Overview
Participation and involvement from the general public and interested parties is the key to the success of this planning effort and will be a strong component that will be included within the significantly compressed timeframe of this process. To accomplish this element, a series of public meetings and forums will be conducted to encourage input on the vision, goals and objectives for the Town Center. These include stakeholder interviews with business and property owners as well as community and civic leaders, in-person and web-based community and attitude surveys, City Council work sessions to allow for interaction with the consultants, and two public forums to allow the general public and interested parties to participate and become involved. In addition, the City is seeking public input and comment on the redevelopment of the Old Lumberyard site, as it plays a significant role in the continued redevelopment of the Town Center.

Public Participation Results
The first public forum was held on February 21, 2007 to introduce the project to interested residents, property and business owners. Approximately 80 people attended this Kick-off Meeting held at the Park Street Intermediate School. At this meeting the consultant presented a general outline and timeframe for this planning effort as well as explaining their scope of work. Based on the turnout, the City is considering adding additional public forums later in the process (click here to view meeting materials).

Upcoming Events
Please visit this site to stay informed on the progress of the Town Center Plan and learn about upcoming public participation opportunities and how to get involved. In order to ensure maximum public participation and provide an opportunity for continued involvement in the planning effort, the drafts of the Plan will be made available online for review and comment. In addition, you can stay informed by signing up for future meeting notices and plan updates of upcoming events.