In the fall of 2016, the Athens-Clarke community began a journey to develop a common vision and strategic action plan to guide the County forward, called Envision Athens. The plan is aspirational and represents the ideas of thousands of citizens and stakeholders. The vision and the strategic Action Agenda it informs are the product of hundreds of hours of intense discussion about the future of the County. These conversations served as a foundation for the Action Agenda, which prioritizes projects, policies, and programs selected through the process. In five topical chapters, it addresses pressing challenges and takes advantage of key opportunities related to: land use, environment, neighborhoods, housing, agriculture, economic development, education, health, safety, social services, arts and culture, civic engagement, transportation, and infrastructure.
In early October 2017, Envision Athens team members began meeting with core Institutional Partners to discuss implementation activities. In a recent meeting, these partners met to finalize an agreement, two-year budget, and scope of work. Their agreement called for the creation of an Oversight Committee that will include members from each of the Institutional Partners as well as a few citizens. It is anticipated that the Partners will meet again in February to begin the process of soliciting a Project Manager, who will oversee implementation efforts, and citizens, who will serve on the Oversight Committee. The Partners will also discuss the additional future steps that are necessary for implementing the Priority Action Agenda.
