The City of Murfreesboro will present Chapter 1, Planning Context, Dec. 9, 2014, and wants to hear from citizens as part of a participatory process to develop its 20-year comprehensive plan. This presentation has been scheduled at Oakland Middle School Auditorium, Tues., Dec. 9th, at 5:30 p.m. Oakland Middle School is located at 853 Dejarnette Lane, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, 37130.
What does Murfreesboro want to be known as? How does Murfreesboro differ from other similar fast-growing communities? What are some of Murfreesboro's greatest challenges? These are a few of the major questions raised at a first community meeting Wed., Aug. 20, to kick-off Murfreesboro 2035. You can still be a part of the on-going conversation.
"We're excited about the process the City of Murfreesboro is undertaking. Our goal is to continue to make Murfreesboro one of the best places in the country to live, work and play," said Mayor Shane McFarland. "This plan will help us prepare for our future and address Murfreesboro's needs for many years to come."
Since the first meeting, hundreds of Murfreesboro citizens have been engaging questions in an Online Discussion Forum www.murfreesboro2035.com developed to provide input in the development of a 20-year comprehensive plan. Since the kickoff, Texas-based Consultant Kendig Keast Collaborative (KKC) has been busy analyzing existing master plans, demographic data and other information about the City. Also, the consultant has been hard at work, studying the community and learning more about the City's plans, growth, and services. Since that time they have written Chapter 1, while planning Chapter 2, Growth Capacity, and Chapter 3, Mobility. Chapter 2 will be presented to the community in January.
"We know the community is anxious to see tangible plans come out of this project," said City Manager Rob Lyons. "The prepatory work is well underway and we are excited to roll out the first chapter to the community on December 9th."
KKC is currently working on the draft of Chapter 1, Planning Context, which will be presented to the community on December 9. Chapter 2, Growth Capacity, which reviews the City's capacity for growth related to water, sewer and natural resources, is currently underway and will be presented to the community in January 2015. Additionally, the Comprehensive Plan Task Force, made-up of a diverse cross-section of citizens, will meet on Monday, December 8, 2014, from 6-8 p.m. at the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce.
"The task force will serve as the first line of review and feedback in developing the comprehensive plan," said Aaron Tuley, consultant with Kendig Keast Collaborative. "The plan will include ideas generated from the community and serve as a "living document" for the City."
How will Murfreesboro look in 2035?
A Murfreesboro 2035 webpage has been established at www.Murfreesboro.tn.gov/murfreesboro2035 to provide citizens with updated information about the comprehensive plan projects, documents, schedules and meeting notices. Simply click the link below the homepage "Spotlight" to visit the Boro 2035 webpage.
Traffic congestion, sidewalks, multi-family housing development, population growth, urban sprawl, mobility, white-collar jobs, small town character, and preserving downtown are some of the concerns voiced by 200 participants who turned out for the community-wide kickoff meeting at World Outreach Church, Tues., Aug. 19. Citizens from all walks of life gathered to connect and collaborate on challenges and opportunities ahead for the next 20 years. City leaders are engaging citizens and gathering input as part of the process to develop its 20-year comprehensive plan. The plan is expected to be finalized by May 2016.
"The community of Murfreesboro is facing a critical crossroads in its history and future," said Bret Keast, owner of consulting firm Kendig Keast Collaborative. The growth of the past decade demonstrates the City is an attractive place, but going forward the big question is how do residents want to transform the community from a vision of what residents want it to be to a specific identity that leaves a strong impression."
The community kickoff meeting for Murfreesboro 2035, was conducted in workshop settings, allowing participants to provide comments and recommendations needed to establish how the City will proceed with public policy decisions. These decisions impact Murfreesboro's quality of life, community character, and growth capacity. Citizens are encouraged to sign-up for the Murfreesboro 2035newsletter to stay informed about upcoming events and learn about new ways to contribute to the process online by visiting www.2035newsletter.com.
The Murfreesboro 2035 discussion forum officially launched Aug. 18. The forum is designed to solicit ideas in a safe, easy-to-use environment for people to participate from the convenience of their computer or mobile device. Other issues to be addressed as part of the comprehensive plan process over the next 18-24 months include Transportation, Land Use, Public Facilities,
Housing and Neighborhoods, Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources, Historic Preservation
and Economic Development. A joint-meeting of the City Council and the City Planning Commission was held Aug. 21 in Council Chambers at City Hall to initially discuss the comprehensive plan process.
In addition to KKC spearheading project, development subconsultants include Neel-Schaffer, Inc. will be focused on transportation planning and stormwater drainage-related issues, and Smith Seckman Reid, Inc. will focus on utilities infrastructure capacities and improvements. Kendig Keast Collaborative is a national planning firm. Neel-Shaffer, Inc. is a national engineering firm with offices in Murfreesboro. Smith Seckman Reid, Inc. is a national engineering firm headquartered in Nashville.
