DDA wants input on drinking culture study | Local News

TRAVERSE CITY — Dozens of interviews and thousands of survey responses went into the Healthier Drinking Culture draft plan, and now the Traverse City Downtown Development Authority and other collaborators want feedback on its recommendations. People can give their input at two open houses set for Monday, according to a release. Jean Derenzy is CEO of the DDA, which is working with the city government, Traverse City Police Department and Parallel Solutions on the study examining the pros and cons of the city’s drinking culture, and ways to improve it. She said study partners want to hear what people think of the draft plan’s recommendations for immediate, short- and long-term solutions. Carrying out those solutions will take cooperation from both the public and private sector, Derenzy said — it’s private businesses serving drinks or running tours focused on the region’s wineries and breweries, she agreed. “That’s kind of more what we’re trying to get, is what you think of some of the steps in the process, from ordinance changes to a hospitality council, to other things like lighting in the alleyways, supporting a community policing officer, those types of activities that we’re looking for and inputs on what the report has to offer,” she said. City commissioners will hear about the draft plan at a study session, also set for Monday, the agenda shows. Those who can’t make the open houses can comment online at

www.healthierdrinkingtc.com

, where the draft plan can be found, Derenzy said. Hard copies are available at the DDA office, 303 E. State St., Suite C. Comments are due by Sept. 30, according to the website. Then, the DDA will consider a final version of the plan at its Oct. 15 board meeting, with city commissioners to do the same Oct. 18, Derenzy said. With an election coming in November, the DDA also plans to present the final version to the next city commission. She believes the plan’s actionable recommendations give it staying power, she said. Rather than sit on a shelf once it’s finished, future leaders can look to the plan to definitively measure progress on making the changes it suggests.

EAST FRONT STREET

Two other input sessions are set for Monday, these to gather feedback on ideas for an East Front Street streetscape, Derenzy said. They’re at Minerva’s Boardroom at the Park Place Hotel, 300 E. State St. Three virtual workshops are also set for Wednesday, with details available at

https://is.gd/eFrontStreet

. These input sessions build on feedback the DDA already gathered on proposed street designs for East Front Street between Grandview Parkway and Park Street, Derenzy said. The city plans to replace water and sewer mains, plus sewer leads, on the same stretch in 2022, so it’s a chance to redesign a corridor that serves as an entryway to the downtown. Those who participate can look at three design scenarios, each of which incorporates input from earlier online surveys and input sessions, Derenzy said. People can weigh in on what they do and don’t like about each one — “yea” on a feature from Scenario One, or “nay” on another from Scenario Two, for example. “So we can get little pieces to identify what people like and what they don’t like and be able to move that forward,” Derenzy said. The next step is to incorporate that feedback into a final design with the help of the city Engineering Department, then determining a cost, Derenzy said. She expects to have a final design ready for yet another round of input by November or December.

TRAVERSE CITY — Dozens of interviews and thousands of survey responses went into the Healthier Drinking Culture draft plan, and now the Traverse City Downtown Development Authority and other collaborators want feedback on its recommendations.

People can give their input at two open houses set for Monday, according to a release.

Jean Derenzy is CEO of the DDA, which is working with the city government, Traverse City Police Department and Parallel Solutions on the study examining the pros and cons of the city’s drinking culture, and ways to improve it. She said study partners want to hear what people think of the draft plan’s recommendations for immediate, short- and long-term solutions.

Carrying out those solutions will take cooperation from both the public and private sector, Derenzy said — it’s private businesses serving drinks or running tours focused on the region’s wineries and breweries, she agreed.

“That’s kind of more what we’re trying to get, is what you think of some of the steps in the process, from ordinance changes to a hospitality council, to other things like lighting in the alleyways, supporting a community policing officer, those types of activities that we’re looking for and inputs on what the report has to offer,” she said.

City commissioners will hear about the draft plan at a study session, also set for Monday, the agenda shows.

Those who can’t make the open houses can comment online at www.healthierdrinkingtc.com, where the draft plan can be found, Derenzy said. Hard copies are available at the DDA office, 303 E. State St., Suite C. Comments are due by Sept. 30, according to the website.

Then, the DDA will consider a final version of the plan at its Oct. 15 board meeting, with city commissioners to do the same Oct. 18, Derenzy said. With an election coming in November, the DDA also plans to present the final version to the next city commission.

She believes the plan’s actionable recommendations give it staying power, she said. Rather than sit on a shelf once it’s finished, future leaders can look to the plan to definitively measure progress on making the changes it suggests.

EAST FRONT STREET

Two other input sessions are set for Monday, these to gather feedback on ideas for an East Front Street streetscape, Derenzy said.

They’re at Minerva’s Boardroom at the Park Place Hotel, 300 E. State St. Three virtual workshops are also set for Wednesday, with details available at https://is.gd/eFrontStreet.

These input sessions build on feedback the DDA already gathered on proposed street designs for East Front Street between Grandview Parkway and Park Street, Derenzy said. The city plans to replace water and sewer mains, plus sewer leads, on the same stretch in 2022, so it’s a chance to redesign a corridor that serves as an entryway to the downtown.

Those who participate can look at three design scenarios, each of which incorporates input from earlier online surveys and input sessions, Derenzy said. People can weigh in on what they do and don’t like about each one — “yea” on a feature from Scenario One, or “nay” on another from Scenario Two, for example.

“So we can get little pieces to identify what people like and what they don’t like and be able to move that forward,” Derenzy said.

The next step is to incorporate that feedback into a final design with the help of the city Engineering Department, then determining a cost, Derenzy said. She expects to have a final design ready for yet another round of input by November or December.