Comprehensive plan: Take the time to do it right

Good, sound planning takes time. That’s true in practically every circumstance, regardless of the situation. It certainly holds true for the town of Washington, which is right in middle of revamping its comprehensive plan (previously known as the master plan).

The committee in charge of the task has been struggling, going through its own unique set of growing pains, as four members of the Steering Committee recently resigned. Those members, Co-chairman Tom Beaumont, Frank Genova and Jim Shequine, who were joined just days ago by Don Hanson, said their duties were nearly finished, and that was their reason for quitting. Their position is supported by a statement on the town’s website that reads “there is no longer a needed role for a Steering Committee.� However, there is still work to do before the job is complete. Hanson acknowledged many of the subcommittees have more work ahead of them as well. As the town’s planning consultant, Margaret Irwin of River Street, said, she “heard rumors that the plan was 90 percent complete, but it’s probably about half done.�

That’s a big discrepancy. The town doesn’t expect to be finished with a draft of the comprehensive plan until June 2011, and that’s only if all goes well. Add in time for delayed approvals from the county and state, as well as lengthy schedules for mandated public hearings and such, and that time frame could stretch out even further.

Thankfully, Washington town Supervisor Florence Prisco has the right attitude. At the Sept. 27 Comprehensive Plan Review Committee meeting, she was clear in her vision.

“The purpose is to understand where we are, where we are going and how to get there,� she said. She then promptly proposed replacements for the men who stepped down from the committee so that work could continue. Prisco definitely has the right idea: keep on track, keep moving forward.

Thus far Washington residents seem to sense the importance, and the urgency, of getting down to business and addressing the town’s needs. Attendance is strong at these meetings, which are sometimes called together with alarmingly little notice (which is a problem all its own).  

Those who attend the meetings gloriously (and let’s hope respectfully) voice their opinions; this should most definitely be encouraged, as it’s vital when drafting a plan that’s to represent the town’s vision of where it wants to be five, 10, 20 years down the road. We hope the comprehensive plan committee is listening.

Some of the comments we hope the committee has heard include topics such as affordable/diverse housing options. Or the role of the village of Millbrook and its water resources and how they should be incorporated into the town’s plans. The ever-present issue of opening the town and village to more commercial development has also been raised. These ideas and others are important to residents and business owners, and we hope they will in some fashion be figured into the final comprehensive plan.

Looking forward, there are more meetings to come. That’s a good thing. The lines of communication must stay open, and people must be encouraged to share their ideas and their concerns with those drafting the document  that will shape their community’s future. The town of Washington — and that includes the village of Millbrook — will be the better for it. That’s what a true “comprehensiveâ€� plan is all about.