Public invited to workshop to share visions for downtown Batavia – Shaw Local

The city of Batavia is asking residents, businesses and other stakeholders to share their thoughts on their visions for downtown Batavia dueing a public workshop at 6p.m. Jan. 25 at the Batavia Public Library.

According to a news release, feedback from the workshop will help inform the Batavia Downtown Plan which will serve as a blueprint for the future of the city’s downtown.

“We’re hosting this workshop to introduce the planning process and gain insights about matters the community believes should be addressed by the Downtown Plan,” said Drew Rackow, planning and zoning officer for the city of Batavia, in the news release. “It’s a key component to developing the plan.”

Participants should come prepared to work with others to identify planning priorities, issues and opportunities, as well as potential projects and improvements. They will work in smaller breakout groups on a mapping exercise to develop a vision for the future of downtown Batavia. Another goal is to build consensus on the long-term character of downtown, the release stated.

The city has hired a professional planning consultant firm, Houseal Lavigne, to fully study downtown Batavia and determine the best direction for development.

A project website, hla.fyi/DowntownBatavia, launched in September 2022, and the public was invited to take a community survey as well as highlight key issues and opportunities on a map.

“The Visioning Workshop is an extension of the online survey and will offer people an opportunity to collaborate with other stakeholders to provide insights and ideas,” Rackow said in the release.

The workshop will be in the Founder’s Room of the Batavia Public Library, 10 S. Batavia Ave., Batavia, from 6 to 8 p.m.

For more information, or to participate without attending the workshop, visit hla.fyi/DowntownBatavia.