Peabody Planning and Zoning Commission invited area communities to participate in a retreat Saturday.

Representatives from Cottonwood Falls, Sedgwick, and Strong City as well as the Peabody planning and zoning group were in attendance.

David Yearout, a certified city planner and president of Yearout Associates, Inc. of El Dorado, was the featured presenter for the retreat.

A comprehensive plan was developed for Peabody in 2008 and a planning and zoning commission was appointed to review the plan and recommend a strategy for addressing issues and regulations in the plan.

At the retreat, Yearout shared his extensive experience and knowledge about planning and zoning matters. Federal, state, and local ordinances were discussed at length and Yearout focused on how the regulations affect small towns.

“Interaction with representatives from neighboring communities was especially valuable because of the similar issues we share,” Bob Marshall, Peabody planning and zoning chairman, said. “The retreat offered all of us valuable information about the relevance of zoning matters for our communities.”

Members of the local committee are Hannah Berns, Jay Cook, Marshall, David Ragland, Jim Rippe, and Milton Toy.