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BUILDING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES <br /> <br />Creating A Vision <br /> <br />Community visioning, or strategic planning, is about the future. It is a process that determines <br />goals, anticipates surprises, addresses uncertainties, plays out the "what if.5" and creates action <br />steps and partnerships for the entire community. <br /> <br />By Carl H. Neu <br /> <br />II communities have a <br />future. But what will be <br />the quality of that future? <br />Who bears responsibility <br />for whether the future is <br />one of fate or one of <br />intent and leadership? <br />Everyone in a community, <br /> <br />especially its elected leaders, should <br />be concerned about its future <br />because the citizens of the commu- <br />nity will have to live some, if not <br />the rest, of their lives in the future <br />they create. <br /> The challenges, opportunities <br />and uncertainties facing all com- <br />munities are growing in number <br />and comple~ty. They can create <br />conflict, confusion, chaos and <br />paralysis. Or, they can create the <br />potential for new horizons, tough <br />choices and exciting futures. They <br />can also help recapture a precious <br />treasure many neighborhoods, <br />towns, cities and regions have <br />lost--a sense of community and <br />caring that binds people together <br />in common purpose and identity; <br />a new recog'nition of"we" and <br />"we'll" as the basis for relating to <br />each other and the commitment to <br />get things done. <br /> Community visioning, or <br />strategic planning, is about the <br />future. It is a process by which <br />people envision the community's <br />desired future and develop the <br />courage to achieve it. Community <br />visioning is the means by which a <br />community of people seek the <br />future they desire and relate with <br />each other, personally and corpo- <br />rately, to make that future happen. <br /> <br />It is not a planning tool such as a <br />comprehensive or master land-use <br />plan; it is not a means for allocating <br />resources such as a budget; it is not <br />a public relations plan to stimulate <br />good feelings: It is fundamentally a <br />process of dreaming, exploring and <br />creating--a means to give shape <br />and direction to a community's <br />thinking and view of itself so that <br />human imag-ination and creativity <br />can increase the influence of the <br />future over the present as the basis <br />for understanding and action. <br />Once the dream is set, all the <br />planning, budgeting and decision- <br />making tools have purpose and <br />application. <br /> <br />Why should a community <br />participate? <br />The visioning process ~ves a city <br />and the council a framework for <br />goal setting and establishing <br />priorities and setting policy. It <br />involves citizens and helps the city <br />understand what they want and <br />value. It provides an opportunity <br />to reflect on a community's history <br />and generate ideas for the future. <br />And, it offers a long-term perspec- <br />tive for decision-making and <br />budgeting. Communities that have <br />seen community visioning as an <br />adventure have reaped phenomenal <br />breakthroughs in how people <br />come together and in the accom- <br />plishments they achieve. <br /> <br />Questions to consider <br />Before embarking on a community <br />visioning adventure, your city <br />should consider several questions: <br /> <br />"Everyone in a community, <br />especially its elected <br />leaders, should be <br />concerned about its <br />future because the <br />ciUzens of the community <br />will have to live some, <br />if not the rest, of their lives <br />in the future they create." <br /> <br />AUGUST 1998 MINNESOTA CITIES 5 <br /> <br /> <br />