Oak Ridge asks for public input on draft City Blueprint Plan

 

The Oak Ridge Community Development Department is asking citizens for feedback on the first draft results of the City Blueprint Plan.

Blueprint is a citywide plan for the future of Oak Ridge, a press release said. The formation of the plan is led by the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission with input and involvement from the entire community, including residents, businesses, and property owners. Generally, a citywide plan prepares for future population change or growth and its anticipated impacts in order to ensure that the city can achieve desired goals for the built environment, community services, economic health, and quality of living, the press release said.

When the Blueprint process began in January 2017, more than 500 people turned out to share their ideas about our City’s direction. Since that time, the planning team has completed the following:

• 13 subarea meetings to collect input directly from citizens;
• technical analysis of infrastructure, land use, facilities, and community needs;
• interviews with city departments to determine needs and vision for their areas of responsibility; and
• review of city documents and plans to synchronize elements that need to be carried forward.

Now that the draft plan is coming into focus, even more feedback is required. The Community Development team is beginning a series of “virtual meetings” to gauge community acceptance, without interfering with the busy holiday season, the press release said. The plan will be presented in small pieces over many weeks on the city website and Facebook page as well as in the lobby of the public library. Citizens interested in providing feedback can visit http://oakridgetn.gov/online/blueprint for updated information and opportunities to respond.

The first installation seeks reaction to the values and goals identified as overall guidance for the Blueprint plan.

“During development of the Blueprint, we routinely heard several themes that provide a picture of what Oak Ridgers hold dear,” said Wayne Blasius, Community Development director. “We’ve dubbed these as the values upon which the Blueprint plan is built. Likewise, goals which follow from these values were taken from past plans and Blueprint input.”

In early 2019, the entire draft plan will be open to the community for review, then presented to city leaders for adoption. Broad feedback and input from the community will ensure that the City Blueprint is a valid, supported guide for development and will lead to successful outcomes for the community.

For more information on the Oak Ridge City Blueprint project, contact the Community Development Department at (865) 425-3531 or visit http://oakridgetn.gov/online/blueprint.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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