Chris Worley of Wiss Associates presented a high‑level overview of the draft downtown Rapid City landscape master plan at the Legal and Finance Committee meeting on Nov. 26, describing treatments for intersections in a project area that runs from East Boulevard to West Boulevard and Omaha to Kansas City Street.

Worley said the master plan covers 22 intersections and proposed low‑maintenance, drought‑tolerant landscaping and irrigation where needed. He estimated a total project cost of about $5.8 million — roughly $250,000 per intersection — and said costs include irrigation installation and a budget cushion for contingencies.

Public comment during the meeting raised cost concerns. Mark Millar said he found the per‑intersection estimate “outrageous” for small downtown areas and urged the city to set more conservative parameters when commissioning studies.

Councilwoman Kelly Meyer told the committee that approving the plan’s content is distinct from committing funds; she asked staff to identify funding options so the council could consider phased projects or smaller pieces of the plan. Meyer proposed allocating $53,555 in remaining council contingency funds in the downtown beautification budget for immediate items: about $16,000 for string lighting between Main Street Square and the parking garage and roughly $36,000 for a mural project. The Dahl Arts Center will administer the mural RFP and proposed an 8% administrative fee for project facilitation.

The committee voted to send the master plan to the full City Council without recommendation and approved the $53,555 contingency allocation.

Next steps include staff work to identify funding sources, potential project proposals for specific plan pieces, and future public presentations and project proposals to the City Council for funding approval.