MIG

We are excited to report that the Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan recently received a University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design Award: The Witte-Sakamoto Family Medal in City and Regional Planning. The Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan established a vision, goals, and policies grounded in an Equitable Growth Framework for the 20 year planning horizon. Another unique element of the plan includes a Place Types approach that looks beyond future land use and also includes built form, mobility, parks, open space, and infrastructure necessary to lift up existing neighborhoods and ensure new development is contributing to a more complete and equitable Charlotte. The MIG planning team used over 40 methods of engagement—including the Growing Better Places board game, Charlotte Planning Card Game, a TikTok challenge, virtual scavenger hunt, a drive-in open house and more—to capture community voices typically not heard in the planning process. Their intentional engagement strategies ended up bringing in over 6,500 community members into the planning effort. You can read more about our work in Charlotte at https://lnkd.in/gKGnN29W

We are proud to announce that the Amarillo Comprehensive Plan: City Plan—Vision 2045 received a 2024 Planning Award by Texas APA. In collaboration with our Denver office, MIG San Antonio worked directly with the City of Amarillo and other subconsultants to develop planning policies to inform the groundbreaking comprehensive plan for the future of Amarillo. The Plan was a community-driven initiative, resulting in one of Amarillo’s largest public engagement efforts, with more than 4,000 residents directly contributing to its development. To ensure that the Plan addressed the key facets of city life and aligned with the community's values, the MIG team conducted a "Complete Neighborhood Scenario." This method illustrated the community's vision through Place Types, guiding the Plan's development and identifying features that could enhance the quality of districts and neighborhoods. You can read more about the Plan at https://lnkd.in/gTFS3vnQ

On Friday, September 13, Sou Garner, MIG Project Manager, will be moderating the Breakout Session: Weaving Indigenous Culture into Our Downtown Evolution at the International Downtown Association Conference. With a high urban indigenous population in Downtown Seattle, join this session and learn from the people and organizations that have been succeeding in integrating indigenous values, traditions, and languages in public spaces to honor the past, heal the present, and celebrate the future. These 42 partnerships and authentic celebrations of indigenous life, art, and progress unapologetically proclaims, “We are here.” Speakers for the session include José de Jesús Leal, ASLA, MIG Principal, Native Nation Building Studio Director/Landscape Architect; Donny Stevenson, Muckleshoot Indian Tribal Councilmember, Muckleshoot, Indian Tribe, Muckleshoot Reservation; and Jordan Remington, Programs Manager/Curator of Indigenous Programs, Friends of Waterfront. Learn more about our Native Nation Building Studio at: https://lnkd.in/gd4_N-dS Or register for the conference at: https://lnkd.in/g86N2nKM

Within the various areas of expertise at MIG, we have dedicated studios where staff across disciplines and the firm can collaborate to build better and more comprehensive projects. This month, we are highlighting our Campus Planning and Design Studio. MIG is a national leader in facility planning, master planning, strategic planning, and educational programming for higher education. Our Campus Planning and Design Studio offers the chance to develop strategic partnerships with our clients, address new trends in higher education and meet future challenges. Check out our work on our website: https://lnkd.in/gHCcF38k

September 10-13 is the 70th Annual International Downtown Association (IDA) Conference in Seattle, WA. MIG is a proud sponsor of the event and are honored to participate this year. On Thursday, September 12, Kate Joncas, Director of Urban Strategy and Development, will be facilitating a forum titled Place Management Board Members with David Downey, CEO of IDA. Then, on Friday, September 13, Kate will be moderating a Breakout Session: We Built This City! Industrial Area Place Management to discuss how downtown leaders can collaborate, advocate for common issues and learn from one another as downtowns evolve and change. For additional conference information and to register for the event, head to https://lnkd.in/g86N2nKM

We are thrilled to announce that the San Diego City Council recently approved the University Community Plan Update and the Hillcrest Focused Plan Amendment to the Uptown Community Plan. In addition to our involvement in the Hillcrest Focused Plan Amendment, the MIG team in San Diego was the prime consultant of the University Community Plan Update led by Rick Barrett, MIG Principal, and Steven Davidovas, Project Manager, with partners Diego Velasco at City Thinkers and Keyser Marston Associates, Inc. The plans guide how county land will be used for future homes and jobs while addressing the need to preserve and celebrate natural, historic and cultural resources. You can read more about our work at https://lnkd.in/gsmfzFkG

Last month, the Fort Worth City Council adopted the Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP)—a long-term plan to equitably manage trees on public and private property. MIG's San Antonio team joined the Texas Trees Foundation and the City of Fort Worth as community engagement experts to ensure that the plan reflected community priorities. Our engagement approach included community workshops, pop-up events and focus groups. A key part of our engagement approach was using geo-based data to identify areas in the city that were not yet engaged with and targeting outreach events to this location. This also included looks at gaps in demographic data to ensure that diverse groups were represented. Read all about the plan at https://heyor.ca/1BvUf3

MIG is thrilled to lead the Cultural Landscape Report effort for the Brandy Station Battlefield. We look forward to continuing this work with ABT and DHR, collaborating with families of descendants and experts in battlefield archaeology and land conservation, and sharing more updates about this project in the months ahead.

This place and this community deserve someone amazing in this new role.

As Park and Recreation Month comes to a close, we're proud to highlight MIG's work on the Parks and Green Stormwater Infrastructure initiative with City Parks Alliance, US Water Alliance, Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange and RWJF. This initiative is bringing a cohort of parks and water agency professionals from eight cities across the US (Atlanta, Boston, Houston, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Seattle and Tucson) to learn about how to increase green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) in parks. Together, we're pushing for systems change in the field to promote resilience, equity and community health because: 🌱 There’s strong and growing interest in integrating GSI into parks 🌱 Investing in GSI in parks creates healthy, resilient communities and saves money over time 🌱 Planning and budgeting for maintenance is crucial 🌱 GSI installation/maintenance creates green jobs 🌱 There is a need for better solutions for greening without gentrification Stay tuned for more on our Parks and GSI work—including webinars, tools, and peer learning opportunities—in the year ahead!