Several years ago, when the Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission was helping its six counties put together a comprehensive plan, a late idea ended up as one of the document’s pillars.

The validity of radically improving broadband services became abundantly clear during the pandemic, and one that led to creation of Alleghenies Broadband Inc., a nonprofit tasked with enhancing connectivity throughout the region.

Altoona recently launched its own comprehensive plan project, which next month will feature three public meetings designed for sharing of ideas that could become pillars of the ultimate document.

City consultant czb, which also did the Southern Alleghenies plan, wants the open houses to help identify the “few big things” on which the plan will focus, according to Blair County Planning Director Dave McFarland, who worked with czb on the Southern Alleghenies plan, and who is helping with the city effort.

Those big things could end up being something the consultant or the city’s comp plan Steering Committee has already thought about — or it could be something a resident brings up at an open house, or at one of the “kitchen table” discussions that Committee members will soon be convening with friends, colleagues and perhaps strangers, McFarland said.

The broadband idea “came out of nowhere” in 2018, McFarland said.

“Now everybody is talking about it,” said Diana White, the city’s community development director, at City Hall Tuesday, speaking with McFarland and City Manager Omar Strohm.

At one of the three open houses scheduled in July or at one of the kitchen table sessions, “something could come out of the woodwork,” McFarland said.

Based on discussions she’s attended recently, trail creation could be a candidate, White said.

Sidewalk construction and repair or housing could be a focus, McFarland said.

Or it could be something that a city soccer mom wants for her kid, White said.

It’s a matter of the city hearing from its “stakeholders,” Strohm said.

The consultant will help with categorizing and consolidating the ideas that come up in the open houses, White said.

Getting the big things right is one of the three main requirements for a great plan, along with successfully planning for what is known and creating a decision making framework for what is unknown, White said.

A few of those big things are “starting to emerge,” McFarland said are the city’s “aging in place” population, the striking differences in desirability and marketability among city neighborhoods and the recent flurry of investments in the downtown.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.

Open house sessions

Altoona’s comprehensive plan consultant, czb, will hold three open houses in July to solicit ideas for the plan, called All Together Altoona. They are:

— 3-4:30 p.m. Monday, July 10, Juniata Civic Association, 206 W. 12th Ave.

— Noon-1:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 11, Altoona Area High School Drama Commons, 1415 Sixth Ave.

— 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, July 11, Trolleyworks Business Park, 3316 Fifth Ave.

There will be no presentations, and participants can arrive and depart when they wish. “Learn about the project and help us identify issues,” a notice on the city website states.

Participants can remain anonymous or share their names.