Collaborative Action for Quality Growth
Cumberland Region Tomorrow brings people together to address regional challenges and opportunities we face with the future growth and development of Middle Tennessee. Our mission is to foster communication, collaboration and action as we help plan for the long-term livability, economic vitality and sustainability of this place we call home.
CRT is a collaborative regional partnership that works at the local, regional, state and national levels to:
• Convene regional leadership on shared Issues of Regional Importance
• Address our regional issue of Land Use /Quality Growth through CRT Quality Growth tools,
resources, and services
• Create Tennessee’s first Sustainable Communities Network through our regional, state, and national partnerships
Featured Stories
Reinvestment Results Show Tennessee Main Street Communities Generated $82.7 Million In 2012
The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development announced today the 2012 Economic Impact and Reinvestment Statistics from its 24 Tennessee Main Street communities across the state. Certified Main Street communities generated more than $82 million of public/private investment in 2012, and continue to be a vital part of the state’s economic and cultural identity.
Today’s Main Street communities are working to make the most of their existing infrastructure, wisely invest their funding to pay for services and operations, and protect the Tennessee small-town character that attracts tourism and ensures a high quality of life for residents. Support from programs like Tennessee Main Street is helping local governments across our state achieve these objectives.
Cumberland Region Tomorrow’s work builds upon similar principles. The second chapter of the CRT Quality Growth Toolbox, ‘Reinvesting in Towns, City Centers, and Communities’, lays out related goals and strategies. All of CRT’s efforts advance similar ideas and work towards the same outcomes for local governments and communities, often in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.
“Continued growth and a strong foundation at a local level contribute to Tennessee’s overall livability and can greatly factor into a company’s relocation or expansion decision,” Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty said. “The Main Street program facilitates focused revitalization in downtown commercial districts by providing jobs, growing the tax base and reinforcing Tennessee’s competitive lead among Southeastern states.”
Tennessee Main Street provides technical assistance and guidance for communities in developing common sense solutions to make downtowns safe, appealing, vibrant places where folks want to shop, live and make memories.
Other reinvestment statistics from the 24 certified Main Street communities reporting include:
Net new jobs: 604
Net new businesses: 107
Building rehabilitation projects: 217
Public improvement projects: 304
Net new housing units: 273
Volunteer hours contributed: 117,253 (a 13 percent increase from 2011)
Total public/private investment: $82,742,898
“The annual reinvestment statistics make a strong statement about the economic activity occurring within our Tennessee Main Street program districts,” Community Development Program Director for Tennessee Main Street Todd Morgan said. “New jobs, businesses and investment, along with an impressive number of volunteer work hours, prove this community-based approach to downtown revitalization is hard at work.”
There are currently 24 certified Main Street program communities across Tennessee: Bristol, Cleveland, Collierville, Columbia, Cookeville, Dandridge, Dayton, Dyersburg, Fayetteville, Franklin, Gallatin, Greeneville, Jackson, Leiper’s Fork, Kingsport, Lawrenceburg, McMinnville, Murfreesboro, Morristown, Rogersville, Tiptonville, Savannah, Union City and Ripley. Five of those communities — Columbia, Franklin, Gallatin, Leiper’s Fork, and Murfreesboro — are located within CRT’s ten-county region of focus.
Tennessee Main Street communities are required to meet National Accreditation standards annually, which include broad-based community support for the program, a comprehensive work plan, a sufficient operating budget and adequate staff and volunteer support. Tennessee Main Street operates under the National Main Street Center, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Thanks to our colleagues at The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development for their valuable work in our region and for contributing this CRT story. The Department Economic and Community Development’s mission is to develop strategies which help make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. The department seeks to attract new corporate investment in Tennessee and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. Find us on the web. For more information visit www.tennesseemainstreet.org or http://tn.gov/ecd .
New Analysis of Nashville Development Types Reveals Opportunities for Public Savings and Increased Revenue
New analysis unveiled today reveals that Tennessee taxpayers can save money by using smarter development strategies.
Today’s municipalities are working to make the most of their existing infrastructure, their funding to pay for services and operations, and a rationalization for infill/redevelopment/reinvestment that will make their communities more livable, and economically competitive, while insuring wise use of public and private fiscal resources. Smart growth strategies help local governments achieve these objectives. Cumberland Region Tomorrow’s work builds upon similar Quality Growth Principles that advance the same ideas and work towards the same outcomes for local governments and communities.
This Smart Growth America report shows the economic reality of infill/redevelopment, verses traditional neighborhood development, verses low density suburban development. It illustrates projected tax value per acre that translates into municipal tax revenues, along with projected future sales tax revenues expected from each development form. Each case study city and the entire report then goes on to show the projected on-going cost services for local governments, once these developments are completed.
William Fulton, Vice President of Policy Development and Implementation for Smart Growth America, unveiled these findings last night at the Nashville Children’s Theater as part of his presentation for the Nashville Next speaker series.
Smart Growth America examined the relative fiscal costs and benefits of three development scenarios in Nashville-Davidson County; The Gulch, a smart growth oriented development project; Lennox Village, a New Urbanist-style development in a ‘greenfield’ location; and Bradford Hills, a conventional suburban residential subdivision outside of the city. The study focused on the financial cost of providing ongoing city services to the residential component of each project, including police, ambulance and fire service costs as well as the overall impact to the County’s general fund. Upfront infrastructure cost was not included in the analysis.
“What this study demonstrates is how smart growth strategies can help Nashville save money while also helping to create strong, productive communities,” said Bridget Jones, Executive Director of CRT. “By encouraging development in the places where infrastructure already exists, Nashville can eliminate funding for redundant capacity and make the most of existing services. ”
“Embracing smart growth strategies is a tremendous opportunity for cities across the country,” said Fulton. “Choosing financially responsible development patterns will be a crucial component of their future fiscal health and overall economic success.”
The analysis examined three financial factors: cost, revenue and surplus. On a per-unit basis, the New Urbanist-style Lennox Village had the lowest cost to provide ongoing public services. At $1,300 per unit, providing services to Lennox Village cost almost 20 percent less than the conventional suburban Bradford Hills, at $1,600 per unit. The per-unit cost for The Gulch, the smart growth project was $1,400 or 13 percent less than the cost of serving Bradford Hills.
The Gulch project provided Nashville-Davidson County with the most revenue to the county’s general fund in the form of property tax and sales tax likely to be generated by the project’s residents. At $3,370 per unit, the revenue for The Gulch was more than double that of Bradford Hills ($1,620/unit) and two-and-a-half times as much as Lennox Village ($1,340/unit).
The Nashville findings released today will be included in a forthcoming report, Building Better Budgets: A National Examination of the Fiscal benefits of Smart Growth Developments due later this month from Smart Growth America. The report includes local studies from 13 cities in 12 states that compare different development scenarios. The report will include first-of-its-kind national conclusions about the cost savings of smart growth strategies.
May 1st, 2013 “Great Leaders Creating Great Communities” Panel To Showcase Middle Tennessee’s Comprehensive Planning Successes
- In Featured, Our Region
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Register now at 10Power.org and join the 400+ regional leaders who are working to create a prosperous future for our Middle Tennessee region. Visit the 2013 Summit Website for program information and be on the lookout for weekly POWER OF TEN e-newsletters that will provide additional program and event details including professional development opportunities. Call the CRT offices at 615.986.2698 for event and registration information as well.
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