Council Adopts Tyler 1st Update
Posted/updated on: April 10, 2014 at 11:33 am
TYLER — The Tyler City Council Wednesday adopted the Tyler 1st five year update, designed to reflect the needs and aspirations of Tyler residents. “Though designed as a 20-year plan, it should be periodically reevaluated to ensure that the community’s vision and goals are still being met and that the strategies and action items for achieving the goals are still valid,” said Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass. “The plan must be a flexible document that can change according to the changing needs of the community.”
City officials say a series of public meetings, in conjunction with public surveys and web-based opportunities for public input, were used to solicit community input. The process includes a summary of progress made on implementing the plan, unforeseen circumstances – both opportunities and obstacles – that affect implementation, and a review of the overall vision, goals and principles of the plan, according to a city news release.
The process of conducting the five-year update began with a kickoff presentation to City Council on January 9, 2013, which re-branded the plan from Tyler 21 to Tyler 1st. Mayor Bass convened a committee consisting of the City Council, City staff, department leaders, and 52 Tyler citizens selected to represent the City’s diversity and community leadership.
Meeting on a monthly basis over a year, the committee was charged with the overall guidance of the planning process and review of the draft comprehensive plan before it was presented for public comments. In addition to updating all chapters in the plan, the committee also came to a consensus on the necessity for a new chapter addressing education.
Major items addressed/updated in Tyler 1st include:
Downtown
• Market downtown as a cohesive entity.
• Create policies and programming that strengthen existing small businesses and attract new businesses.
North End Revitalization
• Remove Goal: Establish a neighborhood coalition with associations in all major districts to lay the groundwork for a community development corporation (CDC).
• Consider developing an urban village concept in the North End planning area.
Historic Preservation
• Enhance public awareness of the economic benefits of historic preservation in Tyler.
• Enhance Historic Preservation Involvement.
• Retain Tyler’s sense of place and identity.
Parks, Open Space, Recreation & Lakes
• Enhance the Mayor’s Tree Tyler Initiative by transitioning to Green-up the Gateway Program to beautify entry corridors in to the City.
• Approve and implement new Rose Garden Master Plan.
• Continue to expand trail projects and initiatives including trail expansions at Woldert and Faulkner Parks as well as expansion of Rose Rudman Trail to Faulkner Park and a new trail near Centene.
Housing, Neighborhoods & Community Identity
• Implementation Item Removed: Encourage compatible infill residential development in existing neighborhoods and the creation of neighborhood conservation districts.
Business and Economy
• Continue to support and expand the implementation of the Industry Growth Initiative.
• Expand opportunities for economic impact of graduate school education in Tyler and Expand opportunities for economic growth associated with 21st century energy.
• Expand opportunities for economic growth through tourism as well as creating opportunities for economic growth through the attraction of retirees to the community.
• Create opportunities for economic growth through the expansion of the healthcare and biomedical sector, while also focusing on development of arts and entertainment assets.
Transportation and Circulation
• Consider the creation of a Traffic Management Center (TMC) to actively manage signal operations.
• Review policies/State laws to implement shared lanes for bicycles.
• Review and evaluate the need and right-of-way for bus turnouts on major roadways.
Public Facilities and Services
• Develop higher speed rail service to Dallas and Shreveport.
Future Land Use and Annexation Guide
• Updates to the Future Land Use Guide.
• Update the Priority Annexation Areas, swapping Areas A and B.
Education
• Recognize that education directly impacts economic development and quality of life.
• Champion, support and partner with K-12 public schools, colleges and universities for excellence in academic achievement.
• Encourage an environment of education and life-long learning in families and collaborate with business entities to enhance educational efforts.
Visit http://www.Tyler1st.com for more information.
