Johnson City has passed the Horizon 2045 plan, focused on growth management and a positive vision for the community. The plan is a 20-year initiative focusing on a variety of projects, including capital improvement, future land use and addressing community needs.
Planning manager Whitney Hodges emphasizes the importance of community involvement in both the envisioning and execution of Horizon 2045. She discusses how a “community vision” is “critical” to the project, making sure everyone’s voices are heard and concerns addressed.
Horizon 2045 is a long-term vision, with goals in multiple areas. According to the Johnson City website, the plan will “explore” city growth and seek to align this growth with the community’s “vision” for quality of life, economic development, housing and more. The plan emphasizes a forward-thinking future, looking to preserve Johnson City and work toward what it can be.
Johnson City residents have been apprehensive about what Hodges refers to as “the negative consequences” that come with growth. Preserving quality of life and the unique character of the city is important to residents and is affirmed in the plan itself.
The Land Use section of the plan outlines growth strategies and plans for future development, while also maintaining a focus on residential zones and access to goods and services.
Horizon 2045 specifically states one of the plan’s goals as “supporting an evolving ETSU campus.” Hodges says that ETSU is a “unique asset” in the city, and that the successes of Johnson City and ETSU are “tied together.” Physical connection between downtown Johnson City and ETSU is outlined in the plan as the two grow together and evolve. Hodges looks forward to partnerships between the city and university, building a vision that encompasses both.
At year five of Horizon 2045, an evaluation will take place to examine the plan’s progress so far and ensure its success. The evaluation will also look at how each department contributes to and supports the plan’s vision.
Growth in Johnson City is exciting, and Horizon 2045 reflects this. With public involvement, research-based strategies and genuine care for residents, the plan echoes the needs of the community and works to integrate and implement policies.
The full plan can be found at horizon2045jc.com.
