Comprehensive Plan Update

Many Lakeland residents mentioned a “small town” or a “rural” atmosphere as an important goal for Lakeland in our public meetings on the Comprehensive Plan.

I recently heard “small town” or “rural” atmosphere defined as a “sense of community”, and, to me, that does have a definite meaning.

While we continue to be hampered by a lack of a ZIP Code, Post Office, downtown area, phone listing etc, and, to some degree as a result of this, a lack of identity as “Lakeland”, I feel Lakeland residents do have a “sense of community”. Many residents are active in community civic organizations and neighborhood organizations that provide a sense of community. As I have mentioned before, I feel that Lakeland residents are much more active in our community than many other communities.

The major update of the Lakeland Comprehensive Plan will soon be finalized. The Comprehensive Plan will provide guidance for the location of parks, streets, commercial land uses, public buildings (such as fire stations etc.)the types of housing etc. are located and otherwise will have a major impact on the future of Lakeland and will have a major impact on the future “identity” and “sense of community” in Lakeland.

The final meetings on the update of the Comprehensive Plan are starting, with the Lakeland Municipal Planning Commission scheduled to hear a presentation on the update to the Comprehensive Plan at their regular meeting at 6:30 p.m., Monday, December 19 at City Hall. The MPC is expected to request recommendations from the Lakeland Board of Commissioners, with final action expected by the MPC in early 2006.

I encourage all Lakeland residents to attend at least one of these meetings, or look at the information on www.CityofLakeland.com (click on the 2005 Comprehensive Plan Update tab) and review the latest update of the Comprehensive Plan.