This past week, after soliciting proposals from three local firms, BUDC hired Wendel to lead the initial effort to develop a concept plan for Ellicott, at an initial cost of $24,750. Wendel will also work with Mustard Seed Consulting and Rebel One Studios.

The work is expected to start within two weeks, with an estimated time frame of six weeks to complete the plan, and then rolling it out in the fall. Officials will then use the results – as they did with the earlier master plan – to seek public funding in support of the more extensive and expensive project.

"It’s one area where you’re going to get a lot of bang for your buck with respect to the key nodes you’ll be able to connect," Merriweather said. "We’re looking to do this all in a way that makes sense and in a way that each project complements the others. We’re looking to take chunk by chunk, piece by piece, and we’ll likely be looking at other areas as well."