Hancock Business Council

As the city’s new comprehensive plan nears completion, the Council is set to vote soon on the final draft of the plan, which has been in the works for over two years.  The future land use map is considered an important part of the plan.  While it doesn’t change current zoning, once adopted as part of the plan, it smoothes the path should the city in the future wish to rezone areas as reflected in the map. In October of 2008, the Hancock Business Council approached the City Council with concerns about the map that had been presented in the final draft of the plan.  The Business Council is comprised of forty local business leaders. Hancock Business Council Co-Chair, Michael Haas, explained that the written part of the comprehensive plan suggested several possible future uses for land, however, not all of these uses were reflected in the original map. Haas said, “Working with the City Council, members of the original Comp Plan advisory committee and the Gulf Coast Design Studio, the new proposed map now shows these uses, including Waterfront Districts.”   "The Hancock Business Council would like to encourage the public to attend and add their input,” Haas continued. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us to shape the future of Bay St. Louis.  Our intent is to provide the potential for our 2nd home and tourist markets to return.  We want to present our part-time residents with an opportunity to come back." Haas will help to facilitate the meetings, along with planners from the the Gulf Coast Community Design Studio -  a research arm of Mississippi State University's College of Architecture, Art and Design.  The studio works with “a commitment to citizen participation… to preserve and restore the unique natural and cultural resources along the coast.” Doug Seal, Councilman for Ward 1 (where some of the proposed changes on the map would occur), emphasized the importance of citizens attending the meeting.   Seal noted that the Waterfront designation proposed by the Business Council is a new one.   "Based on public input," he said,  "should the council choose to allow creation of the districts, those districts need to be well defined within the plan.  And we can't define it properly without citizens sharing their vision for the future."   “It’s my job to represent everyone in my Ward,” he said.  “To do that, I need as much input as possible.  I’m asking everyone to help spread the word, so we’ll have a solid attendance.  The community as a whole needs to help make these critical decisions.” Bay St. Louis Council President, Bobby Compretta (Ward 4) agreed.   “We’ve had great participation throughout the Comprehensive Plan process,” Compretta said.  “We want everyone to feel like they’ve had an opportunity and a voice in shaping the future of Bay St. Louis.  Now we’re approaching the finish line at last.  We need to cross that line together.”