A community-based planning effort to shape the future of Great Falls, Montana through an update of the city’s Growth Policy.
What is Future Great Falls 2045?
As a growth policy, Future Great Falls 2045 will be a document for use by city leaders, developers, business owners, and citizens to guide decisions about future growth, development, policy, and capital improvements. It will also serve as a vision for the City, developed by the community, for the community, based on community-wide values and inputs.
Growth policies have been used for decades to aid decision-makers in the process of building and maintaining cities. Future Great Falls 2045 will help the City plan strategically for both short and long-term growth scenarios so that decisions can be based on sound information, core values, and agreed-upon goals, strategies, and priorities. This organized and steady approach, enabled by Montana statute, will help Great Falls keep perspective as the City looks toward 2045.
Process
Phase 1
Vision & Foundations.
This phase focuses on setting the project identity and foundations of outreach to build upon in subsequent phases. We are currently in Phase 1.
Phase 2
Broad Engagement & Scenario Planning.
This phase focuses on the majority of broad public outreach, including Planning Week, and aligning feedback with planning scenarios.
Phase 3
Draft & Review.
This phase focuses on drafting the growth policy update, with key checkpoints for review with the Steering Committee, stakeholders, and the public.
Phase 4
Plan Adoption.
This phase focuses on representing community sentiment to decision-makers throughout the legislative adoption process.
Phase 1 is in progress!
The growth policy update is underway! Phase 1 of the project includes preliminary public engagement and the preparation of an existing conditions analysis. The findings of early engagement efforts and community analysis form the basis for future engagement efforts and plan development.
Phase 1 kicked off in April with establishment of the Steering Committee. In August, stakeholder roundtable discussions were conducted as listening sessions to provide the consultant team with background information on a range of community topics. Check out the “Project Progress” page for outreach outcomes from this preliminary engagement.
Sign up for our email listserv and visit the “Calendar” tab for more information about how you can stay updated and involved in the plan’s progress!
Steering Committee
The Steering Committee is:
Comprised of a diverse group of representatives from business, industry, agriculture, environment, development, public health/medical, higher education, and members of the community.
Created to provide a constant feedback loop and input throughout the process, start to finish.
Intended to serve as a communication channel for each member's area of expertise and/or representative group(s).
Steering Committee Members:
Name Special Interest Represented
Rick Tryon…………………………………………………………………………... City Commission
Heather Hoyer…………………………………………………………………. Great Falls Public Schools
Frederyck (Ryck) Cayer…………………………………………..… Malmstrom AFB
Brett Doney……………………………………………………………………….. Great Falls Development Alliance
Katie Hanning…………………………………………………………………… Housing and Development
Kris Cron………………………………………………………………………………. Business and Industry 1
Michael Hallahan…………………………………………………………… Business and Industry 2
Brian Kaufman………………………………………………………………… Business and Industry 3
Tom Heisler……………………………………………………………………….. Agriculture and Environment
Abigail Hill………………………………………………………………………….. Public Health and Medical
Stephanie Erdmann……………………………………………………. Higher Education and Adult Training
Spencer Woith………………………………………………………………… Great Falls Citizen At Large 1
Carol Bronson…………………………………………………………………. Great Falls Citizen At Large 2
Wayne Klind……………………………………………………………………… Great Falls Citizen At Large 3
Steering Committee Meetings:
Connect With Us!
We want to hear from you! Tell us your ideas and visions for the future of Great Falls, feedback about the process, or any other perspectives you may have related to the growth policy update project.
Stay Informed!
Sign up to join the project email listserv to receive important updates and information about upcoming events, opportunities to participate, and project developments. Click the link below!