What's New?
Where can you get the latest information on the Downtown Master Plan? – Right Here. This is your source for the most recent news, events, and information regarding the Downtown Master Plan.
June 2011
The Downtown Master Plan public planning phase wrapped up on Wednesday May 25th with a Community Open House that was attended by approximately 150 community members. The open house provided an opportunity for the public to browse the goals, objectives and strategies of the plan, and speak with the Working Group members who helped create the recommendations, in a fun and interactive environment. If you missed the community open house – the posters displaying the plan goals, objectives and strategies and key plan concepts‡ are available. Feel free to contact Brant Birkeland with any comments or suggestions.
‡ 5.8Mb PDF file
The Community Open House featured a keynote address by Dan Burden, founder and Executive Director of the Walkable Livable Communities Institute. Mr. Burden led city staff, elected officials and community stakeholders on a “walking audit” of Downtown Great Falls earlier in the afternoon, and shared much of his findings and impressions of Downtown with the community in his address. Additionally, Mr. Burden discussed innovative practices from his work around the world with the community. It was a truly inspiring presentation that left many community members motivated to create a more livable Downtown.
Please continue to check this site for updates on the Downtown Master Plan as Planning and Community Development Staff works to prepare the plan for adoption by the City Commission and implementation of the plan.
March 2011
The Downtown Master Plan Working Groups and Steering Committee are currently in the process of developing the plan framework – the Goals, Objectives, and Strategies that will bridge the gap between the current conditions of Downtown and the Downtown of the vision statement. The Goals, Objectives and Strategies of the Downtown Master Plan are based on five key themes that have consistently been identified by the community as the basis for the future of Downtown. The five themes and associated goals are listed below:
Downtown Aesthetics: Enhance the unique Aesthetic character of Downtown by capitalizing on the historic buildings, streetscape, parks and Missouri River.
Connected Downtown: Enhance Downtown’s transportation and circulation system to connect and integrate Downtown’s amenities and destinations by multiple modes of transportation
Downtown Destination: Make Downtown the regional Destination for entertainment, culture, shopping and dining.
Downtown Living: Create more Living options Downtown by encouraging a variety of new housing types and preserving and enhancing existing neighborhoods.
Flourishing Downtown: (Re)Create a diverse and Flourishing Downtown by strengthening the existing business environment and attracting new private and public investment.
At the February Working Group meetings, participants and staff worked together to develop Objectives to achieve the five Goals. Since then, staff has worked on finalizing these Objectives and will present the Objectives to the Steering Committee and Working Groups prior to the March Working Group meetings. In March, the Working Groups will focus on developing the Strategies to achieve the Objectives and complete the Downtown Framework.
Introductory and Downtown Context Draft Chapters Posted
The first two chapters of the Downtown Master Plan – Introduction and Downtown Context* - have now been posted and are available for public review. These initial chapters, which set the stage for the Downtown Goals, Objectives, and Strategies, are the result of extensive collaboration among Planning Staff, Working Groups, the Steering Committee and community members. Please direct any comments or feedback to Brant Birkeland, City of Great Falls Comprehensive Planner. [*2.94Mb PDF ]
February 2011
Working Group Meeting Summary
The Downtown Master Plan planning process is in full swing in 2011, following a short break for the December holidays. We have reached a milestone in the planning process as the Working Groups have begun the initial steps of developing the goals, objectives, and strategies for the plan. These features are intended to bridge the gap between Downtown today and the Downtown that is envisioned for the future.
At the January meeting, Working Group members identified the key priorities for Downtown goals. Planning staff and the Steering Committee will work to transition these key priorities into a handful of goals that will apply to all of Downtown. Please continue to check the Downtown Master Plan website, as these goals will be listed once they are finalized by the Steering Committee. After finalizing the goals, the next step will be for the Working Groups to determine which of the goals are applicable to their respective plan element and they will work to establish objectives and strategies specific to their plan element to help achieve these goals.
Downtown Vision
The following Vision Statement has been developed by the Steering Committee and Planning staff to guide the Downtown Master Plan and the planning process.
Downtown is the heart and center of Great Falls. Like the Missouri River, it is dynamic, fluid, attractive, and welcoming, connecting our heritage to our future. The River’s Edge Trail, historic neighborhoods, and parks and open space support and enhance a unique mix of local shops, restaurants, entertainment and special events that make downtown the place to be – day and night.
The Vision Statement is intended to inspire and encourage community members, Downtown organizations and stakeholders, private developers, and public officials to invest in Downtown and to make this area a vibrant place for current residents and future generations.
January 2011
Downtown Survey
Thank you to the nearly 450 citizens that completed the Downtown Master Plan survey. Planning staff has compiled the input that you provided, and has summarized the results in the following document. The survey results* – and the associated summary – will help guide the Working Groups in creating the Plan goals, objectives, and strategies.
The Downtown Master Plan Working Groups will resume their monthly meetings this month, following a December break. The Working Groups will meet at their regularly scheduled dates and times, listed in the table below. The Working Groups will begin the process of developing goals for the future of Downtown – which will be followed up by establishing objectives and strategies in the months to come. Please feel free to contact Brant Birkeland in the Planning and Community Development Department with any questions.
December 2010
Reminder – the Downtown Master Plan Working Groups will not be meeting in December. The next Working Group meetings will be held in the 3rd and 4th week of January.
The Steering Committee will be meeting December 16th from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Rainbow Room of the Civic Center.
November Working Group Summary
Downtown Master Plan Working Groups met in November for the final time in 2010, bringing to a close the data collection and analysis phase of the planning process. Each of the Working Groups completed two primary tasks. First, the Working Groups selected the top five assets and top five issues – by vote – from their lists of assets and issues developed at the October meetings. The results of the voting are shown in the table below.
Following the vote on assets and issues, participants broke out into smaller groups of five to eight to consider what Downtown could look like in 2035 if we have successfully implemented the Downtown Master Plan. Participants were asked to generally consider: what should stay, what should go, and what is missing from Downtown. After brainstorming, participants reconvened to share their top ideas, and to collectively select five to eight “best ideas” to be included on a Vision Map for Downtown in 2035. Staff will work closely with the Steering Committee and Working Groups to develop the final Vision Map. The Vision Map will help guide the creation of goals, objectives, and strategies, and will provide a geographic representation of the community’s vision for the future of Downtown.
Working Group Top 5 Assets and Issues
| Character | Livability | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Assets | Issues | Assets | Issues |
| Historic Buildings (8) | Residential areas - development (7) | Rivers Edge Trail (6) | Building vacancies / Vacant upper floors (7) |
| Potential - Developable buildings and lots (7) | Lack of connection to the River and parks (7) | Walkability of Downtown (5) | No quality Downtown Hotel (6) |
| Central Ave. Streetscape (6) | Deteriorating residential buildings (6) | Neighborworks (4) | Lack of connection from Downtown to the River - signage and maps (6) |
| Historic Districts (6) | Lack of community activity (6) | Gibson Park (4) | Lack of development capital (5) |
| Riverfront Area (5) | Vacant Lots (5) | Historic Buildings (4) | Limited business hours (5) |
| Accessibility | Vitality | ||
| Assets | Issues | Assets | Issues |
| Public transit and Downtown transit center (8) | Street and sidewalk maintenance (8) | Downtown Events (7) | Lack of evening and/or nighttime activity (7) |
| Grid system of roadways (7) | Lack of wayfinding signage and maps (7) | Art Galleries and Art Shops (7) | Businesses close at five (6) |
| Parking availability (6) | Confusion at some intersections (5) | Locally owned stores (6) | Perception of nothing to do (5) |
| Streetscape (5) | Parking meters (4) | Streetscape improvements (6) | Lack of critical mass of people (4) |
| Rivers Edge Trail (4) | Lack of bike paths, routes, or lanes (4) | Historic Buildings (5) | No Downtown commercial anchor (3) |
| Lack of connection between Downtown and river amenities (4) | Lack of public gathering space (3) | ||
| Auto-orientation of one-way streets (3) | |||
November 2010
October Working Group Meetings
The month of October brought a significant change to the Downtown Master Plan Working Groups. For the first time in the planning process, the Working Groups met separately and independently of each other. The primary task that the groups were charged with at these meetings was to map and identify Downtown assets and issues – in relation to their particular element. Working Groups identified a variety of assets and issues, some of which were specific to the respective plan element, while others crossed over element boundaries and were identified by all of the groups. Assets and issues were recorded by City staff and compiled into lists to be distributed to the Working Groups and posted on-line prior to the November Working Group meetings.
At the November Working Group meetings, the groups will be asked to narrow down the lists of assets and issues and identify the top five in each category. The top five assets and issues will be used to guide the formulation of goals, objectives, and strategies for Downtown, as we will work to capitalize on our assets and proactively address our issues. The Working Groups will continue to meet separately, with the Steering Committee providing insight and guidance throughout the planning process.
Downtown Master Plan Survey
Thank you to the 400 plus citizens who took the time to complete the Downtown Master Plan survey in the month of October. The results of the survey will be used to help guide Working Groups in forming the goals, objectives, and strategies that will be included in the plan. City Staff is currently analyzing the survey results and data, and we will distribute the information to the Working Groups and the public as soon as possible. The Planning and Community Development department is committed to preparing a plan built on solid citizen participation and grounded in the community’s ideas, concepts, and solutions for Downtown. By taking the time to complete the survey, you are helping us achieve this goal, thank you.
October 2010
Working Groups Meetings and Co-Chairs
The Downtown Master Plan Working Groups have elected Co-Chairs and have set the schedule for their monthly meetings. Working Groups will be meeting monthly from October 2010 through June 2011 (with no meeting scheduled for the month of December).
Working Group meetings will focus on a specific goal or task at each monthly meeting. What are these goals or tasks and how do they all fit together with Steering Committee meetings and Public Workshops to create the Downtown Master Plan? – Meetings Goals and Tasks Table*.
Working Group Meeting #2 Summary
Were you were unable to attend the second Downtown Master Plan meeting, or do you just want a recap of the evening? Click here for a summary and highlights of the meeting which featured Paul Zykofsky, AICP, Associate AIA, Director of Land Use and Transportation Programs for the Local Government Commission.
FAQ’s
Many of you have contacted the Planning and Community Development Department with questions following the first Downtown Master Plan Working Group Meeting. To see the answers to these frequently asked questions click here.
* PDF file.
