City staff briefs commission on comprehensive plan hearing, green-dining event and pool use

City staff told the commission the city’s comprehensive plan was recommended unanimously by the planning commission and that the city council will hold a public hearing on the plan on Aug. 19. That matters because the comprehensive plan guides land-use and business-district policies; staff encouraged commissioners to review the plan and submit comments by email so they can be shared with council. A city staff member said, “The comprehensive plan was, approved or recommended unanimously by the planning commission. City council will have a public hearing for it on August 19.” Staff added that the commission will not meet on Aug. 5 and that the plan is available on the city website for review. Staff also described local events and recreation updates: the district is part of a newly certified Green Dining Alliance area and will be included in a “bikes and bites” route Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m., concluding with a happy hour at Robust from 5 to 6 p.m.; Bagel Union was named among certified green-dining businesses. The staff member said the event is aimed at being bicycle-focused and as green as possible. On recreation, staff said the new pool has been very well attended and that auxiliary areas such as a gaga pit and chess spaces have been popular. Staff said the next park project is rebuilding the skate park and that public input on the new skate park is scheduled for this fall so work can proceed when weather permits. Staff also noted district events planning for fall: Old Webster’s trick-or-treating is scheduled for the Saturday before Halloween, Oct. 25, with Halloween itself on the following Friday. No votes were taken; items were informational and staff asked commissioners to review the comprehensive plan and event details and to forward comments by email.