Public Review of Hilltop Plan Draft Draws 30 Visits

From November 12 to 22, the Neighborhood Design Center held open hours at the Hilltop branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library. Equipped with printed copies of the draft plan, a selection of discussion workbooks from monthly community meetings, and comment/contact information cards, visitors were able to review and discuss the plan with staff on site.

While many of the visitors were previously involved in the planning process, we also met with a number of new faces who were unable to participate in the Envision Hilltop planning process. The open hours allowed us to have in-depth, one-on-one discussions with visitors, ensuring that the voice of residents and community stakeholders guide the plan. As visitors looked through the plan, many discussed their personal experiences as they related to the action items and we were able to get a more nuanced picture of their daily lives that were not possible during monthly community meetings and other events.

During the fifty hours we spent at the library, we also got to know the Hilltop librarians quite well, many of whom are current of former Hilltop residents. Their insight and interest brought a new perspective to the process since the plan directly impacts the community they interact with everyday. We greatly appreciated their participation and support during the fifty hours.

We want to extend a thank you to the Hilltop library workers and to everyone who came to view the plan and speak with us. Your input was extremely valuable and we greatly enjoyed and benefited from every conversation we had. For those who were unable to make it to the open hours but are still interested in seeing the plan, there will be an official unveiling in January when it is complete. Once finalized, details will be sent out via our email list and will also be available on the Envision Hilltop website. Stay tuned!

Annalise Bennett, Planning Intern