Community Planning and Development

Community Development and Our Placemaking Philosophy

We believe placemaking is a multi-faceted approach to the planning, design and management of public spaces. It is a collaborative process that can shape our public sphere to maximize shared value. Placemaking pays particular attention to the physical, cultural and social identities that define a place and support its ongoing evolution.

An effective placemaking process makes the most of a local community’s resources, inspiration and potential. It creates quality public spaces that contribute to people’s health, happiness and welfare. Placemaking involves looking at, listening to and asking questions of people who live, work and play in a particular area. We discover their needs and aspirations, then create a shared vision.

Master Plans and Visions

Visioning is usually done in conjunction with a master planning project and looks 10 to 30 years into the future. Visioning enables communities to think farther ahead than state planning mandates require and brings the community together to consider opportunities and issues.

Master Plans and Visions

Downtown Development

Downtown development creates a vibrant downtown that welcomes residents and visitors throughout the day and evening. We are part of the Georgia Downtown Renaissance Partnership, which combines university and municipal resources to help community-led efforts to refresh Georgia downtowns.

Downtown Development

RSVP

Through the Renaissance Strategic Visioning and Planning process, we work with downtowns to create a customized community-supported vision, plan and implementation program. The RSVP is both a downtown master planning process and a downtown planning document.

RSVP