City accepting applications for Comprehensive Plan Task Force

COLUMBIA — The city is now accepting applications for a task force designed to aid the Planning and Zoning Commission in the creation of a comprehensive plan for future development in the city.

The City Council voted in May to create the Comprehensive Plan Task Force. Planning Director Tim Teddy said the task force would augment the Planning and Zoning Commission by reviewing pieces of the plan and reaching out to the public.

The task force will have 15 members, who will be appointed by the council. At least one member will come from the Vision Commission, which plays a key role in assuring that visioning goals are worked on. The council is looking for applicants who are active in the city or have been a part of the visioning process.

“It creates some stakeholder involvement in the making of the plan,” Teddy said.

Interviews for the task force will be staggered over three application cycles. Teddy said that staggering the interviews would give applicants more opportunities to apply and give the council more time to review the applications. The last round of candidates will likely be interviewed in November, and Teddy said the task force should begin work in late January 2010.

The city hopes to finish the comprehensive plan by the end of fiscal year 2011. Teddy said the committee is temporary and will dissolve once the plan is sent to the council.

Applications can be found at the City Clerk’s Office or on the city Web site and must be submitted by Sept. 4. As of Friday afternoon the city had received no applications for the task force.