Planning staff say Lake County comprehensive plan update is underway; public workshops planned

Mike Fitzgerald, director of the Office of Planning and Zoning, told commissioners that the county's comprehensive plan update is moving from preparatory work to public engagement.

Fitzgerald said county staff are "grading the lot" — an analogy he used to describe early-stage work — and are meeting regularly with consultants to schedule workshops, branding, surveys and website materials ahead of public outreach. He said staff are lining up dates and a joint session with the Planning & Zoning Board and county commissioners scheduled for June 10. Fitzgerald said communications staff will support a public-facing branding and survey campaign and that the county will host community meetings across multiple locations with municipal invitations targeted to affected cities.

The director also described internal priorities: clearing a backlog of online applications, reduced lobby wait times via Qflow appointment management, shorter turnaround times for zoning clearance and an internal cross‑training program for associate planners. He said the office has 23 full‑time employees and has moved a financial coordinator into a new financial group to improve internal budgeting and project tracking.

Fitzgerald said staff intend to follow the comprehensive-plan update with a later request‑for‑proposals for land‑development regulations (LDRs) updates and are interested in exploring a form‑based or hybrid code to support corridor and growth‑center goals. Commissioners asked about timing and outreach to municipal officials; Fitzgerald said they will host workshops in municipal locations and coordinate invitations.