Hovered over tables of pens, magic markers and barely-filled, 4-inch binders, members of the Wilmington City Council joined a new 15-member steering committee this week to begin drafting a blueprint for the Port City’s comprehensive plan.

Glenn Harbeck, Wilmington Development Services director, told the group that met Tuesday at the downtown public library that the goal of the committee was to craft a plan that would shape the city’s overall development by addressing water and sewer infrastructure, roads and building standards.

Once a draft is completed and presented to the public, the city council will vote on the plan, Harbeck said.

Harbeck said the journey would not be “hands off” for the members selected, indicating that their mostly empty binders would be filled to the edge with notes and documents from various meetings by the end of the 18-month process

“Don’t expect to be a wallflower,” Harbeck told committee members. “There will be specific roles and tasks to play. This is going to be … a massive community involvement effort.”

One of those tasks will be to help facilitate one of several community meetings, the first of which is slated for May 14.

Harbeck said the meetings would be located throughout various parts of the city to help engage different residents, business and property owners in the process. He said after the community meetings, committee members would spend time reviewing the comments.

To kick off Tuesday’s brainstorming session, Harbeck asked members in groups of five to first write down what are some of the important priorities the comprehensive plan should address. With city staff serving as facilitators, members listed their ideas and later presented the top priorities, which included hike and bike trails, affordable housing, business engagement and leadership and transportation.

Members of the committee are:

Carlos L. Braxton, broker with Wilmington-based Braxton Realty LLC

Kemp Burdette, executive director of Cape Fear River Watch

Howard T. Capps, president of Wilmington-based Howard T. Capps & Associates Inc.

Elizabeth Hines, UNCW professor of Geography and Geology

J. Clark Hipp, owner and principal architect of Wilmington-based Hipp Architecture & Development PC                       

Paul Lawler, president of Wilmington-based Ctoan Inc.     

Bonnie I. Nelson, self-employed business consultant      

Linda A. Pearce, UNCW Board of Trustees chairwoman and CEO of Wilmington-based Elderhaus Inc.           
                     
Thomas C. Pollard, former Wilmington city attorney

Randy Reeves, senior account executive of Wilmington-based Harold W. Wells & Son Inc.

Jennifer C. Rigby, self-employed planner

Robert Rosenberg, president of Monarcares.com and Wilmington Development Group

Kevin A. Smith, detective with the Wilmington Police Department

Deb Hays, Wilmington Planning Commission member and Realtor with Wilmington-based Intracoastal Realty Corp.                    
                
Frank Smith, Wilmington Planning Commission member and self-employed architect and land planner