City wants opinions about its conservation policies

As Columbia moves toward the second phase of its Natural Resources Inventory Project, it wants the public to be involved.

An open house sponsored by the city will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the Activity and Recreation Center to allow the city to present its ideas as well as give residents a chance to have their voices heard, Tony St. Romaine, assistant city manager, said.

The Natural Resources Inventory will help the city review its conservation policies by documenting green space, tree cover and other natural features. Earlier this month, Surdex Corp. of Chesterfield took digital orthophotos of Columbia, which was the first phase of the project. MU will assist in the second phase by analyzing the imagery data. But before MU starts its analysis, the city wants public input on what assets they think are important for preservation.

During the open house’s first hour, the city will provide information explaining what the city has done as well as what it wants to do. At 6 p.m., St. Romaine and GIS Coordinator John Fleck will highlight the project’s past, present and future in more detail.

Following the presentation, city officials will seek feedback through a question-and-answer session. The city would like to gather information such as what the public thinks the city may have missed, any assets the city needs to track and what the public would like to see come out of the project, St. Romaine said. Comment cards will be available during the first hour of the open house for those who cannot stay for the presentation.

“The natural resources inventory really needs to reflect the community and what the community values,” he said.