Distributing regional planning information in ways to engage the broadest audience

John Fregonese, a former Metro employee, first worked with Peter Calthorpe, then serving as consultant to that regional agency, on the highly successful Portland 2040 initiative. Now, working as partners of the firm of Fregonese Calthorpe, they are helping citizens in other parts of the United States to create their own regional vision plans.

The Portland 2040 plan made extensive use of GIS mapping to show various future growth scenarios. Of particular concern was the impact of various growth scenarios on that region's well-known Urban Growth Boundary. After an extensive public process that was heavily promoted in both paid advertising, direct mail marketing and numerous media mentions, Portland voters passed an initiative that keeps most new growth in the region concentrated along transportation corridors and in defined centers.

Their work with Envision Utah employs similar techniques, effectively communicated in a range of graphic techniques and formats that are clearly understandable to both citizens and professional planners. The graphics on the right describing regional development scenarios were published in four local newspapers along with survey forms soliciting the public's preferences. More than 17,500 survey forms were completed and returned to Envision Utah.

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