(a) The county plan shall be made with the general purpose of guiding and accomplishing a coordinated, efficient, and economic development of the county, or part thereof. In accordance with one (1) or more of the following criteria, the plan shall seek to best promote the health, safety, convenience, prosperity, and welfare of the people of the county.

(b) Each county plan shall reflect the county's development policies and shall contain a statement of the objectives and principles sought to be embodied therein. Each plan, with the accompanying maps, charts, and descriptive matter, may make recommendations, among other things, as to:

(1) The conservation of natural resources;

(2) The protection of areas of environmental concern;

(3) The development of land subject to flooding;

(4) The provision of adequate recreation, education, and community facilities, including water, sewer, solid waste, and drainage improvements;

(5) The development of transportation facilities, housing development, and redevelopment;

(6) The consideration of school district boundaries; and

(7) Other matters which are logically related to or form an integral part of a long-term plan for orderly development and redevelopment of the county.

(c)

(1) Areas of critical environmental concern include, among other things, aquifers and aquifer recharge areas, soils poorly suited to development, floodplains, wetlands, prime agricultural and forestlands, the natural habitat of rare or endangered species, areas with unique ecosystems, or areas recommended for protection in the Arkansas natural areas plan. Plans for these areas shall give consideration to protective mechanisms which seek to regulate activities or development in the areas.

(2) These mechanisms may include establishment of special zoning districts, adoption and enforcement of building codes, acquisition of easements or land through capital expenditures programming, and specialized development policies. Where appropriate, county management activities for areas of critical environmental concern shall involve cooperative agreements with interested state and federal agencies.

(d) In the preparation of all plans for the county or part of a county, the county planning board shall:

(1) Provide that plans are consistent with state plans and other related regional, county, and municipal plans, and school district boundaries in order to avoid inconvenience and economic waste and to assure a coordinated and harmonious development of the county, region, and state; and

(2) Notify by first-class mail the boards of directors of all school districts affected by a plan sufficiently in advance to allow representatives of all affected school districts to submit comments on any proposed plan.