For Immediate Release
January 12, 2010 |
Contact: Terry Payne,
Public Information Officer
City of Hot Springs
(501) 321-6806
tpayne@cityhs.net |
The City of Hot Springs invites interested individuals to join the Comprehensive Plan 2030 Citizen Committee in day and evening sessions on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 to participate in establishing a long-range vision for Hot Springs. A brown-bag session will begin at 11:30 at the Transportation Depot, 100 Broadway Terrace, followed by picture-taking and other field work by participants at 1:45 p.m. Participants will re-convene at the Historic Malco Theatre, 817 Central Avenue in downtown Hot Springs, from 6 to 8 p.m. for a workshop and presentation. The Malco’s concession area will be open for the purchase of refreshments and snacks.
Results from the meetings will help define critical land use strategies as well as draft goals and policies for the city’s comprehensive plan update. Sessions will be hosted by City Manager Lance Hudnell and Planning & Development Director Kathy Sellman, along with Bill Grimes and Rick Hastings of Studio Cascade, Inc., a community and regional planning firm based in Spokane, WA. The Hot Springs Board of Directors selected Studio Cascade last spring to update the plan, which is used for land use and budgeting decisions. Private investors and other agencies such as local school and fire districts can refer to the plan to know where and what type of development and capital improvements are going to occur.
“Effective plans rely on many things, but increasingly, solid involvement by residents and stakeholder groups is seen as critical. Whether testing plan concepts, generating new ideas and approaches, building consensus, or establishing an implementation base, public participation is key,” noted Grimes.
The Comprehensive Plan’s vision and policies will set a course for the community’s future. Hot Springs has had comprehensive plans since the Harland Bartholomew Plan in the 1960’s, followed by other plans sponsored by the city and others. The city’s current plan, adopted in 1997, reflects Hot Springs as it was in the mid-nineties. Changes in current and projected growth, economic development, downtown revitalization, transportation and other areas have prompted the city to update the plan. By establishing a strategic, sustainable set of goals and policies to improve Hot Springs over time, the city can take a more proactive approach to its future.
The timeline for the Hot Springs 2030 Plan is short, with completion scheduled by the summer. The Planning Commission and Board of Directors will hold public hearings before adopting a final version.
For more information on the plan update, call Sellman at 321-6855.
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