GREEN BAY (NBC26) — Green Bay is nearing approval of its comprehensive plan which will guide the city's development through 2050, featuring mixed housing developments, increased tourism opportunities and more interconnected transportation systems.
The over 100-page "Go Big Green Bay" plan comes from two years of community input and interviews with residents about their vision for the city's future.
Thursday, NBC 26 asked people downtown what they'd like to see.
"I would love to see some more fun and exciting activities for kids," Stephanie Faulds said.
Ryan Wilson, who works in Green Bay, expressed interest in expanding dining options.
"I'd definitely like to see more food options downtown here," Wilson said.
Transportation improvements also ranked high among resident priorities.
"Getting around Green Bay is not always the easiest," Marisa Dempsey said.
The city is required to create a new comprehensive plan approximately every 20 years, with the previous plan dating back to 2003, according to Green Bay's Principal Planner David Buck.
"A lot of the real innovative ideas in here came from the public. They weren't from some professional somewhere," Buck said.
Buck said the plan provides a bird's-eye-view of the city's potential development, and it will likely face multiple amendments annually as it ages. For example, Buck said the previous master plan featured an emphasis on attracting big-box retailers to the area. Now, he said, it does not reflect those same goals.
"[Knowing what's in the plan is] incredibly important for any property owner, or citizen that's looking to move here," Buck said.
Buck says every resident should take a look at the future land use map, which will determine zoning for businesses and homes throughout the city.
"When you're driving in an area and you think, well, this is always going to be country, take a look at that future land use map. It may be commercial, it may be residential, may be industrial," Buck said.
The city's Plan Commission holds a public hearing about the comprehensive plan Thursday. The Green Bay Common Council will hold a workshop to go over the plan in detail in the coming weeks.
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