WILLMAR -- Representatives of the Willmar Design Center will formally ask the Willmar Planning Commission next week to have a vision for the downtown district included in a comprehensive plan being developed by the city.
Design Center delegates are scheduled to make a presentation Wednesday when the Planning Commission meets.
The Design Center also plans to seek approval of its concept from the Willmar City Council.
A draft of the Design Center vision statement was reviewed Thursday at a meeting of the organization's board of directors.
It's still a work in progress, said urban planner Tom Ososki.
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The document is being developed as a brochure that outlines a strategy for the downtown district. It is rich with maps and illustrations of the concepts being proposed.
"This is meant to be used and passed around," Ososki said. "This is to get people excited."
The Design Center's goal: a set of guidelines that can help direct and focus the course of future development in downtown Willmar.
Among the proposals:
n Restoring Litchfield Avenue with a connection that allows motorists to easily exit off the U.S. Highway 12 bypass into the downtown area.
n Establishing downtown green spaces and common areas for people to gather.
n Connecting downtown, via trails and a pedestrian bridge, to Foot Lake and Willmar Lake to the north.
n Urbanizing First Street to the east of the downtown district so that it blends more readily into the downtown's pedestrian-friendly environment.
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Establishing a set of guidelines will help the Design Center move into the implementation phase, Ososki said.
"We finally have a set vision. What's the next step?" he said. "That's the role I see the Design Center taking on more -- working with developers."
Including the document within the city's comprehensive plan also will help ensure that city planners are in tune with the Design Center's goals, Ososki said.
For instance, the city might establish ordinances that lay out setback requirements so that new downtown development remains urbanized and oriented to foot traffic. Another example is zoning decisions that help preserve the downtown district's pedestrian core.
Having these tools in place can help the Design Center guide future development that's compatible with its vision, Ososki said. "I think it starts at the beginning when developers first come in."
Design Center officials hope to have the brochure in its final form by the end of October.
