A brief discussion during a city Planning Commission meeting last week merits a word of caution about low-hanging fruit.

The commission is likely to ask the City Council to hold a public hearing in March that is required to approve the city’s comprehensive plan. Once the hearing is held the council can hold a vote.

Many of the projects outlined in the plan won’t include significant financial investments. Several focus on developing resources and alleviating regulatory issues at the city level. Other steps focus specifically on building redevelopment.

“Improving the look of upper stories in downtown Warren does not have to always include expensive or difficult solutions,” the plan states. “Some simple actions can go a long way to improve the look of downtown buildings,” specifically mentioning murals and window coverings.”

It’s a simple action — and it’s the very thing that can give the appearance of action while doing absolutely nothing. Just drive through downtown Jamestown if you want proof.

Such window coverings on downtown buildings were pitched as a quick and temporary way to make derelict buildings look nicer.

More than a half-decade later, those temporary murals and window coverings are still there and nothing has been done with the buildings. It was a cheap bit of window dressing.

Warren can do better, but our elected and appointed officials can’t fall into the trap of thinking that picking the low-hanging fruit in the comprehensive plan is the same thing as harvesting all of the fruit in the comprehensive plan’s orchard.

There’s better fruit near the top of the tree — but you have to work a little bit harder to get it.