WHY BluegrassTomorrow

What is the need that Bluegrass Tomorrow addresses? Livability: are we creating the atmosphere that will allow our communities to flourish socially, environmentally, and economically in the 21st century?

Bluegrass Tomorrow can affect livability by promoting high quality in the following definable areas:

• Clear, unique community identity
• Great neighborhoods
• Bearable traffic
• Accessible greenspace
• Exciting downtowns and neighborhood centers
• Choices for living and working/alternative transportation
• Recreational amenities
• Respect for heritage (cultural, agricultural)
• Clean environment
• Sustainable economy
• Financially, environmentally, and socially responsible growth

Why should anyone support our work? The question of our region's livability could be left to those forces and trends that have caused continued livability to become such a grave concern. Bluegrass Tomorrow is the only organization that has such a broad, far-reaching comprehension of both the problems our region is facing and the inclusive, practical solutions to those problems.

Are we competent? Completely. Our private sector leadership represents many diverse fields: accounting, agriculture, banking, law, engineering, architecture, management, education, developers,utilities, media. President/CEO Steve Austin is an attorney, city and regional planner, and holds a professional degree in landscape architecture. In addition to staying current with professional requirements, he has 14 years of planning experience in the Bluegrass.

How are we distinctive?
Bluegrass Tomorrow is distinctive in several ways:

1. We utilize private sector leadership in a primary role in the pursuit of our mission;
2. We constantly monitor the "state of our region" (as opposed to a single community);
3. We constantly research and analyze cutting edge solutions to planning problems;
4. We are not beholden to any special-interest group.

WHAT WE DO

What specific services/programs do we offer? We advocate the Bluegrass Regional Vision, a pattern of livability that is a reflection of the desires of a majority of residents. This is a Vision where:

• Our towns remain separate and distinct, people friendly and full of architectural character;
• Our best farmlands remain secure and productive;
• The beauty of our landscape remains evident from our roadways;
• Our governments make informed, responsible decisions about growth and change;
• We are sensitive to our unique fragile environment;
• We foster a strong, sustainable economic future.

This Vision is at risk from current forces and trends at work in the Bluegrass.

To further this Vision we provide:

Leadership: Visible, active in both planning and doing; Recognize/Reward others

Education: About the issues and trends facing our region's future;
About the range of local and regional solutions to problems;
About other regional, state, and national efforts;
Independent, unique research into areas of special concern

Planning Tools: The means by which our region may increase livability. Some tools include:

• Neighborhood planning
• Scenic, efficient, safe road corridor planning
• Downtown redevelopment strategies and design planning
• Agricultural preservation strategies
• Transportation planning
• Commercial development strategies
• Greenspace planning

Planning Support: Bluegrass Tomorrow has the expertise to translate the above tools into practical local and regional efforts, working with community and business groups and government organizations.

Focus:
   Specific Purpose
      Conferences
      Lectures
      Workshops
   Knowledge - Sharing:
      Roundtables
      Group Facilitation
      Maintain/Grow Networks

HOW WE DO IT

Demonstrate Livability Benefits
· Economic, Social, Environmental
Illustrate Issues
· "Are we going in the right direction?"
Demonstrate Regional Inter-Connectedness
· Economy, Socially, Heritage, Environmentally
Illustrate Proven Solutions to Local Concerns
· "We can do this - we want to do this"
Provide Support
· Leadership
· Philosophical
· Educational
· Technical
· Financial

Regional Cooperation/Interlocal Agreements on our "Common Bonds":
· Water Supply
· Agriculture
· Roads/Traffic
· Economy
· Recreation
· Environment

Local Implementation of Vision Planning Strategies:
· Greenbelts
· Traditional Development
· Redevelopment
· Farmland Preservation
· Environmental Planning

Planning Commissions E,PT,S
Private Developers E,PT,S
Civic Groups E, PT, S
Governments E,PT, S
Individuals E
Utilities E, PT, S
Business E