City of Powell officials believe it might be time to update the city’s three-decade-old master plan.

At a Sept. 2 meeting, council members indicated they’ll consider hiring a firm to update the document next year.

“I think we’d be remiss to not look at it …,” said Mayor John Wetzel.
The current master plan, which was last revised in 1997, lays out various goals aimed at helping the people of Powell “maintain and hopefully enhance their sense of place and community character as growth occurs.”

The document touches on everything from economic development to infrastructure, street planning, affordable housing and beautification.

“It kind of gives you … a road map of what to use and what to do for [the] growth of Powell,” City Administrator Zack Thorington explained.

“How often do we look at it? Maybe not as much as we probably should,” Thorington told the council.

He also sought to distinguish the potential master plan update from Park County’s recent revision of its land use plan, describing the city’s project as “not that big of an undertaking.”

The county plan featured a lengthy, controversial process.

The volunteers who serve on the city’s planning and zoning commission recommended a rewrite of the master plan after combing through the 77-page document. While they don’t have issues with the document’s general aims, they said some of the information has grown outdated.

The commission members initially thought they could tackle the update on their own, but after 18 months of review, they concluded outside help was needed. The city’s attorneys similarly recommended to the council that, “if it’s worth doing, it’s worth hiring a professional to do it.”

Thorington suggested the city issue a formal request for a proposal towards the end of the fiscal year, which wraps up on June 30.

After taking a look at what firms have to offer and at what prices, the council could opt to stick with the current plan or move forward with a rewrite, Thorington said.

He guessed that the project would cost between $50,000 and $100,000.

The council was on board with the idea of seeking professional proposals — “If it needs to be done, it needs to be done right,” Councilman Zane Logan said — and then deciding whether to move forward.

Between now and then, Logan suggested the council members read through the existing master plan; he quipped an appropriate time might be “if someone has insomnia.”

Wetzel predicted that the notes and suggestions the planning and zoning commission members have already made will end up saving the city money.

“I also would be super curious about dropping the whole thing into ChatGPT and see what it says,” Wetzel added, referring to the popular artificial intelligence assistant.

The remark drew some laughter, but the mayor said he was serious.

“I honestly think for an upgraded version of ChatGPT, you might be able to save yourself $30,000. That’s not a joke,” Wetzel said, adding, “I know it sounds crazy, but I’ve done lesser documents and had awesome success with this.”

Thorington responded that, “Whatever guidance council gives staff, we would try it.”

If the city does move forward with hiring a firm and revising the master plan, the process would involve gathering public input before any changes are made.