More trails and walkways, greater density, a few more residential blocks and a cleaner Cedar River were all part of a proposed downtown master plan shown to area organizations and community volunteers Wednesday.

Consultants CR Planning presented the results of what they call a “straw man” draft of a downtown master plan for residents to critique and give feedback during two meetings at Austin Public Library.

The consultants gathered information on Austin’s downtown area during a visit last month, which also included input from the downtown master plan committee, area organizations and downtown businesses among others. Based on that visit, as well as various local studies and census information, the group created a high-concept roadmap of recommendations the city could use to improve Austin’s central business district in the future.

“It’s pretty aspirational about what you want to see,” said Brian Ross, lead consultant for CR Planning on the project.

Several residents were impressed with the plan, though some of the ideas sparked further discussion on how feasible the master plan would be. Jon Erichson, executive director of Austin’s Housing and Redevelopment Authority, was concerned with one part of the plan that would put more housing east of Main Street North near the Cedar River.

“That area’s already pretty developed,” he said.

Bonita Schindler was concerned with a potential parking ramp in the downtown area. Though consultants found there was sufficient parking on the west side of the downtown area to accommodate increased traffic to the Spam Museum when it opens in 2016, one of the recommendations called for a mix of surface and ramp parking, which Schindler wasn’t so sure about.

“So ugly,” she said of parking ramps. “They are really ugly.”

Yet she was pleased with the overall direction of the “straw man” plan, as she though it overall felt about right.

Austin City Council Member Michael Jordal agreed, as he said the plan had some “pretty good ideas.”

Consultants will take that input to create a final draft, which Lang said would be released in late September or early October. That draft will be presented to the public at a community meeting.

City officials say downtown master plans are redone whenever unexpected major projects, such as Vision 2020 initiatives like the Downtown Utilities Plant Committee, or the Spam Museum relocation, take place.

The last downtown master plan was done in 2005, to accommodate the city’s Main Street Project initiative.