Downtown Franklin, TN. Photo by Wayne Hsieh via Flickr.
Smart Growth America staff met with officials from the City of Franklin, TN, on March 3 and 4, 2015, to discuss a range of strategies to position Franklin for long-term economic growth in the context of new development pressures and rapid population growth. Franklin was awarded the two-day workshop as part of Smart Growth America’s annual free technical assistance competition.
“We are honored to be selected for this program,” said Mayor Ken Moore. “Smart growth is very important to the City of Franklin. We look forward to these workshops to get input from citizens and city leaders on the best way to plan for the future growth of our city.”
Franklin-area residents joined the workshop’s first day for an introductory presentation that shared an overview of smart growth strategies. The second day of the workshop brought together an invited group of representatives from Franklin’s Municipal Planning Commission, Board of Mayor and Alderman, Infill Working Group, Engineering Department, Department of Planning and Sustainability, Department of Building and Neighborhood Services, Housing Commission, and representatives from the local private and nonprofit sectors. The invited group viewed additional presentations and participated in facilitated brainstorming sessions to identify the challenges posed by current growth patterns, and discuss how Franklin can harness the forces of change to preserve and enhance a diverse and livable city.
In December 2014, Franklin was one of 14 communities nationwide selected to participate in Smart Growth America’s 2015 free technical assistance program. Stretching from Florida to Washington State, these 14 communities include major cities, suburban centers, and rural towns. This competitive program, made possible through a five-year Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Sustainable Communities, seeks to develop local planning solutions that help communities grow in ways that benefit families and businesses, while protecting the environment and preserving a sense of place. One other nonprofit organization—the Project for Public Spaces—also currently has an active grant under this program to help communities get the kinds of development they want.
Workshop Materials:
- Planning for Fiscal and Economic Health Tool Description (PDF)
- Evening Presentation (PDF)
- Franklin: Next Steps Memo (PDF)
- Franklin: Progress Report – 1 month (PDF)
- Franklin: Progress Report – 6 month (PDF)
- Franklin: Progress Report – 12 Month (PDF)
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