Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Siloam Springs developing comprehensive plan
SILOAM SPRINGS — The city is planning for the future by developing a 2040 comprehensive plan.
The new plan will include recommendations related to land use, mobility, economic development, housing community character, public facilities and infrastructure, according to siloamsprings2040.com. The public will be involved through stakeholder interviews, community open houses and surveys, public hearings and an advisory committee, the website states.
“The comprehensive plan is a guide that looks into the future and says this is where we want to go over the next 10 to 20 years,” said City Administrator Phillip Patterson.
It will also drive the zoning codes as well as other codes that become law, Patterson said.
The planning process will include four components — background analysis, plan development, implementation strategy and adoption. Each step will be competed at different periods between January 2021 and May 2022, the site states.
The last plan, completed in 2008, was prepared inhouse and was an update of a previous plan, Patterson said.
Initially, the current plan was slated to start in 2020 but was on hold because of the pandemic, Patterson said.
One of the key components of the plan will be public input, Patterson said. The city is seeking to get as much public input as possible, Patterson said.
“We want to get as much input as we can over the next year because the consultants will want as much input as possible,” Patterson said.
Public input began on Tuesday with a joint workshop between the planning and zoning commission and the city directors, the site states.
There will be numerous additional opportunities for public input over the next 18 months, including an online survey on the website, public meetings, stakeholder interviews, and workshops with the planning commission and the city board of directors, the website states.
A Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee was formed last year to ensure the community’s input is reflected in the plan. Members act as a sounding board for plan recommendations and function as ambassadors for the plan itself, according to a virtual training presentation during a Feb. 16 orientation meeting.
The 11 members of committee were chosen to represent different stakeholder groups, such as young adults, seniors, owners of businesses both downtown and on U.S. 412, recreations, historic preservation, real estate, nonprofit groups, the Spanish-speaking community, the school district and residents in general, Patterson said.
Members include Marla Sappington, Karina Tun, Kevin Williams, Brian Lamb, Sarah Losh, Ben Bergstrom, Chris Salley, Mary Nolan, Jerry Cavness, Kate Rennard and Jody Wiggins.
“It is important for the city to look into the future and to determine how we want to go as a city and how we can develop in 10 to 20 years,” Patterson said.
For more information or to take the community survey, visit siloamsprings2040.com.