HERMANN – The need for additional housing kept coming up as the primary concern for the Hermann community Wednesday morning as about 30 people assembled to begin the effort to update the county seat community’s Comprehensive Plan.

“This is an amazing turnout,” said City Administrator Patrica Heaney in opening the session.

Meeting in the conference room of Scenic Regional Library District’s Hermann branch, representatives of a variety of organizations took the first step in what is expected to be an 18-month task to draft a new blueprint for the growth and development of Hermann. Leading the effort is the staff of Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC).

Last week’s initial session was a sweeping exercise with those participating identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the city, as well as opportunities and threats.

MRPC Director of Planning Anne Freand guided those attending the session through the day-long exercise. “This is going to look at all aspects of the city,” she said. Tentatively dubbed “Hermann 2035,” the revised Comprehensive Plan will be designed to guide decision-making by city officials through a 5-year period. Comprehensive Plans (also referred to as Master Plans) usually cover 10-20 years, but this plan will be scaled back in length and scope because of funding limits. The city’s Board of Aldermen appropriated $40,000 for the project, down from the $55,000 requested by the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission, which formally sought an update of the plan.

There will be several elements of the Comprehensive Plan – land use, housing, transportation, utilities, community facilitated emergency management and economic development and tourism.

Freand said she expects to conduct another half-dozen public meetings during the course of the project. A final draft of a new Comprehensive Plan is projected to be presented to the Board of Aldermen by fall of 2025.

Attending the initial meeting were representatives of city government, including Mayor Bruce Cox and Alderman Dolores Grannemann, the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission, Gasconade County Presiding Commissioner Tim Schulte, R-Hermann, the Gasconade County Health Department, the county’s Historical Society, the business community, the Hermann Regional Economic Development (HRED) Corporation, Hermann Area District Hospital and several other organizations and individuals.

There were no representatives from the Gasconade County R-1 School District administration, which surprised some attendees. The lack of housing in the community for families of school-age children is an ongoing concern for officials of R-1, which is coping with steadily declining enrollment.

After participants identified the many strengths and weaknesses of the town, they then prioritized the lists. The results of the voting is what will be considered by MRPC staff as it begins crafting a new plan.