The City of McAllen is developing an updated comprehensive plan and is asking for residents’ input on what they feel the community needs. The plan will help McAllen maintain its character, enhance the quality of life for residents and support economic development.
Residents can visit the website Envision McAllen, at mcallen2040.com to take a survey on needs. They can also share ideas on what they would like to see in the future. The website is available in English and Spanish.
“We want to hear from our residents as we begin to develop a bold comprehensive plan with sustainable ideas that allow for everyone to feel a part of what McAllen will look like, will be like in the future,” said McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos.
A Plan For Growth
The comprehensive plan sets a vision for how McAllen should grow over the next 20 to 30 years. The plan will guide decisions related to transportation, infrastructure, land use, parks, economic development, community identity, development standards and incentives and implementation. Over the next 15 months, the City of McAllen will host a variety of community meetings and engagement opportunities. These events will allow the community to help shape the vision for McAllen.
“One of the great things about McAllen is our engaged community and their passion for helping to shape how the city has developed,” said McAllen City Manager Roel “Roy” Rodriguez. “By listening to them, the City of McAllen will be able to direct its growth for the benefit of every community member and every neighborhood.”
The project will include four phases beginning with the initiation phase. During this time, the city will review physical, demographic and economic context to develop a snapshot of existing conditions. It will also identify potential catalyst recommendations. The second phase will be drafting the vision, guiding principles and goals by seeking community input through community engagement. The third phase will be developing the plan through committee and stakeholder meetings and community surveys. The fourth phase is to finalize the plan with the McAllen City Commission.
First Input Event July 4
The first community input event will be at the City of McAllen’s Freedom Festival on July 4 at Archer Park. McAllen staff members and project consultants will be on hand from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to survey residents and discuss what they would like to see in McAllen’s future.
The city encourages residents to visit the website to stay updated on the plan’s process. Here, they may also review documents being drafted and get to know the team working on the plan. There is also an avenue for contacting the City of McAllen Planning Department with questions or for more information.
This will be the first time the City of McAllen Comprehensive Plan receives an update since 2007.