ATHENS, Ala. — What do you want the Athens of the future to look like? That's the question city leaders are asking at Planapalooza on May15-19
The city says that Planapalooza focuses on updating the City's comprehensive plan, called Athens 2040. Town Planning and Urban Design Collaborative is the consulting group working with city officials on the update. They're hosting Planapalooza as an opportunity for citizens to work directly with friends, family, neighbors, and city officials to create the future for the city.
“The community kickoff meeting in April garnered much interest, and citizens shared their ideas and concerns about our future from more entertainment venues for youth to protecting our small-town appeal,” Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks said. “We need that interest to continue as we dive into more detail about shaping our future.”
Schedule:
On Saturday, May 15, the team will hold an interactive mapping workshop at 3:30 p.m. Citizens can attend in person at City Hall in the Council Chambers.
May 16-19 the planners and some city staff will work in a temporary design studio on The Square at Athens State University’s Center for Lifelong Learning from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. to allow citizens the opportunity to stop by and share ideas or ask questions.
On May 16 and 17 there will be time set aside for focus meetings where residents can share their hopes and concerns related to transportation, economy, housing, parks and recreation, character, growth, development, conservation, culture, history and heritage. These meetings will be at the Center for Lifelong Learning.
On the final evening of Planapalooza, the team will present its findings and discuss how community input is shaping the recommendations the team likely will incorporate into the updated comprehensive plan. This meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on May 19 at City Hall in the Council Chambers.
More information and opportunities to give feedback are at www.athens2040.com. The website also has a detailed schedule for Planapalooza and links to register to participate via Zoom.
