In 2018, the City of Montgomery embarked on an ambitious process to develop a new Comprehensive Plan. This process, called Envision Montgomery 2040, enabled the community to help shape the vision and make recommendations that will guide decision-making for years to come. In July 2020, the process culminated in the adoption of the new Comprehensive Plan!

 

Planning demonstrates good stewardship. Change – good or bad – happens whether you are ready or not. This is true for people and communities. This plan enables Montgomery to take advantage of emerging opportunities while also mitigating negative trends. Envision Montgomery 2040 serves as a guide for long-term preservation, revitalization, and growth so that the City can achieve the goals and deliver an even more prosperous community for its citizens.

The Process

Envision Montgomery 2040 took place throughout 2018 and included numerous opportunities for the community get involved.

 
 
 
1
1

Who was involved?

Steering Committee

Process and substance leadership, ongoing advocacy

A committee of 50 leaders from around the community led the process . This group was intentionally selected to represent the wide range of interests and backgrounds present in Montgomery today. Over the course of the project, the Steering Committee reached out the public to elicit ideas, gather support, and discover new leadership to guide plan implementation.

Outreach Team

Targeted input, networking and special perspectives

People are most likely to attend a community planning event when they are invited by someone they know, recognize or trust. The Outreach Team identified the major networks and hard to reach groups in Montgomery, then worked hard to engage these groups directly and invited them into the process.

Planning Team

Facilitation and technical expertise

The community engagement and technical analysis for the Montgomery 2040 was led by a Planning Team made up of consultants with decades of experience in similar processes across the country. Planning NEXT, of Columbus, Ohio, will lead this team and head up the community engagement activities and facilitation.

City Staff

Project management, process logistics, local knowledge

City of Montgomery staff provided technical, outreach and logistical support throughout the planning process.

Public

General input and feedback

Community members have a special perspective and intuition about the challenges and opportunities in Montgomery. This was a critical input to the plan and formed the foundation for the vision, plan goals, and actions (projects, policies and programs). There were several opportunities for community members to get involved in Envision Montgomery 2040 and offer their feedback.

Public Officials

Monitoring and adoption

This planning process led with public engagement and provided elected officials a checklist of community-approved initiatives. This engenders a confidence to act on implementation and expectation by the community to see initiatives come to light.