With amendments to its land use ordinance approved this evening and steering committee appointed, the Roanoke Rapids Planning and Development Department is ready to begin an overhaul of the city’s comprehensive land use plan.

Planning and Development Director Kelly Lasky noted in a memo to council the committee will oversee the preparation of the draft plan by providing feedback to city staff and a professional consultant throughout the course of the plan’s development.

The committee is expected to meet three times over the course of the next five to six months with the first meeting scheduled July 25 at 5:30 p.m. at city hall.

The first meeting, Lasky noted in the memo, will be to review existing conditions. The second meeting will help develop preliminary recommendations and the third will be to review the draft plan before presenting it to council.

All meetings will be open to the public with a time allotted for comments and questions.

Objectives of the plan include:

• Developing a vision for the future of the Roanoke Rapids urban area.

• Considering how the city will develop and in what direction and pace.

• Recommending policies on future growth, development and environment as well as housing, water, sewer, health care, public safety, economic development and government services.

Lindsey Shaw performs at the meeting.

(A video of Ellen Draper’s performance during the council meeting may be seen at the end of this story)

In other matters tonight council:

• Officially swore in Tommy Hathaway as police chief.

• Changed the parking from 10 minutes to two hours in the area around Oscar’s restaurant.

• Heard musical presentations from Lindsey Shaw and Ellen Draper of the Music School of Roanoke Rapids.