The Burleigh County Commission revisited line items on its comprehensive plan Monday at the City/County Building and it appears the board has plenty of work to do before January.

The plan has been the focal point of debate and discussion for 19 months. A decision on the plan, which outlines growth for the county, was put on hold in early September after debate persisted among the board and affected township members.

Commissioners agreed to put multiple changes recommended by Commissioner Doug Schonert on the Burleigh County Web site for public review.

Township officials also were asked to place their comments in a written format for the Web site.

Schonert said he believed it was important that the board change the vision statement. "If we follow that vision statement the way it is, we don't need a comprehensive plan," he said. "There is no growth beyond that extraterritorial (area)."

Schonert protested the vision statement's wording that specifies residential and commercial developments "will be encouraged, guided into or adjacent to established cities and communities, primarily where public water and sewer services are available and agricultural and natural resources will be protected from random, isolated, non-farm developments."

Commission Chair Jerry Woodcox agreed that the existing vision statement limited growth unless a development is near an existing town or development.

Commissioner Mark Armstrong disagreed. "A number of different viewpoints went into this plan. It wasn't just one viewpoint or one group of people going into this plan. … I think you have to look at the words 'encouraged and guided.' It doesn't say that's the only place development will take place, but we do want to encourage and guide those things in those directions," Armstrong said. "The important thing to remember is a comprehensive plan where ordinances will be developed. Those ordinances will be coming before this commission and the various planning departments, "Armstrong said. He stressed that the proposed ordinances will go before the board, will have public discussion and will be considered by various planning boards.

Woodcox cautioned that the plan could less applicable if legislation decreasing the allowed extraterritorial boundaries from four miles to two miles is approved.

In regards to subdivision development, Schonert said people needed to realize that what is placed in the comprehensive plan "is Bible."

"It says in the North Dakota Century Code 'the layout or arrangement of a proposed subdivision shall conform to the comprehensive plan of a county,'" Schonert said.

Commissioners hope to approve a final draft in January 2009, but have agreed to extend discussion through the end of 2008 to better complete it to residents' liking.

Schonert again questioned the "rural values" wording in the plan.

"They're saying by diving it up into 40s (acre tracts), and having only one house on there, they're taking too much ag out of production. Maybe we shouldn't allow 40s; maybe we would allow 20s or even 10s," Schonert said.

Schonert also disputed the drafted plan, saying agriculture was the economic cornerstone of Burleigh County. "I propose we change the statement to say, 'consider future development and its impact on the production of agriculture.'"

At Woodcox's suggestion, the board agreed to have a public hearing on the matter in the first meeting in December.

The commissioners will discuss the matter during the meetings leading up to the hearing.

Proposed wording questions about the plan will appear at www.burleighcountycompplan.com.

(Reach reporter LeAnn Eckroth at 250-8264 or leann.eckroth@;bismarcktribune.com.)