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INTRODUCTION & SUMMARY

CHAPTER i

Strategic Planning What is strategic planning? At its simplest, it is a process by which an organization takes stock of its current direction, how conditions have changed or are changing since it last planned, and what it needs to do differently—and when— to address the issues and opportunities of the day. Strategic planning is undertaken by municipalities, and also by institutions, businesses large and small, foundations, and non-profits. In short, any group that is looking ahead to its future and where it will be in the next decade may engage in a strategic planning process. No entity exists in a vacuum – it is continually impacted by changes in the world around it. And no organization does everything perfectly. In fact, the ones that convince themselves that they do leave themselves susceptible to future failure. Strategic planning differs in important ways from comprehensive planning and master planning. A comprehensive plan, such as the document continually being updated by the Town, looks at every inch of a place and groups them into high- level categories of future land use. A master plan digs deep into a specific area of a community, providing physical design recommendations for future development. The STRATEG I C PLANN I NG The Downtown Strategy aims to provide actionable recommendations to guide the area’s evolution and growth, grounded in a long-term outlook and an understanding of changing conditions impacting the town.

strategic plan exists somewhere in the middle. It can be more targeted than a comprehensive plan—for instance, looking just at a downtown area. At the same time, it is more conceptual than a master plan, recommending a broad range of actions that can accomplish a set of goals and objectives for a place. In short, a strategic plan informs a larger comprehensive plan, while providing guidance on priority areas for master planning. A strategic plan for Downtown Blacksburg will help the town have greater control over its own destiny. This type of long-term outlook will provide the town with stability despite changing external conditions, helping to guide adaptation towards creating a diversified and resilient community. Process The Downtown Strategy Plan followed a four- step process, allowing the consultant team to engage in an iterative dialogue with the public and key stakeholders. Each step brought the process closer to a preferred set of recommended strategies for guiding the future of Downtown. Specific descriptions of each step are provided on the following page.

COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING

The Comprehensive Plan is informed by the Strategic Plan

Identify opportunities Address challenges Cooperation

STRATEGIC PLANNING

Synthesis Dialogue Prioritize Adapt to Change

9 Downtown Blacksburg Strategic Plan

The Master Plan and the Strategic Plan inform one another.

MASTER PLANNING