Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 9, 1995 TAG: 9507100085
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
In contrast to the New Century Council's vision effort, the people of Richmond set a much shorter deadline for themselves, starting in January with plans to wrap it up by the end of this month.
Focus Forward coordinators staged a public meeting in March that drew 650 people. A smaller group working in committees drafted a tentative 25-year plan, which was publicly unveiled last month to mixed reviews. Now it is being reworked for re-release next month.
One problem in Richmond was combining the views of people who showed up at the meetings to address short-term needs, such as a pothole, and those taking the longer view, said James Hassinger, executive director of the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission, which coordinated the effort.
"If you're talking about environmental issues and the availability of landfill space, one person might say, `We're going to run out of landfill space in 30 years, and that's urgent.' Another person might say, `We're not going to run out of landfill space for another 30 years. What do I care?''' Hassinger said.
In the end, compromise is going to be important for the Richmond group, he said.
"You can take the perspective, `We think we produced something really good, and now we are going to sell it to you,''' Hassinger said. "Or you can take the perspective, `We produced something really good, and we want to test it.' I would opt for the test."
by CNB