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The question is not whether growth should happen, but how citizens can be involved and have an active part in the local decisions. We have a powerful plan in place created by a myriad of citizen volunteers from every walk of life and finalized in May of 2001. This plan is called the Comprehensive Master Plan 2020. The Douglas County Planning Commission was charged with the duty of guiding and directing this process to include citizens from every municipality and our rural communities. Their two-year commitment to this process expresses and fortifies the wishes of our citizens and not only should be followed but must be followed. The Land Use Map in 1986 served as a keystone to land use decisions in the non-urban areas. Next came the 1992 Comprehensive Master Plan creating policies for urban development in designated areas. These important documents are the key to citizens managing growth and charting our own destiny. All citizens involved should personally be applauded for their efforts in the years of service to the creation of these plans. The explain is extensive and detailed but leaves flexibility to meet the unexpected that is impossible to predict in our future. It is imperative the county continues to work with local municipalities to unify their efforts in regional issues such as the environment, development patterns, smart transportation needs, sufficient water, land and energy use in preserving our way of life. In simple terms, the plan provides the guidelines such as goals, objectives and policies for smart growth. What is “smart growth” for one person may not be “smart growth” for another. This is where the leadership skills of a county commissioner are important. In the land use process, there are two key components: the ability for citizens to speak to all issues in our government (including water, roads, etc.), and following the letter of the law. Our rapid growth in the last 20 years has changed our community. But life is about change every day. Citizens cherish living in our amazing county, but also want to work and support their families here. I hear from many people their desire not to drive to Denver for shopping or work, thus allowing more free time with their families. My memories of boarded up shops in the 60's and the inability to buy a loaf of bread or milk on Sundays and just a few restaurants available for dinner out is not what I want to go back to. We drove to Denver for clothes, appliances, cars and just about everything but the necessities. All efforts in the last 40 years have been to prevent this scenario from happening again and to create high-quality free standing communities. We must support a healthy economic base, remembering the needs of seniors, people with disabilities, our school system, and those who want to live AND work in their community. Developers must bring their plans before the Planning Commission and ultimately the Commissioners to provide the public with multiple opportunities for review and input. The county's charge is then to receive and work through every development plan to assure our guidelines for transportation, open space, water, non urban and urban land use, environmental quality, preservation of wild life and our rural heritage are protected. I don't shirk from these challenges, but rather relish them. Here in our county, with strong leadership, we have the opportunity to create our future, paying attention to the details that will bring community vision into reality. |
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