Greenprint plan adopted by communities in four counties

Over the last month, six municipalities adopted Greenprint 2015/2040 as the regional vision for green space and sustainability, including the City of Southaven, Miss., the City of Olive Branch, Miss., the Town of Walls, Miss., the City of Lakeland, Tenn., the City of Piperton, Tenn., and the Town of Sunset, Ark. The latest round of adoptions brings the total number of communities signing on to the Greenprint plan to 15.

Greenprint 2015/2040 is a 25-year regional plan that charts a course for a more livable and connected Mid-South region through the development of a world-class bicycle and pedestrian network, which includes 500 miles of greenway trails and 200 miles of bicycle lanes.  The plan’s geography spans three states, extending into four counties through 18 municipalities. With the addition of Piperton, Tenn., the Greenprint now has formal support in Fayette County, Tenn., adding to existing support cast in Shelby County, Tenn., Crittenden County, Ark., and DeSoto County, Miss.

“I’m glad to see the City of Southaven’s Board officially adopt the Mid-South Greenprint Plan," says Mayor Darren Musselwhite of Southaven.  "It is a priority for our City to improve the walkability of our community and promote the healthier lifestyle that greenways and alternative transportation trails provide. Having a large-scale plan that connects all the cities and counties of the Mid-South will improve this benefit exponentially and make the entire region a healthier and more attractive place to live, work, and play.”
  
If implemented in its entirety, nearly 80 percent of the region’s residents and nearly 80 percent of the region’s jobs would be within one mile of a proposed corridor.  

“I would love residents of Sunset to have better access to amenities like the Shelby Farms Greenline,” says Mayor Eddie Craig of Sunset.  “Not only are greenway trails good for exercising or spending time with family, but they can serve the practical purpose of connecting people to important destinations such as school or work.”
 
The Greenprint plan was developed over a three-year period by the Memphis-Shelby County Office of Sustainability and a consortium of more than 300 individuals representing 80+ organizations and jurisdictions. More than 4,000 local residents, organizations, businesses, and agencies, also contributed input during the planning phase. Funding for the plan was provided by a $2.6 million grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

On November 17, the consortium of organizations and jurisdictions that developed the plan will host the first Greenprint Summit.  This public event will provide a forum for Mid-South residents to learn more about the Greenprint plan and about how the efforts of local organizations and jurisdictions are making the plan a reality.  More information for this event will be posted at www.MidSouthGreenprint.org.