MEMO

Bryan Dyer
TO: Community Development Director DATE: 11/08/2019
PROJECT: Merriam Comprehensive Plan Update PROJECT #: 18353
RE: Comprehensive Plan Joint Council/Commission Workshop #1 Summary 11-06-2019
Comments, additions or corrections to this memo should be communicated in writing to Confluence within seven
(7) days of issuance. If no comments are received within that period, this memo will be assumed accurate and filed
as part of the permanent record for this project.

NOTES:

Joint City Council and Planning Commission Workshop #1 Summary (November 6, 2019)
The following memorandum provides a summary of the Joint Workshop held with the City Council and
the Planning Commission on November 6, 2019. The meeting was held from 7:00 pm to 8:50 pm in
the Training Room of City Hall. The purpose of this workshop was to provide a status report on the
Comprehensive Plan Update project, present a summary of the analysis presented to the
Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC), and review the 10 goals from the 2001
Comprehensive Plan. (The full analysis review presentation is available on the project website
www.merriam2040.org under CPAC Meeting #2.)

Meeting Agenda
The Consultant Team presented and facilitate the meeting with the following agenda:

 Project Scope + Schedule Recap  Subarea Plans

 Analysis Review o Downtown Merriam
o Crime Data o Merriam Town Center
o Population Projections o Former Lee Jeans Corporate Site
o Land Use Analysis  Review 2001 Comp Plan Goals
o Market Analysis

The Council and Commission members were asked to answer the following questions regarding each
of the 10 goals from the 2001 Comprehensive Plan: Is this goal still relevant for our community? Has
anything changed regarding this goal? Should it be modified? A summary of the responses is attached
to this email.

Next Steps
Phase 2, Vision, Input + Direction, has now started and a second Joint Workshop with the City Council
and Planning Commission will be held at the conclusion of this next phase.

SENT BY:

NAME: Christopher Shires, AICP

Project Manager for Confluence

Attachments: Joint Workshop Presentation, Goals Discussion Summary, and Sign-In Sheet

thinkconfluence.com
 2001 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
GOALS SUMMARY

November 6, 2019
Joint Workshop #1 Review Comments

VISION STATEMENT

Merriam is a quality place that attracts people because of its strong neighborhoods, accessible
shopping, job opportunities, inviting public green spaces and its convenient (or strategic) location
to regional attractions.

 The following verbiage should be added to the vision statement:

Cultural Dynamic
Welcoming Adaptable
Multi-generational (encouraging all- Safe
ages) Attractive (trees-lined streets)
Affordability Accessibility
Diverse Assimilating in public life
(Be more specific) Public green spaces
Branding Effort Neighborly
- Welcoming Family-oriented
- Engaging Strategic location
- Inclusive

2020 GOALS

1. Housing Choice & Diversity: Merriam offers a choice of well-designed and maintained
housing types and sizes to meet the needs of residents of different economic levels and age
groups.

 This goal is still relevant.

 Does this goal meet the needs of senior citizens?
 Reference Universal Design.
 Encourage mother-in-law suits and accessory dwelling units.
 Review current codes to ensure it is not acting as a barrier to home renovations.

2. Reinvestment: Merriam’s housing stock contributes to the vitality of neighborhoods.

 This goal is still relevant but should be more specific.
 Include flexibility and make this more of an action-oriented goal.

3. Public Services: People are attracted to Merriam because of the quality of educational,
recreation, public safety, infrastructure, medical, and social services.
 This goal is still relevant.
 Medical and social services should be at the top of list.
 Include extra focus on education.
 Emphasize quality of services.
 Separate out what City can control and list as City Services.
 2001 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
GOALS SUMMARY

November 6, 2019
Joint Workshop #1 Review Comments

4. Identity: Merriam’s neighborhoods have a distinct identify that helps define their boundaries
and fosters pride and belonging among residents.
 This goal is still relevant but a little less important now.
 It may be possible to merge it with another goal.

5. Mixed Development: Merriam’s commercial development includes many activity centers

where a variety of uses (e.g. retail stores, residences, civic buildings, and office.) thrive because
they are connected.
 This goal is still relevant but needs to be made clearer as to the appropriate scale and
location for mixed use type development.

6. Walkability: Merriam’s activity areas are designed for pedestrian access.

 This goal is still relevant and could be combined with goal 10.
 The City has made good progress on this goal.

7. Visual Appearance: Merriam’s commercial developments are visually appealing.

 This goal is still relevant and should include a commercial development focus.
 Add uniqueness / character language to this goal but without prescribing a specific
style of architecture.
 Should include language about being welcoming.

8. Durability: Merriam’s commercial buildings are built to last with quality materials and are
designed for changing uses to accommodate shifts in the market.
 This goal is still relevant and could be combined with a goal on sustainability.

9. Parking: Merriam’s shopping areas provide convenient parking consistent with the scale,
location and type of stores.
 This goal is still partially relevant, but the focus area should be the Downtown,
residential areas, entertainment & event spaces, and car sales storage.

10. Multimodal: Merriam’s transportation system appropriately accommodates various modes

of transportation balancing access, mobility and congestion minimization.
 This goal is still relevant and should be expanded to include connecting bike lanes t the
metro, adding charging stations and transit in general.

Other goals to consider:

 Sustainability
 Bury overhead utility lines/upgrade facilities to prevent utility outages due to storms.
 Increase the tree canopy in the City.
 Attract families with children to move to the City.
CPAC Member