Neighborhood leaders urge early engagement as Rochester grows

Kelly Rae Kirkpatrick, identifying herself as president of the Eastside Neighborhood Association, read an open letter from neighborhood association leaders that emphasized rapid change in Rochester and urged early engagement by elected officials, city staff and development partners. "Neighborhood associations are one of Rochester's greatest civic assets," she said, urging the city to "engage neighborhood associations early, recognize them as standing partners, evaluate neighborhood impacts, [and] establish regular ongoing communication."

Speakers at public comment also raised concerns about transparency, public hearing procedures, and opportunities for resident input. Former council member Molly Dennis urged the council to restore broader resident access to hearings and social media feedback, asking directly why "city hall [is] scared of transparency." The council did not respond during the public comment period but the meeting included later discussion of project outreach and open-house plans for the Willow Creek Path project.