Now’s the time to start figuring out what the top priorities for downtown Lawrence should be in the coming years, the director of Downtown Lawrence Inc. said Tuesday.

“It seems like there is a real movement going on in the city right now to work on planning issues for the community, and we want downtown Lawrence to be included in that,” said Rick Marquez, executive director of the downtown business association.

Residents will get their first opportunity to chime in at a special Downtown Lawrence Summit at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 N.H.

The event is sponsored by Downtown Lawrence Inc. and the city of Lawrence. City Manager David Corliss will give a presentation at the summit to update the audience on a new incentive program for downtown building owners to install sprinkler systems, waterline work that will be taking place this summer downtown, a status report on talks for a new downtown library, and possible tax incentives that the city could use for the downtown area.

A large part of the summit, however, will be devoted to a question-and-answer period from the crowd. Attendees also will be asked to fill out a survey about downtown priorities.

“My expectations for the downtown summit are to come away with a more clear understanding of the issues impacting downtown businesses and ideas of possible solutions to help address those areas,” Corliss said in a press release Tuesday.

Commissioners at their weekly meeting Tuesday finalized the details of one major downtown project. Commissioners voted 4-0 to approve a plan to spend $250,000 to provide incentives for downtown building owners to install sprinkler systems. Mayor Mike Amyx, who owns property downtown, abstained from the vote.

The program would reimburse the building owner for 75 percent of the actual costs of installing a sprinkler system, up to a total of $25,000 for the standard 25-foot-wide downtown building.

The city will accept applications for the program through 5 p.m. March 2. People interested in applying can contact the city manager’s office at City Hall, Sixth and Massachusetts streets.