Our future is exciting.
Jump to the plans to follow each’s progress and review documents as they become available. Or scroll down to learn more about comprehensive plans and this project.
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News and Updates
NEW! Attend the Final Open House on Nov. 19
The City of Austin and Mower County will release DRAFT Comprehensive Plans, and we want your feedback! We invite all community members to attend the final open house to learn more about the project, review the draft Plans, provide feedback, and speak with project team members.
📅 Open House Details
Date: Wednesday, November 19
Time: 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. (drop in anytime!)
Location: Jay C. Hormel Nature Center (1304 21st St NE, Austin, MN)
This is a family-friendly event! People of all ages are welcome and encouraged to attend. Guests are welcome to drop in at any time during the event.
NEW! Visit the Virtual Open House
If you can’t attend final in-person Open House, visit the virtual ‘OPEN HOUSE’ page. The page will post the Open House boards, DRAFT Comprehensive Plans, and online comment survey once they are ready.
Click here to visit the virtual Open House
Review the DRAFT of the “Playbook”
Additional to the traditional comprehensive planning, the Comprehensive Plans include a “Playbook” with concepts and strategies for dynaIf you can’t attend in person, a virtual open house will be available starting November 14 at www.compplan2045.com, where you can review the draft plans and provide your input. mic food systems, downtown development frameworks, tourism and entertainment, arts and cultural elements, a reframed economic analysis, and open space and parks plan. The Playbook was developed based on best planning practices, market research, and extensive community engagement and involvement. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE DRAFT PLAYBOOK.
Project Overview
The City of Austin and Mower County have partnered to develop Comprehensive Plans jointly. This partnership will ensure a unified vision for the City and County into the year 2045.
Both Comprehensive Plans will include a community-supported vision with strategic goals, plans, policies and action steps that guide growth and development, and deliver important community services.
The new Comprehensive Plans will utilize community input, demographic and market research together with community planning best practices to identify critical needs, goals, policies and action steps for guiding the types of future growth, redevelopment and enhancements embodied in the community-supported vision.
The new Plans will build upon the successes of the existing plans, adopted in 2016 for the City of Austin and 2002 for Mower County. The new plans will capture community values and aspirations for the future.
What is a Comprehensive Plan?
A Comprehensive Plan is a vision of what a community wants to be. It is a guide to help shape a community’s future growth, protect what its residents value, and enhance what they want to improve.
The comprehensive planning process takes a look at existing challenges and sets guidelines and policies for future development. The Comprehensive Plans will outline the future of Mower County and Austin over the next 10 to 20 years and establish goals to move toward that future.
Goals
The project goals for both Plans will be developed with the input from the community. We want to hear from residents, business and property owners, employees and visitors. Your community knowledge, experience and ideas are needed to ensure the Plans reflect your values and charts the appropriate course for the next ten to twenty years.