Burnett County proposes to develop a comprehensive land use management plan to protect and improve its lakes' water quality and ecosystems. Project activities consist of: 1. Inventory and data gathering, including conducting a land use and environmental resource inventory of the county's watersheds, identifying environmentally sensitive areas, developing a lake classification system and classifying all lakes in the county, reviewing existing state and federal regulations governing watershed areas, reviewing existing local regulations governing development in the county; and reviewing enforcement of local ordinances and regulations. 2. Analysis of data including assessing lake water quality and water use trends, identifying land use changes and trends, determing land use effects on natural resources and sensitive areas, and determinign how well existing local regultions governing development address the land use and natural resource protection goals developing in task 3 below. 3. Education, creation of a shared vision, and determination of goals including providing public education of the project and issues through news articles, newsletters, meetings, open houses, etc,; and using public participation to develop a shared vision, goals and objectives for land use and natural resource protection through surveys, citizen committees, meetings, the use of nominal group exercises, etc. 4. Determination and selection of alternatives/tools for implementation of vision and goals including creating a development guide to act as a framework for future county development decisions, improve protection of lakes, watersheds, and environmentally sensitive areas, and identifying deficiencies in lake, shoreland, and watershed protection to recommend language to update existing zoning ordinances and regulations to the County Board.

Burnett County proposes to develop a comprehensive land use management plan to protect and improve its lakes water quality and ecosystems. Inventory and data gathering, analysis of data, education and protection.