MORGAN -- It's been two years since the inception of Envision Morgan and three years since the Mountain Green Design Assistance Team (DAT) report, and county residents want to see their vision of the future in a more tangible form.
That's where Jim Carter, project manager with Logan Simpson Design's Salt Lake City offices, comes in. In March, the county hired the firm to handle an official update of the Morgan County General Plan, which was last overhauled in 1999.
According to the county's website, www.morgan-county.net, the updated plan will integrate planning work that has been accomplished in the last few years, including several area plans, Envision Morgan and the DAT report.
Carter said drawing from these past projects gives his firm a good foundation from which to work.
"We think past planning is basically solid," Carter said. "We don't want to redo or go backwards. Having done all that work, our sense is to build on that."
Carter said he's hearing public sentiment asking for solid suggestions and tools to implement their vision of future growth.
"They're comfortable with the vision, but want to now start talking about the tools to achieve it," Carter said. "People are saying, 'We're done visioning. When are we going to do it?' "
Carter said the recent economic downturn and corresponding slowdown in development has given residents a chance to consider these issues outside of an environment of rapid development.
Carter is working very closely with the Morgan County Planning Commission throughout the entire process, calling it the "unofficial steering committee."
Carter and his team were impressed with the turnout at two public open houses in April.
"Neighbors in Morgan respect each other and can disagree without being disagreeable. They are constructive in their criticism," Carter said. "We have a good process going."
The firm is conducting interviews with "key stakeholders and opinion leaders," but Carter says his firm welcomes continued input from all residents through mail, e-mail, or phone calls.
Carter plans a Thursday meeting with the planning commission to bring county officials up to date on the plan update's progress. By July, Carter says, a draft will be ready for the county's review. By August, the plan could be available for public review, and the county may begin holding public hearings by September.
The end result will be a general plan that will be "a much more specific road map to get where residents want to go," Carter said.
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