The unique lessons we recall as we age play a significant role in guiding our decisions and actions. I have a story that portrays this well, about a pair of rusty pruning shears. My first job as a horticulturist and native landscaper taught me a crucial lesson of tool maintenance. Every morning, as we covered the task list for the day, we made sure to sharpen, sanitize, and oil our pruning shears. This tool was essential for shaping plants into their healthiest forms.
One year, I brought in a neglected pair found while rummaging in our basement. Rusted and blunt, it was apparent these shears had been long forgotten. I spent several days cleaning, oiling and sharpening the blades. Eventually, they were restored into a tool that could be used in caring for the thousands of native trees and shrubs in our nursery.
In my work with land use issues, I’ve learned this insight applies to community and land use planning. In a time of rapidly changing landscapes, rural counties, cities, and towns are facing unforeseen development pressures. This forces to rummage basements for their land use regulations- metaphorically speaking, their pruning shears- only to discover these tools are dusty, faded, outdated, and legally shredded by years of statutory updates rendering them ineffective.
Just as if you were to plant a street tree along a roadway, you want to plan for the continued care and maintenance of your land use regulations. Think of your pruners as the tool for shaping the canopy of branches that are zoning, floodplain, and subdivision regulations. When appropriately administered, these regulations can preserve cultural and natural heritage- think of this as the strong roots of community values. Moreover, the supporting trunk for these regulatory documents and updates include comprehensive plans, needs assessments, and master plans that hold the weight of your regulatory “canopy.”
At Great West, we deeply value the heritages that uniquely sculpt the areas we wish to reside. From the glaciers that carved you, the rivers that meander through you, the soil that grew you, the cattle that drove you, or the plains that charmed you- all are heritages worth protecting. Balancing the desire for new developments with preserving the unique charm and pastoral beauty our clients love can be challenging, especially when considering infrastructure constraints. However, we believe that population growth doesn’t have to mean unchecked expansion or harm to the landscape. Effective planning involves both the tangible aspects, like infrastructure, and the intangible, such as heritage. This approach ensures our communities can thrive while maintaining their distinctive character.
At Great West, we’re committed to tackling the evolving challenges of land use, especially those emerging in the West. Since the start of the year, we’ve been fine-tuning our strategies—like sharpening our pruning shears. We’ve expanded our planning team and revisited our land use planning and regulatory processes to ensure they maintain the high quality we’re known for. Collaborating with our GIS team, we’ve invested in cutting-edge urban analytical software. We’ve also deepened our analysis in our parks, trails, and recreation planning efforts and worked closely with our design team to enhance visual aids. If your community has specific needs, we encourage you to contact Great West. We’re here to explore the best ways to serve your residents for the long haul.
Authored by Courtney Long, CFM | Planner
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