Downtown Master Plan Open House Set for Sept. 1

Published on August 26, 2026

The City of Merriam invites community members to an open house on the Downtown Master Plan, set for Tuesday, Sept. 1, from 4-6 p.m. at Merriam City Hall.

The event marks the next step in an ongoing planning process that began in March, when the city started gathering resident and business input through workshops, pop-up events, surveys, and interviews. That feedback has since shaped three draft visions for downtown's future, which will be on display at the open house.

The concepts are already available online through Survey #3 at merriam.org/dmmp but the open house offers a deeper, in-person look. Participants will be able to explore five stations:

The Vision
What People Want and Would Use
The Importance of Nearby Housing
What This Means for Property Owners
Tell Us What You Think

Attendees can ask questions, share concerns, and give feedback on what they want reflected in the final plan. No final decision has been made. Feedback from the open house, online surveys, a statistically valid community survey, interviews, pop-up events, and the Steering Committee will help share the recommendations to the Merriam Planning Commission and City Council.

Three Draft Visions

The open house will present three possible directions for downtown, developed from community input:

Vision A — Refine: Small updates and refreshed spaces, with very little new construction, no new housing and no new flood protection. This option carries the lowest cost and least disruption.
Vision B — Grow: New buildings on land already outside the floodplain, including some housing, along with more shopping and dining options and added evening and weekend activity. This vision includes some new flood protection east of Merriam Drive.
Vision C — Transform: Major flood-control improvements that would remove all of downtown from the floodplain, enabling development on both sides of Merriam Drive. This vision includes a walkable main street with shops, restaurants and more than 250 new homes, representing the most significant change and investment.

Downtown Master Plan