MANASSAS — Residents could soon see the city of Manassas making changes like a dog park and less traffic on Route 28.
The city has been holding “community conversations” since June, and plans to use the next 18 months to update its comprehensive plan for “land use, development, preservation, and related economic and social issues.”
“The turnout has been excellent,” Patty Prince, communications manager for Manassas, told Potomac Local. “We are seeing lots of residents attending the meetings and they’re really telling us what they want us to know,” she said.
The city has held six community conversations so far, with a seventh slated for September 17 at 7 p.m. at City Hall, where land use and transportation will be discussed.
Common subjects brought up are “ease of getting around the city, growth, and development, and better maintained public facilities,” said Elizabeth Via-Gossman, director of community development for Manassas. “Specifically, residents hate sitting on Route 28….”
Comprehensive plans are municipal documents that direct land use, transportation, and property development. Virginia requires that these plans be updated every five years. The plan “guides our decisions on where to put important public facilities like fire stations, parks and schools. It tells us if roads need to be improved or sidewalks added in a neighborhood,” said Via-Gossman. Citizens weighing in are crucial to its development, as the plan “articulates a vision for the future of Manassas.”
The city’s current plan, “Manassas Next — The 2032 Comprehensive Plan” was adopted by City Council in July 2013. The vision detailed in that plan is as follows: “Manassas has been, is, and will continue to be a unique, attractive, and livable city. Our vision of the City is one that values history, embraces the present, and plans for the future in an informed, purposeful manner.”
“The community conversations are all about determining if that is still a valid vision for the City, or whether we need to update it,” said Via-Gossman. As of 2017, 45 of the 58 unique strategies outlined in the 2032 plan have been implemented, or are in progress, according to a document from the City.
Although most of the suggestions at these meetings will take time to approve and implement, “occasionally we hear something that we can follow up on immediately,” said Via-Gossman. For example, “at our pop-up stand at the Thursday Farmer’s Market, residents complained that there were no bike racks at the Pavilion. The city installed those as soon as they could.”
The city plans to write down what they have gathered from the meetings during the winter.
Prince William County and Manassas Park will have the opportunity to review the draft plan before it is adopted by the Manassas City Council.
