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Norwood weighs scope and cost of master plan; strategic alternatives discussed
Summary
Council members discussed the potential scope, timeline and cost of a comprehensive plan (comp plan) and noted alternatives such as a targeted strategic plan or corridor/neighborhood studies to reduce cost and time.
Committee members discussed what a formal master plan (comp plan) would entail for Norwood and explored less expensive alternatives such as a targeted strategic plan or corridor/neighborhood plans.
Mike Skelly, who has experience with municipal planning, told the committee that a full comp plan “is gonna be data intensive, lots of public meetings, a lot of consulting… potentially a quarter million dollars to do it well.” Skelly and other members suggested the city could instead pursue smaller, targeted planning efforts that focus on “burning issues” — for example, transportation corridors, housing, or a study of city-owned land assets — to get useful direction at a lower cost.
Members agreed the survey work currently underway should feed into any planning decision and that staff will meet with a consultant to scope options. Staff noted the city has an in-house planner who can support planning work and that a phased approach — strategic plan first, full comp plan later — could be acceptable depending on funding availability.
No formal decision or appropriation was made; members asked staff to bring consultant information and options for tiers of planning work back to a future meeting. The committee also discussed prioritization (what the “burning issues” are) and the need to identify funding sources if council wants a full comp-plan effort.
Committee members who spoke emphasized that the planning choice should be driven by what residents identify as priorities in the survey and by fiscal realities.
