Ephrata seeks community input

EPHRATA - The City of Ephrata is asking for responses to a community survey that will help direct the city in decisions for updating its comprehensive plan.

“Our goal is to have as many (surveys) as we can,” said Ron Sell, the City of Ephrata community development director.

There are 16 questions on the survey that include topics of housing priorities and needs, transportation, economic development, downtown revitalization, parks and recreation.

The public is invited to participate, rather they live in Ephrata City Limits, own a business in Ephrata, own property in Ephrata, work in Ephrata, live outside Ephrata city limits but in the general area or even just visit Ephrata regularly.

The survey is open until Jan. 4.

Sell said there have been more than 500 responses to the survey since it opened on Dec. 2.

The input from the survey will help plan and shape the vision for Ephrata for the next several years which will ultimately impact where Ephrata will be in the next 20 years, Sell said.

“Where does (the public) want to see growth and what is the appropriate growth?” Sell said of the survey’s purpose.

The city’s timeline is to have a final comprehensive plan by March to April of 2023 for any rollout, edits and adoption of the plan to be completed by June, according to the timeline provided on the city’s website.

“It's our guide,” said Sell. “It's our points in the future that we're striving towards.”

Rebecca Pettingill may be reached at rpettingill@columbiabasinherald.com.

Take the survey:

Complete the survey online at https://bit.ly/EPHRATASRVY or complete a paper copy of the survey at 121 Alder Street SW in Ephrata.