What do residents like about Modesto, and what could improve? City wants to know
Modesto wants to hear from residents what they like about the city, how it can be improved and how it should grow.
The city is asking these questions as part of conducting outreach for a comprehensive update to its general plan. The plan serves as a blueprint for the city’s growth and development.
This is Modesto’s first comprehensive update since 1995.
The update is expected to lay out a vision for Modesto through 2050 for housing, parks, jobs, transportation, shopping and services. California is requiring that general plans now include what is called environmental justice.
That includes remedying deficiencies in public health, access to healthy food and open space, as well as safe and sanitary housing and reducing exposure to pollution. These are particular concerns in west and south Modesto.
Modesto held its first workshop Thursday of last week over Zoom to gather public input. It is holding a second workshop this Wednesday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Greens on Tenth, 953 10th St. They are among a series of workshops and other public outreach efforts the city expects to conduct as part of updating the plan.
Thursday’s virtual workshop drew about a dozen members of the public.
They raised common themes. They liked that Modesto still feels like a small town but with big-city amenities. They were concerned about homelessness and the lack of affordable housing. They said the city should focus on in-fill development instead of growing outward and should look at how vacant commercial buildings could be repurposed to include housing.
As part of engaging with the public, the city is using what it is calling ambassadors. These are people with connections in communities that the city may not have. The ambassadors can get the word out about the city’s efforts and report back to the city about what they are hearing in their communities.
The ambassadors would represent such constituencies as neighborhoods, developers and development, business and manufacturing, downtown, affordable housing, environmental justice, education, philanthropy and faith-based groups.
Community and Economic Development Director Jaylen French said at Thursday’s virtual workshop the ambassadors are a way to extend the city’s reach into the community. He said the number of ambassadors is expected to grow as the city works on updating its general plan.
He declined to say who now is serving as ambassadors, but said he would provide that once the list is complete.
Modesto is working with the consultant PlaceWorks in updating its general plan. The update is expected to cost about $2 million over three years. Modesto is using a state grant, federal pandemic relief funding and money a previous City Council set aside in 2014 for the update.
The general plan is expected to come to the City Council for adoption in 2024.
The city has a website for the update where the public can read documents associated with the general plan, sign up for a mailing list, learn about upcoming events and more. The website is gp2050.modestogov.com.
City spokeswoman Diana Ruiz-Del Re said people interested in learning more about the ambassador program, including how to become one, can contact principal planner Brad Wall at 209-577-5273 or at bwall@modestogov.com.
