Gathering input for a regional land use plan will be the focus of two public meetings this week being sponsored by the Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Today, Ulteig Engineers will make a formal presentation prior to answering questions and taking public comments during a session in the Tom Baker room of the City/County Building, starting at 4:30 p.m. The meeting will be televised live from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. on the Community Access TV channel.

At 6 p.m. Thursday, the scene shifts to Mandan with a second presentation and public meeting at City Hall. This meeting will not be televised. Representatives of the various political subdivsions are expected to be represented at the meetings with presentations made by Ulteig's Joel Quanbeck and Steve Steve Grabill.

"We'll have about a half-hour presentation to explain the overall process,"Quanbeck said. "We'll take all the feedback we get and refine the criteria for developing a future land use map."

In May, Ulteig plans on presenting its draft report to the various planning commissions with jurisdiction in the 200-square-mile area surrounding Bismarck and Mandan. In June the final report will be turned over to the MPO.

While the MPO will use the Ulteig report for future transportation planning, according to MPO director Steve Saunders, the other local jurisdictions will use the information for development planning. Bismarck, Mandan, Lincoln, Burleigh and Morton all have an interest in Ulteig's recommendations.

The study looks at five basic land uses: commercial, industrial, high density residential, low density residential and parks-open spaces. Ulteig has been inventorying land and gathering information to develop a land suitability analysis and data maps, Quanbeck said.

"We'll use the data map to point out areas of different types of land uses, which are reasonable or unreasonable," Quanbeck said. "For example, you don't build in wetlands, so what can you use it for? There's a big, long list of factors we incorporate."

The most important aspect of the report is providing a way to make sure the various political jurisdictions are operating under the same assumptions while considering development. Property owners will have an idea of what they can do with their land and what they can expect from planners.

"This is a plan, and the nature of a plan is to be used as a guideline," Quanbeck said. "Individual situations are capable of being considered under unique circumstances. But you have to have consistency."

The public input meetings provide an opportunity for the community to shape the plans. This week's input meetings will be the last opportunity for the public to provide its considerations and air concerns. While presentations are planned to special interest groups, the only other opportunities for public input will be at the planning commission hearings to hear the draft.

The public can keep track of the land use study and provide comment at the Internet Web site set up by Ulteig at www.bismanregionalfuturelanduseplan.ulteig.com.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@;bismarcktribune.com.)