WELCOME
BOONE COUNTY IS
creating a new Master Plan for the County.
Boone County, Missouri is creating a new Master Plan for the County. The Master Plan will help guide growth and development in the County over the next 10 to 20 years. The Master Plan serves as a guide for the County for rezoning decisions, land development regulations, transportation improvements, budgeting, coordination of infrastructure, and more. The Master Plan is not a regulatory document. Instead, it is a guide that reflects the values and aspirations of Boone County, crafted with input from residents, businesses, and service providers.
Upcoming public hearings for Master Plan
The Boone County Master Plan is entering its final approval phase in late February, which will include formal public hearings. The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold three public hearings in different parts of the county (see dates and locations below). Following these hearings, the County Commissioners will hold a final public hearing (date TBD).
February 25, 2025, at 6:30 PM, Centralia City Council Chambers, 114 S. Rollins, Centralia, MO
March 4, 2025, at 6:30 PM, Southern Boone Schools Central Office Board Room, 5275 W Redtail, Ashland, MO
March 20, 2025, at 7:00 PM, Boone County Commission Chambers, 801 E Walnut, Columbia MO
Please contact the Boone County Resource Management office at 573-886-4330 if you have any questions regarding the public hearings.
Final Master Plan Documents
Boone County Master Plan (January 2025)
Appendix (January 2025)
Final Plan Summary (Jan 23, 2025): Summary of changes between the draft and final plan. Includes the public comments that were received during the review of the draft plan.
Catch Up on How the Plan Came Together…
Elements of the draft master plan began to be rolled out in June 2024. The planning team gathered feedback on the draft elements as they were introduced and incorporated what was heard into the Draft and Final Master Plan. See the below links to catch up on the process.
June - July 2024: Advisory and Technical Committee Presentations
Three preliminary future land use plan options, draft descriptions of land use categories, and the framework of plan principles and goals.
August - September 2024: Virtual and In-Person Open House #3
Updated three future land use plan options, draft descriptions of land use categories, and the framework of plan principles and goals.
November - December 2024: Release of Draft Master Plan.
A brief 20-minute overview video is available here. See ‘Documents’ section for Draft Master Plan.
PAST SCHEDULE
April 2023: Plan Kickoff
July 2023: Stakeholder Listening Sessions
September 2023: Open House #1
August - September 2023: Countywide Survey
December 2023: Discovery Report (Existing Conditions and Survey Results)
April 3, 2024: Virtual Open House #2
April 23-24, 2024: Countywide Listening Sessions
July 9, 2024: Advisory and Technical Committee Meeting
August 21, 2024: Virtual Open House #3
Sept 5, 2024: In-Person Open House #3
Sept 19, 2024: Update to Commissioners and P&Z Commission
November 2024: Draft Master Plan
February 2025: Final Master Plan
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Planning and Zoning Commission Public Hearings:
February 25, 2025, at 6:30 PM, Centralia, City Council Chambers, 114 S. Rollins, Centralia
March 4, 2025, at 6:30 PM, Southern, Boone Schools Central Office Board Room, 5275 W Redtail, Ashland
March 20, 2025, at 7:00 PM, Boone County Commission Chambers, 801 E Walnut, Columbia
See ‘Background’ for the overall schedule.
WHY?
The current Boone County Master Plan was adopted in 1996, so it has been over twenty-five years since the last Master Plan. Since then, the County has experienced significant population and employment growth. That growth has spurred demand for housing, services, and infrastructure improvements. As shown by the 2020 Census, Boone County is one of the fastest growing counties in Missouri. This update of the County Master Plan will be an opportunity to consider ways to accommodate future population and employment growth by coordinating land use policies, transportation and infrastructure improvements, municipal and county services, and preservation of natural resources.
The State of Missouri provides the authority for counties to prepare countywide master plans. Chapter 64.815 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri states, “The county planning commission shall prepare an official master plan of the county for the purpose of bringing about coordinated physical development in accordance with the present and future needs.”
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
Logical Land Use Decision Making
The current Boone County Master Plan is over 25 years old. An updated Master Plan will be a guide for the Planning Commission when reviewing rezoning requests, conditional use permits, subdivision plats, and other land use decisions.
Strategic Guide for Future Growth and Change
While the future cannot be predicted, the County can plan and manage for growth and change. The planning team will examine trends in demographics, workforce, mobility, housing, and economic development to best position the County to coordinate with communities, agencies, utilities, and organizations on future growth in the County.
Shared Community Vision
Master Plans are an opportunity to develop consensus on a community vision and countywide priorities that will help shape growth in the county for the next 10-20 years. The planning team has engaged residents in multiple ways to ensure that residents are included in the planning process.
Will the community be involved?
Community engagement has been an essential part of updating the Master Plan. An Advisory Committee and Technical Committee has helped guide the planning. A countywide survey helped shape plan goals and priorities. There were numerous opportunities for resident input, including multiple in-person and online open houses, a countywide survey, small group meetings, a website, and social media. In addition to extensive community engagement, the final Master Plan will go through a formal adoption process, including a public review period and approval by the Planning Commission and County Commission.