Quality Growth Resources

Quality Growth Is…

Quality Growth is something Middle Tennessean’s are already good at—finding balance. This approach allows our region and communities to grow in a sustainable manner and prosper by enhancing our economic vitality, while still preserving the community character and rural landscapes that make Middle Tennessee so unique.

Quality Growth is a strategic approach used by communities and regions to determine their own destiny when it comes to growth and development. Rather than reacting to changes, Quality Growth seeks to plan, design, and develop communities in a way that honors the vision and character of its people and places.

This approach ensures our region’s long-term economic competitiveness, supports successful community development, and ensures wise use of our fiscal resources. Whether in the country or the city, communities that implement CRT’s Principles for Quality Growth create a higher quality of life. Quality Growth revitalizes communities, provides a broader range of housing choices, and supports transportation options close to where we live, work, shop, and play. It also ensures Middle Tennessee keeps abundant farms, fields, air, and water, and conserves our valued natural and cultural resources for today and tomorrow.

CRT Quality Growth Toolbox

Cumberland Region Tomorrow led the development of the Quality Growth Toolbox from 2004 to 2006 with the help of 150+ regional leaders and experts. We released our CRT Quality Growth Toolbox, now Tennessee’s premier Quality Growth Strategies, Resources, Tools, in December of 2006. Please Contact Us to receive your copy of this award winning publication.

CRT Quality Growth Services have significantly advanced our region on the key regional issue of Land Use/Quality Growth and Sustainable Development identified at the 2009 Convening the Region Summit.

The Quality Growth Toolbox highlights Cumberland Region Tomorrow’s Principles for Quality Growth goals, standards, and practices in growth planning for our region:

Guide our region’s growth with comprehensive community plans
Update zoning, subdivision and building codes to implement community plans
Use design to protect and enhance our region’s diversity of community character
Redevelop and strengthen our region’s cities, towns, and rural communities to ensure a range of unique lifestyle choices
Create a variety of housing choices for our region’s diverse workforce
Conserve our region’s land, water, natural, and cultural resources for our future economic, health and social well being
Link land use and transportation planning to promote an integrated framework to guide growth and development
Guide public and private investment to efficiently use pre-existing infrastructure and developed land
Think and act regionally to ensure our future livability and economic vitality

Workshops and Training

Cumberland Region Tomorrow offers one, two and four-hour Quality Growth Toolbox Training sessions for local officials, planning commissions, chamber and economic development organizations, community groups and design professionals. We also award Continuing Education Credit through several partner organizations like UT IPS/MTAS, APA, and Middle Tennessee AIA.

CRT also offers 30 minute and one-hour Quality Growth Community Education Presentations to interested groups and communities across our Region and Tennessee. Contact our office to schedule Quality Growth Toolbox Training or Community Education at 615.986.2698 or info(at)cumberlandregiontomorrow.org

Quality Growth Technical Assistance Services

CRT facilitates Quality Growth Technical Assistance Services in our ten-county region. Some of these are described in detail in the CRT Quality Growth Toolbox Pilot Project Report, PDF. Contact our office to learn more about Quality Growth Technical Assistance Services for your community.

Quality Growth Case Studies

Across Middle Tennessee communities are coming together to create and implement quality growth strategies through comprehensive planning. Since the release of the Quality Growth Pilot Project in 2007 several success stories have emerged in addressing the regional challenges of rapid growth, preserving open spaces and character, enhancing livability and promoting economic growth. These case studies serve as a highlight for some of the best planning practices currently happening in our region.

AIA 150 Blueprint for America

In 2008 CRT partnered with the American Institute of Architects to celebrate 150 years of the profession. In that year CRT and AIA conducted community visioning workshops in three Cumberland Region communities. These case studies are results from those workshops and are intended for local officials interested in implementing similar programs in the region.