Letter to the Editor: Rockwall County’s Open Space Master Plan

(ROCKWALL COUNTY,TX- July 1, 2015)

Dear Editor:

I’ve just read latest issue of PEOPLE and LAND in The Trust for Public Land magazine.   Some of the articles in this issue tell how long the path is to planning and preserving open spaces.  I am reminded of the recent past that influenced our current efforts for the Rockwall County Open Space Master Plan.

Thanks to former Judge Jerry Hogan’s call to the citizenry in 2011 to let the County leaders know what they think the County should look like in 5 years, a few of us assembled to share our ideas and vision.

As lay and professional planners, we knew that 5 years is a very short time frame to plan what Rockwall County could be.  We agreed that getting essential input from the public, establishing goals, and developing a master plan to follow was essential in determining what the County will look like in the future.

A few weeks into our task we learned a similar effort started in 2008.   Initiated by County Commissioner Jerry Wimpee, Rockwall  County partnered with the North Central Council of Governments and The Trust for Public Lands to complete the 2008 Open Space Goals and Finance Assessment report.  Through surveys and public meetings, considerable information was gathered that made clear the things that were important to citizens.

So now we are in the middle of developing a countywide Master Planning effort thanks to the long and hard work of a few county citizens and the foresight of the Commissioner Court in approving and funding this work.  As we work through the process, we find that the things that were important in 2008 are still priorities for today’s Rockwall County residents.  Therefore, the 2008 document is the beginning point of our current effort.

It is critical for the citizens to remain involved and the volunteer leaders to continue their work to see that this effort does not stall, as the 2008 report did for 3 years. For this effort to continue, it is also critical for younger citizens to become actively involved to see this through to implementation based in what the citizens want the County to be for future generations.  

This work is important and timely. The window of time to create livable and sustainable environment is very short as development rushes on.

Stay the course. Become involved. It is the responsible thing to do.

–From a grandfather and an impatient planner.

Rockwall County Open Space Alliance

Bob DeJean, Chairman Executive Committee

Note: Robert D. DeJean is a Registered Landscape Architect living in southeast Rockwall County.  He is a committed voice for conservation and preservation of our vanishing natural spaces.  In addition to his practice, he is working with a group of dedicated volunteers and consultants on the development of a comprehensive Open Space Master Plan for Rockwall County.   A Community Workshop is scheduled for July 15^th, 6-8 p.m., at the Rockwall County Courthouse, 1111 East Yellow Jacket Lane, Rockwall.   The public is urged to attend and participate.  For additional information, see www.rockwallosa.org or Rockwall Open Space Alliance on Facebook.

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Community Workshop for Rockwall County Open Space Plan July 15 

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