CONDON — The Swan Valley is known for its rustic and rural feel, which in turn draws people near and far to it.
The residents of the Swan Valley saw that with the purchase of the Holland Lake Lodge, change was potentially coming to the valley.
The community banded together however, creating a neighborhood plan that they say could retain the charm of the valley.
And with that, residents of the Swan Valley recently finalized their neighborhood plan with the goal of preserving the feel and values of the Swan Valley.
“One of the things that I'm very clear on is that change happens. It happens in every community,” said John Simon, co-chair of the Condon Neighborhood Planning Committee.
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John Simon and Helene Michael, co-chairs of the Condon Neighborhood Planning Committee, set out alongside 13 volunteers in late 2023 to update the neighborhood plan, which acts as the base of a framework for development in the area.
“We're involved as citizens. We're influencing. We're not arrogant saying we're going to tell the world what the future of this valley is going to look like,” said Simon.
From how land is used to water and air quality, the plan hopes to preserve the valley, acting as the policy towards future change.
“The plan created for how do we move forward in the future. And leaving this place a little bit better than we found it. And for our grandkids or kids to enjoy what we have the privilege of enjoying every day,” said Michael.
And most of all they say, the plan reflects the community’s true values because they were the ones who created it.
“What's important to you? What do you value? What do you want to leave for your grandkids and great-grandkids? And I think those kind of questions are tough for a county technocrat to get rich, full, interesting answers. With no disrespect to the county workers, we needed to make this our plan,” said Simon.
The completed plan, which took 18 months to finalize, is now in the process of being reviewed by the county, set to go forth to the commissioners on January 29th.
While the plan may be finished, there are still several regulatory steps, mainly zoning, to ensure that the neighborhood plan is followed.
