CONNECT Our Future
RealityCheck2050 is a part of the three phase plan of CONNECT Our Future. CONNECT is planning community engagements and exploring regional growth scenarios. CONNECT Our Futureis a process through which communities, counties, businesses, educators, non-profits and other organizations work together to grow jobs and the economy, improve quality of life and control the cost of government. This process will create a regional growth framework developed through extensive community engagement and built on what communities identify as existing conditions, future plans and needs, and potential strategies. CONNECT Our Future is a Sustainable Communities initiative, funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The CONNECT Our Future three-year process will engage public, private and non-profit organizations across the. It is based on, and builds from, the region’s CONNECT vision. Our region has a VISION, but no regional PLAN to realize it!
It’s time to embark on a collaborative and inclusive process called “Blueprinting.”
Blueprinting means …
- SELECTING indicators that reflect the goals people want to achieve
- CREATING several alternative patterns for growth and development
- ANALYZING the patterns using the indicators
- DEVELOPING CONSENSUS around the pattern that produces the best results on indicators, with extensive citizen input
The regional BLUEPRINT can be used by the region, by towns, by neighborhoods.
2012
- Public Engagement: What quantitative measurements (indicators) are most important?
- Identify & collect necessary data, line up sub‐contractors & modeling software
2013‐2014
- Model “Current Trends” Scenario
- Public Engagement: Design Alternative Future Scenarios using various methods such as ULI’s Reality Check
- Model Alternative Future Scenarios & Measure Predicted Impacts
- Public Engagement: Evaluate Scenarios & Select “Preferred” Scenario