Oxford commissioners, residents thank longtime planner David Prithridge

Carla Blackmar Rice, a resident, opened public comment by praising Planning Commissioner David Prithridge for more than a decade of service and singled out projects such as bike lanes on Spring Street and improved pedestrian connections.

Why it matters: Commissioners and staff said Prithridge’s attention to detail and willingness to ask difficult questions has shaped long-lived decisions in Oxford’s built environment. "You've made the city better for all of us," Blackmar Rice said.

In a longer remark, Commissioner Prithridge described visiting departments to better understand city operations and thanked volunteers and full-time staff, noting that many planning decisions—sidewalks, buffering and connections—will remain in place for generations: "some of those choices ... will be around for hundreds of years." Staff and fellow commissioners asked him to remain involved where possible for continuity with ongoing projects, including the Unified Development Code work.

The exchange at the meeting was ceremonial and appreciative: there was no formal vote related to Prithridge’s service recorded at the meeting.