Agenda Packets - 1999/09/20 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• The Metropolitan Town The notion of a"metropolitan town"reflects the new ways in which the Coalition and other suburban communities are responding to tensions and changes confronting cities today. A metropolitan town builds upon its strengths and creates strategies integrated into larger metropolitan systems in order to reposition itself within the evolving re- gional environment. To do this, cities must be "metropolitan" in their interactions with their neighbors by working cooperatively to support regional systems. At the same time,they must strive to maintain their local identity as a small-scale"town"with an accessible government and a high quality of life. The Coalition has already attempted to integrate these two concepts with its subregional GIS. This same approach can be extended to other sys- tems that support the flow of people and goods across municipal boundaries. There are a number of steps to building a metropolitan town. The following is an abbreviated list of tasks. Local Resources • Identify local resources that contribute to the unique character of the community. Neighborhood Resources • Inventory existing natural resources. • Recognize neighborhood-scale commercial opportunities. Subregional Coordination • Gather data and construct a comprehensive subregional data base that can be accessed by all member communities. • Evaluate state of subregional transportation system. • Understand the subregional business and employment base and manage its resources jointly. • Develop framework for identifying and protecting a subregional system of natural resources. • Construct a subregional capital-improvements plan to coordinate infrastructure and facility improvements. Metropolitan Connections • Educate residents,businesses,potential partners, and others regarding the organization of the Coalition and the development of new tools and models. 8 I-35W Coalition Corridor Briefing Book