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STERLING HEIGHTS — The process of defining Sterling Heights’ vision for the next 17 years or so is currently in motion.
During an Aug. 1 Sterling Heights City Council meeting, Strategiz consultant Becky Davenport briefly updated the city on the findings of a SWOT-style analysis that analyzes an organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
City Manager Mark Vanderpool credited the existing Visioning 2030 Plan, which was revealed in 2014, for inspiring around $50 million in amenities and investments such as park upgrades, the Dodge Park Farmers Market and the new Community Center.
“I don’t think anyone would argue the fact that these improvements have not been transformative,” he said. “It’s really been a defining time for the city.”
According to Davenport, her organization has already sat down for a number of listening sessions with city stakeholders, starting as far back as January 2022 with city officials.
Since then, a Visioning 2040 team was formed in June. Davenport said the team comprises 14 directors and 12 staff members from various city departments. In addition, organizers convened a staff listening session and a community listening session over the summer, plus a staff survey that got 206 respondents.
“It really showed good, I think, interest and participation in this process,” Davenport said.
Then she revealed the result of the SWOT analysis. In this particular analysis, she replaced the typical term “weaknesses” with “challenges.”
Davenport said the results show that both city staff members and residents agree that public safety, as well as parks and recreation, are Sterling Heights’ key strengths.
Staffers also praised the city’s “large established” business base, its major transportation corridors, and its “clean and welcoming” nature. Meanwhile, responding residents cited the city’s low tax rate, strong property values and the Lakeside development.
Then Davenport described some challenges that the staff and public mentioned. Both parties agreed that aging infrastructure and a lack of a downtown are hurdles to overcome.
Staff also said the city had too few staffers per resident, language barriers, an aging population and the prevailing perception of not being a unique destination. Residents particularly cited challenges such as an insufficient tree canopy, limited nonvehicle pathways, and the level of resident awareness concerning city services and events.
In terms of opportunities, Davenport said both sides considered those to include creating a downtown, the upcoming Lakeside development, and better communication of services and events.
Furthermore, staffers also saw good chances for expanding service accessibility and making districts or neighborhoods with distinct brands. Residents saw opportunities for climate change and sustainability initiatives, Davenport added.
Both staff and residents agreed that potential threats include competition from younger communities, as well as property maintenance issues. In addition, staff pointed to potential threats regarding local government funding sources, the population getting older, and nonemergency 911 calls taxing the EMS system. Residents meanwhile listed DTE infrastructure, climate change and the changing retail environment.
Looking ahead, Davenport said the strategic planners still needed to interview City Council members, conduct a September community survey and hold a forum with business leaders. Then in November and December, the organizers will “draft and refine” the new visioning plan, show it to the City Council in January and share it with other stakeholders in February, she said.
Vanderpool expressed his eagerness to proceed with the visioning process.
“We’ll continue to chip away at this, but we really want to continue to hear feedback from the community as well,” he said. “They’re incredibly important stakeholders, including our business community.”
Learn more about Sterling Heights by visiting sterling-heights.net or by calling (586) 446-2489.
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