And before someone mentions they all couldn't fit in one car - they could use several and take notes.

Land Use explored
Thursday, August 19, 2010

I am writing on behalf of the City of Aberdeen Planning Commission to clarify who we are and what we are about.

The City of Aberdeen Planning Commission is comprised of a group of seven citizen volunteers who are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council. Members are Brian Little, chair; Mike Schmidt, vice chair; Bill Privatsky, John Martinsen, Bev Lufkin, Krister Lile and Ben Bouch.

I am the community development director and am designated as secretary and advisor to the commission and act as a bridge between the seven members of the commission, the mayor, city council, city departments and the public.

One of the commission's primary functions is as a land use research and fact finding agency for the municipality and it is in this capacity that the commission held a well publicized public meeting on a bus tour of the city early Saturday morning, Aug. 14.

A mix of about 20 citizens, politicians and municipal employees took the tour which went up Broadway, though Herbig Heights and Aberdeen Highlands to the hospital, down to Myrtle Street and on to Port Industrial Road, back to the downtown via Heron Street to the foot of Broadway, over to the foot of F Street and then to the Rotary Log Pavilion, from the pavilion into the residential area behind Techline and Bill's Design, then over the bridge to Market Street and back to city hall. The printed agenda and a map of the route are a matter of public record and are available upon request.

Contact me at 537-3238 for further information.

It was our hope that many more citizens would have taken us up on our tour offer and join us in the ongoing conversations surrounding what our city currently looks and feels like and to help us plan for what it might look and feel like -- someday. The tour was the second step in a multi-step plan aimed at updating elements of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan with the overarching goal of not just updating the current plan but recognizing and building upon previous and current public and private sector planning efforts.

The commission's first step was the presentation of "A Short Course in Land Use Planning" held at the Rotary Log Pavilion a couple of months back. That program, which was advertised and open to the public, provided a basis for understanding what public land use planning is and is not, as well as what it can and can not do.

The commission's goal in arranging for the recent bus tour was to view real world examples of the effects of past land use planning decisions, to discuss the factors and circumstances that have shaped our built environment as we see it today and to set the stage for taking the next step which is to continue to facilitate, embrace, organize, capitalize on, record and otherwise make relevant the many conversations regarding land use and development within our community. In other words, to plan for the future with a keen eye on the past and the present.

We ask that all who are interested in the conversation and who wish to have a voice in Aberdeen's Comprehensive Land Use plan to please join us.

Lisa Scott

City of Aberdeen

excuse me for giving my opinion on a subject