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The Regional Growth
Alliance is based on the premise that businesspeople,
elected officials and citizens working together to achieve consensus
is a powerful way to process decisions.
Region 2020, the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham and the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce have formalized this partnership to ensure that these stakeholders continue to have opportunities to work together. The partnership was formed in 2001.
Each of the partner organizations is responsible for appointing sector
representatives to task forces that have one-third business, one-third
government and one-third citizen participation.
The stated objectives are: to provide a forum for citizens, business and government leaders to address emerging issues of regional significance; to provide an improved mechanism for coordination of current and proposed regional initiatives; and to mobilize citizen, business and government leaders to address key regional issues.
The Growth Alliance Steering Committee meets four times a year to
recommend regional task forces to address regional priorities. Five
Growth Alliance task forces are at work in the region, with others
expected to be announced in the coming year. Region 2020 provides staff-support
for these efforts, and will act as managing partner in 2004.
1. The Progress 280 Task Force is addressing growth and development on U.S. 280, the region’s most rapidly developing commercial and residential corridor. The State Department of Transportation has adopted the task force’s recommendations for urban interchanges and other traffic alleviating measures. The committee is currently focusing on the development of land-use studies along the corridor.
2. The Alliance for Transportation Alternatives (ATA) was formed to promote the creation of a regional transit authority, and to recommend a funding source to match federal funds for a regional transportation system. This group is actively engaged in building broad-based support of the bills currently pending in the state Legislature.
3. The Environmental Services Community Advisory Committee was created at the request of Commissioner Gary White and the Jefferson County Commission. The group is reviewing plans for a $3 billion regional sewer rehabilitation and expansion program that will guide growth and development in the county and the region.
4. The Upper Cahaba Watershed Community Advisory Committee focuses on the development of a plan to protect the natural water drainage basin that covers portions of 20 Alabama cities and three Alabama counties. They have provided community forums for public input on responsible growth policies in the watershed throughout the process. A website has been set up, www.cahabastudy.com, which allows the community to stay informed and participate in the process.
5. The Corridor X Task Force is working on an economic development plan for Corridor X (Interstate 22), which is expected to be complete in 2006.
The Growth Alliance will serve as the structure through which the community continues to address remaining Region 2020 initiatives, such as home rule, a regional Greenways Plan and a 12-county Transportation Plan, as well as other important regional issues.
The partners also plan to develop the three-way alliance as a model that can be applied to initiatives and issues in any community across the United States.
Click here for five reasons why you should care about the regional growth alliance »
Click here to see a list of upcoming events associated with growth alliance task forces »
Click
here to read a Birmingham News article on the alliance that ran in
January 2004 »
