Osage County planning staff seek public and county leader input on draft comprehensive plan; adoption targeted for April

County planning staff presented the Board of Commissioners with a status update on the Osage County comprehensive plan update and requested the board’s help encouraging departmental and community participation in final review steps.

The plan update—initiated in early 2024—was prepared with the planning commission and with consultant support. Staff described the document as a streamlined “Reader’s Digest” version that covers land use, transportation, economic development, community facilities and renewable energy policies. Planning staff said the draft was distributed to commissioners and the planning commission and that planning‑commission meetings last spring and fall produced the substantive input used to build the draft.

Staff outlined a proposed adoption timeline and community engagement steps: a public planning commission review in late February, a March 11 county work session after the commission meeting to develop an action plan and budget linkages (two‑hour session, lunch provided), a public planning commission meeting March 26 for additional comment, and a goal of adopting the comprehensive plan at the April 30 board meeting if the timeline and public input allow. Staff cautioned that adoption stage often brings new public input and that the document is intended as a living plan to be reviewed annually.

Commissioners and staff discussed next steps for building code policy, code enforcement and whether counties of similar size use building codes and inspection services. Staff said many similarly sized counties do not maintain county‑level building code enforcement but larger nearby counties do; the county needs to consider budget and staffing implications if it pursues county‑level codes or enforcement. Several commissioners asked that the March 11 work session be prioritized and that department directors attend so priorities, capital investments and implementation timelines can be aligned with the 2025 budget process.

Planning staff asked commissioners to encourage colleagues and community members to participate in the March meetings and reiterated that the planning commission intends to treat the comprehensive plan as a living document to be reviewed annually.

No formal vote was taken on the plan at the February meeting; staff requested the board’s assistance in outreach to departments and community stakeholders and confirmed public meeting dates.