Vision Statement
Conway: A smart city driven by innovative and nature-based solutions to provide a sustainable and healthy community.
10 Goals
- In 2035, Conway will have created a Sustainability Commission to develop policy proposals and facilitate key partnerships for protecting and enhancing the natural and built environment in a forward thinking manner (e.g., urban farm subsidies, grants, and loans for native species plantings, biodiversity, tree plantings, renewables development).
- In 2035, Conway will reduce barriers and provide incentives for developing existing vacant or under-developed properties and creating walkable, bikeable, livable, vibrant neighborhoods.
- In 2035, Conway has multiple attractive and revitalized gateways to the city, such as Oak Street.
- In 2035, Conway has a stormwater utility that will address stormwater issues in a sustainable and resilient way (environmental solutions like increasing biodiversity: ex. restoring grassland/riparian ecosystems).
- In 2035, Conway will have a robust network of community members, businesses, nonprofits, and universities to enable multi-directional information sharing partnerships for land-use planning.
- In 2035, Conway will have a wider variety of housing choices to meet changing demands and needs for safe affordable housing options that fit within a living wage scale to meet all the needs of our community.
- In 2035, Conway has successfully planned for community change related to the advent of new and advanced technologies. (Electric and autonomous vehicles, drone delivery, retail challenges, micromobility, sharing economy.)
- In 2035, Conway will use a robust system of data-driven metrics to employ science-based decision-making in land use and planning (community surveys, socio-economic data, environmental data, performance measures, annual reporting).
- In 2035, DBEI will help guide land use decision-making so that all neighborhoods are thriving.
- In 2035, Conway will have identified and acted upon opportunities to rewild our land into a healthy and natural state by increasing ecosystem interconnectivity and biodiversity.
5 Ways Individuals Can Support This Sector
- Residents should engage with policy makers (such as the Mayor, City Council, and City Planning Staff), so that a diverse array of stakeholder perspectives will be factored into the planning and analysis process.
- Identify and network with other municipalities who are engaged in sustainability best practices.
- Encourage city leaders to support best practices in city planning.
- Support Tree Canopy Growth in Conway by supporting the drafting and implementation of Conway’s Trees Initiative: 25K Trees by 2025.
- Look for opportunities to encourage collaboration between existing organizations and boards to help offset climate change, support a sustainable economy, and protect air quality.
5 Ways Organizations Can Support This Sector
- Survey/assess barriers to equitable housing.
- Provide expertise for city planning projects and pilot programs.
- Increasing biodiversity (as opposed to homogenization of landscapes) can be done by all land owning organizations (and citizens) in Conway.
- Encourage volunteerism to support community sustainability initiatives.
- Reduce carbon footprints through audits and smart building and energy efficiency; vehicle and fuel use; material use, sourcing, and recovery, etc.
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