Park County Seeks Locals to Form Land Use Plan Committee

The update of the Park County Land Use Plan begins this March, as the county commissioners call for interested residents to join a critical committee.

Park County is beginning the two-year process of revising the county’s Land Use Plan. This document – last updated in 1998 – will determine the future of zoning and development in Cody, Powell, Meeteetse, and every other Park County community for the decades to come.

On Tuesday, Feb. 1, the Park County Commissioners officially signed a contract with the national land-use consulting firm Clarion Associates. The renowned company has developed similar plans across the U.S., including several Cody-esque locations in Colorado and Arizona.

Community participation is essential to create the best plan for the county’s land. Now, the county is seeking residents willing to go the extra step during the process.

Courtesy Park County

The Park County Commissioners are asking residents to apply for the Land Use Plan Advisory Committee (“L.U.P.A.C.”) which will assist in the development of the updated plan.

This group of roughly 15 individuals will be “community ambassadors” for the critical process. The L.U.P.A.C. will provide citizen perspectives and input on interim work products to assist with community and stakeholder engagement.

“Getting the word out” will be one of the L.U.P.A.C.’s most important duties.

While the committee will be central to the process, it won’t be a tremendous commitment of time. The commissioners anticipate the assembled group will only meet three to five times over the two-year period.

Potenial L.U.P.A.C. members must submit an application to be reviewed by the Park County Board of Commissioners. The members will represent different communities and geographies within Park County.

Furthermore, the L.U.P.A.C. will be the primary voice of the community. Residents can go directly to committee members to provide input, as they represent the interests of the County as a whole.

If you or others are interested in serving on the Land Use Advisory Committee, send an application to the Board’s Executive Assistant, Molly Norberg, by no later than March 14.

Applications are available on the new Park County Land Use Plan website.

Regardless, anyone who wants to contribute to the Land Use Plan without committing to the committee will have ample opportunity. All Park County residents can contribute to this process through participation in future public meetings, submitting comments, and reviewing plan drafts.

Input from residents living in or owning land in unincorporated areas of Park County is especially encouraged.

The county has set up a Land Use Plan Update webpage. This site will be available to review documents and a meeting calendar throughout the process.

The Park County Land Use Plan revision will officially kick off the first week of March.