Ask Jenks: The Downtown Master Plan with Marcae Hilton

This episode of 'Ask Jenks' features City Planning Director Marcae Hilton, who joins Katie Butterfield to discuss the exciting Downtown Master Plan for Jenks. Hilton, who has been with the city for five years, shares insights into what the plan entails, the progress made so far, and what the future holds for Jenks' downtown area.

What is a Downtown Master Plan?

A downtown master plan is a way for a community to protect and enhance the unique charm and character of its central area. It involves getting the public involved and often includes working with consultants. This particular plan has three main parts: a parking analysis, an economic development analysis, and a community-focused look at the built environment – essentially, figuring out what makes downtown special and how to keep it that way.

Key Takeaways

• A downtown master plan helps preserve the unique charm and character of a city's downtown.

• Public input is a critical part of the planning process, often gathered through surveys and workshops.

• Consultants are often hired due to the specialized expertise and dedicated time they can bring to large-scale projects.

• The Jenks Downtown Master Plan includes analyses of parking, economic development, and the built environment.

• Public input helps guide decisions, but not all suggestions may be implemented if they don't align with the plan's goals or community consensus.

Why Hire a Consultant?

Many people wonder why a city needs to hire an outside consultant for a project like this, especially when city staff could potentially do the work. Marcae Hilton explains that the Jenks planning staff is very small – essentially a team of one, with assistance from the city clerk. This small team has many regular duties, like putting out legal notices, writing reports, and making presentations to various city boards and the city council. These tasks take up a lot of time.

When it comes to a master plan, the scope is huge. For example, looking at parking alone could take years for a small staff to analyze and implement strategies. Similarly, economic development analysis requires specific knowledge about market viability, demographics, and regional positioning – understanding how many restaurants or offices a town of Jenks' size can support and how to attract people from surrounding areas. Hilton admits she doesn't have this specific expertise. While she could work on the built environment aspects, having a dedicated team focused solely on the master plan, rather than splitting time between that and daily city operations, makes the process much more efficient. What might take five years for city staff could potentially be completed in one year with a consultant.

The Role of Public Input

Public input is a really important part of this process. It's often the most enjoyable part because it involves things like visual preference surveys. These surveys might be online, or people might get to participate at festivals or public events. The goal is to get feedback on things like streetscapes, light poles, banners, and colors – anything that contributes to that quaint and charming downtown feel. The community gets to weigh in on what they like best.

However, it's important to understand that public input doesn't mean every single suggestion will be implemented. The city wants to know what Jenks envisions for its downtown, but if suggestions aren't attainable or don't fit with the overall vision of a quaint and charming downtown, they might not be used. The feedback is considered alongside data to see what aligns best with what could be successful. Opportunities for input will include workshops, online availability for those who can't attend in person, and presence at various city festivals and public outings, aiming for a broad spectrum of community voices.

What's Next for the Downtown Master Plan?

The project is about a year long and is currently about halfway through. The parking analysis portion is being finalized with the consultants, Walter P Moore. Lon was hired as a sub-consultant for the urban design and economic development analysis, and their work has been impressive, providing a lot of data and information. A big announcement is that Lon will be presenting their findings to the Planning Commission in April and then to the city council in May. These presentations will be made public, available online via the city's YouTube channel, and later accessible on the city's website. The economic development report, in particular, is noted to have many photos, which should make it engaging.

Following these presentations, the next phase will involve the public input on the infrastructure and built environment aspects. This public input will help guide the subsequent steps of the plan. The city is excited about the progress and encourages everyone to stay updated through their social media, website, and text alert system. Jenks loves its downtown, and this plan aims to ensure its continued vibrancy and charm.