Survey research and 'visioning' in Flagstaff, Arizona

Community visioning has become popular in many regions of the US as communities grapple with major concerns such as how best to manage population growth, enhance local economies, priorities planning and funding opportunities, and preserve what is valued in the community while facing the realities and pressures of moving into the twenty-first century. The 'Oregon Model' of community visioning involves a four-part process: (1) 'Where are we now?'; (2) 'Where are we going?'; (3) 'Where do we want to be?'; and (4) 'How do we get there?'; (Oregon Visions Project, 1993, p. 9). in Flagstaff, Arizona the visioning process collapsed steps (1) and (2) to create a three-step process: (1) Setting a Context; (2) Creating a Vision: And (3) Charting a Course.³ This process was commonly referred to as 'Flagstaff 2020' because it encouraged people to think about what they would like Flagstaff to look like by the year 2020.