NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce CEO Debra Teufel noted that now that Olsson Studios has unveiled the final version of the Downtown Master Plan, it's time to figure out what to execute first and how to do it.
"All of that data is now wrapped up into what is now out on the website at https://www.downtownhutchmasterplan.com/," Teufel said. "The real work now begins in the technical committee, in the downtown coalition, in our downtown promotions committee."
This is going to require collaboration from those that own property downtown, along with public infrastructure improvements and continued support from the Chamber and other stakeholders.
"This work is not going to be the work of one organization," Teufel said. "While the City and Downtown Hutch helped collaborate to help pay for the plan, and we had philanthropy stepping up to the table to help pay part of the cost, Laura Meyer Dick and the Nation Meyer fund helped fund part of the plan, now it is up to all of us to work together, to take the action plan and start putting it into place."
The first step outlined is to officially adopt the plan as City Policy. In order for that to happen, it needs to go before the Planning Commission and then the City Council and be approved by both of those bodies.
"How do we take all of that energy and passion in the people that care about it and put it into place to come up with our own kind of unified branding for downtown?" Teufel said.
Also, the recommendation is that if the Downtown Master Plan is codified as City policy, that existing regulations should be looked at and changed to match up with the intent and recommendations of the plan.
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