Garland Forward - The 2050 Comprehensive Plan
The Gods That Built Tomorrow
Garland is in the beginning stages of one of the most important initiatives that will guide the city far into the future. You already know about the 2019 Bond Program, which is 70% complete five years in to the program, and the 2024 Bond Study Committee looking at future economic development projects. Those are two items which provide funding for new municipal buildings, library and park amenities and improvement programs throughout the city.
But now we are working on a new comprehensive plan, which I argue is even more important than a bond election. A comprehensive plan is long-term guide for a community's growth and development. Over the past several years, we have completed master plans for items such as aquatics, bikeways and trails, parks, libraries, cultural arts, and even the fire department. This comprehensive plan ties all those together into one document to be used to regulate land use, achieve community goals, and direct future investments.
Per the comprehensive plan’s website GarlandForward.com:
The Plan’s focus will be communicating the fiscal impacts of development decisions and developing a community-wide effort to develop responsibly.
The previous comprehensive plan entitled Envision Garland was adopted in 2012 and did not contemplate the additions from the 2019 Bond Program. Now that those projects are largely finished, we are looking at what Garland’s future will look like out to the year 2050.
The City has hired consulting firm Verdunity to lead the process which is expected to run through 2025. During that time, citizens will be presented with opportunities to provide input through community meetings and surveys. Kevin Shepherd of Verdunity held the first introductory meeting on September 11. If you were unable to attend, I highly encourage you to watch the 30 minute presentation here:
One key point that Kevin Shepherd makes is that very few cities have the money to pay for their maintenance needs, and he provides examples such as Memphis, Tennessee, and Detroit, Michigan, that have fallen behind on the upkeep of existing infrastructure. Shepherd says that the plan will always keep in mind how to take care of current infrastructure, maintain existing services and grow over time while competing with newer communities to our north.
He says often there is a lack of alignment on goals of master plans and actions of City and councils. We always want shiny new things, but we seldom ask how we will pay for the operations and upkeep in the future.
Shepherd posed three questions that his firm will use to guide the process:
What resources do we have?
What is the value we provide?
What can we do with those resources?
The new Comprehensive Plan aims to provide options to close the resource gap created by the systematic disadvantages of Garland’s revenue sources (namely lower sales tax and property tax than surrounding communities). Shepherd stated that we can close the gap by increasing taxes and fees or reducing services – two things that no one wants to see – or by developing responsibly, which is where the Comprehensive Plan comes in.
Just as stated the kickoff presentation, I will leave you with three open-ended questions to consider as we form the new comprehensive plan:
How might we…?
What do you love about Garland?
What is your biggest hope for Garland?
If you have ever wondered about any of those questions, please send those answers through the project website at garlandforward.com/contact or send them to me so I may relay them to the consultant team to incorporate into the plan. I cannot stress the importance of community involvement in shaping the vision of our city. We want you to tell us what you want your city to become in the future.
The consultant will be holding community events to gather more feedback for the Comprehensive Plan. If you are available today October 1, head by Cali Saigon Mall (3212 N. Jupiter) as the team will be there from 11 AM to 1 PM. Other events will be shown on the project website at garlandforward.com/events. If you can’t make it out to an event, head to plan’s website at GarlandForward.com and take the survey that is on front page. As an engaged citizen, this is one of the easiest ways you can make your voice heard concerning Garland’s future.
Given our last plan was entitled “Envision Garland,” here’s a high energy song by a band named Envision called “The Gods That Built Tomorrow.”