Big Ideas Drive 'planOKC' Effort in Oklahoma City

William Crum reports on planOKC by sharing the history, geography, and demography behind the need for the "planOKC comprehensive planning effort," expected for released for public comment December or January.

As for Oklahoma City's remarkable growth, Crum reports that the city's population is expected to hit 743,868 by 2030. Meanwhile, the physical footprint of the city has exploded: "Between 1977 and 2009, the year before work started on planOKC, the portion of Oklahoma City considered to be developed nearly doubled. Miles of streets more than doubled, while the population grew by a little more than 40 percent."

In response to that growth, Crum explains that "Oklahoma City’s new development guidelines are built around seven 'big ideas' planners expect will shape the city’s growth through the first half of the century." Namely: transportation choice and mobility, housing choice, healthy citizens, community attractiveness, thriving neighborhoods, efficient development, and preserving natural character.