FOLEY – Foley residents and visitors will have a chance to discuss what is needed to guide the city into the future during three public meetings Feb. 7 and 8.
The city of Foley is developing a strategic plan to guide development and growth over the next five years. As part of the process, plan organizers are seeking public opinions about the challenges and opportunities facing the city.
The three community forums will be about 90 minutes long and will include descriptions of the planning process and comment periods to allow participants to express their opinions.
The first meeting will be at the Graham Creek Nature Preserve Interpretive Center at 23030 Wolf Bay Drive on Wednesday, Feb. 7 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
A second meeting is scheduled at the Foley Senior Center at 304 East Rose Ave. on Thursday, Feb. 8 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The final meeting will be at the Foley United Methodist Church at 915 North Pine Street from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. That meeting will be at the church’s center The Well.
The meetings will include interactive small and large-group discussions to allow participants to share their thoughts and ideas. Focused questions about city priorities will also be discussed by groups as part of the meeting.
The city is also conducting an online survey asking residents their thoughts on growth and development in Foley as part of the plan. The survey asks participants what they would like to see in Foley in the next five years.The survey also asks respondents about their priorities in areas such as growth and development, business and economy, public safety, parks and recreation, city infrastructure and housing.
The survey is available on the city website, www.cityoffoley.org
Comments in the survey have included opinions about growth, housing, downtown revitalization, recreation, traffic and other topics..
Foley is the fastest growing city in the Mobile Bay area. In the last two years, the city’s population increased by 2,979, a growth rate of 14.47%, according to census reports.
The city’s population is now about 25,000, according to census estimates. In the 2020 census, the city had 20,335.