County calls for input
The Jefferson County Commission, along with the county’s Planning Commission and the Envision Jefferson 2035 committee are calling on all residents to once again join in to provide input toward the creation of the 2014 updated comprehensive plan. Such a plan, according to the county, “allows communities to assess existing conditions, establish goals and objectives related to the direction that the county will pursue in the coming years, and identify a series of recommendations to implement the vision of the Envision Jefferson 2035 plan.”
In an effort to involve as many members of the public as possible, the Envision 2035 steering committee has worked to set up workshops allowing for input. The next set of workshops will be held on Monday, Oct. 21 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at Shepherdstown Elementary School and Wednesday, Oct. 23 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at South Jefferson Elementary School.
The primary focus of the workshops will be recommending future land uses for a number of identified preferred growth areas in Jefferson County. These areas were generated based on input from the public at the two Public Participation Workshops in July, and in sections of the Goals and Objectives survey (that nearly 400 Jefferson County residents have submitted, via the workshops, Survey Monkey, or at the Jefferson County Fair) that related to future land use in Jefferson County. In addition, attendees will also be able to learn about the results of the Goals and Objectives Survey and how the results of the survey will shape the future of Jefferson County.
The same materials will be discussed at both of these workshops, located on different sides of the county geographically so that a cross section of citizens can hopefully attend one or the other.
An additional series of workshops will be held in January, 2014 to follow up on the previous workshops, and will include the presentation of a draft Future Land Use Map.
For more information about Envision Jefferson 2035, please go to the project’s website (www.envisionjefferson2035.com) or feel free to contact the project staff either by e-mail at envisionjefferson2035@jeffersoncountywv.org or by calling the Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Department office at (304) 728-3228.