Implementation
ACP not only makes better plans, we also help create better places. The visions and plans that ACP has facilitated throughout the nation have a strong record of implementation success due to the public’s continued involvement as stewards of the vision and the identification of favorable trends and opportunities.
ACP plans in action
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Vision 2000 resulted in the implementation of 253 initiatives with investments of over $1 billion in the community that can be traced to the vision’s original 40 goals. They include construction of a $45 million Tennessee Aquarium—a fresh water aquarium along the Tennessee River, the renovation of the Tivoli Theater, the construction of a major cultural and performing arts center, as well as numerous projects ranging from the award-winning renovation of a downtown park to the creation of a teen pregnancy center.
Oxford, Ohio
Adopted in 2001, within three years nearly two-thirds of the 216 specific strategies of the Oxford Comprehensive Plan had been completed or initiated, including improvements to historic Uptown—a remarkable feat for a 20-year planning horizon.
Fort Wayne, Indiana
The City of Fort Wayne recently advanced the BlueprintPlus vision for downtown by rehiring ACP to facilitate the North River Now Plan. The North River Plan explores the area’s potential to introduce a mix of housing and commercial uses near downtown, as well as to make the river a focal point of the community. The City is in the process of acquiring land to implement this vision. ACP also used the charrette process to develop a develop regulations plan and design standards, which will serve as a preamble to the City’s form-based code.
New York City Region
To date, 30 of the 49 Imagine New York visions have been implemented, one part of the immense effort to plan the future of and rebuild lower Manhattan and the World Trade Center.
Upper Arlington, Ohio
In less than one year after adopting the Plan, ACP helped Upper Arlington to become one of the first communities in Ohio to adopt a unified development ordinance (UDO). The Upper Arlington UDO won the 2003 Ohio Planning Conference (State APA Chapter) Award in the category of Focused Planning Project. The City produces an annual report tracking implementation of the Plan, found here: http://www.ua-ohio.net/masterplan/reports.htm
Knoxville, Tennessee
Nine Counties. One Vision’s goals are being aggressively implemented through 27 Task Forces formed through the regional visioning process: work on downtown is being propelled by a set of development principles created by the Downtown Task Force and derived from nearly 4000 ideas gathered by the vision and focused on physical aspects of the community; the Program and Events Task Force is in the process of organizing a first ever regional community festival designed to highlight the rich cultural heritage of the area; the Education Task Force formed and secured initial funding for a regional Education Foundation; the Economic Development Task Force is securing start up funding for small businesses and created a region wide high-tech business database and support structure.
Centerville and Washington Township, Ohio
120 out of 198 joint Community Plan strategies have been initiated in the two years following Plan adoption. Among Create the Vision’s accomplishments are: creation of an Implementation Task Force; hiring of a Project Manager to set implementation priorities for strategies and objectives, initiate and develop work plans, develop timelines, monitor activities, and measure outcomes; development of a Unified Development Code for both jurisdictions (an ACP project); and creation of a new ordinance to enhance the appearance and design quality of the community.
Manatee County, Florida
To date, 62 actions steps have been undertaken to implement the Imagine Manatee Vision and Implementation Plan.