Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Val Verde County officials are asking for public input on a study on land use around Laughlin Air Force Base.
A public open house meeting on the Laughlin Air Force Base compatible use study has been scheduled for 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, June 15, at the Val Verde County Library, 200 Spring St.
During the meeting, consultants working on the study will hear public comment and field questions about the study.
County Engineer Carlos Velarde announced the meeting during Tuesday’s county commissioners court session.
“We’re currently conducting a study, the Laughlin Air Force Base compatible use study, and that’s a planning study being sponsored by the Department of Defense. We were able to get funding for the study through a grant, and the consulting firm that is doing the study is the Matrix Group,” Velarde said after the meeting.
Velarde said the study will “address 25 compatibility factors relating to development, residency, resources and social topics that may impact Laughlin Air Force Base and the surrounding community.”
He said everyone is invited to the meeting.
Velarde said the application for the grant to fund the study was submitted in September 2021.
“We got the award two months later, and we have been doing this project for more than a year already,” Velarde said.
He said the project is scheduled for completion in August.
Velarde said once the study is nearly completed, the county will receive a final draft from Matrix.
“The document will contain a lot of recommendations of what we can and cannot do in the areas surrounding Laughlin, and also, what are the possible areas of opportunity for the county and the city to help support Laughlin,” Velarde said.
“We encourage anyone who feels like they would like to have some input on this process to attend this meeting,” Velarde added.
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