city of brainerd comprehensive plan update · • residents expressed their love of the...
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CITY OF BRAINERD COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATECOMPREHENSIVE PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE (CPSC) #6
AGENDA OVERVIEW
Review community engagement responses gathered to date
01Identify guiding principles and plan topics
02Design the visioning session
03
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
TACTICS INTERVIEWS
At the beginning of the Comprehensive Plan Update process, project managers met individually with city councilors, planning commission members, as well as steering committee members and discussed several wide ranging topics regarding the current state of Brainerd as well as the future of Brainerd. Below are several of the major themes that emerged from those interviews:
• Brainerd needs to capitalize on its reputation and name recognition as a recreation destination while continuing to improve on weaknesses.
• Become an environment for cultural events, experiences, public art, live music, and entertainment all with a backdrop of Brainerd's rich history.
• Need to continually improve public transportation
• Continually improve walkability (connect neighborhoods to Downtown
• TH Hwy 210 and S 6th Street Pose congestions issues and barriers between neighborhoods/districts.
• Increase number of larger lot single family homesOld housing stock in neighborhoods with costly maintenance needs
• Complaints about quality of rental maintenance
FOCUS GROUPS
During the first two quarters of 2018 City staff and project managers met with a variety of focus groups to discuss pertinent community issues facing Brainerd residents, Brainerd businesses, and the community. Below are the major themes that were collected from respondents in each focus group:
Millennial Focus Group• Quality educational opportunities (at all levels)• An abundance of quality parks, trails and active recreational amenities.• Lack of non-active recreational activities for young people ages 16-35 (community events/social opportunities/festivals/indoor recreational opportunities).
Central Lakes College Student Senate• Lack of indoor recreation opportunities • Quality mix of industry, business, education, internships, tourist industry, size, sense of community and an emerging cultural scene i.e. breweries, mix of live music and events• Lack of high paying jobs.• Sense of community and nice people
Senior Focus Group Focus• Quality Medical Facilities• More Senior Activities, events, public arts etc• Traffic is difficult, buildings lack ADA • Taxes and cost of living pose challenges on fixed income• Downtown is: Scary, and needs appearance standards• Limited Housing Options• Brainerd needs MORE apartments
Real Estate Agent and Landlord Focus GroupsNeed to be creative in improving neighborhoodsGrow Downtown small businessesDevelop toolbox of business/improvement incentives:
- Tax breaks- Neighborhood grants- Manufacturing job incentives- Façade improvement program etc.
WARD MEETING MAJOR THEMES
All property owners were invited, flyers inserted into their water bills, to attend neighborhood ward meetings. A map of Brainerd Wards was provided along with a list of dates, times and locations of the meetings. A series of 4 ward meeting were held to collect community input on various topics of community development within the city of Brainerd. Following are the major themes received from the meetings.
• The quality of Brainerd’s Neighborhoods are highly valued by residents (Maintain, protect and improve)
• Participants expressed concerns about code enforcement and maintenance of rental housing stock
• Residents expressed their love of the trails/paths but improvement of walkability from neighborhoods to downtown and around barriers is needed (TH Hwy 210, and South 6th St.)
• Desire to increase the median wage within Brainerd through high paying jobs.
• Participants expressed their desire to see downtown revitalized with boutique shops, nicer looking storefronts, as well as a variety of cultural events, public art, etc.
COMMONALITIES
HousingNeed additional housing for all different housing types, and incomes
• Improved rental housing maintenance• Increase number of large lot single family homes• Increasing demand for senior and millennial housing options
Economic DevelopmentNeed for adequate employment for a variety of income levels
• Increase the median annual income for Brainerd Need to capitalize on and improve Brainerd's image/brand/perception . . .self perception?
• The City of Brainerd’s needs differs from the needs Brainerd Lakes Area• Brainerd’s image (accurate or not) is very far reaching and well known• There are a lot of desirable, high quality assets in Brainerd that go overlooked by residents and visitors alike• There are also a lot of under-utilized and/or under promoted assets in Brainerd.
COMMONALITIES
Transportation Need for increased walkability (particularly from neighborhoods to downtown and also to the river)
• Connecting neighborhoods to downtown will improve both• Barriers to connecting neighborhoods to downtown include (Hwy 210, and South 6th St)• The City of Brainerd differs from the Brainerd Lakes Area
Natural Resources, Parks and Open SpacesNeed for additional passive recreational opportunities
• Brainerd has a quality and extensive park system, but can always improve (more programming)• Brainerd has a quality and somewhat extensive trail system, but can always improve (wayfinding)• Brainerd lacks indoor, non-active recreational activities for all ages but particularly for:
- Ages 35 and younger- Seniors
SURVEY RESPONSES
MAINTAIN THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTCS: Recreation opportunities
Natural resources (quality and abundance)
Successful school system(s)
Quality healthcare
Downtown revitalization
Build on history and cultural aspects of town
CHANGE THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS Blight and vacancies
Provide adequate job opportunities
Provide a suitable range of housing options
Safety and crime in our neighborhoods
Rehabilitate downtown
Community image and attractiveness
WHAT WE’VE HEARD
OVERALL
GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND PLAN TOPICS
DEFINITION
Guiding Principle: The guiding principles highlight those elements that are important to the community and are key to the achievement of the community’s vision. Guiding principles support the vision and define the values and priorities of the community. They act as an
ongoing measurement tool for evaluating the appropriateness and effectiveness of future initiatives.
Example: To work towards developing a community where residents can live, work, and play, all in the same place.
Example: To provide housing options that meet the needs of all of our residents, regardless of income, family make-up, size, and age of our citizens.
Example: To be an active community that values health and wellness.
Example: To be an age-friendly city.
Example: Seek to become a destination.
RECOMMENDED TOPIC LIST
TOPIC LIST
• Housing
• Economic Development
• Land Use*
• Community Facilities and Infrastructure
• Parks and Recreation
• Natural Resources and Environmental Features
• Transportation*
• Livability
• Public Safety
• Fiscal Responsibility
• Food Planning
• Health and Wellness
• Intergovernmental Cooperation
• Sustainability and Resiliency
• Tourism
• Aging Population
• Energy
DESIGNING THE COMMUNITY VISIONING SESSION
PURPOSE AND INTENT
Solicit subject-specific feedback and suggestions
Gather information and discussion solutions and need
Input will be used to shape the draft vision guiding principles of the comprehensive plan, as well as recommendations and strategies within the plan.
Involve residents in the planning process
Teach and educate participants on the importance of the Comprehensive Plan
Allow the opportunity to make positive change
Provide content to review and converse
Receive guidance from our residents (who are the experts!)
DESIGNING THE VISIONING SESSION
LOCATION Franklin Arts Center
Library
CLC
NP Center
Football game
Saturday event
Vacant downtown space
Community pot luck
ACTIVITIES Listening session
Community planning session
Interactive polling
Priority setting
Issue identification
Participatory activities
OUTCOMES Confirming our approach
Receive final pieces of direction
Seeking guidance on physical improvement areas
ATMOSPHERE Formal or informal?
Open house or schedule?
Activity based?
Interview based?
NEXT STEPSTHE BIG PICTURE
NEXT STEPS
Complete community survey (due 9/21) Promote the community visioning session November meeting (SC7)
SC Homework: Review engagement results
Peruse the “toolbox” of planning theories and approaches.
Continue to inventory the city. Go for a walk and map your route.
SC Meeting 6 - NOVEMBER Review survey responses and develop leading
themes and guiding principles
Discuss the feedback received to date
Plan for the first visioning session in Oct
Review draft content for meeting
