The steering committee helping with Washington’s new comprehensive plan will hold two meetings over the next few weeks to develop goals and objectives for the plan.
Committee members will be given notes of the feedback provided at the public visioning meeting held Feb. 28 at the Washington Senior Center.
Based on that public feedback, the committee will help create a list of draft goals and objectives that the new comprehensive plan will cover.
The 14-member steering committee is scheduled to meet Tuesday, April 24, and Tuesday, May 15, in the city council chambers. Both meetings will start at 3 p.m.
Darren Lamb, community and economic development director, said the committee will not be taking public input at these meetings.
The public will get a chance to offer input on the draft goals and objectives at a forum later this year.
Dan Lang, president of the Lang Gang, the firm awarded a contract to develop a new comprehensive plan, said there are usually 30 to 40 goals and possibly 100 to 200 objectives to meet those goals.
The steering committee also will review the draft copy of the existing conditions analysis report. Lamb said city staff have reviewed that report and provided their comments already.
An estimated crowd of 100 people attended the visioning meeting Feb. 28, where roundtable discussions were held on the following topics:
Transportation/other infrastructure, economic development, land use, civic improvement, parks/recreation/open space, and aesthetics.
The Lang Gang has been working with the city and steering committee since the beginning of the year on developing the new comprehensive plan.
Last December, the firm was awarded a contract to develop the plan for $71,500, as well as update the city’s zoning and subdivision codes for an additional $35,000.
Many of the items in the city’s last comprehensive plan, Envision Washington, adopted in 2003 have been implemented.
A comprehensive plan typically has less than a 10-year shelf life because of changes that occur in the community.
The final comprehensive plan is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Public hearings regarding the plan will be held in the last few months of 2012 at planning and zoning commission and city council meetings.
Once finalized, the zoning commission will adopt the plan followed by a resolution of support by the council.
