The First Suburbs Coalition's Mission, Values and Priorities

December 18, 2009

Mission

The mission of the First Suburbs Coalition is to promote sustainable communities with healthy environments, vital economies, and a high quality of life for all current residents and future generations by promoting the preservation, reinvestment, and revitalization of first suburb neighborhoods, commercial areas, and infrastructure.

Values

In accomplishing its mission, the First Suburbs Coalition will be guided by the following values:

• Accessibility
  Maximize mobility and access to opportunity for all first suburb residents
• Economic Vitality and Reinvestment
  Promote economic vitality through reinvestment in the first suburbs commercial, residential, and public infrastructure
• Environment
  Protect and restore the natural environment within the first suburbs
• Place Making
  Encourage the creation of vibrant community places within the first suburbs that foster social interaction and active living
• Education
  Support the public education system within the first suburbs and promote active learning throughout the community
• Civic Governance
  Promote the engagement of all residents in community decisions
• Regional Context
  Encourage collaboration among the first suburbs and coordination with regional initiatives

Priorities

The First Suburbs Coalition in pursuing its mission and guided by its values has established the following priorities:

1. The First Suburbs Coalition will become a regional leader by advocating for its values and developing strategies that achieve its mission by pursuing the following objectives:
   • become a regional example of civic innovation
   • engage with MARC committees and other regional organizations
   • develop a legislative agenda and actively promote it with state and federal legislators
2. The First Suburbs Coalition will pursue specific programs that support its original primary objectives including:
   • promote investment in transportation infrastructure that supports the development of vibrant places and sustainable communities by:
     • actively engaging in efforts to enhance transit services in first suburbs
     • actively engaging in regional transportation planning and implementation of Transportation Outlook 2040
   • promote reinvestment in first suburbs housing stock by:
     • continuation of the housing remodeling loan program
     • exploration of new ways that first suburbs can work together to encourage housing reinvestment
   • promote reinvestment in commercial development and the creation of vibrant places within first suburbs by:
     • establishment of a redevelopment ready communities program
     • development of a database of redevelopment ready commercial sites within first suburbs
     • engaging the development and retail community in a discussion of how first suburbs can promote the investment in retail development and vibrant places
3. The First Suburbs Coalition will work with individual members to implement initiatives and policies in their own communities that reflect the coalitions values including:
   • Programs and policies to encourage the renovation of homes
   • Programs and policies that encourage the development of vibrant, mixed use places at critical locations within our communities
   • Programs and policies that encourage the development of retail and commercial projects that are sustainable with useful lives longer than 15 years
   • Programs and policies that reinvest in existing infrastructure and promote the development of multiple modes of transportation that support vibrant places
   • Programs and policies that encourage citizen engagement in important civic decisions