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Riverfront development outreach draws thousands; council told permitting will dictate timeline
Summary
Council heard an update on the riverfront development public‑engagement effort: the online survey has received more than 11,000 views and survey responses are being collected through March 13. Staff said permitting from state and federal agencies will set the schedule for the launch of area 1 (boat launch) work.
Warren City Council received an update on the riverfront development public outreach effort and next steps at its Jan. 20 meeting.
Mayor Wertman reported strong early engagement with the project’s online outreach: “So far online, we’ve had over 11,000 views of the survey,” and staff had received 147 electronic and five paper survey responses as of 4 p.m. the day of the meeting. The mayor listed a number of distribution sites where paper surveys and QR codes will be posted across the city and county to solicit further input from residents and visitors.
City staff described next steps. The survey period runs through March 13; staff will aggregate results and return with summaries and concept options. The mayor and staff said area‑by‑area planning is likely, with area 1 (the boat launch) following permitting and environmental reviews as the critical path. Staff specifically cited the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as agencies whose permits and reviews could shape project timing.
The council was told the public‑input process will feed into detailed proposals that will be reviewed by the planning commission and the parks and recreation commission before any final decisions reach the council. A kiosk and wayfinding sign procurement has advanced to vendor questions about materials and attachment options; the task force selected a kiosk proposal and approved tentative locations pending additional vendor information.
Council members and staff said they expect further public updates after survey aggregation and suggested a possible council working session to review concept packages in more detail before votes on specific projects.
No votes or binding commitments on construction or expenditures were made at the meeting; staff will return with survey results and refined proposals for council consideration.
