by Charles Kruse
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Missouri Farm Bureau is very concerned about legislation introduced in the Missouri General Assembly regarding county planning.
Currently, Missouri state law requires a favorable majority vote by people of any county wanting to initiate county planning, typically the first step for planning and zoning implementation.
That makes a lot of sense to us. If a county is going to start the planning process, why would county commissioners not want the citizens living in that county to have the right and ability to voice their opinion?
Legislation was introduced again this year in the Missouri General Assembly to remove the requirement of approval by county residents to initiate county planning, and instead turn the decision over to the county commission.
There are more than 80 third-class counties in the state of Missouri that do not have planning and zoning and, if approved, this legislation would remove the decision to initiate the process from people living in the county and put it in the hands, theoretically, of two people.
If two of the three commissioners in a third-class county decided to start county planning, they could do so without regard to the wishes of the majority of county voters. We think that is a terrible idea. Farm Bureau believes the citizens of a county should determine the direction of their county with regard to the planning process, a right they have now that would be taken away by this legislation.
If the majority of people of the county vote to start planning, great – the people had the opportunity to voice their opinion and select the direction they want their county to take. Such a decision should continue to be made by the many (the citizens of the county), not the few (the county commissioners).
Farm Bureau hopes legislators will give some serious thought about voting for a bill that would remove the right of citizens to vote up front.
Charles E. Kruse is President of Missouri Farm Bureau and a fourth generation farmer from Stoddard County.