Visioning Session Summary | June 23, 2020
Session Summary from KPS Group:
On June 23, 2020 the City of Prattville hosted a public visioning session at the Doster Memorial Community Center. Due to the need for social distancing caused by the COVID-19 pandemeic, the live session was”broadcast”online to allow those unable to attend the meeting in person to contribute virtually in real time to the discussion. The planning team gave an overview of the ongoing planning process, presented highlights from the First Impressions report and reviewed preliminary results of the first survey (attached in pdf below). Following the presentation, the planning team solicited input from live and virtual participants to help understand how the community views the city and how they would like to see it improve in the future. The following is a summary of the community’s responses:
Participants were asked to name a condition that meets their standards for the way their community should be or a unique characteristic the city can take advantage of as it plans for the future.
- Location
- Interstate access
- Best people around; involved community; civic organizations
- Downtown being revitalized ; business owners investing in downtown
- Safe community, sense of security; low crime rate
- Small town feel but with amenities of a larger city
- History
- Natural resources and beauty, including Autauga Creek and artesian wells
- Best value for educations dollar
- Worship opportunities
- Good cost of living
- Autauga County Technology School
- Opportunities for economic growth
- Relationship with military (i.e., Maxwell AFB)
- Airport
- Railroads
- Industrial parks
- Recreational opportunities
- YMCA
- Community arts; ie., Way off Broadway
- City employees (Public Works, Urban Mangement, & Sanitation) do a good job
- Senior Services
- Tourism
Participants were asked to name a condition that does not meet their standards for the way their community should be or a concern that the community must address as it plans for the future.
- Not enough awareness of downtown; inadequate management of downtown development (i.e., commercial overlay); inadequate parking downtown
- Traffic
- Over development
- Infrastructure (water and sewer)
- Library is too small and needs to be upgraded
- Low taxes for education, limited school funding, need to create city school system
- Need larger auditorium, civic or community center for concerts and events
- Not enough recreational activities associated with natural resources
- Lack of public-private partnering
- Not pedestrian-friendly or walkable
- No bike facilities, need bike trails to parks
- No dog park
- Insufficient development of US 31/1-65 interchange
- Empty storefronts, High Pointe Town Center
- Need bolder leadership
- Need financial support/incentives to encourage preservation of historic district
- Limited arts activities
- US 31 north of Prattmont needs to be widened
Participants were asked to name an external condition or circumstance beyond the control of the City that will likely have an impact on Prattville, for better or worse.
- COVID-19 – more people working from home and not commuting
- Increasing internet usage, increased use of technology (future of children)
- Increased online shopping, impact on brick and mortar retail
- Outside developers/investors building in Prattville but leave, not long-term investment in city
- Employment with state government in Montgomery
- Military/Maxwell AFB
- Easy access to community can be positive and negative
- Competition among nearby communities, marketing quality of life
- Crime rate in Montgomery
- City limits in two counties, sales tax distribution
- Adjacent school systems (i.e., Montgomery)
- Outside perceptions about county and other school systems
Participants were asked to name a condition or feature in Prattville that is considered sacred or that is an essential element of the community that should be protected as the city plans for its future.
- Downtown
- The Gin Shop
- History
- Desire for excellence
- Small town feel
- Historic district, community of historic churches
- Safety
- Quality education for children
- Artesian wells
- People
- Parades and community events
- Recreational opportunities (Autauga Creek, Alabama River and parks)
- High school, sense of community/team spirit
- Robert Trent Jones Golf Course
- Technology Center
- Two-year college
- Business opportunity
After being given a moment to think about the way they would like Prattville to be in the future, participants were asked to name one difference between the community today and the way that they envision it in the future.
- Expansion along US 31 south for industrial development
- Job growth
- Youth/large scale entertainment amenity(ies)
- Balance of industry and small businesses
- Collaboration with County on development north along US 31
- More focus on industrial growth, a business/industry incubator, high tech industry, green jobs
- Better community representation on Planning and Zoning Commission
- Willingness within community to invest and do the work to improve the community themselves
- More partnerships within the community
- Re-use of the Gin Shop completed
- High Pointe Town Center fully occupied with stores
- An interpretive center or museum
- Better education, a city-run school system
- Development guidelines to assure quality, but not cookie-cutter, development
Following up on the discussion of changes they would like to see happen in the future, participants were asked to name one accomplishment Prattville could make that would impress them the most.
- To be the Central Alabama leader in economic and industrial growth that also focuses on family and community
- Leadership in all areas
- For participation in all city board to represent more fully the community
- All top-level leaders working together to achieve a common goal of making our community the best it can be (city, both counties, boards of education, etc.)
- City school system
- Quadruple property taxes
- Interpretive center
- Unified leadership and vision
- Controlled development, don’t overdevelop
- Auditorium/meeting venue