Ken De La Bastide, The Herald Bulletin
July 28, 2023
ANDERSON — The city of Anderson has hired a consulting firm to develop an updated comprehensive plan that will cover development over the next 20 years.
Anderson Mayor Thomas Broderick Jr. announced this week that the firm of Rundell Ernstberger Associates has been hired to develop a comprehensive plan.
The city’s last comprehensive plan was completed in 2005.
Broderick said work on upgrading the plan will start this summer and will seek grant funding from the Economic Development Administration to cover the costs.
He said comprehensive plans are normally developed for a 20-year outlook and are reviewed and modified based on population changes and economic factors.
“The new 2023 comprehensive plan will provide a renewed strategy that provides for future growth and development of Anderson,” Broderick said in a press release.
He said that now that the 2020 census has been completed and the COVID-19 pandemic is mostly passed, the city is in a good position to develop new strategies for the future.
“The plan will establish updated guidelines for future land use and economic development policy while ensuring that the economic progress and vitality of Anderson will continue into the future.”
Rebecca Crumes, president of the Anderson City Council, has been advocating for a new comprehensive plan for several years.
“It can take several years to do a comprehensive plan,” she said. “It will require the redoing of zoning ordinances.
“It needs to have stakeholders involved in the development of the plan,” Crumes said. “Every side of the city has different needs.”
She is awaiting additional details on the process that will be used to update the comprehensive plan.
“I’m happy to hear the mayor has started to develop a new comprehensive plan,” Crumes said.
Broderick said the plan will provide the ability to draft land use policies and strategic tools to transform former manufacturing sites and provide a balanced approach to infill housing.
“In addition to the business aspects of the plan, understanding the current housing challenges in today’s market will be an important aspect of the plan,” Greg Winkler, executive director of the Anderson Economic Development Department, said. “The update to the Comprehensive Plan will review the housing quality, stock and needs for the future. The mayor’s plans are to bring in new housing starts into various areas around the city.”
Cynthia Brown with Rundell Ernstberger Associates said Anderson has experienced thriving business and industrial centers along Interstate 69 and significant development in the downtown.
“These attributes as well as additional planned development on the east, north and west sides of town will be part of the updates to the Comprehensive Plan,” Brown said.
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