The Tomorrow Plan

PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

Grant BackgroundThe Tomorrow PlanThe Tomorrow TeamPlanning ToolsProject Status

GRANT BACKGROUND

INTERAGENCY PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

Involves– Department of Housing + Urban Development– Department of Transportation– Environmental Protection Agency

Established June 16, 2009Seeks to help communities nationwide

– Improve access to affordable housing– Increase transportation options– Lower transportation costs while protecting the environment

Guided by six livability principles

LIVABILITY PRINCIPLES

Provide more transportation choicesPromote equitable, affordable housingEnhance economic competitivenessSupport existing communitiesCoordinate and leverage federal policies and investmentValue communities and neighborhoods

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES REGIONAL PLANNING GRANT PROGRAM

Offered by the PartnershipProvides support to regions seeking to improve regional planning efforts and long-term sustainabilityAlso seeks to address several interdependent challenges

– Economic competitiveness and revitalization– Social equity, inclusion, and access to opportunity– Energy use and climate change– Public health and environmental impact

THE GRANT

Awarded $2 millionLeveraging nearly $1.1 million in local fundsOne of 45 recipients in an extremely competitive program

– Over 1,300 interests of expression submitted

Only grant recipient in Iowa

PARTNERSHIP GRANTEES: 2010

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THE PLANNING AREA

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THE PLANNING AREA

Located in the heart of IowaMost populous area in the stateApproximately 480,000 residentsLies at the crossroads of Intestates 35 + 8017 communities + portions of 4 counties542 square milesUrban + rural areas

THE TOMORROW PLAN

THE TOMORROW PLAN

Essentially starting with a blank slateThe Tomorrow Plan will:

– Provide a comprehensive framework for future development– Allow the MPO and other entities to work collaboratively to engage the

public to establish the region’s vision for the next forty years– Ensure that all components align

THE TOMORROW PLAN

The Tomorrow Plan will respond to:– Socioeconomic factors– The natural environment– The built environment

THE TOMORROW PLAN

Five phase process over 20 months– Project initiation – Regional assessment – Regional vision for sustainability– Regional sustainability framework – Sustainability report and implementation

OUTCOMES OF THE TOMORROW PLAN

Aligned plans in the regionIncreased participation + decision-makingReduced socioeconomic disparitiesDecreased vehicle miles traveledDecreased housing + transportation costsInfill + compact developmentImproved accessImproved public healthDecreased hazardous environmental threatsEnhanced regional competitiveness

OUTCOMES OF THE TOMORROW PLAN

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WHY NOW?

No unifying vision or organization guiding the development of greater Des Moines

– The MPO creates a long-range transportation plan

– No council of governments– No regional housing, land use,

environmental, or economic development plans

Disjointed progress is underway

WHY NOW?

State of Iowa’s increased commitment to planning in the form of the Smart Planning PrinciplesOpportunity to serve as a model regarding regional planningArea leaders realize that the region lies at a crossroads

– Autonomy + collaboration– Status quo + creating a more sustainable

future

WHY NOW?

Over 95% of all area trips utilize automobilesMajor flooding events are occurring more oftenCurrent population is expected to grow by 40% by 2035Approximately ½ of area residents spend more than 45% of their income on housing + transportation costsCentral Iowa is home to the 2nd most polluted river in the countryPoverty + low educational attainment are concentrated in the central city

WHY NOW?

Maintain the region’s position on various ‘best of’ lists in order to attract future investmentsConnect other efforts already underway

– DART Forward 2035– Capital Crossroads– STAR Community Index

THE TOMORROW TEAM

THE TOMORROW TEAM

Governmental, regional planning agencies, nonprofits, and public + private sector partnersIntentionally included numerous interests from the beginning

– Local elected officials + city managers– Local planners– Business interests

One of the required program outcomes is “increased participation and decision-making” in developing and implementing a long-range vision for the region by populations traditionally marginalized in the public planning process”

THE TOMORROW TEAM

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ProjectSteering Committee

MPO Staff ProjectConsultant Team

TechnicalCommittees

PublicInput + Comment

PartnersCommittee

THE TOMORROW TEAM STEERING COMMITTEE

THE TOMORROW TEAM PARTNERS COMMITTEE

Seeks to be inclusive of all interests – public + privateOver 300 representatives from regional groups invited to participateRepresent the elements that The Tomorrow Plan will address

– Socioeconomic factors– The natural environment– The built environment

First meeting held September 14th

PLANNING TOOLS

THE PROCESS OF THE TOMORROW PLAN

Project initiation (July – September 2011)Regional assessment (July – December 2011)Regional vision for sustainability (December 2011 – July 2012)Regional sustainability framework (June – November 2012)Sustainability report + implementation (September 2012 –February 2013)

PHASE 1: PROJECT INITATION

Public participation process design– Surveys– Stakeholder interviews + focus groups

Project launch– Educate, engage, collect feedback

SWOT analysis– What are regional values + aspirations for future?

PROJECT LAUNCH

PROJECT LAUNCH SURVEY

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PROJECT LAUNCH: LIVING REGIONALLY

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PHASE 2: REGIONAL ASSESSMENT

Data arraySustainability scan

– Evaluation of existing plans + policies– Development code review– What does ‘sustainability’ mean for greater Des Moines?

Regional baseline measuresState of the region report

– What are regional development trends, opportunities, and challenges? – How sustainable is the region already?– What model sustainable development practices could be included in future

land use plans and code updates in the region?

REGIONAL URBANIZATION

HOUSING COSTS TODAY

* Ratio of median home value to median annual household income

PHASE 3: REGIONAL VISION FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Alternative scenarios model– Provide immediate feedback with simultaneous measurement of any

quantifiable impact metric– Consider a full spectrum of issues, from school taxes to stormwater runoff,

parking demand, net and gross tax revenues, job creation, transportation impact, housing equity, CO2 increases, and so forth

– Capable of interfacing with the MPO’s travel demand model

Regional vision for sustainabilityPotential future scenarios

– “Ground-truthing” of scenarios

Comparative analysis of regional cooperation + governancePreferred future direction for sustainability

PHASE 3: REGIONAL VISION FOR SUSTAINABILITY

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PHASE 4: REGIONAL SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK

Development of plan components– Socioeconomic factors– Natural environment– Built environment

Sustainability framework– Existing conditions + trends summary– Needs analysis– Goals + strategies for each of the plan components

PHASE 5: SUSTAINABILITY REPORT + IMPLEMENTATION

Sustainability action plan– Action agenda with timeframes + responsibilities– Database of indicators + tools for access by local government– Potential sources of funding + other implementation resources– Management structure to build capacity for implementation– Program to monitor implementation progress

Implementation prioritiesThe Tomorrow Plan report + brochure summary

HUD ON PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

“…if Job 1 of these grants is helping facilitate more sustainable,comprehensive planning for communities and regions, then creating opportunities for meaningful, robust participation by everyone who will be affected by this process is Job 1A. This will be a difficult hill to climb for many grantees, precisely because if it were easy and/or routine to do, underrepresented groups would already by part of the process…”

ENGAGING THE PUBLIC IN THE TOMORROW PLAN

Traditional public engagement techniques– Community meetings– Stakeholder interviews– Surveys– Task forces + focus groups


Innovative techniques to reach all constituencies– Interactive website + social media– Library + town hall computer stations– Community events + open houses– Storefront displays– Interactive scenario building– Meetings in a box– Youth engagement


Speaker series to educate the public– Importance of regional planning– Sustainable planning– Case studies in scenarios– Visioning– Implementation

Outreach series events to correspond to speaker series events

PROJECT STATUS

WHERE IS THE PROJECT TODAY?

Synthesizing public input from project launch event – Online survey– Living regionally activity

Preparing for first public outreach series to determine what are viewed as key resources, opportunities, and challenges

– October 24: Lakeside Center, Ankeny– October 25: Des Moines Central Library– October 25: Raccoon River Park Nature Lodge, West Des Moines– October 26: Windsor Heights Community Center– October 27: Doanes Park Youth Center, Pleasant Hill

Analyzing data to understand the existing conditions in the region

Facebook + TwitterPhone: 515.334.0075

[email protected]

WWW.THETOMORROWPLAN.COM

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The Tomorrow Plan