Dearborn residents can help guide the future development of the city through participating in upcoming public workshops and taking an online survey.

The input will be used in the creation of Dearborn’s new Master Plan, which will be a vision for the future of transportation, land use, the economy and environmental and cultural stewardship. The Master Plan will help determine the physical characteristics of the city and facilitate the type of community residents want to see for the long term.

The first public workshop is 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 19 in the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center. It will be in Club Room One.

This will be the kick-off event and is open to all residents.

The workshop will include interactive sessions to discover what Dearborn residents think is visual appealing for a community.

Additional exercises will help define the type of community residents want to aim for. The sessions will also help to identify the infrastructure and design elements that would support that vision.

Among the options might be: a quiet suburban community, a hot spot for night life or business and shopping activity, a community known for its green initiatives and alternative energy options, a community with pockets of activity amid quiet neighborhoods, or a full scale city with a combination of amenities.

Three other public meetings will focus on specific neighborhoods of the city, although all residents are invited to attend.

A summation workshop will wrap up these sessions.

The schedule is as follows:

• Northeast and southeast residents: 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 27 at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center, Studio A, 15801 Michigan Ave.

• Southwest residents: 7 p.m. Wednesday, August 3 at the Dearborn Schools Administration Building, 18700 Audette.

• Northwest residents: 7 p.m. Wednesday, August 17 at the Robert Herndon Dearborn Hills Golf Course.

• Summation workshop: 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 20 at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, Club Room One, 15801 Michigan Ave.

In addition, all residents are invited to complete an online survey about Dearborn and its future development.

The survey can be found at http://www.cityofdearborn.org/live/masterplan

The survey must be completed by August 1.

Dearborn households will be receiving a post card with the online survey information the week of July 18.

In addition, paper copies can be picked up at City Hall in the City Plan Office. They can also be found at the Henry Ford Centennial Library.

It is important to note that Master Plan is not law and is not binding.

The Master Plan provides a basis for the city to write and enforce zoning laws that set forth how property owners can develop and use their land. It also recognizes the need to balance the interests of residents, businesses, and a large daytime working population.