Planning for Planning....Let's Start with the Horse before the Cart

Here are some ideas that would allow us to talk about how planning might work and not planning itself. I welcome everyone's input on these discussion points.

An avenue of approach to this very complex issue might be to first discuss: 1. Is planning necessary at all? 2. How would a planning commission, if formed, be constituted? 3. What elements would be planned for? 4. What benchmarks of consensus and agreement in the process can be articulated?

WV Code calls for each county to develop (or revise) a comprehensive plan by June 2014. Pocahontas County needs to develop a plan for the first time during the next three years. The statute specifies that such plans are to be developed by a planning commission established by the county commission. The resulting comprehensive plan must be adopted by the County Commission to become effective.

Success in developing a comprehensive plan is not assured regardless of how much time and effort is invested by planning commission members and interested citizens. To succeed, a Planning Commission must conduct its business in a way that garners maximum support and understanding from across the county, while mitigating objections of those who may be opposed to planning in general, and any planning process that can be plausibly accused of not representing community interests or concerns - especially regarding property rights.

To increase a plan's likelihood of representing community consensus about issues ranging from land use to historic preservation it is important to make sure instructions to the Planning Commission are consistent with broad community notions and values about the need for, and perceived perils associated with, planning.

The working group would consist of nine community leaders representing a wide range of interests and political views; each County Commissioner would recommend three members who agree to serve in good faith to produce a report of findings and recommendations to the County Commission.

The working group would elect a Chair and Vice Chair from its members. A quorum would be five members to conduct business. Any member of the working group can be removed for cause (e.g., bad faith, obstructionism) by a vote of six of the other members. In that event, the Chair would request a replacement appointment from the Commissioner whose nominee was removed.

The County Commission will provide staff support as needed and available, at the Chair’s request. Working group members may also contribute additional staff support with concurrence of at least six other members. Everyone involved should minimize conflicts of interest and recuse him/herself if a potential conflict meets the reasonable person test.

The working group would have six-months to provide a report of its findings and recommendations, including a charter for the Planning Commission, to the County Commission. If the report is not final it would be considered an interim report, and the Chair would request not more than six more months to complete it.

Phase 2: Following adoption of a charter, after putting it out for public comment and making revisions, as needed, the County Commission would then establish the Planning Commission, using the charter as the basis for its instructions.