One more public meeting left for city's comprehensive plan
Sep. 18—Few people attended a public comment session for Envision Stillwater, a 2045 Comprehensive Plan and roadmap Monday at the Community Center.
It was the second of three planned by the City of Stillwater on the newest strategic plan that will span two decades, 2025-45. The focus of this meeting was on future jobs, housing and transportation needs and land use with the city and county's predicted population growth of an estimated 15,000-20,000 people by 2045.
The City Council selected Tulsa-based urban planning and design firm Freese and Nichols to prepare the comprehensive plan and its presentation Monday of initial findings incorporated giant, color maps on each table with developable areas, marked by new projects for the City.
Visitors to the public meeting were asked to predict what housing growth, jobs and transportation should look like on the map — a land-use activity — after a brief slide presentation by members of the consultant group. The lack of attendance was a stark contrast to the near 100 people who attended the first meeting.
Brady Moore, deputy city manager, and Dawn Warrick, associate of the firm, delivered opening remarks for the presentation on a large overhead screen to those gathered.
A comprehensive plan is required by state statute to look at current zoning and priorities of the city, said Moore. It's the City's job to put infrastructure in place to support vision and growth and this "requires citizen input," he said.
Warrick said the plan is a long range policy document useful for how the City should establish regulatory affairs, and it gives decision makers and the City what they want to see for the future, and "doing so in an informed manner."
Jake Lange, with Freese and Nichols, asked that attendees look at jobs and the commercial mix, as well as commutes, reporting that one-third of those employed in Stillwater are in the education sector, the second-largest group are in health care and most of the public currently has a commute of less than 20 minutes; 6 percent have a more than 60-minute commute to work in Stillwater.
Mayor Will Joyce rolled up his sleeves and took on the assignment of putting different types of housing on the map, working with people at his table. The firm planned to take the feedback on the maps and from people at the meeting to put into data for the overall plan.
The third community meeting to look at findings and provide feedback will be scheduled roughly in January/February 2025.
