Robertson County Pilot Project

Robertson County and Springfield are working together to create a Comprehensive Plan that focuses on Open Space/Farm Land Conservation coupled with Historic Town Center Re-development.  Their joint objectives of Farmland Preservation and Historic Town Center Revitalization was the prevailing reason for Robertson County Mayor Howard Bradley, Springfield Assistant City Manager Gina Holt and Robertson County Chamber Executive Director Margot Fosnes to call for this Comprehensive Planning pilot project.

Robertson County/Springfield has been the leading CRT community to support the development of Quality Growth Toolbox resources and technical assistance methods as follows:
  • Hosted the CRT region’s American Farmland Trust Cost of Community Services study in 2005 that is included in the Infrastructure Chapter of the CRT Quality Growth Toolbox
  • Hosted the first AIA 150 BluePrint for America Community Visioning Workshop in late April of 2007 as the kick-off this Quality Growth Toolbox Pilot Project 
  • Hosted the region’s  first test drive of the CRT Quality Growth Toolbox Training Session for Planning Commissioners in April 2009 that helped CRT to finalize the four-hour Planning Commissioner Quality Growth Toolbox course that now fulfills Tennessee Planning Commissioner training requirements for annual professional development
  • Hosted the first Comprehensive Plan training sessions developed and delivered by two or our region’s lead planning experts, Rick Bernhardt and Joe Horne. 
  • Organized multiple community focus group sessions with targeted community leaders from across Robertson County and all nine municipalities that created the prototype AIA Blueprint for America Workshop.
  • Appointed the Quality Growth Advisory Committee through County Mayor Bradley’s leadership that was charged with recommendations and oversight for the Comprehensive Plan project that was the prototype for other local advisory committees in the region, completed various training sessions on Quality Growth Toolbox and Comprehensive Planning models, and later agreed to serve as the Robertson County Advisory Committee for the Nashville Area MPO Tri County Transportation and Land Use Study that will support the region’s 2035 Regional Transportation Plan scheduled for completion in 2010.  
  • Robertson County Co-Chairs are now working to use Tri-County Study results as the first segment of their Comprehensive Plan Project in 2010. This effort will produce our region’s first synced MPO and County-wide Comprehensive Planning efforts.
CRT thanks Howard Bradley, Gina Holt and Margot Fosnes for their leadership as Co-Chairs of this successful project.  Below is a snapshot of the process this community followed.

Collaborative Leadership

  • Robertson County Co-Chairs Howard Bradley, Margot Fosnes & Gena Holt, confirmed for AIA 150 Blueprint for America/Quality Growth Toolbox Pilot Project in March 2007
  • Over 30 citizens and local officials participated in focus groups in preparation of AIA 150 Community Visioning Workshop in March and April of 2007
  • Over 30 Robertson County and Springfield Planning Commissioners completed four-hour Quality Growth Toolbox Curriculum Test Drive Workshop in April of 2007
Visioning & Consensus

  • Robertson County Toolbox Pilot Underway with AIA Visioning Workshop - April 27 and 28, 2008
  • Final Report presented to 100 community leaders at September 4, 2007 Rollout Event
  • Quality Growth Toolbox Technical Assistance Services underway in October 2008 through Robertson County Quality Growth Advisory Committee chaired by Mayor Howard Bradley, Chamber Executive Director Margo Fosnes, Springfield City Manager Gina Holt. To date this committee has reviewed AIA workshop results and began the process to investigate Comprehensive Planning Models
Program Action

  • Robertson County Quality Growth Advisory Committee and Joint Economic Community Development Board confirmed support for development of county-wide comprehensive plan, April 2008
  • Robertson County Planning Commission briefed on Successful Comprehensive Planning Models, April 2008
  • Robertson County Advisory Committee assumed leadership for the Nashville Area MPO Tri-County Land Use/Transportation Study for Robertson County in July of 2008 and intends to use MPO study results as first phase of a County-wide Comprehensive Plan
Strategic Implementation

  • MPO Tri-County Community Input Sessions underway on September 30, 2008 with 25 Advisory Committee, community leaders and elected officials in attendance
  • MPO Tri-County Planning continues in Spring of 2009, with completion targeted for late Summer 2009
  • Robertson County Quality Growth Advisory Committee targeted to use Tri-County Plan results as basis for county-wide comprehensive plan development in 2010
Citizen Involvement Totals
  • Over 40 Robertson County and Springfield Planning Commissioners complete four-hour Quality Growth Toolbox Curriculum Test Drive in April of 2007.
  • Over 120 Robertson County citizens and local officials attended the AIA 150 BluePrint for America Community Visioning Workshop on April 27 and 28, 2007.
  • Over 100 Robertson County citizens and local officials attended the Robertson County Rollout Event on September 5, 2007.
  • Over 20 Robertson County leaders agreed to serve on Quality Growth Advisory Committee in Spring 2008
  • Over 25 Robertson County leaders participated in MPO Tri-County Land Use/Transportation Study community input session on September 30, 2008
Total Participation: More than 200 community leaders and citizens