Crow Wing sets another comp plan public hearing

Crow Wing County's draft comprehensive plan will be the subject of another public hearing.

Commissioners voted Tuesday to set an April 27 public hearing to adopt the comprehensive plan following a discussion as to whether another hearing was needed and how soon it could be in place.

Commissioner Ed Larsen said he feels it would have been better to allow public comment at the last joint meeting with the Planning Commission and not doing that caused problems.

Commissioners still had concerns about specific language and in one instance voted 3-2, with commissioners Larsen and Terry Sluss opposed, to removing the word "strong" from a sentence that described how much public input was involved in the plan's creation. Commissioner Dewey Tautges said the small percentage that took part did not constitute a strong public input in the document's foundation. He was joined in the vote by commissioners Gary Walters and John Ferrari.

Larsen said many opportunities were provided to involve the public. Bonnie Finnerty, county planner, suggested looking for major things that needed to be changed in the document before the public hearing.

The Mid-Minnesota Builders Association sent a letter thanking the county board for its commitment to the comprehensive plan and suggested reviews of one year, five years and 10 years. Finnerty previously talked about regular plan reviews.

Commissioners did not make another motion to amend the document.

In a related item, the county board will meet 5:30 p.m. Thursday in a joint session with the Planning Commission and Board of Adjustment to discuss how the comprehensive plan will be implemented.