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Consultant Dow outlines public-driven approach to Wasilla comprehensive plan update
Summary
Dow presented the kickoff for Wasilla’s comprehensive plan update, described the team, timeline and an outreach-first approach, and said residents and the commission will be invited to surveys, open houses and stakeholder meetings to shape a new 10-year plan.
Dow, the lead consultant on Wasilla’s comprehensive-plan update, introduced the firm’s project team and began outreach work at the Planning Commission meeting on Jan. 28, saying the update will tie policy goals to a new future land-use map and an implementation plan.
Laquita Chimalowski, introduced at the meeting as Dow’s Land Use Planning Manager and the project manager for the comprehensive-plan update, described the firm’s roles and the project approach. “A comprehensive plan is really your plan. It should be all everyone's vision for the city of Wasilla and how you wanna see that implemented,” she said.
Why it matters: A municipal comprehensive plan sets long-range guidance for land use, transportation, public facilities and infrastructure investment. The plan will inform the Title 16 code rewrite and will be a reference for future permitting and capital planning.
Project team and scope
- Dow is the lead consultant and will handle project management, technical planning, transportation and engineering support.
- McKinley Research Group will provide finance and economic analysis; Community Attributes will provide growth strategy and future land‑use mapping expertise.
Public involvement and schedule
Dow emphasized public participation as central to the process. The consultant said the team will review existing plans and policies, check which 2011 plan goals remain relevant, and use public outreach—surveys, open houses, pop-ups and smaller stakeholder or technical advisory groups—to craft a vision and a future land-use map with implementation steps and progress metrics. The consultant indicated the plan will be framed around a 10-year horizon and implementation actions should be specific, schedulable and resourced.
Commission and staff roles
Commissioners asked how the planning commission will be involved; Dow and City Planner Wellman described the commission as an advisory stakeholder and said the commission will be asked to provide feedback at multiple points, including review of draft goals and proposed map changes.
Public tools and next steps
Dow said a short survey will be released within weeks to gather input on existing goals and priorities and that staff will provide additional outreach materials and meetings, including an upcoming presentation to the City Council. The consultant asked commissioners to review the current 2011 plan while the team inventories existing policies and plans.
Ending
The consultant said the team will return to the council and commission with draft goals and maps as outreach proceeds and that the comprehensive plan will guide later code changes in Title 16.
