A revised Mower County comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance has

passed inspection.

Only minor language changes were made in the latest review of the document expected to

offer both a solution and the means to achieve it.

In other words, a document that is 'all things to all people.'

The comp plan task force held a workshop to review proposed changes .

Diana Billings, a consultant with the firm of Dahlgren, Shardlow & Uban, recapped the year-long effort to update the county's comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance.

The firm was retained by the Mower County Board of Commissioners to assist a task force of citizens and officials.

Billings recommended combining business and industrial zoning districts into one-each. Another issue of concern was the freeway interchange areas where development occurs.

In addition, the task force members wrestled with

the issue of residential lot sizes.

Billings also reviewed the area of adult use, which task force members had requested the consultant study.

Essentially, Billings was instructed to provide with mapping where the adult uses will be allowed.

In March, anticipated final zoning languages changes were made. This involved a new definition for "dwelling and clarification how height is measured.

There were other changes

involving the R-1 district and residential development standards as sell as

other changes to variances and conditional use permit requirements and mining restrictions.

The next steps to be taken are

public hearings, possibly in June or July, according to Daryl W. Franklin, county planner and zoning administrator.

Then, the county planning commission would have to make a recommendation to the county board for final action.

The revisions of the nine year old documents are being scrutinized by a wide-ranging task force including private citizens, plus members of the county board, county planning commission, board of adjustment, extension committee and townships.

The purpose of the lengthy review is to identify problems, opportunities, issues, and needs and to organize public policy to deal with them, according to county planner Franklin.

The comprehensive plan is generally regarded as an instrument to guide growth in urban areas, but also to provide "rational decision making" in the face of limited resources and the near absence of growth." in rural areas.

Since 1960, the population of the county and most of its communities have declined.

The small cities have maintained relatively stable population in spit of the loss of railroads and the exodus of farm families beginning in the mid-1982.

Meanwhile, rural townships show relatively little

increase in the number of households with the exception of Austin and Lansing townships and the sharp decline in the number of persons per household in all other township as young family members leave.

Also, county officials and staff increasingly deal with more "not in my backyard" objections to development in rural areas.

As consultant Billings wrote in the county's comp plan,

"Circumstances change and the plan must both lead and keep pace with change."