City staff and consultants present technical updates and timeline for five‑year comprehensive plan refresh

Rochester Community Development staff and consultants from Bolton & Menk updated the council on the five‑year comprehensive‑plan technical refresh on April 14. Elliot Moller and Christy Trisca summarized the scope, data inputs and schedule ahead of a planned summer adoption.

The update focuses on residential, mixed‑use and industrial land‑use categories and incorporates new data sources including 2020 Census/ACS updates, ESRI datasets and the recently completed Maxfield housing study. Staff said they have completed initial outreach and internal departmental workshops, and that they will produce 12–18 new maps and associated text updates. The team said the update is largely technical rather than an overhaul of the plan’s seven core principles, and that it aims to align maps and policy direction with recent housing and infrastructure work.

Christy Trisca said the team has engaged departments across the city, the DMC and the housing coalition and will incorporate Maxfield study numbers into growth‑management planning. Staff indicated they expect to deliver draft maps and growth‑management options to the council for review and to route materials to the Planning and Zoning Commission as part of the adoption process. The consultants said they have reduced the update length substantially and will deliver a draft for council review in advance of the public hearings and final adoption steps.

Ending: Staff said they will provide the council with the draft plan, maps and growth‑management options for review and that adoption is targeted for the July meeting cycle; additional outreach and Planning Commission review will accompany the adoption path.