The Mid-South Regional Greenprint Consortium was made up of representatives from 82 organizations, including municipalities and nonprofits from the four counties, spanning 3 states: TN, MS, and AR, and was managed by the Memphis and Shelby County Office of Sustainability.
The Greenprint's 2040 vision for the region includes 8 broader goals, which are each broken down into objectives, and further into a list of proposed actions for each objective.
Year Published: 2014
State: Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee
Landscape Context: Inland
Housing Density: Urban
Funding Type: Public
Organizations Involved:
Greenprint Consortium, Memphis and Shelby County Office of Sustainability
Values:
Water Supply, Open Space/Habitat, Recreation, Transportation, Sustainability, Social Equity, Employment
Stakeholder Involvement:
Stakeholders were involved throughout; community outreach included 20 neighborhood meetings, public forums, public presentations and booths, as well as online surveys, which reached an estimated 3,000 residents. In addition, the Executive Committee included a diverse group of stakeholders, and represented college administrations and city planners among others. The project focused on marginalized groups as well.
Planning Process:
A diverse Executive Committee led the Greenprint Consortium, which was open to all interested members of the public, and was supported by eight working groups related to each of the greenprint's goals. Consortium members submitted planning projects aligned with the vision developed by the group, 20 of which were chosen as pilot projects and completed in 2014.
Strategic directions and the actions necessary to achieve the goals were outlined for completion by the year 2040. Over 50 performance indicators are measured and tracked to measure action completed towards the greater objectives, the results of which are available on the website. The Greenprint delegated certain actions and responsibilities to different stakeholder groups, including the County Office of Sustainability, Consortium members, local government agencies, MPOs, state agencies, regional leaders, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector.
The published report finishes with a table of all possible private and public sources of funding for these projects, as well as three possible tax scenarios that would reach the Greenprint's funding goal over 20 years.
Desired Outcomes:
The Greenprint aims to improve alternative transportation infrastructure, promote equitable housing and accessible open space, improve quality of life and with that the local economy, increase greenway connectivity and open space amenities, enhance access to regional employment, secure funding and coordinate policies across counties. The Mid-South Greenprint is unique in that it specifically highlights social and environmental equity for traditionally disadvantaged areas as one of its goals. For example, one of its objectives is to ensure equity in site selection and resource allocation for trails and open space.
What It Accomplished:
The Greenprint prompted the counties to conduct a Health Impact Assessment (HIA), and has started a discussion on the 'healthprint' of the region. The Consortium continues to hold quarterly meetings open to any and all stakeholders in the region. The project plans to track and publish the status of action for each of its targets. At least 6 of the 20 pilot projects are underway, including trail construction and planning, as well as the extension of an economically significant rail line into a disadvantaged area.