Vision North Texas

Presentation by Karen Walz FAICP

What is Vision North Texas?

• Private-public-academic partnership– ULI, NCTCOG, UTA are Charter

sponsors– NTC is a sponsor

• Begun in late 2004• Objectives

– Increase awareness about expected growth

– Serve as a forum for dialogue among all stakeholders about critical issues

– Build support for initiatives that create a successful and sustainable future for North Texas

Initial regional visioning workshop held at UT Arlington in April 2005

Result: 83% supported a ‘preferred growth scenario’; strong interest in continuing the project

Diverse stakeholders from 10 county regionHow can we accommodate the growth that’s coming by 2030?

Stakeholders have consistently said we

need better than business as usual for

North Texas.

North Texas 2050

• Will be created by the end of 2009• Addresses all 16 counties, through year 2050• Key components

– Vision• What kind of a region we want• Preferred scenario(s) • Integrated infrastructure framework

– Action Package• Tools to achieve the vision• For use by all decision-makers

• Bottom line: gives us all a ‘gamebook’ for a future that will attract and keep people and businesses

Milestones to North Texas 2050

1. Regional Summit 2008– December 9, 2008– “Regional Choices for North Texas”

2. Alternative Futures Event– September 18, 2009– “North Texas Alternative Futures”

3. Regional Summit 2010– January 22, 2010– “North Texas 2050”

Milestone 1

Download at www.visionnorthtexas.org

North Texas now

• As large as the state of Massachusetts• Dominant U.S. metro

– 4th largest population– 4th largest employment– 5th largest GDP

• 16 counties• Many communities

– Over 150 cities– 11 cities have over 100,000 population

Growth is expected to continue.

• Population– 5.31 million people in 2000 (and 6.52 in

2008)– 9.49 million people in 2030– 11.66 million people in 2050

• Employment– 3.22 million jobs in 2000– 5.58 million jobs in 2030– 7.17 million jobs in 2050

• And demographic characteristics change

The neighborhoods, jobs, services & amenities that

North Texans want and need in 2030 (or 2050)

will not be the same as in 2000.

Market demand will not be met by ‘business as

usual’.

Milestone 2

What are our other choices?

Can we do better thanbusiness as usual?

Alternatives to ‘Business as Usual’Connected Centers Return on Investment

Diverse, Distinct Communities Green Region

Alternatives evaluation completed

Download at www.visionnorthtexas.org

Impacts & implications

• Geographic distribution of households and jobs

• Mixed use development opportunities

• Natural assets• Water and

waterworks• Climate change• Transportation

• Health• Neighborhood

vitality• Housing• Economy• Development

dynamics• Education• Community

character

Transportation

• Compared to Business as Usual (BAU), all alternative scenarios reduce the average trip length by over 10%.

• Green Region & Diverse, Distinct Communities reduced hours stuck in traffic by 19%.

• Diverse, Distinct Communities shows the maximum air quality benefit, with 11% reduction in VOC & CO emissions.

• Return on Investment showed $6.9 billion cost savings to meet infrastructure needs.

Nutrition, Physical Activity & Health

• Six indicators developed by Health Research Team– Access to affordable healthy foods– Access to affordable physical activity

opportunities– Educational attainment – Air quality– Social connectedness– Access to primary care

• Diverse, Distinct Communities and Green Region have the highest positive effect on the health of North Texans

Case studies

North Texas Alternative Futures

• Held last Friday in Irving; about 260 participants

• Speaker highlights:– Ebby Halliday – ‘water, water, water’– Mayor Leppert – our region expects

sustainability– Mayor Moncrief – ‘business as usual

is dead’

• Participant input:– Advantages & drawbacks of

scenarios– Principles for the region’s future

growth

Should sustainability be a criterion when North Texas makes regional investments?

Yes

, this

is e

ssen

tial

Des

irable

if w

e hav

e ...

Pro

bably

not w

orthwhile

I’m

not s

ure

89%

0%0%11%

1. Yes, this is essential

2. Desirable if we have enough resources

3. Probably not worthwhile

4. I’m not sure

Should we set regional investment priorities based on a preferred growth scenario?

Yes

, this

is e

ssen

tial

Des

irable

if w

e hav

e ...

Pro

bably

not w

orthwhile

I’m

not s

ure

72%

1%2%

26%

1. Yes, this is essential

2. Desirable if we have enough resources

3. Probably not worthwhile

4. I’m not sure

Next Steps

• Results will shape North Texas 2050 – Drafted by the end of 2009– Opportunity for further involvement by

issue experts and stakeholders

• A Regional Summit on January 22, 2010 will finish creation of this regional ‘gamebook’ and begin its implementation.

Implicationsfor the Texas

Triangle?

How to forge a consensus sustainable vision for the Triangle?

• Partnerships are essential.– Public-private-academic partnerships– Across metro regions

• Fill a gap.– Focus on issues that aren’t addressed

elsewhere– Look at interactions & synergy between issues

• Keep it Texan.– Emphasize benefits to the future Texas

economy– Not top down, not ‘taking away freedom’

Top priority statewide actions?

• Persuade state elected officials.– Governor and Legislature– Find supporters they listen to

• Find resources.– Position Texas Triangle for potential new Federal

funding – in addition to funding for individual metros

– Grants from Statewide foundations or individuals

• Build from success.– Decide on one short-term ‘project’ and do it!

“Business as Usual” will not be

successful or sustainable

Building a new regional consensus – beginning with Vision North Texas – may

help us achieve both.www.visionnorthtexas.orgwww.developmentexcellence.co

m

“Business as Usual” will not be

successful or sustainable

Building a new megaregional consensusmay help us achieve both.

www.visionnorthtexas.orgwww.developmentexcellence.co

m