Without a clear, shared, and strategic vision, founded upon deep and equitable engagement, and balanced against real-world constraints, a community becomes highly susceptible to changes imposed by external forces. Places run the risk of forfeiting their unique identity, culture, and civic pride.
Developing a robust community vision with widespread buy-in can serve as a decision-making framework for all subsequent endeavors. Its significance is as paramount for a rapidly growing city as it is for one facing decline. Future developments, land use, events, staffing, branding, and marketing decisions can be driven by and measured against strstegic plans. This practice aids in making well-informed choices in day-to-day decisions, culminating in the progressive realization of the community’s envisioned future.
A community with a strategic plan that is developed through community engagement and stakeholder involvement will always be stronger than a community that simply lets growth and change happen to it.
The CivicBrand approach is far more in-depth than that what you see in most strategic plans, master plans, and even comp plans. Those typically result in a somewhat generic vision statement followed by cookie-cutter land use and urban design recommendations.
CivivBrand goes much deeper and develops a true strategic vision that understands the intertwined role of identity, urban design, and placemaking all working together. We then arm staff with a decision making framework and the tools needed implement and manage the plan.