A process has been underway to regionally develop an understanding of where we are headed over the next 40 years and what we should consider to improve that path. Vision North Texas submitted its final report Friday a week ago at the University of Texas at Arlington. While there were many people from all over North Texas there to receive the report, I only saw two from Garland, Anita Russelman from the Planning Dept and myself.
 
Cities are using the data from the report to sculpt their comprehensive plans and to best prepare their communities. Unfortunately, I'm afraid that Garland will continue the same anemic growth and future we've seen for the last several years unless we focus our efforts to better compete in the region and to bring more investment to the city. That's not a simple task and requires a multidisiplined attack. We are making improvements in the right directions but we've yet to see the rollout of those local efforts and, of course, we cannot yet judge the results. I'm optimistic that we will see positive proposals from the staff and I'm cautiously optimistic that a majority of the Council will support those efforts. The danger is that layman elected to office suddenly become experts on subjects for which they had very little previous knowledge. I'm optimistic we will do better. If not, I'll report as I see it. We can't afford to fall behind.
 

From the Dallas Business Journal:

Vision North Texas unveils 2050 plan

Friday, March 5, 2010
Dallas Business Journal - by Bill Hethcock Staff Writer
 
Clearly, North Texas has issues.
 
As the region’s population grows from about 6 million now to 9 million in 2030 — and 12 million in 2050 — there will be more sprawl, more traffic congestion, poorer air and water quality, less-healthy lifestyles and a less-qualified work force, among other woes.
 
Now, urban planners and other business and government leaders have developed a game plan for fighting the negative trends and encouraging positive ones over the next 40 years.
 
The North Texas 2050 plan, scheduled to be unveiled Friday, provides a broad regional approach for issues including transportation, development, education, health, the environment, housing, economic development, energy and lifestyles, said Karen Walz, Vision North Texas project manager. The plan is the result of five years of research and visioning sessions across the 16-county region. The counties are Wise, Denton, Collin, Hunt, Palo Pinto, Parker, Tarrant, Dallas, Rockwall, Kaufman, Navarro, Ellis, Johnson, Hood, Somervell and Erath.
 
The plan provides guidelines for businesses, governments, property owners, chambers of commerce, neighborhood associations and other organizations to follow when making decisions, Walz said. Hundreds of entities were involved in crafting the plan — from government groups to businesses — led by the Urban Land Institute.
 
While North Texas business and government leaders have cooperated sporadically on specific projects through the years — such as the creation of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and attracting the Super Bowl to Arlington — the region has never shared an overarching vision, project officials say.
 
“The biggest value is the creation of a shared vision,” Walz said. “We now have something where everybody can say, yes, this is what we want, this is where we want to get to, this is the goal for the sort of community we want North Texas to be.”
 
A key finding of North Texas 2050 is the importance of transportation improvements, said Robert Folzenlogen, director of planning and development for Hillwood and a member of the Vision North Texas Management Committee.
 
“Transportation and mobility is the No. 1 issue for the region to grow in a sustainable manner,” Folzenlogen said, “and all decisions about transportation need to be based on the economic value that they bring to the region.”
 
The issues addressed by Vision North Texas are interconnected and will have far-reaching implications, said economic development professional Linda Burns of Burns Development Group, who was involved in developing the plan.
 
For example, if transportation systems and funding don’t keep up with growth, efforts to lure employers and maintain a highly skilled work force will falter because employees won’t be able to get to work and companies won’t be able to efficiently transport their products, Burns said.
 
“I like the idea of striving for the balance of the economy, the environment and the people,” she said. “I think that’s critical.”
 
Collaborative planning effort
Even more important than the specific recommendations has been the process that produced them, Folzenlogen said.
 
“For the past five years, as this has been going on, regional cooperation at the 16-county level has been unprecedented,” Folzenlogen said. “The process has brought mayors and council people and professionals in the development community together in a way that would never have happened if it weren’t for this effort.”
 
Vision North Texas is a partnership of the Urban Land Institute North Texas District Council, the North Central Texas Council of Governments and the University of Texas at Arlington.
 
Some of the plan’s recommendations include:

• The North Texas Commission should work with economic developers and chambers of commerce to develop a regional branding program. They should find ways to reduce the negative impact of competition for businesses among area communities.
• Cities, towns and counties should adopt stormwater management strategies and tree-preservation ordinances.
• The North Central Texas Council of Governments should develop an urban forest management plan and explore the use of fees to compensate for the impact of development.
• The North Texas Housing Coalition should guide cities, developers, builders and property owners in improving housing availability, variety, value and quality.
• The Regional Transportation Council should develop and adopt a mobility plan, and transportation officials should provide systems with more travel mode options.
• A team should be formed to monitor the region’s environmental carbon footprint.
• The North Texas Education Coalition should improve standards for college and work force readiness, and business and government leaders should follow them. NTEC should also lead efforts to more effectively recruit, retain and reward teachers at all levels and advocate initiatives, such as creation of a Tier One-status university, to make North Texas a global leader in teaching innovation, research and development.
• Hospitals and health care systems should support initiatives to provide North Texans with healthy, affordable foods and promote exercise. Health organizations should develop strategies to support creation of regional trail networks and encourage youths to live healthier lifestyles.

bhethcock@bizjournals.com | 214-706-7125
 

 
While I stongly respect many of the contributors to this report, I've not yet been able to study it in detail. You might like to join me: download a copy here.
 

1 comment

Comments:

Comment from: Michelle Ferrer [Visitor]

Mr. Athas, it may have missed your attention that Garland has already missed the boat. This city is regarded as an anachronism and you have seen the results from the financial analysis recently done and posted on your blog that Garland is lagging behind all of its neighbors.

I recently asked my own City Councilman why Garland has not been pursuing Whole Foods to open a store in Garland. This question coming on the heels of the grand opening at Park Lane. He was told that Garland demographics do not fit the model of a Whole Foods Grocery Store, and Whole Foods is not interested in Garland. That means we are stuck with being the QT capital of North Texas.

You have been particularly disdainful of the recent efforts to reform the Garland Animal Shelter, another anathema in North Texas. What you fail to understand is that the problems at the Shelter and the City Staff and Council response to it is endemic to the problems Garland faces for progressive growth.

If you really think that Garland is a well respected leader in North Texas municipalities, then you are part of the problem. Buggy-Whip mentality in an Ipod world is where Garland is headed. For all of your verbosity, I wonder if you have the courage the buck your buddies at City Hall and LEAD the city into the 21st Century.

03/15/10 @ 23:29

Comments are closed for this post.