IRMO, S.C. — Leaders in Irmo are in the process of creating a new comprehensive plan to use for the next ten years. The hope is that it can be presented to council this fall for approval.
As of just a few days ago, the consultant group helping town leaders with this plan sent the first draft of a future land use map. It shows potential areas of growth over the course of the next decade.
"There's a lot of talk and a lot of conversations being had. There's a lot of concern about what's going to happen or not happen," Gabriel Penfield, Irmo town councilman said.
Irmo town council members said they're being detail-oriented and thoughtful throughout this process of crafting the comprehensive plan. They've been getting input from over 400 locals through an online survey, and through community meetings, and deciding possible zone categories like commercial or parks.
"We actually did a plan just last year, mainly just to make sure that we were in keeping with state law and having a new plan every five years or having an update, but during that process we realized that what we had really didn't cover our needs going forward and so we want to do a more comprehensive look at where we stand today and where we want to be," Doug Polen, assistant town administrator said.
Polen said this was a result of explosive growth in neighborhoods and on Irmo roads within the past six years.
He adds now that the survey is closed, more public meetings will start before the planning commission and council meet to make a decision on the plan sometime this fall.
"I'm really proud that we're here and what I mean is, unfortunately sometimes in the past the town has rubber stamped a comprehensive plan. They've looked at where the areas have grown, they've looked at the demographics and just made some projections from there. And this has been a really deep and serious undertaking to try to really get it right or as close as we can get," Erik Sickinger, Irmo town councilman said.
Locals said they want to see less car washes, and traffic, and more outdoor recreation spaces and middle schools. They add that road construction projects need to move at a faster pace.
According to town leaders, you can still reach out to them with your feedback on what you want the future of Irmo to look like.