Officials, residents team for land use plan for city

GOODMAN, Mo. — Officials and residents will team up to form a long-term plan for the city.

The city’s first land use plan will create a blueprint and guide to follow as the city builds for the future.

Considering present needs — as well as anticipating growing pains — will benefit residents as they work to retain the city’s population and serve neighbors, officials said.

Goodman residents can look for a survey that will be distributed in coming weeks. Input will be garnered from the survey to form the plan, officials said.

Creating the plan will help Goodman set planning and zoning regulations, look toward the future and plan long term, said Jill Cornett, Harry S. Truman Coordinating Council executive director.

Work began when the Department of Defense tapped the coordinating council to work on a plan to protect the mission of Camp Crowder near Neosho, Mo., Cornett said. Other joint land-use plans are being developed from that work. Neosho is updating its land plan, and Goodman is developing its first, Cornett said.

The city can apply for grants by establishing planning and zoning, Cornett said.

Goodman’s City Council met with Cornett in April to learn more about the process. The first public meeting was held recently at City Hall. Survey and stakeholder interviews also are scheduled to take place.

Cornett and several staff members provided information and statistics about Goodman. Those who attended the first public meeting learned about demographic changes from 2010 to 2015. The population decreased while the senior population increased in five years.

Other topics focused on how to retain residents who might want to move to a bigger town for better jobs or amenities, as well as building for growth and commerce when Interstate 49 and the Bella Vista Bypass are complete. Those corridors will allow for more commerce and allow more people to commute when finished.

Cornett will hold a first objectives and strategy meeting in August, with a second meeting is scheduled for September.

Officials anticipate writing the plan for the next several months and wrapping up that part of the project in September.

A draft plan review with the council/committee will take place in October, with a presentation to the public tentatively set for November. The council is expected to vote on adopting the plan in December.