Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
Several dozen people stopped in to visit with planning officials Saturday during the downtown Shawano Summerfest to give their input on long-range development plans for three of the city’s major corridors.
The city and regional planning officials set up shop at 153 S. Main St. — formerly known as the Qualheim building — for what was billed as a “public visioning open house/workshop.”
City Administrator Brian Knapp said about 30 people signed in for the session and at least 15 more participated without marking the sign-in sheets.
“We were happy with the turnout,” he said. “Of course, we’d always like to have more.”
Knapp said traffic of visitors during the roughly 2½ hour session was fairly constant and input was positive.
The city hosted the workshop with the assistance of the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, which will compile and organize the feedback before presenting a final report to the city.
Before that happens, however, several city committees will have a chance to provide the same kind of input using the same brain-storming exercises, interactive maps and other tools the public used on Saturday.
The feedback sought focuses on how to improve the city’s major commercial and retail areas, including Main Street, East Green Bay Street and County Road B.
Knapp said the city hopes to get input that will improve the image and aesthetics of those areas, and help prioritize infrastructure improvements, building renovation and redevelopment opportunities, as well as address concerns about traffic safety and accessibility.
A final report is expected by the end of the summer.