Envision 2030 Reaches its Halfway Point

Posted Friday, October 13, 2006

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Cumming, Ga. (Oct. 13, 2006) – Envision 2030 has completed four of its eight fall vision meetings, and some themes are emerging, organizers said today. Among them: Citizens want a different kind of development in Cumming-Forsyth County, are concerned about the environment and strongly support education. The greatest surprise so far: Citizens want a college or university in Forsyth County.

“My impression is that citizens are happy, by and large, with Cumming-Forsyth County today, but as they think about the future they see some needs,” said Carter Barrett, a co-chair of Envision 2030, the year-long community visioning initiative. “One is that they believe Forsyth County needs a four-year college that can keep our young people in the community and attract others from outside.”

Other themes that are emerging from the vision meetings:

· Citizens say they want different kinds of development in Forsyth County, including mixed-use developments, where retail, offices, entertainment venues and residential are close to one another. There is also strong support for town centers, sidewalks, bike paths and other things that help connect people with one another.

· They are also strongly favor preserving green space and water quality in Lake Lanier.

· They are proud of Forsyth County’s public school system but want to be sure it remains among Georgia’s best.

So far, organizers said, 270 people have come to the two-hour vision meetings, held in locations around the county, and have contributed 1,480 ideas or images of Cumming-Forsyth County in the year 2030. Another 130 people have been engaged in the Envision process in other ways, including a leadership summit in March.

Most of the ideas have been suggestions for improving things already present in the community, said Brett Berto, a co-chair of Envision 2030. “But some have been very visionary – things we don’t have and probably few people have thought about,” he added.

Among the visionary ideas that citizens have offered:

· Build a heliport to take passengers by helicopter to Atlanta.

· Create a “lake walk,” like the river walks in Savannah and Columbus.

· Install an “architectural sculpture” atop Sawnee Mountain that gives identity to Cumming-Forsyth County “like the Eiffel Tower or the Big Chicken” in Paris and Marietta.

· Make Cumming a “city of Segways,” where the high-tech two-wheeled scooters are welcome.

“Will these visionary ideas be adopted?” Berto asked. “I’m not sure, but the point is to get people thinking in different ways about our future – and so far, they are.”

There are four vision meetings remaining in October and November. The next two are Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 6:45 p.m., at Liberty Middle School, 7465 Wallace Tatum Rd., Cumming; and Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 6:45 p.m., at North Forsyth Middle School, 3645 Coal Mountain Rd., Cumming. A list of the vision meetings, with directions, can be found on the Envision 2030 web site, at www.envision2030.com.

In addition the large-scale vision meetings, organizers plan to offer abbreviated vision sessions to organizations, including PTAs, church groups, civic clubs and neighborhood associations in the next month and a half. “We’re looking to get as many ideas as possible by Dec. 1, so we’re asking non-profit groups to let us know if they’d like us to offer a one-hour vision session for their groups,” Barrett explained. There is a sign-up form that groups can use on the Envision 2030 web site, he added.

 

About Envision 2030

Envision 2030 is a year-long, citizen-led community planning initiative to envision – and plan for – Cumming-Forsyth County‘s development over the next 25 years.

It begins with eight vision meetings in fall 2006 and will continue as a strategic planning process in early 2007. At every stage, citizens will be invited to join Envision 2030 meetings and planning groups – and to critique its reports and work products. Every document will be available on the Envision 2030 web site, www.envision2030.com.

Envision 2030’s final report will be available in June 2007.

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