training

jones-bridget

Training, Technical Assistance

– QG Toolbox Quote….cover and link……

Photo – 2013 TDEC Governors Award - Quote

Bridget Jones led the creation and implementation of the CRT Quality Growth Toolbox and regional Pilot Projects undertaken to create successful implementation resources and outcomes for the rapidly growing ten-county region of Middle Tennessee. The first of its kind in Tennessee, the Quality Growth Toolbox supported and accelerated the adoption of innovative growth planning that supports community and economic development priorities, new standards for comprehensive planning, community investment and design, strategic open space conservation, integrated land use and transportation planning and guided infrastructure investments that support regional and local community and economic development priorities.

The CRT Quality Growth Toolbox was published in December 2006 and regional implementation began as the first regional implementation pilot project of its kind in Tennessee in 2007. The Quality Growth Toolbox Project has involved hundreds of regional and community leaders and provided the testing ground for collaborative leadership and community based programming methods. To date the Quality Growth Toolbox and these methods have been successfully used in all ten counties of that region to advance local and regional growth planning priorities.

Using a set of region specific CRT Quality Growth Principles and nationally vetted best practices and standards, the Quality Growth Toolbox project helps counties and cities update their land use and infrastructure practices to create new frameworks to guide growth and development in keeping with local and regional goals and objectives. The CRT Quality Growth Toolbox program taps the vision of local public and private sector leaders to shape a community-supported plan for growth. It also brings in expertise from the professional planning and design community and funding agencies to help create and support the local vision through implementation of local pilot project communities.

Successful implementation of the CRT Quality Growth Toolbox Pilot Projects has occurred by following the Quality Growth Pilot Project Framework that describes four specific phases and specific actions for each, successfully developed and used during CRT Quality Growth Toolbox Pilot Project work as follows:

Collaborative Leadership: CRT works with public and private sector leaders as local Co-Chairs to establish Quality Growth Advisory Committees in each pilot project community. These respected leaders then establish an Advisory Committee representing key constituent groups and community leaders for leadership roles. The Co-Chairs, CRT and Implementation Partners work to identify local Quality Growth Goals and Objectives, based upon local issues and opportunities. This collaborative leadership team then guides and implements all project efforts.

Visioning and Consensus: Quality Growth Co-Chairs and CRT inform key stakeholders of the focus and opportunities and organize and host local visioning and design workshops, guest lecturers, community outreach and engagement, community Roll-out events and other project outreach efforts.

Program Actions: Quality Growth Co-Chair, Committee members, CRT and Implementation Partners determine appropriate program actions and organize Quality Growth Toolbox Training and Technical Assistance Services including Quality Growth Project Management Services, Visioning/Design Workshops, local Quality Growth Toolbox Training Presentation and Sessions, and targeted education, training and technical assistance actions.

Strategic Implementation

CRT staff, Quality Growth Co-Chairs, Committee members and Implementation Partners arrange for and organize planning, design and implementation resources including grant funding for Comprehensive Plan development, Project Planning and Design through TDOT, MPO’s and other state and regional agencies, Community Design assistance through AIA Middle Tennessee, UTK and other design and engineering partners, and other professional consultation in support of local Quality Growth pilot project goals, objectives and successful implementation.