CBI revisits Saratoga

The community visioning process continues for the town of Saratoga Master Plan. Late last month, master plan consultants Community Builders Inc. (CBI) visited Saratoga to meet with various stakeholders, to talk about the results from the first Community Input Survey and to discuss the release of an additional survey.

During the site visit, CBI met with the Saratoga Middle/High School senior class and had lunch at the Saratoga Senior Center. While meeting with the high school seniors, CBI explained what a Master Plan is and how students can directly impact the future of Saratoga with their input. The class then brainstormed ideas as to what could be improved on in town. For more specific feedback, students filled out a survey that asked about what they value in Saratoga and where they see room for improvement.

At the Saratoga Senior Center, CBI enjoyed lunch while receiving feedback from seniors about the major needs in the community. Responses included a range of topics including elderly transportation, assisted living, cost of town services and nuisance abatement.

On Oct. 26, the first community input survey was officially closed with 143 participants. This survey aimed to identify core values for citizens in the Saratoga region — relating specifically to the natural environment and resources; land use and housing; economy; and community facilities and services. from the first survey results, the main issues that were identified as most important to the community were the (1) clean up of junk and debris on public and private property, (2) flood protection and (3) licensed day care.

A second community input survey will soon be released to develop a deeper understanding of citizens’ needs in the region. The additional survey will include:

• Specific follow-up questions related to the first survey.

• The themes of transportation, health care, education, economic development and infrastructure (including telecommunication).

• Demographics on who is taking the survey.

Saratoga area residents are encouraged to complete the second community input survey available soon at Saratoga Town Hall and the Saratoga/Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce.

A link to a web-based version of the survey will also be placed on the town of Saratoga and chamber of commerce websites and Facebook pages. Surveys will be collected until January 2016, with public forums and focus groups to follow.