Walkable community consultant, Dan Burden, is shown taking Whitehall officials and community members on a tour of the city’s downtown to look at walkability issues in June, 2011. He supplied the city with a technical memorandum which may be used in updati

The city is updating its Master Plan, a blueprint for development of the community and a guideline for zoning. It is to be used as a guide for public and private development.

The update is a project of the city’s Planning Commission, but must receive final approval by the city council. The process will include public input.

Tanya Cabala, city council member and planner, said a committee of the planning commission is currently going over the current Master Plan which was approved by the city council on Feb. 14, 2006. The committee last met last Wednesday.

“We’re looking at updating the data and changing categories,” she said.

Cabala and City Clerk Karen Williams said the city has had trouble obtaining updated demographic information for the city from the 2010 U.S. Census.

“The Census is no longer collecting information on housing and jobs for local communities,” Williams said.