The Memphis City Council again delayed the first of three votes on the Memphis 3.0
plan
— this time for 30 days.
The council first delayed the vote on the city’s comprehensive plan at its March 19th meeting after a group of residents from the New Chicago area voiced opposition.
Carnita Atwater, president of the New Chicago Community Partnership Revitalization community development corporation, does not support the plan, saying last week that “it’s very clear it’s not inclusive.”
Atwater said the plan does not detail specific improvements in the New Chicago neighborhood.
Facebook- Carnita Atwater
New Chicago Resident speaks against the Memphis 3.0 plan at a rally Saturday
Residents of the New Chicago area gathered for the “STOP THE GENTRIFICATION 901 MARCH” on Saturday to protest the 3.0 plan. (The march turned into a rally as organizers failed to get the proper permits in time.)
On Tuesday, the Memphis City Council again delayed the first of three votes on the Memphis 3.0 plan. It is not clear whether the protest led to the council’s decision to delay the first of three votes on an ordinance that would approve the plan. The council is now slated to vote on the plan at the council’s May 7th meeting.
Council Chair Kemp Conrad said the delay will allow for additional input from citizens.
Councilman Worth Morgan said the council has to be careful before voting on a document with such weight.
“The 3.0 plan is 300-plus pages and 509 action items,” Morgan said. “It took over two years to complete. Before we cast any votes, I think everyone is being very careful to know precisely what the implications are.”
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The Memphis 3.0 plan, drafted with input from city officials, local nonprofits, community partners, and residents, is a comprehensive guide for future development and investments in the city, officials have said.
The idea is to improve and invest in the city’s core and surrounding neighborhoods in order to create dense, walkable, connected communities, according to the document.
To do this, it details specific strategies for nurturing, accelerating, or sustaining certain neighborhoods within the city’s 14 planning districts.
If adopted, the Memphis 3.0 plan will guide future policies, investments, and partnerships made by the city over the next 20 years.
