Lafayette's Comprehensive Plan will be determined by members of the community, but there is still plenty of work to be done.  The Joey Durel Administration says the Comprehensive Plan is a "long-range guidebook for the growth, development and redevelopment of this community. It provides a framework and action program to be implemented over a period of years to achieve the vision of the future developed by the residents."

Already, there have been six public meetings were citizens were broken up into small groups to get their input on what and how they want the community to look in the years to come.  "We've conducted over 40 comprehensive plans. The level of engagement from Lafayette citizens may set a new standard for the initial round of community participation," said John Fernsler, a principal of WRT and a lead planner for the Lafayette Comprehensive Plan.

Now that those meetings are done, many who did not get to attend one of the public events may have the belief that they are now out of the process, but that is not true.  The next phase of outreach to the public starts today with "Meetings In A Box".  A group of any type can gather to answer questions under the heading of "Issues and Aspirations" to answer questions and voice their concerns for the future.  Those ideas then will be incorporated into the ideas from prior meetings and discussed again when three other community will be held the in future.

So how do you participate?  It's easy, you can find the information at lafayettela.gov/comprehensiveplan.  Durel says, "Anyone who would like to host a meeting can download instructions and forms to fill out. These meetings give church groups, civic organizations, businesses and neighbors the chance to have their voices heard. All that is needed are individuals who are willing to print materials, conduct the meetings and send us their reports."

So what do you do after your "Meeting In A Box"?  Fernsler says, "Results of the input sessions conducted by local citizens can be sent by email or regular mail to Lafayette Consolidated Government. They will be forwarded to our team and included with the responses already collected."

There is a deadline for meeting results, and that day is Friday, May 14th at 5:00 p.m.

 

 

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