News
City kicks off master planning process
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- By Kate Cole
- Wednesday, June 20, 2012
- Hits: 350
The dome at city hall was nearly filled. Residents from all sectors of the city came to listen, learn and get their questions about the city's new master plan answered.
Mayor Dayne Walling began the session saying this is not about what Flint was, but what Flint is going to be.
"This plan is for the 21st century," Walling said. "We're going to define the steps for transforming this city. With a $1.5 million federal grant and other community grants we've constructed a team that will work with us. It's a journey that will take time. There are deep challenges and high aspirations. It will take deep faith as our plan process will pivot and shift."
He said his expectations for the planning process are that Flint will become number one in citizen participation, in fairness and equity and in economic opportunity.
Walling said Flint reinvented itself from a lumber city, to a carriage city and to a car city. Now it's time for Flint to reinvent itself again.
"We're going to be different than in the past," Walling continued. "We'll have a lower population and more natural areas, new opportunities for business like intermodal shipping, food processing and high-tech manufacturing."
Walling concluded by saying Flint can't pull solutions off the shelf. The plan will work for its citizens, reflect their values and become a good step forward.
Jim Houseal, president of the newly hired consulting firm from Chicago, Houseal Lavigne and Associates, outlined his company's role in the three-year process.
"I'm here to make a pledge to all residents that this plan with be your plan — not the mayor's or the consultant's. I don't have a dog in this fight. We are not bound by local politics. We're interested in making the right recommendations to guide you to see your objectives are met with 100 percent transparency," Houseal said.
He said Flint's best asset was its potential to build on previous successes saying, "Our number one concern is your satisfaction."
According to Houseal, the master plan is a simple three-step process. First, defining the starting point. Second, deciding where the city wants to go. Third, defining the steps to get there.
Megan Hunter, chief planner, said she was inspired by the commitment of citizens to the project.
"We don't have a secret plan. The plan is only as good as the input. We don't want it just to sit on the shelf. We're here to implement it into action."
Among the planning group's accomplishments to date are a web site, www.steeringflintforward.com, where citizens are kept informed of the progress and also invited to comment. Hunter also mentioned the public library depository of materials relating to the plan and at least 30 neighborhood plans that have been collected for review.
Bob Wesley, chairman of the Flint Planning Commission, said the plan will be made and approved under his commission. Then the plan will go to Flint City Council and the mayor for approval after governance of the city is returned to the elected officials.
Jim Richardson, chairman of the 21-member steering committee, said his group, which has representatives from all wards and other many community institutions, will provide information to the planners.
"No one will be excluded from this process. We're going to remove all barriers. The result will be a plan where the community will hear its voice in the final product," Richardson said.
Elizabeth Jordan, Ward 9 planning commissioner and member of the advisory committee, outlined the advisory group's participation in the process.
"We have several opportunities for people to become involved in the process," Jordan said.
She explained the need for help with housing inventories and said comment cards would be available at churches and public places to ensure citizen participation.
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