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The Putnam County Government Complex in Palatka -
Positively Putnam FL
Residents are encouraged to give their input at the first hearing for Putnam County’s 15-year comprehensive plan scheduled for March 23.
The Board of County Commissioners met for more than five hours Tuesday to discuss a 144-page plan that covers everything from future land use to economic development to conservation efforts.
“We really took a lot of recommendations from the Planning Commission and staff to propel Putnam County into the future,” board Chairman Larry Harvey said.
The meeting began with future land use recommendations. Planning Commission Chairwoman Susan Roberts said the overall land use goal was to “establish a pattern of development that is harmonious with the county’s natural environment and supports the rural and agrarian nature of the county, while providing a desire lifestyle for county residents.”
Objectives included protecting Putnam’s natural resources, becoming friendly to developers and increasing housing opportunities.
“A statement that’s in one of the (plan) documents … refers to Putnam County as the ‘Gem of Northeast Florida,’” Roberts said. “We want to keep it that way. We want to make it better.”
Harvey said he wants residents to give feedback anytime up until the day the plan is submitted to the state for final review. According to Planning and Zoning divisions, residents can call 329-0491 for more information about the comprehensive plan.
Harvey said his biggest takeaway from Tuesday’s workshop was how he and the other commissioners seemed to be cohesive in their comprehensive plan questions and points of clarification. He said it was encouraging to see that every commissioner was on the same page.
“That shows me that all the commissioners are paying close attention to the needs of Putnam County,” Harvey said. “… What that showed me was a lot of teamwork.”
In other board news, today’s 9 a.m. priority workshop was rescheduled to a later date. The purpose of the meeting to go over each commissioner’s goals for their time in office. Harvey said meeting logistics did not work out, and the meeting should be done right.
The board will meet for its regularly-scheduled meeting 9 a.m. Tuesday.
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