-Visioning Program For 2020-
Chapter 3
A. Major Themes

This section offers a snapshot picture of the major themes that emerged during the visioning process. It can be used as an executive summary reflecting the essence of what people discussed during the Citizens' Congress and the community meetings facilitated by the Visioneers.

• Retain the residential quality of West Covina (quiet neighborhoods, beautiful homes, clean streets and sidewalks, green open space). Although economic development is essential to provide the revenue required for quality city services, make sure this development is compatible with, and does not impact, the very thing we value the most - our residential neighborhoods.
  
  
• Given its many desirable assets West Covina has the potential to evolve into a more self-sufficient, multi-faceted city enabling residents to obtain all their economic, social, and cultural needs within the city without having to travel outside its boundaries unless they choose to do so.
  
  
• A more diverse economic base will enable more residents to both live and work within West Covina and by doing so add to the vitality of the city's community life and richness to the revenues that underlie the City's capacity to deliver quality services and a strong, sustainable infrastructure.
  
  
• Let's make West Covina a more interesting place in which to live, while still holding onto the family focus of our community. This can be done in a number of ways including the development of a cultural/performing arts center, the creation of more outdoor pedestrian oriented public spaces, while attracting more upscale restaurants, a wider variety of stores, and a mix of unique meeting places including coffee shops and other venues.
  
  
• Create a central gathering place, an old town-like urban village, to serve the entire community while also adding a distinctive sense of place to the city in its role as the heart of the San Gabriel Valley. This need not be a traditional downtown or main street but something new that can be built with existing components on or near the Civic Center, The Plaza, The Lakes at West Covina, and Glendora Avenue.
  
  
• If we are truly a community that cares for our children, then we need to create strong, enduring partnerships between all the civic institutions and community organizations that serve our youth. This means that city council, city staff, and all the school districts, religious and social organizations work together with a shared mission in a coordinated manner.
  
  
• The City cannot solve all our problems for us. We need to tap all our available resources, including volunteers and other residents who willingly participate in the decisions shaping the future of our city, including the needs of our youth.
  
  
• We should celebrate the increasing diversity of our community while helping everyone regardless of their background feel connected to the larger community around them. What we share in common as residents of West Covina and citizens of the United States is far more important than what may set us apart.
  
  
• We need a long-term, integrated plan to ensure that all new development adds value to the community while protecting both our neighborhoods and preserving our remaining natural open spaces. The BKK landfill site constitutes a tremendous opportunity to achieve all these goals and for this reason should be an integral part of any such plan.
  
  
• Let's make sure that all our schools are the very best. That is why many of us came here in the first place. Anything less is simply not acceptable.

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