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Lake County planning panel debates tone, translation and altitude reference in draft comprehensive plan
Summary
At a March 23 work session, the Lake County Planning Commission reviewed Section 2 of the draft Comprehensive Plan and asked staff to soften negative language, translate or bilingualize a Spanish-only youth bullet, and reconsider a specific "10,200 feet" elevation reference that some commissioners said does not represent the whole county.
The Lake County Planning Commission on March 23 reviewed the draft Comprehensive Plan’s community narrative and asked staff to revise phrasing the commission said could alienate residents.
Commissioner David Jurich questioned a line that uses the specific "10,200 feet" elevation, saying it "does not represent all county elevations" and could exclude parts of the county. Staff responded that residents commonly use that figure as vernacular shorthand for high-altitude living and that the reference is part of local identity and imaging.
Several commissioners raised concerns about language they said portrayed community "fears" in an overly negative way. Commissioners recommended replacing absolutist lines, including removing the phrase "we don't accept this trajectory," and opening a key paragraph with the suggested wording "People want to stay here." Staff said the document is intended to identify long-term challenges while preserving community trust and agreed to reframe language to be more positive and proactive.
The commission also flagged a Spanish-only bullet in the youth section and directed staff to either translate it to English or convert the section to bilingual text to avoid appearing to single out the Hispanic community. "Translate that bullet or make the section bilingual," commissioners said, noting sensitivity to perception and trust.
Commissioner Joey Edwards urged caution about framing second homeowners negatively, saying many second homeowners are active community contributors. Commissioners asked staff to remove or soften the line comparing local change to becoming "Vail or Aspen," and staff agreed to revise the wording while preserving the underlying community input gathered during public engagement.
Staff emphasized they will preserve the authenticity of community responses from engagement while wordsmithing to avoid targeting groups and to maintain positive tone. The commission’s feedback will be incorporated into subsequent review rounds; staff asked for commissioner feedback on Round 2 by March 30 and scheduled an implementation-focused review for April 6.
The commission approved the minutes from its March 9 meeting earlier in the session. The work session adjourned at 5:03 p.m.
