Time makes decision better

Some folks think that because an idea first comes to light from a certain quarter that automatically makes it a bad one.

We like to think of ourselves as open-minded enough to examine an idea on its own merits.

On Wednesday, The Record-Courier published a conversation with Edgewood CEO Brad Nelson. In discussing the attempt to develop Park Cattle land, Nelson suggested the county might be re-examining the rules for submitting a master plan amendment.

Currently, the county hears master plan amendments once a year. An application has to be submitted on June 1 and completed by July for consideration by the town boards and planning commission in August. County commissioners hear master plan requests in September.

Four months between application and final hearing is probably fine for most master plan amendments.

We've never opposed the idea of slowing the process down. A project the size of last year's Park Cattle development requires significant staff time to complete. Two months is not enough time for a reduced county staff to complete due diligence before taking the project public.

A year might be excessive, but providing more time for staff to examine the issues isn't a bad idea.

We believe that the bigger the decision, the longer we should take to make it.