Issue link: https://townofcary.uberflip.com/i/791946
Cary "at the top of the arc" and strengthen our reputation as a vibrant, diverse, and prosperous community for businesses, visitors, and residents alike. As we revisit the Imagine Cary Community Plan, we recognize the need to integrate new insights and address emerging challenges that have shaped our community since the plan's initial release in 2017. W H AT W E L E A R N E D Imagine Cary describes how our tax base will grow at a slower rate, and that we will not be able to rely solely on new development to fund our financial future. The pandemic and changes in consumer preferences further impacted the housing market and spending patterns. As a result, we will continue to need to modify how we manage our financial resources as changes to our revenue streams occur. The high rate of growth that Cary has experienced over the last 30 years has enabled us to provide high levels of service while maintaining low property tax rates. This service model was achievable with a tax base fueled by years of greenfield development. The Imagine Cary Community Plan acknowledges our transition to a maturing municipality whose tax base growth will be driven at a less robust pace by redevelopment. In turn, Cary's financial planning will need to include revenue generation models that rely more on tax rate growth if service level expectations, infrastructure maintenance and the addition of new facilities and infrastructure are to be achieved. Since 2017, the environmental sustainability of our community continues to be increasingly important. The world around us is experiencing significant shifts due to climate change, resource depletion, and other ecological concerns. As stewards of our finite resources, it is imperative that we proactively incorporate sustainable practices into our vision for Cary's future. In 2017, Cary included policies related to the environment within Imagine Cary. But in response to the heightened emphasis on the environment, and for added clarity, it is important that we highlight these policies to create an overarching picture of our environmental sustainability goals. Cary has become a leader in looking at what we can do now to curb our environmental impact and expand our commitments in the future. This includes going beyond education by implementing several processes to reduce our resource consumption. Over the past several years, we have become a regional leader in solar production, food waste composting, water management, and tree canopy documentation. Through this initial work, Cary will evolve our current practices to continue to reduce consumption and understand our impact on the community. Almost everything Cary does impacts the environment in some way. In 2023, Cary launched the "Count Me In, Cary!" campaign to develop stewardship strategies for a sustainable future. The campaign explores the impacts of climate change, identifies challenges and opportunities, and provides solutions that work for our communities. This campaign was designed to understand citizen perspectives on our environmental practices. Over 4,000 voices contributed to "Count me in, Cary!," and this input is incorporated into a new chapter of this plan focusing specifically on the environment. I N T E R I M U P DAT E S T O T H E P L A N The interim update to the Imagine Cary Community Plan includes a new chapter called Enrich, which focuses on priorities and direction related to the environment. This update reaffirms our commitment to environmental sustainability. By prioritizing environmental sustainability, we ensure a healthier, more resilient, and more vibrant future for our residents. Updates to the Serve chapter ensure it accurately captures the many services Cary provides, including those less visible to the public. Much of the written content focusing on the environment in the existing Serve chapter continues to be pertinent and will move to the Enrich chapter. From time to time, new plans will be adopted by Council and incorporated into the Imagine Cary Community Plan. Cary's Housing Plan, adopted in 2021, is incorporated into this update. Other plans such as the Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Master Plan; Open Space Plan; Bike Plan; and Urban Forestry Master Plan are in various stages of creation and will be incorporated following approval by Council. As we update the Imagine Cary Community Plan, we have considered the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, placing a renewed emphasis on flexibility and resilience. We are prepared to increase our impact in the region and tackle challenges head-on, finding innovative solutions that meet the needs of today while also considering the needs of future generations.