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Mount Pleasant, TX, June 9, 2022…The Mount Pleasant City Council approved resolutions at the June 7 meeting adopting the 2050 Comprehensive Plan and 2022 Parks, Trails, Recreation, and Open Space Plan, following a process that began in August 2021 and involved significant citizen input, including community and online forums.
“We received a very high level of citizen input compared to other cities in which we have worked,” said Mark Bowers of Kimley-Horn, the consulting firm that developed the plans. “The feedback led to a vision and goals for the future of the city, and the most important section of each plan is the Implementation Chapter, which includes financing, timing, and an active matrix.”
“We are very pleased to have working documents that provide policy direction and priorities,” added City Manager Ed Thatcher. “This enables the city to be more effective in planning and systematically creating an annual budget in accordance with what the citizens want.”
Opportunities and typical desires among citizens identified by the Comprehensive Plan include:
- Additional shopping and dining destinations, particularly Downtown and along I-30.
- More viable housing options.
- More family-friendly and youth-specific activities.
- More investment in street maintenance.
The Parks, Recreation, Trails, and Open Space Plan identified opportunities for improving and enhancing amenities at existing facilities, which the city recognized as being at a reasonable level in quantity. The plan also identified the need and opportunities for becoming more pedestrian-friendly and increasing trail connectivity.
In addition to serving as a planning guide, the parks plan makes the city a stronger eligible candidate for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) grants.
“We have heard a lot of great feedback and ideas that have turned into important goals and actions for us to complete over the next 20 years,” said Mayor Tracy Craig Sr. as he called for the vote, which was unanimous in favor of adopting the plans. “I want to thank everyone for making this a team effort to work towards a bright future.”