The announcement came during the unveiling of a new Downtown Master Plan that bore only a passing emotional resemblance to anything residents actually requested.
“We want the public to know their voices were heard,” said planning consultant Andrea Peterson while standing before a 84-slide presentation featuring terms like catalytic activation, experiential corridor synergy, pedestrian-forward vibrancy, innovation-adjacent energy, and authentic mixed-use momentum. “Every comment was thoughtfully considered before we moved forward with the exact same internal ideas we started with.”
Residents reportedly spent six months providing feedback through community Town Halls, focus groups and surveys asking questions such as:
“What makes our community unique?”
“What would you like to see downtown?”
And “How emotionally prepared are you for mixed-use development?”
According to officials, the most common public responses included:
Fix traffic
Improve infrastructure
Stop flooding
Lower taxes
Address vacant buildings
And “please stop calling everything an innovation district”
The final strategic plan instead prioritized:
Decorative benches
Seasonal banner strategy
Tactical placemaking
Mixed-use vibes
Curated pedestrian energy
And a “dynamic experiential corridor” no one could geographically identify
Sources confirmed tensions escalated after residents noticed the phrase “live, work, play” appeared 27 times in the final report despite widespread public requests for “literally just a grocery store.”
City leaders defended the process, noting that public engagement remains a critical part of modern planning because it “creates the appearance of collaboration” and provides valuable photographs for future grant applications. Officials also emphasized that residents would continue to have opportunities to participate through additional listening sessions scheduled immediately after major decisions have already been finalized.
