Goals of the Planning Process

Improve safety and convenience of Blue Star

Highway for all users (pedestrians, bicyclists and

motorists)

Strengthen economic vitality of the Blue Star

Corridor

Reduce negative impacts of former State Highway

upon surrounding land uses and the natural

environment

Enhance the visual appearance of the corridor

Land Use Images

What do you see?

How do I get there on foot?

Dangerous parking scheme.

Too many signs.

______________

1

2

Safe place for crossing on foot

Hazard to motorists

Good way to reduce speeds

______________

3 Too much asphalt

Jobs and tax base

Confusing and dangerous

______________

How do I turn left?

Nice tree canopies

Where are the businesses?

______________

4

5

Great option for serious cyclists

Looks dangerous

Where will children ride?

______________

6

Attractive commercial design

Blends well with residential

Where’s the parking?

______________

7 Conflicting land uses

Jobs in the neighborhoods

Part of living near a state

highway

______________

8 On-street parking would never work

Medians are very attractive

How will they plow snow?

______________

9 Small resorts or Bed & Breakfasts should be

encouraged along some segments of Blue Star.

Can result in excessive traffic.

Must be in character with the surroundings.

______________

Appears dangerous.

A great community feature

What about school buses

and semi-trucks?

______________

10

Roadside slopes dampen noise

from vehicles.

Where are the sidewalks?

Medians help to slow traffic.

______________

11

Historic Highway Commercial.

Dangerous parking scheme.

Too many signs.

______________

1

X

2

Safe place for crossing on foot

Hazard to motorists

Good way to reduce speeds

______________

X

X

3 Too much asphalt

Jobs and tax base

Confusing and dangerous

______________

X

X

How do I turn left?

Nice tree canopies

Where are the businesses?

______________

4X

X

X

5

Great option for serious cyclists

Looks dangerous

Where will children ride?

______________

X

X

6

Attractive commercial design

Blends well with residential

Where’s the parking?

______________

X

X

7 Conflicting land uses

Jobs in the neighborhoods

Part of living near a state

highway

______________

X

X

8 On-street parking would never work

Medians are very attractive

How will they plow snow?

______________

X

9 Small resorts or Bed & Breakfasts should be

encouraged along some segments of Blue Star.

Can result in excessive traffic.

Must be in character with the surroundings.

______________

X

X

Appears dangerous.

A great community feature

What about school buses

and semi-trucks?

______________

10X

Roadside slopes dampen noise

from vehicles.

Where are the sidewalks?

Medians help to slow traffic.

______________

11

X

X

The Planning Process

A Master Plan is required to support zoning

A Master Plan helps to guide decisions by the City and by land owners

A Master Plan tries to define threats and opportunities and appropriate responses to each

A Master Plan is a “living document”

A slower economy is the best

time to establish a good

foundation for future growth

and/or preservation.

The Planning ProcessGather Community Opinion

Craft Goals and Objectives – What do we want

the community to be?

Plan Preparation - A “blueprint” for the future

Implementation Strategies - Getting there from

here

Development Goals as defined within 2005

Tri-Community Plan

“Create walkable neighborhoods.”

“ Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong

sense of place”

“Provide a variety of transportation choices”

“Along the Blue Star Highway, promote the development of

small, commercial centers off the road, rather than lot by

lot commercial strips.”

Futuring Workshop• Respect one another. Allow others to have their

turn without interrupting.

• Commit your full participation to the process.

• Try to express interests and not “positions.”

• Share expertise while allowing group to explore

new possibilities.