Warren ratified a new Town Plan in 2019 and in August 2019 the Warren Planning Commission began the work of updating its land use and development regulations to reflect the principles of that new Town Plan and also perform an update of the regulations which were 20 years old.
That process was underway when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, but the work the planning commission was doing continued via Zoom.
Public interest in the updated regulations has been high throughout the process. The planning commission held two informational meetings last spring and summer and also populated a website with videos, maps and documents explaining the proposed changes.
Each step of the way, the planning commissioners solicited and received feedback from the public. That feedback has been critical and it has also been supportive. The members of the planning commission have listened to that feedback, making changes and edits as needed.
At the first official public hearing on the proposed land use and development regulations last month, there were 75 people on Zoom and another dozen or so in the room to discuss the proposed changes. The planning commission took that feedback and is still working on those changes.
It’s been an iterative and collaborative process and it’s not done! The new regulations were presented to the select board this week so that board members could present their own concerns and offer input. The process is ongoing. The planning commission could hold another hearing and the select board will hold at least one public hearings on the new regulations.
It is fortunate for Warren that the public has been so engaged in the process. Land use and development regulations aren’t the sexiest topic, but such regulations are critically important to how our towns and villages look, how they develop and how we steward our environment.
Kudos to the Warren planning commissioners for going the extra distance and working to educate Warren residents so they understand the intent and consequences of the new regulations, while also soliciting and incorporating public feedback.
