"Poor planning on west end."

"Balance between development and burden on residents."

"Need to better define eastern entrance."

These were just a few of the critiques and priorities heard within city hall on Thursday, in what was the first opportunity offered for the public to weigh in on the fate of the community's comprehensive plan.

In all, close to two dozen Waynesboro residents turned up for this inaugural workshop, which offered concerned citizens access to the coterie of planners now overhauling the plan that serves as a blueprint for the city's future.

"I thought it was time for me to make my voice heard," said one attendee, Jennifer Vela. "I'm concerned about the city. This is my home, and I want it to be a great community."

Vela, a mother of three, was attending her first city government meeting that night. As she walked through the room inspecting the series of maps and diagrams posted for appraisal, she was impressed with those that called for a system of greenway trails that would spread out across the city.

Outdoor amenities such as those are the type of projects that will help the city keep its children here, she said, as well as attract new young professionals to the area.

Common themes heard throughout Thursday evening ranged from flood prevention to downtown revitalization to preservation of historic assets.

Ellen Winter, an active citzen advocate on development issues, said she wanted to see better planning along Waynesboro's entrance corridors. The west end, which has seen a boom in commercial development the last four years, is an example of how things can go awry, she felt.

"Rosser Avenue [the main west-end artery] is already messed up with all the backs of those buildings facing the street," she said. "Everytime I drive by there, I think of those buildings mooning us."

All comments were faithfully written down by the planners, who will reference them in the next phase of their work, mapping out the many different courses the city can take as it assesses future development. Those options will also be presented for public review, most likely late next month, when the planners, who come from the North Carolina-based consulting firm LandDesign, are next expected to return.

Already into its third year, the revision of the comprehensive plan has been a prodding process for Waynesboro. The hiring of LandDesign - at a cost of $78,000 - was approved to jumpstart the project. Thursday marked the first public workshop held on the revision.

"This was a chance for us to let them know we've started it, what we're working on and to hear what their opinions are," said LandDesign planner Padam Singh. "What would you like to change- What would you like to keep- There's no way we can get to a final plan without getting this kind of initial information."

City Planner Jim Shaw said he was happy with the turnout seen Thursday and the comments generated. Many of the concerns voiced were, by now, very familiar to those of city staff, which Shaw considered a sign the community was ready to begin crafting a uniform vision for the future.

"I'd love to have more [people get involved]," he said. "Hopefully, at the future meetings at the end of October, we're going to have a lot more people come out."