YOUNGSTOWN 2010 Building a vision for future overview story sssss

Public input from around the region is essential to getting future city officials to follow the plan.
By ROGER G. SMITH
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Leaders from around the city have a set of goals in mind for creating Youngstown's future.
But do those goals create a future that city and suburban residents want?
Later this month, the people get their say.
A critical point has arrived in the major planning effort called Youngstown 2010. That's a fancy name for the writing of a comprehensive city plan.
The plan is a document for future mayors, council members and other city leaders to follow. The plan is supposed to reflect the type of city that people want and contain steps needed to achieve it.
Through the fall, the city and its consultant on the project gathered opinions from about 150 key leaders. They included top officials in Youngstown's public, private and nonprofit sectors.
Results were turned into a series of topics to address in the future, a list the city is calling the "vision."
"This defines the question," said Bill D'Avignon, city deputy director of planning.
Getting input
Residents around the region get a chance to voice their opinions on the vision, however, before the second part of the comprehensive plan starts. That is aimed at turning the vision into reality.
There will be a public presentation of the vision from 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 16 at Stambaugh Auditorium.
City officials want to hear public commentary so they can adjust the vision depending on what people say.
"Have we clearly articulated, understood, the vision?" asked Jay Williams, director of the city Community Development Agency.
Planners hope to fill the 2,554-seat auditorium because they say public input is essential.
"If the public doesn't care, why should anyone else?" Williams asked.
Incentive to work
Planners admit that without widespread public support, city officials are less likely to set aside politics and put the plan to work. Public involvement on the vision -- city and suburban -- should breed ultimate acceptance of the plan, they say.
Having a plan that is accepted by -- and well-known to -- the public will pressure future officials into following it, said Anthony Kobak, the city's chief planner.
If politicians don't follow the plan, they will face public criticism for disregarding the will of the people, he said.
"If we've done our job ... it will be very difficult for a politician to go another way," Kobak said.
Urban Strategies Inc. of Toronto, Ontario, conducted the sessions with city leaders and reduced their comments to the draft vision.
Sections of plan
The vision is broken into four segments: the city's size; its economy; image and quality of life; and actions to take.
Each segment is divided into several subtopics, each with a list of specific public policies for the city to address.
The Dec. 16 presentation will outline the entire vision to prompt public response.
As a primer, however, The Vindicator will profile each of the four segments of the vision starting today through Wednesday.
The city will take comments on the document through January via e-mail, regular mail, phone or fax. City officials also will make presentations and seek responses from as many city and suburban church clubs, block watches and other civic groups as will listen.
"We're willing to take it to any two people willing to sit down," D'Avignon said.
Everyone should feel that they somehow shaped the vision, Williams said.
Stage two
Early next year, the second phase starts in developing the comprehensive plan.
A group of about two dozen or more city, regional and Youngstown State University officials will start writing a document focused on turning the vision into a reality.
Officials expect the process to push into 2004. The document will be made final and adopted by city council so officials can start using the plan to guide their decisions.
rgsmith@vindy.com