Developing a Community Vision - Town of Vienna
Originally planned in 1706, Vienna remains a small town on the tidewater shores of the Nanticoke River. As one of the oldest settlements in Maryland, the Town has a rich tradition as a working waterfront and agricultural community. Facing the potential for significant growth and change in the 21st century, the town of Vienna embarked on a process to protect and link important natural, cultural, and recreational opportunities while accommodating new residential and commercial development and a new civic core.
Goals
The Town of Vienna engaged The Conservation Fund to help develop a "community vision plan" in anticipation of the 5-year update of the town's comprehensive plan. The Conservation Fund worked with the Mayor, Town Council and the community to develop a vision plan to guide appropriate growth, encourage economic development, and improve and protect environmental resources and community life.
Process
The Vienna Community Vision Plan was developed based on a physical assessment of the Town, community input, and an assessment of economic, recreation, and conservation opportunities in the Nanticoke watershed. The physical assessment evaluated land use, circulation, community amenities, ecological resources, visual resources, and development potential in the area surrounding the incorporated Town. Community input was gathered through a public opinion survey, through community interviews and two community workshops held by the Town Council.
Outcome
Based on community feedback, the final vision for Vienna as a "model Chesapeake community" included land use recommendations, a green infrastructure plan, and a civic infrastructure plan. It illustrates the community's vision for how Vienna can grow over the next twenty years, while retaining its small town character, serving as a gateway for recreation and tourism, and emerging as a model of conservation development in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
More Information
Vienna Community Vision Plan - pdf (2.6 mb)
Town of Vienna