On Saturday November 26 city leaders of Bangs, Texas met to begin formulating a vision and plan for future development within the city.  The event was hosted by the Heartland Realtors organization, utilizing a grant from the National Association of Realtors.

The presentation showed how the urban planning methods that became popular following World War II “have led to fiscal instability and an inability to provide the remediation and replacement of infrastructure to keep pace with long term growth.”  The city leaders learned that many cities are shifting to data-driven planning based on Smart Growth Principles:  “Parcel level tax data can help city leaders see which areas are operating at maximum efficiency and which areas could use some modification.  3D modeling has become an effective method for visualizing pain points and narrowing focus on the areas most in need.”

The Bangs leaders focused on the Smart Growth Principles of mixed land use, compact building design, and a range of housing options.  They discussed having a “walkable and attractive community with a strong sense of place while preserving the features that make Bangs unique.”  Bangs now has a vision statement in place and can begin educated planning focused on land use management, mixed use development, walkability, etc.

The National Association of Realtors is the largest real estate trade association in the United States, representing more than 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of residential and commercial real estate.