Tuesday, 11 November 2008 23:56

Jackson Reaches Major Milestone

slide3.pngThe City of Jackson has reached a milestone in the update of its General Plan. After a decade of environmental impact reports, public input, planning commission review, a major multi-agency cooperative effort, and some legal roadblocks, the city’s Circulation Element and Land Use Element were finally adopted. At the city council’s meeting Monday night, council members heard from city staff on the few remaining issues left over from the council’s October 27th meeting, where a public hearing was conducted and several issues still needed clarification. Monday, the city’s planner, Susan Peters, clarified those issues to the satisfaction of the council, including some confusion over map overlays on private property. Peters reported that she worked closely with one concerned property owner to clarify and resolve that matter. Together, both documents will help to direct the continued growth of Jackson and both are considered “working documents” that can be updated as needed. The Circulation Element, which was last updated in 1999, is responsible for developing “a comprehensive circulation plan for all travel modes within the Jackson area, and to provide a strategy for financing preferred transportation improvements.” The Draft Land Use Element, which was last updated in 1981, serves to “establish a framework to direct the physical development of the City and to form the organization of the City’s environment.” Once the lengthy resolution had been adopted 4 to 0 Monday, with newly appointed member Pat Crew abstaining due to lack of experience on the issue, Mayor Pryor Escamilla appropriately declared, “Hallelujah!” Story by Jen Wilson (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).