Imagine Owatonna: 2050 Comprehensive Plan Update
September 12 Focus Group Open to the Public
By Greg Kruschke, Community Development Manager
The Comprehensive Plan process has really been heating up over the last month or so. Stantec, the consultant leading this effort, has been busy listening to the community. They have held five sessions to listen to the public. They began by meeting with high school students at the end of the last school year. In July, they held a session with around two dozen business leaders. In addition, Stantec also attended the August Downtown Thursday event to hear from the public. Last week, sessions were held with senior citizens and the Somali community. All of these sessions have been very helpful in developing themes about what the community desires for the future of Owatonna to look like.
Stantec will hold three more focus groups that include meetings with the Hispanic community as well as local non-profit organizations. The focus group planned for September 12 at 10 a.m. at Owatonna Public Utilities is open to the public to attend. Feel free to attend if you are interested. We truly do want to hear from everyone.
Stantec also launched a project website with information pertinent to the Comprehensive Plan. It also includes opportunities for the public to provide input similar to the focus group sessions. This is just an additional avenue in which we are trying to hear from everyone in Owatonna about what they envision the future of Owatonna to be. The background information on the website continually be updated with project information. Please visit www.owatonna.gov/imagine2050.
City staff is also working with Engage Owatonna to provide another online venue for providing information, fostering discussion and gathering input that will guide the development of the Comprehensive Plan. Please visit www.engageowatonna.com/imagine-owatonna to join the robust community conversation this platform provides.
In the coming months, Stantec will compile all the community input and use it to draft the vision and goals for our plan. These will be presented to the Planning Commission and City Council for input and then shared with the community for input as well. The background report will be finalized and posted for review online at owatonna.gov/imagineowatonna.
We look forward to everyone continuing to be involved. Feel free to contact me with any questions at greg.kruschke@owatonna.gov.