(KNSI) – The City of St. Cloud is asking residents to help shape the future of its downtown area.
In March, the city’s Planning and Zoning Department launched an online survey to gather public feedback as it crafts a new vision to guide downtown development, growth, and investment. The survey includes nearly 30 questions covering how people use downtown, how frequently they visit, and opinions on housing, entertainment, parking, and aesthetics. It takes about 15 minutes to complete, and participants can even design their vision for downtown using an interactive mapping tool.
Community Development Director Matt Glaesman told KNSI News after a recent Planning Commission meeting that while the current survey is focused on downtown, that will soon expand to other parts of the city. “As we move through May into June, the survey tools on that website are going to transition to talking more about Division Street. What should Division Street look like in the future? What should the east side and out in Haven Township look like in the future? It really will transition to those focus areas.”
Before the shift, city staff hope to gather as much feedback as possible from residents, business owners, property owners, developers, and other downtown stakeholders.
https://st-cloud-downtown-plan-hlplanning.hub.arcgis.com/
Downtown St. Cloud is already experiencing change, with the Great River Children’s Museum expected to open this spring and Stearns County preparing to relocate its justice center to the west end of town.
The city is planning an in-person workshop on May 7th to further engage the community. Glaesman says the event will bring together stakeholders to explore different scenarios for downtown and identify opportunities and challenges. “There will be a May 7th workshop aimed at getting the community out to have some preliminary discussion about, if we feel this is an opportunity or a threat, how do we start to address that or take advantage of it?”
This workshop will also be the first opportunity for the public to meet and speak with the consultant team leading the downtown planning effort. Details about the time and location will be announced soon.
To take the online survey, click here.
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