A blueprint for the city, in South Dakota, already exists, and it has a name: Laurent, after Laurent Clerc, the Frenchman who pioneered sign language in the US in the early 19th century.

Laurent is being planned for about 125 families, including many from outside the US.

They expect to move into homes to be built on 130 hectares of land that is now wide open space. To add to the homey feeling, fast food restaurant chains already have expressed interest in opening outlets there.

That's fine, as long as the employees can use sign language.

Developer Marvin Miller hopes to begin construction on the city next year.

The County Commission of McCook County, where Laurent is to be built, recently approved new regulations that allow developers to design the first phase of the town, Minnesota Public Radio reported earlier this month.

This includes a few houses, a gasoline station, a few shops and a school.

Over the next 20 years the town is expected to grow steadily to 2,500 residents, although there will be space for 7,000.

So far, more than 100 families have expressed interest in living in the town where homes and businesses would incorporate more glass and open space than usual for easy visibility.

In addition, fire and police services would use more lights and fewer sirens, and high-speed Internet connections would be available all over town, enabling modes of communication vital to deaf people.

"We anticipate building a grand hotel with large indoor water park as well," Miller said earlier this year.

Miller, 33, has been chasing his dream to build the city for years, inspired by his own situation and upbringing. Not only is Miller deaf, his wife, their four children, parents, sister and maternal grandparents and uncle also are deaf.

He says his goal is to create a city designed by deaf people to meet the needs of deaf people.

"Society isn't doing that great a job of integrating us," Miller said through an interpreter in an article in The New York Times earlier this year.

"My children don't see role models in their lives: mayors, factory managers, postal workers, business owners. So we're setting up a place to show our unique culture, our unique society."

But there also is strong opposition.

Among the groups that have spoken out against Laurent is the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Washington, which considers the idea of building an enclave for deaf people unwise.

"We think there is a greater benefit for people to be part of the whole world," said Todd Houston, executive director of the association.

"I understand the desire to be around people like ourselves, and I don't have a problem with that, but I don't think it's very wise. This is a little bit of circling-the-wagons mentality, if you ask me," he told the Times.

Some residents of McCook County, where land is cheap and taxes are relatively low, also don't like the idea of Laurent arising out of the dusty prairie.

A group called McCook Citizens United want development to be centred on the county's existing five towns.

A spokeswoman for the group said opponents believe the town would eat up farmland and would hurt shops and other enterprises in existing towns by taking away their business.

Miller is not discouraged. They say that it's not their goal to create a place exclusively for deaf people - but rather a town for sign language users.

By The Associated Press