Zoning board says county comprehensive plan needs an update; committee to consult staff

Members of the McPherson County Zoning Board discussed the need to update the county’s comprehensive plan, noting it had not been fully updated on schedule and that the document should guide future policy rather than set specific regulations.

Board members said the comprehensive plan needs a substantive review rather than minor edits. They noted the last major work predated several recent changes in the county and suggested developing a new plan or a significant rewrite rather than only amending dates or wording. Hunter (board member) and others said the zoning board should work with county staff to identify who is responsible for drafting and to collect sample plans from neighboring counties.

At the meeting, members discussed the sequence for preparing a new comprehensive plan: the zoning board or planning committee typically drafts or coordinates updates, and the Board of County Commissioners would receive the plan for final approval. One board member said the zoning board’s role is to work through the plan and then send it to the commissioners for adoption. Another participant said their attorney, Bill Gervis, recommended preparing a brand-new comprehensive plan rather than incremental date changes.

Board members agreed to keep the item active and to follow up with Eric Singer (staff member) to clarify responsibilities and to gather sample documents so the board can determine scope, process, and timeline for a rewrite.