Quality Growth Toolbox Project

More than 150 regional and state leaders were involved in creation of the toolbox. Leading regional and state partner organizations, communities, and companies were involved in creating and piloting the CRT Quality Growth Toolbox published in December 2006. Following its release, a regional pilot project was undertaken to create successful community education offerings, resources, and implementation techniques for the 10-county region beginning in 2007 and continuing today. Strategic partnerships formed with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Tennessee Wildlife and Recreation Administration, American Institute of Architects (AIA) of Middle Tennessee, University of Tennessee (UT) School of Architecture and Design, Greater Nashville Regional Council, and other important partners made possible the dramatic results we are now seeing across middle Tennessee.

Using CRT Principles for Quality Growth and nationally vetted best practices and standards, the Quality Growth Toolbox Project helps counties and cities create updated frameworks to guide growth and development in keeping with local and regional goals and objectives. The project taps the vision of local public and private sector leaders to shape a community-supported vision and action plan for desired growth outcomes. It also brings in expertise from the professional planning and design community to help create and support the local vision through the Quality Growth Toolbox pilot project process.

The project is the key element in the overall regional strategy to encourage growth planning in support of the middle Tennessee region's future livability, sustainability, and economic vitality. CRT researched best practices for growth and development planning from all over the country and compiled them into a comprehensive set of strategies, tools and resources for local governments to learn and apply. These strategies are presented in chapters of the CRT Quality Growth Toolbox.

• Prologue: Creating Quality Growth in the Cumberland Region
• Reinvesting in Towns, City Centers, and Communities
• Creating a Variety of Housing Choices
• Conserving Our Region's Land, Water, Natural, and Cultural Resources
• Transportation and Land Use Planning for Quality Growth
• Guiding Infrastructure Investments for Sustainable Growth
• Conclusion: Ensuring Our Economic Vitality Through Quality Growth

Successful implementation of the CRT Quality Growth Toolbox Project has occurred by following the project facilitation framework that describes four specific phases and corresponding actions for each, successfully developed and used by CRT during Quality Growth Toolbox Pilot Project work.

Collaborative Leadership

CRT works with public and private sector leaders as local co-chairs to establish Quality Growth Advisory Committees in each pilot project community. These respected leaders then establish an advisory committee representing key constituent groups and community leaders for leadership and community engagement roles. The co-chairs, advisory committee members, CRT, and implementation partners work to identify local quality growth goals and objectives based on local issues and opportunities. This collaborative leadership team guides and implements all project efforts.

Visioning and Consensus

Quality growth co-chairs, advisory committee members, and CRT inform key stakeholders of the focus and opportunities and organize and host local visioning and design workshops, guest lecturers, community outreach and engagement, community roll-out events, and other project outreach efforts.

Program Action

Quality growth co-chairs, advisory committee members, CRT, and implementation partners determine appropriate program actions and organize Quality Growth Toolbox training and technical assistance services including CRT Quality Growth Project management services, visioning/design workshops, local Quality Growth Toolbox training presentations and sessions, and other targeted education, training, and technical assistance actions deemed necessary to support successful comprehensive planning, community, and economic development actions.

Strategic Implementation

Quality growth co-chairs, advisory committee members, CRT, and implementation partners arrange for and organize planning, design, and implementation resources including

• grant funding for comprehensive plan development and implementation;
• project planning and funding through TDOT, metropolitan planning organizations, rural development and other state regional agencies;
• community design and planning assistance through AIA Middle Tennessee, UT, and other design and engineering partners; and
• professional support of local quality growth pilot project goals, objectives, and successful implementation.

The CRT Quality Growth Toolbox Project supports and accelerates the adoption of innovative professional practices in community development, comprehensive planning, community investment and design, strategic open space conservation, integrated land use and transportation planning and guided infrastructure investments for sustainable development.

The first of its kind in Tennessee, both in quality growth resources and creative collaboration among local, regional, state, and national partners, CRT Quality Growth Toolbox project implementation has set a new standard of practice that is supporting successful middle Tennessee growth and development implementation efforts.

For more information on the CRT Quality Growth Toolbox:

• cumberlandregiontomorrow.org
• 615-986-2698

* Bridget Jones is executive director of Cumberland Region Tomorrow.

Table of Contents

The project is the key element in the overall regional strategy to encourage growth planning in support of the middle Tennessee region's future livability, sustainability, and economic vitality.