Cedar Park picks two councilmen to serve on comprehensive plan selection committee

The Cedar Park City Council picked two of its own members May 24 to serve on the selection committee responsible for picking the next consultant to work on the city's comprehensive plan.

Cedar Park Mayor Matt Powell and Councilman Mitch Fuller were unanimous selections to the committee. They will likely be joined by proposed members Darwin Marchell, engineering director; Curt Randa, parks and recreation director; Larry Holt, economic development specialist; Sam Roberts, assistant city manager; and Emily Barron, senior planner.

The deadline for qualification proposals is May 31. After the deadline, committee members will review applications for scoring, interviews will be conducted and the most qualified consulting group will be recommended for approval by City Council, said Rawls Howard, director of planning and development services. The selection process is expected to take up to 30 days.

"We're all going to be a part of this," Fuller said. "This will be the biggest thing we ever do."

A different committee will be assigned to assist the selected consultant. Powell said during the May 24 meeting that the next comprehensive plan will serve as the council's "philosophical roadmap" for years to come. It makes the most sense, he said, to have the same two councilors serve on the comprehensive plan steering committee, which may also include various community members. The planning process is expected to take 12 to 18 months.

Longtime Councilman Lowell Moore expressed the need for the new plan, which was originally conceived in 1998 and updated in 2006.

"I remember when we went through this back in the '90s," Moore said. "It took a long time to do it right because the consultants interviewed citizens from across the spectrum, and all stripes of life were represented. I think they did a really good job at the time, but I think it's time to be updated."