Commissioners press for sidewalks and infrastructure in comp plan implementation

Several commissioners and participants told staff the draft plan should more strongly address basic infrastructure needs — especially sidewalks and safe walking routes for families. One commissioner described a personal difficulty with stroller use and said "there's no sidewalks anywhere," urging the plan to capture pedestrian safety and connectivity as concrete action items.

Staff responded that the implementation matrix will include consolidated street, driveway, sidewalk, curb-and-gutter, stormwater and snow-management standards and that infrastructure and transportation action items will be prioritized with proposed leads and funding options. The presenter said those items will be used to inform plan-based budget decisions and to position projects for funding. Commissioners noted that clarifying where development should be concentrated (in areas with water and sewer) will guide infrastructure investments.