COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Branch County Board of Commissioners formally approved a funding request from the County Planning Commission Thursday so that the county’s Master Plan can be updated for the first time since 1993.
The funding is not to exceed $20,000 after Southcentral Michigan Planning Council submitted a bid of $15,500 to do the work.
Planning Commission Chair Debbie Lounds-Bowers said during the Commissioners work session Tuesday they wanted to update the Master Plan after the wind turbine issue in northwestern Branch County got hot about a year ago.
She pointed out there were other reasons why the Master Plan needed to be updated. Lounds-Bowers said developers want to see county and municipal master plans when they come in. In addition, a good and strong master plan would help communities with grant funding.
Southcentral has agreed to bill half of the cost in 2020 and the other half in 2021. It’s estimated the entire update of the county Master Plan will take up to two years.
