The joint gathering was supposed to be the last meeting of the technical and policy committees that are reviewing the draft of the Burleigh County comprehensive land use plan, but at least one more short meeting will be called.

On Wednesday, for nearly four hours, members of the two committees, numbering more than 20, went through the policy recommendations being made in the plan, which is being developed by SFR Consulting. By the end of the meeting, only eight members remained.

Burleigh County Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Chuck Peterson said that with only a handful of committee members, they couldn't make any motions regarding a recommendation of the plan to the planning commission. He suggested that one more meeting, about a half-hour in length, be held to make a recommendation.

SFR Consulting's Cindy Grey headed the discussion, reading each of the policy suggestions and asking for input. Few changes came out of the discussion; among those that will be addressed include:

n A better definition of the use of conservation and cluster developments. These types of developments act as a substitute for 40-acre tracts and allow agriculture landowners to divide up parcels in a manner to allow residential homes and keep farming the rest of the property.

Township officials are misunderstanding that the use of these type of developments will be required, Sheriff Pat Heinert said.

Bismarck planning director Carl Hokenstad said the use of conservation and cluster developments is just another option for landowners and will not be mandated by the plan.

"There is a perception out there that these are going to be mandated, but that is not the case," Hokenstad said. "We'll just provide some new language to clear up the misunderstanding."

n Required paving of new subdivisions received a lot of discussion, but for the most part was left intact.

Burleigh auditor-treasurer Kevin Glatt asked that language providing leeway to do paving later be taken out.

"If the paving is not done up front and developers are given the leeway to do it later, it will not get done," Glatt said.

n Preserving greenway along the Missouri River received a lot of public support in a survey taken early in the process. But Houston Engineering's Mike Gunsch, representing the county water resource district, said it is unrealistic.

"Preserving a greenway by setting aside the first 100 feet by the river, landowners are just going to complain. It's not realistic to mandate this," Gunsch said.

Peterson agreed and said it had to come out to keep it saleable for the county commission.

"We need to make this thing (plan) so county commissioners will be able to approve it after the final meeting," Peterson said.

Once the changes are made to the plan and the technical and policy committees reach consensus on a recommendation to the planning commission, the plan will be put on the Internet for the public to review. A tentative public meeting is scheduled for May 15, though a site and time has yet to be chosen.

Earlier this week, the Burleigh County Commission asked that a room able to accommodate at least 300 be found for the public forum. The commissioners also do not want the forum televised by CATV, saying it will inhibit those wanting to express their opinions on the plan.

The Burleigh planning commission and board of county commissioners will each have a hearing on the plan before it is adopted.

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