1. From Ideas to Actions
March 12, 2013
www.gro-wnc.org

2. Agenda
• 9:00am-9:15am: Introductions and Project Update
• 9:15am-9:45am: Presentation of Preferred Scenario &
Recommendations
• 9:45am-10:00am: Break
• 10:00am-11:00am: Work Session I- Turning Ideas to Strategies
• 11:00am-12:00pm: Work Session II- From Strategies to Actions
• 12:00pm-1:00pm: Networking Lunch with Regional
Implementation Roundtable
– Trevor Baker, Noble Cider
– Gwynne Rukenbrod, Executive Director, HandMade in America
– Jeanine Davis, NC Cooperative Extension, WNC AgriVentures
– Matt Raker, AdvantageWest, Industrial Lands Analysis, Value-Added
Food Products, and related

3. BRIEF PROJECT OVERVIEW &
UPDATE

4. Process Overview

13. Summary of Outreach: Statistics
Total survey respondents by method:
Method Respondents
Online 225
Public Meeting 162
Small group 305
Grand Total 692
Percent of
Survey respondents County respondents
by county: Buncombe 59%
Haywood 7%
Henderson 14%
Madison 11%
Other 1%
Transylvania 7%

14. Small Group Meetings & Other Outreach
Number of Small Group Meetings
Small Group Meetings by County people Conducted by Grantees
Buncombe 184
Haywood 22 • 39 meetings
Henderson 42 • 305 participants
Madison 42
Transylvania 15
Grand Total 305 Other outreach by LOSRC
Staff
• 16 meetings
Breakdown of ALL participants by • 464 participants
county Percent
Buncombe 53%
Haywood 13% TOTAL Participation
Henderson 19%
• 1149 people
Madison 9%
Transylvania 5%
Grand Total – no. of participants 1149

16. THE PREFERRED SCENARIO

17. The Path to a Preferred Scenario
I. Data Collection
• Existing & Adopted
Plans
• Land Use & Zoning
Policies
• GIS Data

18. The Path to a Preferred Scenario
II. Values & Goals
• Advisory Committee
• Workgroup
Meetings
• Public Meetings

19. The Path to a Preferred Scenario
III. Alternative Scenarios
• Business-as-Usual
• Economic Prosperity
• Resource Conservation
• Efficient Growth

20. The Path to a Preferred Scenario
I. Data II. Values & III. Alternative IV. Preferred
Collection Goals Scenarios Scenario
PUBLIC INPUT & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

21. Elements of Each are Important
300
256
250 234
220
200
150
100
50
4
0
Business As Usual Economic Prosperity Resource Efficient Growth
Conservation

22. Valued Outcomes

23. Valued Outcomes: Things we care about.
Percentage of
Sum of Frequency the total
Outcome of responses Respondents Scenario
Resource
Water is clean and plentiful. 334 48% Conservation
Scenic beauty is maintained as the region Resource
develops. 296 43% Conservation
Economic
There are more quality, high-wage jobs. 248 36% Prosperity
Economic
More food is produced locally. 197 28% Prosperity
We use energy more efficiently. 191 28% Efficient Growth
There are more job opportunities in rural Economic
areas. 186 27% Prosperity
Abandoned industrial sites and shopping
centers are redeveloped. 160 23% Efficient Growth
Plant and animal habitats are connected Resource
and healthy. 131 19% Conservation

24. 5 PS
Preferred*
Regional
Vision of the
Future
*Based on outcome
based voting from
public meetings,
small groups, and
online survey

25. Preferred Scenario: Land Use Model
Preserve Viewsheds Invest in infrastructure that allows
more jobs to locate in rural centers
Encourage growth where
infrastructure exists and
reuse of brownfields and
abandoned shopping
centers
Preserve farmland
and ecological
corridors

26. Local: Swannanoa Corridor
• Rail Corridor, Mass Transit
Link between Black Mountain
and Asheville
• Jobs linked to transportation
and manufacturing
• New residences are more
dense and affordable
•More local energy
sources, mainly solar
•New businesses along major
corridors

27. Local: Weaverville/Mars Hill
Corridor • Jobs, new homes along the
I-26 corridor in consensus
areas
• Jobs linked manufacturing
located in Mars Hill
• Natural corridor is
protected, low impact
development in critical
watershed
•Many more businesses in
“Walkable Weaverville” and
at Bernardsville exit “rural
center

28. Scorecard
Performance
Compared to
BAU
Worse
Same
Better
Best

29. Voting used to Determine
Maximizing
Model Weights Public
Percentage of
the total
Preference
Outcome Respondents
Water is clean and plentiful. 48%
Scenic beauty is maintained as the
region develops. 43%
There are more quality, high-wage
jobs. 36%
More food is produced locally. 28%
We use energy more efficiently. 28%
There are more job opportunities in
rural areas. 27%
Abandoned industrial sites and
shopping centers are redeveloped. 23%
Plant and animal habitats are
connected and healthy. 19%
SUM of VOTES 252%

30. Local Decision Making Tool

31. Now what?

32. IDEAS TO ACTIONS

33. Ideas to Actions
III.
I. Data II. Values & IV. Preferred
Collection Goals Alternative Scenario ACTION!
Scenarios
PUBLIC INPUT & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

34. Regional to Local
The regional framework
to help us to determine
what to do…

35. Ideas to Action: Implementation
The how, when, who
and the where is
decided on a local level.
Programs
Policies
Plans
Projects

36. Water is clean and plentiful.

37. Implementation
Water is clean & plentiful.
• Waynesville Middle
School Eco Revolution
• Improve use of BMPs in
agriculture and site
design
• Evaluate Improved
Riparian Buffers

38. Scenic beauty is maintained as the region develops.

39. Implementation
Scenic beauty is maintained as the region
develops
Considerate Design
Programs
Source: Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation

40. Farming and forestry remain key elements of the economy.

41. Implementation
Farming and forestry remain key elements of the
economy.
Projects

42. Abandoned industrial sites and shopping centers are
redeveloped.

43. Implementation
Abandoned industrial sites and shopping
centers are redeveloped.
• Flexible Zoning
• Redevelopment
Incentives
K-MartCharter
School, Charlotte, NC
Borders BookstoreSkating
Rink, Mansfield, MA
K-MartCounty Library,
Lebanon, MO

44. Plant and animal habitats are connected and healthy.

45. Implementation
Plant and animal habitats are connected and
healthy.
• Engineer landscape level
connections
• Education of benefits of LID
principles in site design
• Encourage through
promotion of existing and
new certifications
Programs
Source: Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation

46. Healthcare is affordable and accessibl

47. Implementation
Healthcare is affordable & accessible.
Healthy Aging
Collaborative
Programs

48. There are more quality, high-wage jobs

49. There are more job opportunities in rural areas.

50. Implementation
There are more quality, high-wage jobs and job
opportunities in rural areas.

51. Implementation
There are more quality, high-wage jobs and job
opportunities in rural areas.

52. Implementation
There are more quality, high-wage jobs and job
opportunities in rural areas.
Manufacturing Supply
Chain Analysis
Plans

53. More food is produced locally.

54. Implementation
More food is produced
locally.
Projects

55. Implementation:
WNC AgriVentures project

56. Entrepreneurs and small local businesses are thriving.

57. Implementation
Entrepreneurs and small local businesses are
thriving.
A Regional Brand
Workgroup Idea
Program

58. Implementation
Artists, musicians & crafters are able to earn a
living from their trade.
• Cultural Alliance
Workgroup Idea
Programs

59. Sidewalks, bike lanes and greenways connect
neighborhoods and community destinations.

60. Implementation
Sidewalks, bike lanes and greenways connect
neighborhoods and community destinations.
Walkability, Bikability
Assessment- Actual &
Perceived Gaps
Plans

61. We use energy more efficiently.

62. Implementation
We use energy more efficiently.
REAP grants and loan guarantees
to promote non-residential
energy-related projects by
agricultural producers and rural
small businesses

63. Tourism remains a key component of the economy.

64. Implementation
Tourism remains a key component of the economy.
Regional Activity Pass
Workgroup Idea
Programs

65. There are more bus routes between towns and cities.

66. Implementation
There are more bus routes between towns and
cities.
Regional Park &
Ride System
Workgroup Idea
Plans

67. There are more housing options for all stages of life and
income groups.

68. Implementation
There are more housing options for all stages of
life and income groups.
Pre-Development and
Acquisition Financing
Programs

69. WORK SESSION

70. Ideas to Actions
III.
I. Data II. Values & IV. Preferred
Collection Goals
Altnerative
Scenario ACTION!
Scenarios
PUBLIC INPUT & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

71. Ideas to Strategies
• Around-the-Table Introductions.
• Assign scribe.
• What are the STRATEGIES to move this region in
the right direction?
– What things have you seen happen locally that could
be replicated in other parts of the region?
– What are some strategies from outside the region
you’d like to see happen here?
• Pick your top two strategies and submit to project
team staff.

72. Strategies to Actions
• Reorganize around STRATEGIES.
• Assign scribe.
• How do we take these strategies to
implementation?
– Ownership
– Partners
– Timeframe
– Funding Source
• Turn in notes to staff.

73. 1. Industry-specific incubators/ regional centers of excellence
2. Match workforce training and telecom infrastructure to business needs (focus
on rural)
3. Satellite healthcare facilities
4. Enhance riparian buffers
5. Remodeling mobile homes for energy-efficiency
6. Link recreational businesses with economic development
7. Arts-based development
8. Cross-pollination – local gov’t mentor program
9. Preserve farmland where it supports economic agri-business
10.Local scale health criteria
11.Access to capital
12.Create “resilient communities” with asset-based approach
13.Transportation solutions that move away from fossil fuels
14.Incentives to link housing and economic development
15.Policies to encourage farm labor

74. NEXT STEPS

75. What we expect to do next
Deliverables:
• Actions within the sectors
• Actions across the sectors
• On-the-ground examples at a scale to match
stakeholders
Purpose:
• Content could be used for all municipalities’
planning
• Content could be used for community
outreach materials (newsletter, website, etc.)
75