Ordinance First Reading - 7/0

The Gillette Plan Update is a community profile and guide. It provides the community’s vision, key considerations and implementation strategies for the next 10 years. The Gillette Plan Update is a follow-up to the City Comprehensive Plan adopted in 2006. The updated City master plan gives a detailed assessment of land use infrastructure, growth capacity, housing and economic development trends.

The planning process for the update began in January, 2012. The planning firm of Kendig Keast, along with a local firm, DOWL HKM, signed a contract with the City in March 2012. The project process was fine tuned and a Citizens Advisory Committee was selected from volunteers.

The 18 month planning project covered five major areas: the community vision and planning process, the community profile, infrastructure, plan themes and implementation. The update also shows an action agenda for the community to utilize.

The project brought out a number of practical and important matters. For the first time, the City and the County have intentions to adopt the same future land use plan for a one mile area around the City. The islands of County land surrounded by the City are to be planned by the municipality, and not the County. The plan update also developed an economic development element; which connects to the City’s vision, infrastructure and action agenda.

The Comprehensive Plan Update has had a significant public process. An advisory committee made up of 13 people provided feedback throughout the entire planning process. The advisory committee held two meetings with the County Advisory Committee. The City Planning Commission also met with the Advisory Committee. There were two City Council updates, a City-County luncheon update, a workshop with the County Commissioners and a public open house.