Students from a University of Kentucky landscape architecture class presented suggestions for the county’s future land use at the extension building Tuesday night, wrapping up a semester-long project for them and giving a face to a years-long project that is based upon a bounty of input from throughout the community.
Among the ideas proposed by the students, which will be compiled in a book to be published this summer, included ways to revamp downtown Owenton, boost the community’s arts profile, attract tourists and better the quality of life in the county.
Community leaders, including Owenton Mayor David “Milkweed” Wotier, seemed impressed by the presentation, yet acknowledged that a long road still lies ahead before some the concepts are brought off the design table and implemented in the real world.
“We’ve had some pretty good imagination and they’ve taken it and put it on paper,” said county extension agent Kim Strohmeier, who has been  heavily involved with several groups aiming to create a plan for the county’s future, including the Owen Vision Plan and Owen 20/20 project.
“This right here is sort of a stopping point and a starting point,” Strohmeier said, calling Tuesday’s presentation a milestone.
He said much of the planning the groups sought out, sponsored by leadership classes set up by the chamber of commerce, has been done.
Now, Strohmeier says, those group members, along with the community at large, must focus upon seeing the plan’s completion.
“I think it’s going to take a group of people to kind of keep the community’s nose to the fire,” he said.
Though Wotier said implementation of the ideas will not rest solely on the heels of government, he was one of many representatives of public officials to attend Tuesday’s presentation, along with members of Fiscal Court and representatives from the governor’s office and Sen. Jim Bunning’s office.
The Owenton mayor said he is hopeful the community can get support from higher levels in government “knowing that they are interested in some of our dreams.”
Although Wotier said he would like to see all of the ideas come to life, “obviously we’re not going to be able to do everything here.”
Among the suggestions made by the students included establishing a regional network with surrounding counties to develop a Kentucky River National Park; creating an outdoor adventure park on the river west of Monterey featuring kayaking, camping and lodging; establishing unique gateways at the county’s entry points; creating driving and biking trails, dotted with scenic sign markers; and building an arts hub.
The students applauded community involvement in the project, noting many participants have lived in the county for more than 20 years and live in communities throughout Owen County.
“From Beechwood all the way down to Cedar Creek, everybody’s coming in,” UK student Joey Hood said of the community participation.
During the presentation, students discussed the advantages of planned growth versus unplanned growth.
Hood noted that Owen County had more than 4,300 housing units in 2005, a number expected to grow another 1,000 by 2020.
Fellow UK student Chris Hall discussed an unplanned future versus “the desirable approach.”
He said unplanned growth would concentrate along major roads, namely, along U.S. Highway 127, and in the northern part of the county.
Potential negatives from such growth, he said, include loss of farming land, loss of rural character and an increased burden on local infrastructure.
On the other hand, Hall said, a “desirable approach” allows for agriculture preservation, water resource protection, the expansion of wildlife preserves, the creation of buffers around streams, preservation of rural character and the expanding of small communities.
During the students’ previous community meeting, eight master plan scenarios were presented. Of those, one listed as No. 1 and entitled “stakeholder values” showed growth confined to northern part of county and near corridors, as would take place in unplanned growth in the county.
It was the lowest rated of the eight presented, Hall said.
Conversely, the scenario No. 8, dubbed “best of all scenarios,” centered growth to Gratz, Perry Park and land surrounding Owenton.
Hall said those in attendance at the meeting rated it highest.
UK student Aaron Emerson discussed the importance of working with neighboring communities to develop entrepreneurial opportunities, such as creating campgrounds near Sparta that work alongside the Kentucky Speedway.
“You’ve got to be able to communicate with your neighbors,” he said.
Emerson also discussed plans to enhance downtown Owenton, such as adding pedestrian friendly boardwalks, and showed possible development scenarios for land near the intersection of U.S. Highway 127 and Kentucky Highway 22.
Other proposals mentions during the presentation included implementing a trail system, amphitheatre and outdoor learning space near the schools, creating a campus between the facilities; adding multi-use sports fields and condensing parking at the fairgrounds to maximize space and minimize cost; and opening up access to the river in Gratz by converting the existing bridge, slated to be replaced, into a pedestrian bridge, creating a terraced lawn leading to the river and adding a boat-launching ramp.
UK student Matt Mitchell focused his portion of the presentation on improving the arts scene in Owen County. He recommended creating an arts and community center by either remodeling an existing structure downtown or by building a new structure south of town.
The students all spoke highly of the project but admitted they were looking forward to graduation.
“This is their final hurrahs as undergraduates and it means a lot to them getting it done,” said professor Brian Lee, who guided the students through the project.
Some of those in attendance discussed what it would take to make some of the ideas come to life.
Strohmeier said he does not favor having one small group in charge of the project, even though it would make some items tougher to prioritize.
However he agreed that having a tourism and marketing director in the county, a recommendation made by the 20/20 taskforces, would help the process.
Strohmeier said he could see such a position being supported by two or more groups, such as county government and the chamber of commerce.
“Some of the things are long-term,” he said. “You have to have the ideas in place, then you work on details.”
Lee said grant writing for projects could be supported by work done by the 20/20 group, which shows broad community support and interest.
The UK students used much of the information gathered in the 20/20 surveys to conjure up ideas for their project.
Toward the end of the presentation the students again relied on the public to help brainstorm. This time the attention focused on getting resources for various projects.
With cards and colored markers, those in attendance helped draw diagrams to show where money, brainpower and support could come from to implement many of the ideas.
Wotier commended the “great minds in the room” at Tuesday’s meeting for leading the community this far toward a plan, though he noted that it will take everyone working in the same direction to make it happen.
“I just hope that this can give us a little taste of what we can do if we have a dream and pursue that dream,” he said. “Owen County is a good place to live. I want to see it (become) a better place.
“You can have a rural mentality … and still move forward,” Wotier said. “The word that comes to mind for me is ‘togethernes

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