MADRID TOWN HALL MEETING NOTES

March 23, 2010

 

Meeting Purpose:  Perkins County Planning & Zoning Commission seeking public input on update of Comprehensive Plan.

 

Comprehensive Plan Components & Purpose:

 

Attendees:  (See attached spreadsheet)

 

Current Attributes of Perkins County & Communities in Perkins County – (Strengths)

o   Feels Safe

o   Quiet, Peaceful

o   Clean Air

o   Clean Communities & Landscape

o   Attractive Farmsteads & Homes

o   Clean Water

o   Heritage “Home”

o   Good Quality of Life

o   Good School, Fire Department, Dr.s

o   Climate

o   Personal Freedoms

o   Rural Lifestyle

o   Available Ag Land

o   Community Events

o   Good People, Honest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Vision (Desired Future - What We Want to See in 10-15 Years)

 

Priority Score

Projects/Goals/Objectives

20

Keep rural lifestyle, quality of life

12

Retain K-12 schools in Perkins County

10

Prevent regulations that hinder development

9

Protect, clean air, water, safety and landscape

7

Maintain roads to allow ease of access to town

7

Retain current jobs & businesses

6

Create more job opportunities

4

Increase population of all ages to with needs and wants within a 30 minute drive to sustain services

2

More commercial development

1

Continuity of existing services

1

Young people are more involved, take more responsibility

1

Expand hospital

0

Keep land privately owned

0

Tourist designation area – national historic landmarks

 


Assets (What We Bring to the Table)

Community


·         Space for Development

·         Water Supply

·         Banks for Financial Needs

·         Schools

·         Health Care

·         Railroad

·         Volunteer Fire Department

·         Churches

·         Roads

·         Hotel

·         Rural Lifestyle

·         Quality of Life Comforts

·         Good People

·         Close Relationships

·         School is Small

·         Plenty of Room for People, Jobs and Land Use

·         Feeling of Community Closeness

·         Available Help for Those in Need

·         Senior Center

·         Animal Shelter (no kill)

·         Community Foundation (Hunt Great Plains $ Raised)

·         Agencies

·         NRCS (Tree Planting)

·         Community Yards Sales

·         Supporting & Working Together

·         Rural Environment

·         Fund Raisers for Needy People

·         Harvest Bee’s to Help Families

·         Hospital

·         Volunteers

·         Conservative Values

·         Recycling

·         Safe Environment

·         Small Businesses

·         Friendly People

 


 

Individual


·         Neighborly

·         Hard Working

·         Self Motivated

·         Conservative

·         Run for School Board

·         Talk to Political Leadership State & Local

·         Business Consulting

·         Daughters

·         Concerned Individuals

·         Knowledgeable

·         Friendly

·         Honest

·         Leader

·         Handyman

·         Variety of Skills

 


 

Challenges & Opportunities

o   Cost of living may be lower

o   Texas trail history

o   Create unique entrepreneurial opportunities

o   Business succession

o   Inaction

o   Economy

o   Attitude

o   Government regulations

o   Promote local natural gas (develop and compress into fuel for irrigation

o   Nitrate level in water (from fertilizer)

o   Future of landfill – how to develop energy from waste

o   Broadband and/or internet access in order to create, retain or attract young people

o   Diversify economy

o   Expand businesses

o   Lack of labor pool

o   Wage competition (people can earn more in other places)

o   Attract people in skilled labor & trades

o   Growing own food and livestock

 

 

Trends – (What we Need to Be Aware of)

ü  Government policy e.g., Environmental Protection Agency, farming, health care, regulations, clean air & water

ü  Water is a valuable resource that is being threatened

ü  Balance between growth and progress vs. keeping area clean, safe etc.

ü  Zoning can inhibit progress