Residents can offer ideas for the downtown master plan at two public meetings or at a design studio hosted by the planning company hired to develop the plan.
Dover, Kohl and Partners of Coral Gables, Fla., will spend the week working to complete an intense planning process, commonly called a charrette, as part of the Downtown and Connectivity Master Plan.
"They are going to be working that whole week," said Meredith Bergstrom, executive director of Main Street Siloam Springs.
The planning company will kick off the charrette week by hosting a public meeting from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday at the Community Building.
The meeting will provide a hands-on opportunity for residents to give opinions for the plan. After a presentation by company staff, attendees will split into groups and be given questions to discuss and answer. Each group will also be given a map of the city. After about 45 minutes to an hour, someone from each group will present their ideas to the other attendees.
Throughout the week, people can drop in to offer an idea or watch the town planners work at a design studio at 103 E. Alpine St., next to the Balloon Closet. The studio will be open to the public 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
At the end of the week, company staff will present what they heard from residents and to verify that is what they wanted to say. This meeting will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at the Community Building.
Refreshments will be served at both the Monday and Friday public meetings.
"We're just continuing with the plan," Bergstrom said. She hopes people can attend the meetings.
The master plan will be a road map for the next five to seven years for downtown development and show ways to tie downtown to other key developments.
On Feb. 11, about 130 people packed the 28 Springs banquet room to give input and share ideas for the future of downtown. It was the first public meeting the planning company hosted to prepare for the charrette.
Main Street Siloam Springs' Master Plan Steering Committee selected Dover, Kohl and Partners to develop the master plan.
On July 16, Siloam Springs Board of Directors agreed to give $35,000 toward the study and partner with Main Street Siloam Springs to facilitate it. A $100,000 grant from the Walton Family Foundation and $15,000 from several businesses and organizations will pay for the work to develop the master plan.
The master plan should be completed in July.
General News on 03/30/2014