Leitchfield participants discuss updating comprehensive plan, cite COVID impacts and new projects

Meeting participants in Leitchfield discussed updating the city’s comprehensive plan, saying COVID-19 delayed a full rewrite and that the community has both lost and gained industrial capacity in recent years.

One participant summarized the recent economic shifts: “We've actually lost a little population, as you know. And, we've and but COVID has really been hard on everything. And so just as you said, Mark, it didn't make too much sense to do a comprehensive plan during COVID. And that was that was, you know, that that destroyed a lot of people's dreams. But we've also lost a major we've also lost 2 major factories,” (Speaker 1, meeting participant).

The nut graf: Participants said they want to update the existing plan rather than start from scratch, keeping the statutory format the plan currently follows while adding modern documents and more searchable digital formats to make the plan easier to use.

Discussion details: Speakers noted both setbacks and new developments. One participant said some factories are recovering and pointed to an area called Midpark as “really picking up.” Participants also said a new vocational school is being built and that architectural drawings exist; one speaker suggested including a photo and drawings to “gloss it up” in the plan to highlight local investments. The group mentioned transportation projects — a belt line and a bypass — and said a newly formed economic development body could be reflected in the update.

Participants discussed format and accessibility of the plan. “But is it as searchable as it could be? Like, there would there be some modern tools that are it's more easier to interface with on the the outline may be fine, but the digital format that it lives in, are there some ways that we could potentially enhance that?” a participant asked (Speaker 2, meeting participant). A different participant emphasized revising the digital format so the plan would not be disregarded when people review it.

Procedural outcome: Participants asked whether a motion or formal action was required to start work on the update; the response in the meeting was that no formal action was required. The meeting concluded with a routine motion and second to adjourn that passed.

Ending: Participants said their intention is to enhance the current comprehensive plan by updating goals, economic development material and transportation sections, while preserving the statutory outline the plan must follow. No formal vote on the substance of a plan update was taken during this meeting.