May 18, 2000 marked a historic event in the life of Woodford County.  Nearly two hundred community members gathered around tables to envision the future of the county’s rural communities in the first of a series of workshops hosted by the Woodford County Taskforce.  Victor Dover of Dover, Kohl & Partners gave a presentation on the design of small and rural communities.  Following the presentation, people from Mortonsville, Versailles, and other parts of the county gathered around tables with a map of Mortonsville.  Using pencils and markers these concerned “citizen planners” educated the consultants on local concerns and issues.  They also explained what they like and dislike about the existing situation in Mortonsville and other small communities. 

After drawing on the maps amid spirited discussion, each group reported their big ideas to the larger gathering.  Fourteen different groups presented ideas, each with a unique take on Mortonsville, but there were many common themes and ideas.

The groups liked the small town character and feel of Mortonsville.  They wanted to be able to walk on a network of streets.  They thought that the Mortonsville School could be reused, perhaps as a community center.  The placement of houses and garages was important; ‘no garages facing the street’ was mentioned.  For some people, the 1 mile radius was seen as too large for a small community. Supporting the agricultural interests and development interests was a heavily discussed item.

The planners will now begin work sketching out a plan for Mortonsville, as a model for the small communities in Woodford County.  Some of the main ideas will be:

• Preserve existing character and architecture of the area

• Create a network of walkable streets

• Refurbish existing buildings

• Create a mix of uses in the center that supports the local community

• Develop a trail along the creek