The planning process was kicked off in the Summer of 2006 and we anticipate completing this phase of the work in 2009. 

The intention is to emphasize public commitment to bold, achievable solutions, rather than mere consensus on goals and policies. The aim is to identify objectives, and achievable targets, for the plan as a whole and within specific topic areas, and to outline specific strategies to reach them. These could include programs, incentives, regulations, and other actions to be carried out by the Martha's Vineyard Commission, by the towns, and by other entities. The Martha’s Vineyard Commission will adopt the plan as the official regional plan.

Themes: The plan will deal with four broad themes and how they interact:

• Economy
• Community
• Ecology
• Land
  

Topics: The plan will focus on specific topic areas, with the help of work teams. The current list of topics is:

• Built Environment
• Energy and Waste
• Governance
• Housing 
• Livelihood and CommerceSocial Environment
• Natural Environment
• Transportation
• Water Resources

Steering Committee: A Steering Committee was set up by the Martha's Vineyard Commission to oversee both the content and the process of the plan (see the document Steering Committee Description). It is responsible for:

• Overarching, interdisciplinary vision, goals, and strategies.
• Identification and analysis of major alternatives.
• Coordination of interdependencies and trade-offs between topic areas.
• Finalize the planning documents and recommend them for adoption to the Martha's Vineyard Commission.
  

Steering Committee Members

Network of Planning Advisors: Over five hunderd Vineyarders are closely follow the planning process and are giving their input at key times. Members:

• Receive a survey every couple of months and should be willing to respond,
• Are invited to participate in forums, work groups, and other planning activities,
• Receive draft documents and are invited to comment on them.
  

Work Groups: Work groups have been set up to focus efforts on specific topics. The mandate is to identify overall goals and objectives, to identify short, medium, and long-term measurable benchmarks, and to outline strategies to achieve them such as policies, incentives, regulations, projects, and other actions.

Staff: The planning effort will be supported by the specialized expertise of the Martha's Vineyard Commission staff, and outside expertise will be brought in as needed.

Facilitators: A group of Vineyarders has volunteered to help facilitate various activities. Robert Leaver of New Commons is advising on the overall process and is facilitating major events.

 
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