In what Community Development Director Kerry Sullivan described as a kickoff of the public review process, the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors received a report Tuesday, March 15, on four alternatives to how rural communities might grow in the next 20 years.

The report, part of the general plan update process, covers potential residential, commercial and industrial growth on land outside city limits. The county currently operates under the general plan adopted in 1993.

Supervisors offered little comment, with Supervisor Steve Bestolarides saying it would be inappropriate for board members to state their growth preferences before the public has a chance to provide its input.

The report covers potential growth and how different options would affect issues such as job creation, emergency services, greenhouse emissions, agricultural land, water supply and demand, energy consumption, demand for parkland, flood risk, wildland fire risk, the jobs-housing balance, road impacts, airport growth and how far residents would commute to work.

The report also shows population projections within San Joaquin County.

Board chairman Larry Ruhstaller said that a silver lining to the economic recession is that the board has more time to debate the new General Plan because developers aren't knocking on the doors of county offices ready to construct new buildings.

The board of supervisors is scheduled to consider adopting a new general plan in late 2011 or early 2012.