Urban Land Institute presents downtown master‑plan process; stakeholders urge public engagement

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) local chapter updated Centerton City Council on April 8 about a technical assistance panel (TAP) and next steps for a downtown master plan that will examine both Old Town and a separate roughly 400‑acre “new town” area south of Centerton Boulevard.

Megan Brown, director of operations for the local ULI chapter, told the council the TAP gathered nearly 20 key stakeholders and six subject‑matter experts for a 1½‑day review that included a tour of the city. Brown said the TAP’s role was to shape a consultant request-for-qualifications (RFQ) and identify priorities that the consultant will carry forward into full public outreach and the plan.

Brown summarized stakeholder findings: Old Town is historically important but constrained by limited building stock and floodplain areas; it remains the city’s major public‑gathering area. The new‑town site—largely owned by private investors—was described by stakeholders as a “once in a generation” opportunity to create a compact mixed‑use center and a distinctive new downtown identity.

The TAP recommended, for Old Town, flexible reuse of existing buildings, rethinking parking minimums to ease redevelopment, improved walking and biking infrastructure, and protection of natural features in the floodplain. For the new‑town area the panel suggested a bold vision for a compact, mixed‑use town center that includes block/streetscapes, open‑space standards and a range of housing types, including “missing middle” housing.

ULI emphasized connectivity as a priority: better pedestrian and bicycle links between Old Town and the new downtown and design guidance that uses the city’s three watershed features as placemaking assets. Brown said the RFQ and consultant selection will require clear public‑engagement plans so community preferences are captured for the eventual design work.

ULI’s program will subsidize a portion of the consultant work; the city will have final approval of any hired consultant. Brown said the timeline for selecting a consultant and initiating the planning process targets completion of the ULI thought‑leadership portion by June 2025, with consultant schedules varying by proposal (past projects have ranged from six months to, rarely, 18 months).

The council heard questions about community control over design outcomes and about whether the city would pursue land acquisition in Old Town. Brown and staff said the consultant’s public engagement would be the vehicle for community decisions; the TAP did not make acquisition recommendations but identified acquisition as one of several tools the city could consider.

The council and staff said they will bring the RFQ to the council for review and that ULI and planning staff will return with updates on consultant applicants at a future meeting.