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Greene County begins the process of developing new comprehensive plan

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Growing and diversifying the economy, partly by taking advantage of the county’s abundant energy resources, while continuing to preserve the area’s rural character are fundamental goals being considered by Greene County Planning Commission as it develops a new comprehensive plan.

A 50-member advisory committee has been meeting since March to develop the plan, a document officials say will help define where the county hopes to be in the next 10 years in terms of community and economic development.

The county is required to have a comprehensive plan under the state Municipal Planning Code. The last plan was prepared in 2008. The committee will soon be seeking public input as part of the plan’s development.

A comprehensive plan establishes an overall vision for the county’s future and provides guidance on how to realize that vision, according to Robbie Matesic, executive director of the county’s economic development department.

“It puts forth how the county should be investing time and resources over the next 10 years to protect our assets, to grow our assets and to build investment in the county,” she said.

Meetings of the committee and of its subcommittees, or focus groups, have developed some basic ideas of where the plan is heading. A general outline calls for preserving the county’s rural character, diversifying the economy and using the county’s energy resources, coal and natural gas, to help with diversification.

“The conversation with these focus groups has been that they want to protect the county’s rural character, but the reality is that there must be growth,” Matesic said.

“We have to have growth; the tax base needs to be protected so we can continue to provide services at the municipal and the county levels,” she said.

Commissioner Blair Zimmerman said he would like to see a plan that addresses growth and diversification.

“We really want to see the county grow and diversify so our children can find jobs here, stay here and raise their families here,” he said.

The commissioners also recognize some communities may not want to see certain kinds of development, Zimmerman said. Any growth should occur only in areas where it is accepted by the local community, he said.

The advisory committee as a whole meets every six weeks, while its focus groups meet separately to prepare their findings and recommendations.

Six focus groups were formed covering business and industry, workforce and education, transportation and infrastructure, quality of life, protecting county assets and local governments. They are being assisted by staff from Mackin Engineering Co.

The county has seen some significant changes since the last plan was adopted, including the development of Marcellus Shale natural gas and advancements in technology, Matesic said.

Coal, though not providing the same number of jobs it did in 2008, continues to be produced in the county at high levels and is expected to remain a fairly stable employment base, Matesic said.

One part of the plan, however, will look closely at the tax base, including the loss of tax revenue from coal as it continues to be mined and is removed from the tax rolls. “We have to look at what we can do to substitute for those losses,” Matesic said.

Energy remains an important part of the plan.

“The groups I’m involved in say, ‘We want to ride the energy horse,'” said Sharon Rodavich, a consultant to the county’s economic development department.

One of the thoughts is to use the county’s abundant energy resources as a “launching pad to diversity,” she said.

This would entail attracting industries that need inexpensive energy sources – two natural gas power plants are now being planned for the county – or that may use natural gas in their manufacturing process, such as plastics or petrochemicals.

“We’re at the point now in the gas industry where there has been enormous focus on the utilization of natural gas, for power generation and manufacturing,” Matesic said.

In regard to growth and diversification, the committee also is looking at how the county might expand and promote small business development, including opportunities in health care, agriculture and tourism.

Separate focus groups are looking at the county’s needs in regard to transportation and infrastructure, including water, sewerage and broadband internet; workforce and education development; quality of life issues; and issues involving local government.

Those involved in the advisory committee had been chosen by the county commissioners and planners. Some also volunteered to serve when they learned about the committee’s work.

“These people have really stepped up,” Rodavich said. “We thought we were going to invite 50 people and by the second meeting we’d be down to 10. It has not been that way. They have been totally involved in this.”

Zimmerman said he would like the group to stay together even after the plan is approved to meet and review where the county is in regard to implementing the plan.

As part of preparing the process, the advisory committee will be conducting surveys as well as holding a series of public meetings, one in each of the county’s five school districts.

Commission staff also will appear at local events to discuss the plan with residents, starting with the upcoming Jacktown Fair.

Residents also are welcome to attend the next advisory committee meeting July 26. The time and location of the meeting have yet to be determined. Those interested should call the planning commission’s office at 724-852-5300 for details closer to the meeting date.

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