COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — After years of meetings, conversations and community input, the Southeast Strong Neighborhood Plan is officially moving forward.
Colorado Springs City Council unanimously approved the plan Tuesday, a decision supporters say represents years of work by residents, community organizations, youth and city leaders.
For Joyce Salazar with RISE Southeast, the approval marked a milestone for a community that has spent years building a shared vision.
“I’m so excited," said Salazar. "It just doesn’t even seem real right now because we worked on this plan for so long and finally, it’s here.”
Salazar says the work behind the plan started years ago and will continue long after the vote.
“The work was being done before the Southeast Strong plan and it will continue after the Southeast Strong plan,” said Salazar.
She says the plan reflects priorities already identified by the community, including stronger neighborhoods, economic opportunities and improving quality of life.
“It is absolutely not the end," said Salazar. "It is the continuum. We will continue to use this plan until we’ve done everything in it, which is going to take decades.”
A plan built from community concerns
Former City Council member Yolanda Avila helped begin the effort and says the need for a dedicated plan came from challenges southeast Colorado Springs has faced over the years.
“When there’s an economic downturn, we’re the first to feel the economic downturn," said Avila. "We’re the first to lose infrastructure, businesses and things collapse rapidly for us.”
Avila says southeast residents have historically had to fight to make sure their needs were included in citywide conversations.
“We’re the last when things are going great and there’s an economic buildup in the whole city," said Salazar. "We’re the last to get to enjoy that.”
She says the plan is important because it creates a document residents can use moving forward.
“We have a document that we can point to that shows that what we want to do in the southeast is totally in alignment with the master plan for Colorado Springs,” said Avila.
Youth voices included in the future of southeast
Young residents also played a role in shaping the plan, including members of the Southeast Youth Advisory Council.
Chris Hill says young people who live in the area bring an important perspective.
“We’re citizens of the southeast, so we have a firsthand view of what goes on here and what we feel needs to be funded correctly,” said Hill.
Jariah Turner says having youth voices included was meaningful because she believes young people in southeast Colorado Springs deserve to be heard.
“I feel like the southeast doesn’t get enough youth voice and then also, it just doesn’t get enough voice at all,” said Turner.
She says she hopes city leaders continue listening as the plan moves forward.
“I would want to see them implement this by definitely taking our words into account and definitely trying to use them to make the southeast better,” said Turner.
What happens next?
Council member Lynette Crow-Iverson says the approval is an important step because the plan can now help guide future decisions. She says the plan can be used when the city considers future development, housing and other projects in southeast Colorado Springs.
“If there’s a rezone that’s coming in or housing that comes in that we have to approve, the plan will inform those decisions for that community,” said Crow-Iverson.
Crow-Iverson says she believes the plan can also help attract new investment by showing businesses what residents want.
“Now that we have the plan,... they can start marketing the area and show we have a plan,” said Crow-Iverson.
But residents say approval is only the beginning.
Southeast resident Renee Gonzalez says the community will need to stay involved to make sure the goals become reality.
“Now the next step is to implement it, so the work isn’t done,” said Gonzalez.
She says residents should continue holding leaders accountable while also thinking about the future of the neighborhood.
“Let’s not develop just for the development’s sake," said Gonzalez. "Let’s be mindful and thoughtful of what we’re putting in southeast.”
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