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Three consulting teams present master‑plan proposals; commission to provide feedback before council selection
Summary
Three firms (McKenna, Progressive Companies, and Abon/Marsh) presented master‑plan proposals emphasizing community engagement, RRC alignment and implementation. Commissioners asked questions about engagement methods, multilingual outreach and timelines; staff will solicit written feedback and return proposals to council with a recommendation.
Three consulting teams presented competing proposals to update Coldwater’s master plan. Presenters described community engagement strategies, proposed timelines, team composition, and how the plan would support redevelopment readiness and implementation.
McKenna (Brad Meisner) emphasized a robust public‑engagement program with online surveys, two large visioning sessions, a steering committee, and an approximately 16‑month schedule. McKenna highlighted preparing a strategic, action‑oriented plan to support Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) certification.
Progressive Companies (Suzanne Schultz) described tailored engagement methods — pop‑up events, youth engagement exercises, and “meeting‑in‑a‑box” approaches — and said their team brings design, housing expertise, GIS and implementation support. Schultz noted Progressive helped author Michigan’s zoning reform toolkit and emphasized follow‑through to construction or grant writing when needed.
Avon/Marsh (Crystal Welsh, Chris Skadlowski) presented a multidisciplinary team with civil engineering, transportation and GIS capacity and emphasized implementable plans, engagement tied to local events, multilingual materials (Spanish capability noted) and experience working with redevelopment commissions. The presenters noted the city has a $50,000 grant that would cover roughly 75% of the master‑plan cost.
Commissioners asked about tactics to raise survey response rates (partnering with schools, tailored surveys for specific populations, paper surveys for populations less likely to respond online), multilingual outreach (Spanish supported; Arabic would require outside interpretation), and schedule flexibility. Staff asked commissioners to email feedback; staff will consolidate commission input and present it to city council alongside the consultant proposals for final selection.
