Comprehensive planning project wins APA Arkansas award
The Siloam Springs 2040 Comprehensive Plan received an 2022 American Planning Association — Arkansas Chapter Planning Award at the recent chapter planning conference in November in Conway.
Siloam Springs recently completed the development of a new comprehensive plan to help guide the city’s future, according to a post on the city’s website. The plan includes recommendations related to land use, economic development, housing, community character, public facilities and infrastructure, the post states.
The planning process occurred over an 18-month process, between January 2021 and June 2022. The process began with the development of a community snapshot to document the existing conditions and characteristics of Siloam Springs.
Next, community engagement through the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC) and community wide events led to the identification of key issues, guiding principles for the Plan’s recommendations and a vision statement.
An action plan was then developed to address the community’s input, including a set of goals and associated action-oriented strategies to help the city achieve its goals. Finally, metrics and milestones were identified to measure plan implementation progress over time, the post states.
This plan is worthy of the Achievement in Comprehensive Plan Development award because it is specifically tailored to the City of Siloam Springs, the post states.
It provides the necessary data and tools to ensure development in the coming years, reflects the community’s values and addresses fiscal responsibility in a fair and equitable manner, the post states.