Forney's 2045 Comprehensive Plan

Introduction

The City of Forney has initiated a new comprehensive planning process. FUTURE FORNEY will establish a vision and a blueprint for Forney's future. It will address topics as land use, housing, economic development, parks, and public safety; with a strong emphasis on managing growth and enhancing  quality of life. The policies created through this plan will guide long-term decision-making by elected officials and staff, and create guidelines for residents, businesses, and other stakeholders.  

Stay Connected! Get Involved! Make a Change!

Podcast Series

A podcast series has been developed for this plan. Episodes have been released on the purpose of comprehensive plan, economic development, mobility, and community character! Please check the Podcast Series tab for more information and to listen to the available episodes.

Episode 5 of the podcast series is now available!!!

Why is the Comprehensive Plan being updated?

It is no secret that Forney has seen explosive growth over the last decade. This has created new challenges such as traffic congestion and concerns about community character. However, there are also new opportunities. The last comprehensive plan was adopted in 2016. A new plan is needed to ensure growth occurs in a manner that supports the community, economic development, and leads to a better future for Forney's residents today and for future generations. 

Planning Area

FUTURE FORNEY will focus on planning for the area within Forney's city limits and ETJ (extraterritorial jurisdiction). Understanding that development beyond this area also has an impact on the City of Forney, we have established a secondary impact area which will also be a part of this discussion.  

Forney

Project Milestones

The FUTURE FORNEY planning process will take place over five phases. Each phase builds on the last with community engagement opportunities along the way. Adoption of the new comprehensive plan is anticipated in December 2022.  

Project Phases

 Project Roadmap  

Project Deliverables

The project will include various documents to guide growth, development, and policies over the next twenty years.

Vision Plan

A vision plan is the initial discovery for a City into how the city functions today, and what it should look like in the future. This high—level planning document provides the residents with an opportunity to express their desires for goals and guiding principles for the community's future.

Community Blueprint

The Comprehensive Plan is the guiding policy document that outlines goals, policies, and implementation actions to achieve the community's vision over the next twenty years. This plan will provide the City guidance on policy guidance, and where and when investments should occur over the next twenty years.

Vision Plan

The FUTURE FORNEY Vision Plan will provide the foundation for the policy document. It provides key takeaways from the State of the City (existing conditions report), a detailed summary of public engagement, the community's guiding principles, and the growth framework.

  • The State of the City document is the detailed assessment of Forney. This includes demographics, mobility, a commercial and housing market assessment, and the baseline fiscal assessment for Forney.
  • Public engagement played a crucial role in the development of the Vision Plan. This section of the vision plan provides a summary of the key takeaways from public engagement opportunities, including events, open houses, and meetings with boards, committees, and elected officials.
  • The vision for the community is defined through five guiding principles: Balanced Growth, Connection, Community, Opportunity, and Collaboration
  • The Growth Framework covers the process that was used to create the Future Land Use Map. The growth framework analyzed existing development trends and potential growth scenarios to create a future land use map that balances the community's vision with the fiscal stability for Forney. The Future Land Use Map and Place Types were adopted by City Council on October 18, 2022 and can be downloaded in the Vision Plan Documents below.

Guiding Principles

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The Community's Vision is described through the Guiding Principles. Each guiding principle is accompanied by a vision statement to guide decision-making and City policies.

Balanced Growth

Forney will have neighborhoods that provide a range of housing types, retail, community services, and employment opportunities. The City will promote land use patterns that preserve community character, support high quality of life, and maintain the health, safety, and general welfare of all residents.

Connection

Forney will be a well-connected community with a safe and efficient network of roads, sidewalks, and trails to provide mobility options to all residents. Physical barriers will be mitigated to improve access and circulation.

Community

Forney will continue to be a community that is welcoming to its residents and visitors. It will provide the cultural, social, and community resources needed to support its small-town charm. There will be a variety of dining, shopping, recreation, and entertainment options available for people or all ages.

Opportunity

Forney will be a great place to invest and thrive with a diverse and vibrant economy to support existing and new business. There will be a variety of educational, employment, and housing opportunities for people of all backgrounds. Forney will encourage investment and growth in downtown and town centers.

Collaboration

Forney will continue to foster relationships with surrounding communities, public agencies, the school district, and community groups to support the needs of its residents and improve regional planning.

Approved Future Land Use Map

Vision Plan Documents

Get Involved

This plan has a diverse engagement platform for community members to get involved. Community wide forums and surveys will be provided at regular intervals during the planning process. Key stakeholder groups will be invited to listening sessions at critical points. Elected and appointed officials will continue to be updated and integrated during each phase. Stay tuned for upcoming events and activities. 

Upcoming Events

Stay tuned for upcoming events to learn more!

Podcast Series

This plan will include a series of educational and topical podcasts related to comprehensive planning and Forney's challenges and opportunities.

 Click here for Apple Link  for the Podcast Series

The podcast series features Forney leaders, subject matter experts, and the planning team discussing key planning topics in Forney. Four podcasts have been released so far:

  • Comprehensive Plans
  • Economic Development
  • Transportation
  • Community Character
  • Fiscal Stewardship

The final podcast episode will be released later this year and will focus on implementation of the Comprehensive Plan.

Past Events

The FUTURE FORNEY planning team has attended a variety of meetings and community events to identify challenges, discuss opportunities, and gather input to develop the community vision and policy document. 

Community Events

The public was invited to learn about FUTURE FORNEY and provide early feedback about the community vision. Participants were asked to help the City of Forney prioritize several themes which were later incorporated into guiding principles for the plan.

  • Movies in the Park – March 25 & May 13, 2022 
  • Artisan & Farmers Market – April 9, 2022 
  • Forney Arts & Wine Festival – May 7, 2022 

Public Meetings

The City Council, Planning & Zoning Commission, Parks Board, and Economic Development Corporation Board have met to discuss FUTURE FORNEY at the following public meetings: 

  • Joint Work Session (City Council and Planning & Zoning Commission) - February 1, 2022  
  • Parks Board Meeting - March 16, 2022  
  • Forney Economic Development Corporation Meeting - April 14, 2022 
  • City Council Work Session - June 14, 2022
  • City Council Meeting- September 20, 2022
  • Planning and Zoning Meeting (Future Land Use Map) - October 6, 2022
  • City Council Meeting (Future Land Use Approval) - October 18, 2022

Community Forums

The FUTURE FORNEY planning team will facilitate several community forums to provide updates and incorporate community feedback at key project milestones. So far, one community forum has been held. Materials are linked below. 

Other Engagement

The FUTURE FORNEY planning team held four (4) listening sessions with stakeholders and has met with public agencies, non-profits organizations, and individuals to discuss FUTURE FORNEY. Use the contact information below, if you would like to schedule a meeting or call with your group. 

  • Forney Arts Council Meeting - March 21, 2022  

Community Engagement Summary

A summary document of the engagement to date has been prepared. The summary includes suvery results and key takeaways from various meetings and events.

Project Documents

Contact Us

Project Team

The City of Forney contracted with Halff Associates, Inc. to lead the development of the Future Forney Comprehensive Plan. Halff Associates, Inc. is working with Civic Brand, Catalyst Commercial, and Urbex Solutions to complete the plan.

Untitled survey

For more information about the process, contact: The Community Development Office 402 N. Bois D’Arc Street Forney, TX 75126 Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM- 5:00 PM

Upcoming Events:

Future Forney Comprehensive Plan

Created by Halff Associates, Inc.

Forney's 2045 Comprehensive Plan

 Project Roadmap