County outlines areas of focus for master plan

With no public in attendance, a public hearing regarding the Washakie County Business Ready Community Planning Grant lasted just over 10 minutes Tuesday night.

The Worland City Council approved an expenditure of $8,000 toward a match for the grant and approved moving forward with the grant at the Dec. 17 meeting. The commissioners approved a resolution to apply for the grant and designated Clerk Lily Rakness Parra and Washakie Development Association Executive Director Leann Baker as the grant representatives.

The county is the lead agency in the application and will also allocate $8,000 toward the match.

The WDA Board approved a $5,000 allocation toward the match last month.

The Ten Sleep Council approved a $4,000 allocation at its Jan. 7 meeting.

The entities will be seeking up to $75,000 in grant funding with a $25,000 match.

Deadline for the draft application is Jan. 15 and final submission is Feb. 1.

Baker at Tuesday night’s hearing suggested that the county include letters of support from each entity and possibly a few businesses in the final application.

The master plan will encompass Washakie County, the City of Worland and the Town of Ten Sleep, assessing and addressing key areas including economic development, infrastructure, housing, transportation and land use, according to a handout presented at the meeting by Rakness Parra.

The benefits of having a countywide maser plan, as outlined by Rakness Parra, and her committee, is that it would:

•Provide a unified vision for sustainable growth and development across the county.

•Ensure coordinated efforts among the county, Worland and Ten Sleep.

•Positions the county, Worland and Ten Sleep for future funding opportunities. The Wyoming Grant Assistance Program (WYGAP), a technical assistance program that provides local governments, non-profits, and small businesses with support to identify, pursue, and manage grants, including federal funds, that support local priorities, is encouraging master plans that are seven years or newer.

The current City of Worland master plan is 10 years old. The county has a natural resource plan but not a master plan.

Rakness Parra said she had hoped for public input at Tuesday’s meeting on the key areas including:

—Economic Development: Business growth and opportunities; job creation and workforce development; support of local businesses and entrepreneurs; strategies to attract new industries or tourism.

—Infrastructure and utilities: transportation such as roads, bridges and public transit; water, sewer and utilities; broadband and internet connectivity; public facilities and amenities.

—Housing and Land Use: Affordable and accessible housing options; zoning and land-use planning; preservation of agricultural land and open spaces; development of residential, commercial and mixed-use areas.

—Quality of Life and Community Services; Health care and social services; parks, recreation and cultural amenities; education and training opportunities; public safety and emergency services.

—Environmental and Sustainability Considerations: Protection of natural resources and wildlife; energy efficiency and renewable energy projects; floodplain management and water conservation; climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

—Community Vision and Priorities.