
COMPREHENSIVE & AREA PLANNING
Anniston, Alabama
Anniston Comprehensive Plan
Serving as the county seat of Calhoun County in northeast Alabama, Anniston has a population of approximately 20,000 people. As with many smaller and rurally-located communities, Anniston has seen a steady population decline since the 1930s, it faces economic and quality-of-life challenges, and has not had a comprehensive plan in many years.
Consequently, The Walker Collaborative (TWC) was hired by the City to lead a multi-disciplinary consultant team to prepare a new comprehensive plan.
The project featured a robust public engagement process that entailed various public meetings, stakeholder focus group meetings, a public opinion survey, a charrette workshop, and multiple plan presentations to solicit public input. In addition to addressing topics such as place types and development, mobility, natural and cultural resources, housing, and utilities, the plan placed a major emphasis on economic development and fiscal issues, including a strategy to diversify its revenue base. Also, strategies were created to enhance the effectiveness of its Main Street program for Downtown revitalization.