Spencer Riverfront Plan

PLANNING PROCESS

This plan’s concepts flow from the opinions and perceptions of those who know it best – its residents and people who work or invest in Spencer. Every resident of Spencer has a compelling interest in the river and had the opportunity to participate at some level. Components of the public participation process include: Visual Listening Survey . The planning process began with an online visual listening survey. Over 350 people completed the survey. The survey asked participants to rate various images as “Love it”, “Like It”, or “No Thanks”. Every image received responses for both Love It and No Thanks. Yet, some images trended higher than others. The top “Love It” images are on the on the following page. Kick-off . An initial kick-off meeting took place on November 16, 2016. This meeting included a presentation and discussion with the steering committee. The committee discussed desirable outcomes and ambitions for the future of the riverfront. Exploration . Members of the consultant team toured the Little Sioux River by kayak and SUP board on November 16, 2016. The team later walked both banks of the river with the steering committee to discuss perceptions of the current condition and future possibilities. A video of the water trail experience can be reviewed at www.celebratespencer.com. Stakeholder Group Discussions . Stakeholder group meetings took place in November 2016 and January

KAYAKING AND CANOING

SPLASH PAD

BIKE TRAILS

OPEN MARKETS

ICE SKATING AREA

TRAIL NEAR WATER

2017. Participants include business and property owners, financial institutions, public officials, non- profit and museum organizations, and others. These roundtable discussions offered stakeholders an opportunity to share their ideas for the riverfront area and its future possibilities. Design Workshops . A three-day on-site public design workshop took place on January 16-18, 2017 to engage citizens, residents, business owners, and other stakeholders directly in planning the riverfront -

what happens on the river, its banks, and surrounding neighborhood to downtown. Participants shared their ideas, issues and concerns informally with the design team, and helped refine and test concepts. Open House . A public Open House occurred on May 15, 2017. The open house provided the public an opportunity to review and comment on the plan prior to adoption.

PUBLIC RESTROOMS

NATURAL PLAY AREAS

WALKING TRAILS

VISUAL LISTENING SURVEY RESULTS - TOP “LOVE IT” IMAGES

Over 60 images were scored by over 350 people. The images above represent ideas that received strong responses.

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