“Informed by the diverse needs of our community, what use of the Hughes site will contribute most effectively to Fort Collins’ long-term vitality and meet the requirements outlined in the 2021 ballot measure?”
That is the question that a “civic jury” made up of Fort Collins residents will consider this weekend as they explore the future of the former CSU stadium site.
And the public can watch the process unfold.
The 20 people chosen for the civic assembly were randomly selected but are also representative of Fort Collins residents.
This civic assembly is being run by Healthy Democracy, and it’s a partnership with Local Policy Lab, American Public Trust and Colorado State University’s Center for Public Deliberation, which recruited community guides to gather public feedback for the process.
What will the civic assembly do?
“The process is thoughtfully designed to help break through polarizing issues,” a news release from the city stated.
At the meetings set for April 12-13 and May 3-4, the delegates to the civic assembly will, according to a city web page describing the process:
Hear from experts, community leaders and advocates to understand the history, context and various perspectives on the Hughes site. This includes reports from previous public engagement.
Participate in facilitated discussions, small group activities and deliberative techniques to explore potential site uses, weighing trade-offs and long-term impacts.
Use consensus-building to craft detailed recommendations that reflect the best path forward for the Hughes site.
Present final recommendations to Fort Collins City Council, which will review and publicly respond to the proposals.
The ultimate decision will be in the hands of City Council, which could make decisions in August, according to the city news release.
How to observe the civic assembly
The civic assembly will take place from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday on the first floor of 222 W. Laporte Ave., in the Colorado River Room.
The opening and closing sessions each day will bring together the full assembly, but other sessions could be in smaller groups.
The first session will include an introduction by the city and project partners and will be followed by community group presentations.
There will be limited space for the community to watch in person, so there will be overflow viewing at City Hall, 300 Laporte Ave.
You can also watch online on the city of Fort Collins YouTube channel at fcgov.com/assemblylivestream.
More information about the civic assembly process is available at ourcity.fcgov.com/future-of-hughes.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: How to watch Fort Collins civic assembly on Hughes Stadium land