Agnew::Beck was hired to update Big Lake’s 1996 Comprehensive Plan. The highly participatory process included regular planning team meetings, public workshops, and the creation of “planning work groups,” including youth, who tackled specific key issues. These work groups offered a focused forum in which to create practical, locally driven solutions to specific issues. The work groups helped shape the plan and implement recommendations in their community. A project webpage helped community members learn about the plan, upcoming meetings and submit comments. In order to help folks better understand and visualize the overall concepts of the Comprehensive Plan, a user-friendly, graphically based “guidemap” illustrated the issues, goals and processes of Comprehensive Plan. An “experts” session matched a panel of local experts with the work groups to share local and professional knowledge about issues affecting Big Lake.
