Resources, energy top priorities in Linn land planning process

Resource protection and renewable , alternative energy should be priorities as Linn County revises its land-use plan for the first time in a decade.

That's according to the 730 residents participating in a survey by county Planning and Development staff.  The results will guide county staff and volunteers as they enter the next stage of the process, said Les Beck, planning and development director.

"The surprise to us at this point has been the emphasis people are giving to renewable energy, out pacing even economic development," said Beck.

Beck's staff interviewed residents at farmer's markets, the county fair, a Farm Bureau board meeting, and other public gatherings.  The priorities:

• Resource protection 23%
• Alternative/renewable energy 21%
• Economic development/employment 15%
• Transportation 13%
• Sustainable development 11%
• Livable communities 11%
• Hazard mitigation 6%

Beck's department will host a series of meetings starting next week to start developing a land-use plan that will reflect those priorities. Zoning and development officials consult the plan - the current version was written in 2000 - when considering zoning issues and requests for conditional-use permits.

"Ten years is about as long as you want to go with a land-use plan without giving it a pretty good review," said Beck. "With the smart-use principles, it was just the right time to do this."

Developed by the Rebuild Iowa Office created in the wake of the state's June 2008 floods, "Smart Planning" principles were adopted by the state Legislature in 2010. The principles call upon local governments to encourage "collaboration, renewable energy, revitalization, community character, sustainable design, protection of natural resources, and transportation diversity" when making land-use decisions.

Next week's "visioning sessions" will include discussions on how to adopt the priorities identified by the survey, and Beck will seek volunteers for working groups that will write the new plan. Each working group will focus on one of the identified priorities.

"It's all going to be very citizen-driven," said Beck.

The two-hour sessions will be held Monday at 3 and 6 p.m. at Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center near Toddville. The third session is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at Prairie Oak Lodge at Squaw Creek Park in Marion.

For more information call Linn County Planning & Development at 892-5130 or email Beck, les.beck@linncounty.org.