It may feel like we just completed the Local Comprehensive Plan, but it has actually been six years. With the pending completion of the state mandated Open Space and Recreation Plan Update, it is rapidly becoming time to complete the next required town guidance document – The Local Comprehensive Plan.
The following lays out a strategy for getting through this process, starting from the end point – an adopted Local Comprehensive Plan by September 2012. This really means we need to have a draft document ready by September 2011. This gives us a mere three years to get the work done.
To make the process as all encompassing as possible, I have established this blog to promote public involvement in the Planning Process from start to finish. The last document was created in a comprehensive public process. Many meetings were coordinated by my predecessor and the Local Planning Committee. These public sessions will continue to be necessary, however, the rapid changes in communication patterns has made it possible to also engage the public on nearly a 24/7 basis. This blog will allow people to have access to the Planning Process at at all hours of the day and night. Weekends as well as week days.
Paper copies of the Plan and face to face discussions will always be necessary, however we will be expanding our horizons to expand our outreach. Blogging and Wiki will provide those opportunities.
Wiki and Blog software are both ideal for crafting a document such as the Local Comprehensive Plan. Both of these areas of the internet are under utilized by government. I believe that by opening up our planning process through the use of this blog andl later a Wiki interface that may allow direct editing of initial sections of the plan will make our efforts better, more responsive and more acceptable.
To start, information will be posted on this blog. Opportunities to comment will be provided, and documents modified to incorporate thoughts and ideas that come from you, members of the Dennis community (year round and seasonal residents, visitor, business people etc.). This promises to be a challenging, exciting and fun undertaking. I look forward to your participation in the process.
