Smyrna Launches Vision Plan Process with Citizen Engagement

On Friday, the City of Smyrna announced significant citizen engagement in a vital project that will create a clear 10-year Vision Plan for the community. According to a news release, the project website, www.SmyrnaVision.com, is available as of Friday, too.

Following a year-long planning process that included an in-depth search for a professional consulting firm and a formal vote by the City Council in January of this year, the City of Smyrna contracted with Market Street Services, Inc., a nationally-respected community and economic development consulting firm, to facilitate a nine-month vision planning process.

The Market Street team will be guiding the Smyrna community through the three-phase vision planning process, which will include a Community Assessment, a 10-year Vision Plan, and Implementation Guidelines.

“Recently, our City’s bond rating with Standard & Poor’s was upgraded to AAA," said Mayor Pro-Tem/Councilwoman Melleny Pritchett in the release. "We have seen steady, and positive movement in development and a combination of other positive signs indicate that Smyrna is healthy and headed in a very good direction. We are committed to it happening in a way that reflects the needs and desires of the community. This process helps us do that." 

Tony Britton, of BB&T Branch Banking and Trust, Slade Gulledge, Director, Government Relations for the Cobb Chamber, and Pritchett have agreed to lead the process. Pritchett, Britton, and Gulledge will head a Steering Committee made up of approximately 30 community leaders from the public, private and non-profit sectors whose knowledge and expertise will guide the vision planning process and provide critical input along the way.

According to J. Mac Holladay, CEO and founder of Market Street, “Over the years Smyrna has taken positive steps forward to be a premier community in metro Atlanta. This visioning process can take the community to the next level!”

The inclusion of a wide variety of community stakeholders in this process is critical to the Vision Plan’s implementation success and long-term sustainability. Community engagement opportunities include public feedback and opinions gathered through focus groups, interviews, an online community survey, and social media.

The survey will be launched April 14 and will remain available through May 2, 2014. Citizens and business owners may access the survey through the project website www.SmyrnaVision.com.

Smyrna citizens and business owners are encouraged to send their contact information to smyrnavision@smyrnaga.gov to receive communications about the process during the coming months. For more information, please see here.