Monument Town Council, March 5 – Residents discuss Monument 2040 Plan

By Laura Lucero

On the evening of March 5, the Monument Town Council (MTC) invited the community to join in a discussion of the Monument 2040 Comprehensive Plan. A comprehensive plan is required for communities with a population over 2,000. According to the town’s webpage, “The comprehensive plan will serve as a long-term blueprint, guiding the community’s growth over the next 10-15 years and addressing critical areas such as housing, economic development, stormwater management, parks, and a special focus on the downtown area.”

According to the Town Council-Planning Commission Workshop held on Sept. 25, 2024, the Comprehensive Plan:

Is developed through public participation and input.
Establishes and guides community vision.
Reports and expands upon community goals and objectives.
Provides the basis for land use and community development decisions.
Provides the basis for capital improvement planning.
Provides the basis for grant applications and funding.
Aligns the annual budget process with long-term community goals.
Establishes community-developed expectation for public/private investment.

The MTC hired and is collaborating with the planning and design firm The Lakota Group to organize various public engagement events for residents, business owners, students, and community leaders to share their thoughts. Before the Bear Creek Community Conversation, they had hosted 17 focus group sessions at the Town Hall and at the local YMCA.

The conversation at Bear Creek Elementary was introduced by Dan Ungerleider, director of planning for the Town of Monument, who then asked Hannah Bader from The Lakota Group to describe the evening’s format. The gathering of about 60 residents was invited to split into six groups for roundtable discussions covering the following topics:

Housing and Neighborhood
Economic Vitality
Parks & Open Space
The Downtown
Sustainability
Safety, Wellness, & Connectivity

Each table was hosted by a facilitator with a whiteboard to capture the input. Conversations were triggered by cards on the table with specific questions; e.g., “What are the biggest environmental concerns facing Monument today?”, “What types of retail stores, services, or businesses do you feel are currently missing in Monument?”, “How often do you visit downtown Monument, and what typically brings you there?”

Over the next hour, participants were encouraged to rotate through the topics in which they were most interested. Following the roundtables, the facilitators presented a debrief of the captured input from each table.

**Above:** Monument community members gather around a detailed map of downtown during a public workshop on March 5 to help shape the Monument 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The entire community was invited, and about 60 people showed up to share their thoughts. Residents discussed where downtown’s true boundaries lie, along with key elements the plan will address—such as transportation flow, land use, historic preservation, economic development, housing, and park access. The workshop, held in the Bear Creek Elementary School gym, invited thoughtful input on the town’s future. Photo by Chris Jeub.

**********

The Town of Monument explains the launch and progress so far at https://www.townofmonument.org/395/Comprehensive-Plan—Monument-2040.

To view specific project information and the presentation from the Community Conversation, please visit https://www.monument2040.com/. Residents are encouraged to provide input via the online survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FNF8FPC.

Laura Lucero can be contacted at lauralucero@ocn.me

Other Monument Town Council articles