I think a lot of us are working hard in the public and private sectors to help Walton County. Copied below is the content of an e-mail I just sent out yesterday afternoon to some folks I know, describing just one of the efforts I'm involved with (I'm not sure I can attach the news story though -- it's in today's Breeze-Herald and will be on their website next week I suppose).
I believe our Comp Plan is of enormous importance in determining the economic future of the county, and I believe applying a transect-based approach to planning will result in the greatest good for the greatest number of people. I intend to post information resources soon, for anyone wanting to learn more. For now, check www.mississippirenewal.com where you can see a 2-minute youtube about the Smart Code as it's being applied to rebuild the Mississippi Gulf Coast. And if you REALLY want to get into a lot of detail, read Retrofitting Suburbia by Ellen Dunham Jones (pretty technical but well researched; much of the information applies directly to our situation here). Here's the e-mail:
Good news: I'm attaching a story scanned from this week's DeFuniak Herald-Breeze, about the Planning Commission's unanimous recommendation that the BCC direct Planning Department staff to explore countywide transect-based planning.
Better news: so far, every voice I've heard -- from Planning Department staff, Planning Commissioners, citizens, environmentalists, architects, planners, developers, land use attorneys, and concerned citizens -- is that this is the direction we need to be going in. Applying this approach in Walton County will remediate many problems while creating the kinds of communities our citizens have repeatedly said they want, in various broad visioning processes over many years. The transect approach will protect agricultural and environmentally sensitive areas and improve the quality of life for people living and working in the built environment.
Even better news: the all-volunteer team who wrote the report that started all this (attached) are now creating an educational presentation that explains the basics of transect-based planning, or Smart Codes. Their presentation will be shown publicly in several locations throughout the county; it may also be available for viewing online, for those who cannot attend the public presentations.
Once dates and locations for the presentations are set, details will be publicized widely. I will certainly put this and related information on my Facebook page, and invite you all to check there often. If I can figure out how, I might even start a Facebook transect "cause" and invite you all to join!
I encourage you to investigate this for yourselves, and attend the public presentations. There, you will have the opportunity to ask questions and get answers directly from the authors of the plan. The experience, creativity, talent and skill of this group is enormous, inspiring and synergistic they deserve our thanks for their contribution to the future of Walton County.
Thanks very much for your time and interest.
Susan Horn
www.artisan-builds.com
I believe our Comp Plan is of enormous importance in determining the economic future of the county, and I believe applying a transect-based approach to planning will result in the greatest good for the greatest number of people. I intend to post information resources soon, for anyone wanting to learn more. For now, check www.mississippirenewal.com where you can see a 2-minute youtube about the Smart Code as it's being applied to rebuild the Mississippi Gulf Coast. And if you REALLY want to get into a lot of detail, read Retrofitting Suburbia by Ellen Dunham Jones (pretty technical but well researched; much of the information applies directly to our situation here). Here's the e-mail:
Good news: I'm attaching a story scanned from this week's DeFuniak Herald-Breeze, about the Planning Commission's unanimous recommendation that the BCC direct Planning Department staff to explore countywide transect-based planning.
Better news: so far, every voice I've heard -- from Planning Department staff, Planning Commissioners, citizens, environmentalists, architects, planners, developers, land use attorneys, and concerned citizens -- is that this is the direction we need to be going in. Applying this approach in Walton County will remediate many problems while creating the kinds of communities our citizens have repeatedly said they want, in various broad visioning processes over many years. The transect approach will protect agricultural and environmentally sensitive areas and improve the quality of life for people living and working in the built environment.
Even better news: the all-volunteer team who wrote the report that started all this (attached) are now creating an educational presentation that explains the basics of transect-based planning, or Smart Codes. Their presentation will be shown publicly in several locations throughout the county; it may also be available for viewing online, for those who cannot attend the public presentations.
Once dates and locations for the presentations are set, details will be publicized widely. I will certainly put this and related information on my Facebook page, and invite you all to check there often. If I can figure out how, I might even start a Facebook transect "cause" and invite you all to join!
I encourage you to investigate this for yourselves, and attend the public presentations. There, you will have the opportunity to ask questions and get answers directly from the authors of the plan. The experience, creativity, talent and skill of this group is enormous, inspiring and synergistic they deserve our thanks for their contribution to the future of Walton County.
Thanks very much for your time and interest.
Susan Horn
www.artisan-builds.com