The City of Hilliard is seeking passionate people interested in designing the future of this community.
The City is in the initial stages of updating its Comprehensive Plan – the master document that outlines a community’s vision of its future, including serving as a framework for defining the location, character and extent of proposed public and private development and land use. City Council will review and approve the final document.
One of the first and most crucial steps in this process will be selecting a dedicated committee of diverse representatives of the community to serve on the Hilliard by Design Steering Committee.
Applications will be accepted until Aug. 6 through an open application process.
“The members of the Hilliard by Design committee will be valuable ambassadors from the community during this process,” said Dan Ralley, Assistant City Manager and Director of Community Development. “They will help inform the plan’s substance, guide the process of soliciting input from the broader community, and act as spokespersons for the planning effort at public events.”
Ralley said participation in Hilliard by Design will not be a minor commitment, as the committee will meet approximately 10 times during the planning process. But the resulting comprehensive plan will one of the most important documents the City uses in determining how the City grows and redevelops during the coming decade.
This committee will begin meeting in September and, over a period of up to 16 -18 months, will work closely with the City’s planning and engineering staff, planning consultant, and other community members to bring insight and perspective to the visioning process.
“The goal is to establish a diverse and impassioned group that represents as many interests and geographic areas of Hilliard as possible,” Ralley said. “We want to include people of all ages and backgrounds. The more perspectives we can bring to the table, the better this process will be and the more inclusive the final product will be in reflecting our community’s shared vision for the future.”
Ralley said the previous comprehensive plan, approved in 2011, has served the community well, but Hilliard has grown so much in that time that an updated plan reflecting modern realities is needed. Finding a core group of citizens to guide the process of envisioning Hilliard’s future is the first important step.
“We want to hear the voices of citizens who have a passion for this community,” Ralley said. “We’re going to be making plans for growth and development, transportation, parks and recreation, housing, neighborhoods, economic development, and other key components of our community that will be key to our future.”
