The El Paso County Planning and Community Development Department and Houseal Lavigne Associates (consultants), have been working for more than two years to develop a plan ó the El Paso County Master Plan ó to guide the growth and development of the county.In the video, ìEl Paso County Community Engage: Get to Know the El Paso County Master Plan,î Mark Gebhart, deputy director of EPC Planning and Community Development, said the plan is meant to provide strategies to allow for orderly growth and development, to promote the communitiesí ideas, goals, objectives and policies, to address current and long-range needs and to balance the natural environment versus man-made. He said they have worked alongside stakeholders, county partners and residents to prepare this plan.Gebhart said El Paso County is estimated to have a population of one million people by the year 2050; an increase of 250,000 people. He said the master plan is the countyís way of ensuring that infrastructure, the availability of water, the natural environment and a mix of land uses and residential housing types are considered as development moves forward.Nina Ruiz, planning manager with the EPC†planning department, said in the video, ìEl Paso County presently reviews proposals for new development based on over 50 master planning elements, which are out of date and creates a disjointed plan for the county.î She said the master plan will create one document, which will guide development and regulations. The Black Forest Preservation Plan and the Falcon/Peyton Comprehensive Plan will no longer exist.EPC Planning and Development stated in a news release that when this comprehensive document is approved by the El Paso County Planning Commission, it will replace the El Paso County Policy Plan and the numerous small area plans dating back to the 1970s.†In an email, Gebhart encouraged the public, especially residents of unincorporated El Paso County, to provide feedback on the draft master plan, available through April 9.†After the public comment period closes on April 9, the draft plan will be updated and presented to the El Paso County Planning Commission for adoption at their May 5 and May 26 hearings. The plan is expected to be finalized by the end of May this year.The public may participate at each one of the Planning Commission hearings. Visit: https://elpaso-hlplanning.hub.arcgis.com/
