Denver Regional Council of Governments

Clarion Associates was retained to provide a variety of planning services to the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) in support of its Metro Vision 2040 update. Metro Vision was first adopted by the DRCOG Board in 1997 as a collective vision for the counties and municipalities of the Denver region. During initial stages of the project, Clarion worked with DRCOG staff to develop an overall strategy and framework to guide the plan update process and the ultimate work product. Clarion also conducted targeted stakeholder engagement and developed issue papers on a range of topics—growth and development, community health and wellness, and others—to help inform initial policy discussions with the DRCOG board, the Metro Vision Plan Advisory Committee (MVPAC), and others. Based on initial discussions, Clarion worked closely with DRCOG staff to

prepare an initial draft of the updated plan, and to refine it over a two-year period based on the input staff received during numerous work sessions with the DRCOG board and a series of policy sub-committees. One of the major points of discussion during the plan update process (and key outcomes of this Metro Vision update) was the expansion of the plan framework from three core elements—growth and development, transportation, and environment—to five. The two new elements—economy and community livability—reflect an increased emphasis on the region’s social and economic health as well as its physical development. Other new and/or expanded topics areas include: housing, health and wellness, inclusivity, and community resilience. The DRCOG Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve the updated plan in January 2017.