PLAN GOALS:

The goals encompass a broad spectrum of ambitions, which the people have set for themselves and future generations.

An objective, according to the document, is similar to a goal, except its purpose is to define the areas needing attention in order to achieve the goals. They are specific recommendations, which, if implemented, will lead to the attainment of the goals.

The plan lists seven goals and objectives.

The goals include:

• Establishing adequate sewer and water to meet current and future needs.

• Strive to create orderly growth along the Bypass capable of attracting a sufficient number of shoppers to insure viable business districts.

• Insure recreational facilities necessary to meet residential needs.

• Enlarge the present land area of the city as future growth demands.

• Maintain adequate public facilities and services for the residents.

• Strive to maintain natural amenties, which presently exist.

• Create an environment conducive to the health, safety and welfare of present and future generations.

The seven objectives include:

• The existing sewer system should be extended to include all areas in order to allow for maximum growth.

• The orderly growth of the business areas is broken down into three segments. The first is insuring the provision of adequate parking near existing businesses; the second is increasing the availability of parking along Main Street; and the third is insuring screening is provided between business and residential areas.

• The expansion of the present recreational facilities as growth occurs.

• Increase the number of employers in the city and development of industrial growth.

• Support and encourage projects that upgrade the regional transportation system and which are beneficial to the community and residents.

• Continue the downtown distric and encourage development there.

• Promote tourism through new or established organizations and agencies.

The plan is composed of several elements designed to aid community leaders as they shape growth policy over the next several years.

Specific chapters dealt with population and economic study, an existing land use analysis and future land use plan, a transportation plan and a community facilities plan.

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