Regional Summit Begins Debate on Better Options for Growth

Approximately 300 participants from across the Metroplex convened at NCTCOG in December for the Vision North Texas Regional Summit 2008.

Leaders including James Spaniolo, President of the University of Texas at Arlington; Ann Drumm; Texas Business for Clean Air; Ron Natinsky, Dallas City Council; and Danny Scarth, Fort Worth City Council; provided perspectives on a variety of innovative alternative growth and development patterns that can provide better economic, environmental, and quality of life outcomes for our region in the future. These patterns will be analyzed and debated in coming months as regional leaders work together to craft a common vision for a successful, sustainable North Texas and develop a set of tools to help make this vision a reality.

"Expanding opportunities for top-tier higher education will be one key to future success for North Texas," said James Spaniolo, President of the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). “There’s no question that the future of North Texas is bright. And yet, there’s no question that something critical is missing from our region—a major national research university,” Spaniolo said. “That has to change between now and 2030,” he said. He predicted that, by the year 2030, the region would be home to two “Tier One” major national research institutions. UTA would be one of these, he predicted.

"In order to be successful in a global economic environment the DFW region must sell itself as a world-class place to live and work," said Dallas City Councilmember Ron Natinsky. “It’s all about the quality of life that we offer. And if we’re not careful, we won’t have the quality of life we have now in 2030,” Natinsky said.

Danny Scarth, Fort Worth City Councilmember, also emphasized the central role that the region’s economic health plays in maintaining quality of life. “If I don’t have a job to put food on the table, I don’t care if the city has a great park system,” he said. Giving people choices in housing—from high-density living downtown to room in the country for horses and a barn—is another key aspect of quality of life in North Texas," he said.

Other key issues discussed included:

• Transportation infrastructure and development patterns that allow residents to access a variety of transportation options
• Development patterns that increase the intensity of jobs and housing in some areas while preserving natural assets and open space
• How communities can manage the growth expected for their area without sacrificing their historic and individual character
• Ensuring that future water supplies for the region are sufficient and that regional lakes, streams, and rivers meet water quality standards
• How development patterns can impact water and energy consumption, as well as production of greenhouse gasses
• Providing housing options that meet the needs of a changing populace

The Regional Summit is part of a yearlong effort, currently underway, to identify one or more scenarios as a “Regional Vision Statement” that describes what North Texans desire for their future, and develop a set of tools that decision makers can use to achieve their preferred results.

Participants at the Regional Summit fine-tuned the set of scenarios to be evaluated in the coming months according to a variety of quality of life, environmental and economic measures. Results of this evaluation will be presented in June 2009.

The type of change being discussed for the Region through this Vision North Texas process can be difficult for some people to accept, Ann Drumm of Texas Business for Clean Air said. “We are talking about completely different concepts of a city than the ones we grew up with,” she said. However, attitudes are changing and the idea of a sustainable region is gaining traction, she said. “We need to get out there and spread the message,” she said.

To learn more, visit www.visionnorthtexas.org.

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