Developing and building consensus around the preferred future land use scenario was a 16-month long, four step process from January 2011 to April 2012. It involved active engagement of the public, leaders in local communities, and other regional stakeholders, along with technical work conducted by MVRPC staff.
Identifying a Preferred Scenario
The final preferred scenario was determined based on several outcomes:
- The distribution of participants amongst the scenarios during the Phase II workshops;
- The scenario voting results from the Going Places Steering and Planning Advisory committees;
- The scenario voting results from the five Phase II public open houses held during October and November, 2010;
- The scenario voting results from a mail survey conducted in the spring of 2011;
- The scenario voting results from an internet survey in the spring of 2011; and
- The results of a phone survey conducted in the spring of 2011 using a representative sample of the Region’s residents in order to determine regional values as they relate to the future of land development in the Region.
Over 1,200 people participated in the preferred scenario selection process. Three development scenarios—Asset-Based, Infill/Conservation, and Mixed Themes—received roughly the same number of votes, which together shared 82% of the vote. These results reflected the findings of the phone survey.
- Going Places Land Use Planning Citizen Perception Survey Report (pdf)
- Phone Survey Results presentation
- Scenario Voting Results and Analysis (pdf)
- Voting Results presentation
Developing the Preferred Scenario
Next, the preferred scenario was developed by compiling shared values relating to land use, as expressed during the input-gathering process in the previous step. The input obtained through the mind mapping exercises from the Phase II workshops for those top three scenarios were incorporated.
The map illustrating the desired future land use density and diversity pattern was also developed based on the information gathered through the dot-mapping exercises from the Phase II workshops for those top three scenarios.
The result became known as the Concentrated Development Vision. A five-page summary pdf is available.
Evaluating the Concentrated Development Vision
Once the Concentrated Development Vision was developed, MVRPC staff performed an assessment to measure the performance and spatial implications of that vision. The assessment was done at the Regional and sub-regional levels and benchmarked against two cases, 2007 existing condition and existing future plans. MVRPC also investigated whether the Concentrated Development Vision would have impacts on vulnerable populations. Vulnerable populations—defined here as people over the age of 65, people with disabilities, and people living below the poverty level—are those who may be disproportionately affected by land development and who may have difficulty coping with such changes. The results of these evaluations were shared at five open houses and the virtual open house.
Sharing and Building Support for the Concentrated Development Vision
The Concentrated Development Vision and assessment results were shared with the public at five open houses, through a virtual open house, and building support by giving presentations to elected officials and other groups across the Region.
At the open houses, the five posters were on display:
- What is Phase III?
- The Preferred Scenario
- How Does the Preferred Scenario Change the Region?
- Preferred Scenario Indicator Assessment
- Vulnerable Populations Analysis
Endorsing the Concentrated Development Vision
Following the completion of the open houses and virtual open house, MVRPC staff presented the Concentrated Development Vision to the MVRPC Board of Directors, which endorsed it on April 5, 2012.
More Information About Going Places
For additional information about the Going Places initiative, contact Martin Kim, MVRPC's Director of Regional Planning at (937) 223-6323 or mkim@mvrpc.org.