The process to create a new comprehensive plan for the city of Jackson is under way and input from Jackson residents, community leaders and business owners is sought.
About 800 responses have been received to the survey online at http://www.connectjxn.com/ that is part of the Connect JXN project announced on Oct. 13 that will ultimately result in a new comprehensive plan for the city, said Jordan Rae Hillman, director of planning for the city of Jackson.
“We plan to seek input via the survey through at least the end of the year or until we meet the our goal of 8,750 responses with substantial participation from each ward,” she said. The goal is to receive responses from each of the city’s seven wards.
In addition to the online survey, focus groups and stakeholder interviews will be part of the process, Hillman said. Additional community engagement will be sought as elements of the plan are developed, she said.
The timeline for the project calls for the findings from the community engagement period to be shared in the spring of 2021 and then for the work to draft a plan to begin.
The Central Mississippi Planning and Development District was hired by the City Council to lead the Connect JXN project. Other partners include One Voice Mississippi, Inc., Jackson State University Mississippi Urban Research Center and the city of Jackson Planning Commission.
The city planning team will prepare a draft plan based on the community engagement received, the Planning Commission and the public will review the draft plan and then the Planning Commission will make a recommendation to the City Council, which the council being asked to approve the final plan.
The city’s current comprehensive plan dates to 2001, Hillman said. The Mississippi Code requires a local government to base all zoning and other land development regulations on an adopted comprehensive plan.
A comprehensive plan sets the framework for a city’s land use pattern and what uses are allowed in various locations, provide basics for building types, setbacks, parking, sign standards, subdivision standards and other regulations for development.
The plan will be a guide to determine where housing and business growth should occur, the transportation system needed to support growth, the types of businesses and jobs the city wants to encourage, the housing that is desired and values that the character of the city should reflect.
