CAPPA Students Collaborate with City of Arlington to "Grow a Better Arlington"
The College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs (CAPPA) was excited to welcome the Planning and Development Services team of the City of Arlington to the annual CAPPA Welcome Back event. During the event, city planners introduced our students to "Growing a Better Arlington," a new and interactive board game that puts participants in the role of managing the city's future. Through fun and thoughtful gameplay, students made decisions about where people should live, work, learn, and play in The American Dream City.
The game serves as an innovative alternative to traditional public engagement. Through this hands-on activity, community members, including students, can share their preferences for where 15,000 new housing units and 30,000 jobs could be located over the next two decades, as well as what types of places should be built.
The City of Arlington's Planning and Development Services team saw the CAPPA Welcome Back event as an ideal opportunity to connect with students and faculty. "Including student voices in the planning process is essential to shaping a future that reflects their needs and ideas," John Chapman, a Long-Range Planning Manager, emphasized. By engaging students early in the city's Comprehensive Plan Update, Arlington aims to ensure that its long-term vision reflects a diverse range of perspectives.
Early feedback from CAPPA students has been both insightful and consistent with broader community input. In the first phase of the project, students expressed strong preferences for walkable, connected, and clean environments, priorities echoed by residents across the city. During the second phase, while playing the board game, students identified areas around the UTA campus, Downtown Arlington, and the Entertainment District as having strong potential for future development.
The insights gathered through "Growing a Better Arlington" will directly inform the city's planning process. Results from the game will help the Planning Department create potential growth scenario maps that illustrate different land use options. Following additional community engagement, a finalized map will guide future development decisions and shape Arlington's long-term vision.
Dr. Deden Rukmana, Director of the Master of City and Regional Planning Program at UTA, expressed his appreciation to the City of Arlington team for accepting the invitation to share the "Growing a Better Arlington" board game with students.
"The collaboration between students and the city represents an excellent example of bridging classroom learning with real-world community engagement," said Dr. Rukmana. "The project reflects how students' visions align with the community's priorities for walkable, connected, and clean environments, while their ideas highlight the city's development potential around the UTA campus, Downtown, and the Entertainment District —demonstrating a shared commitment to building a more vibrant and sustainable Arlington."
Community members will have more opportunities to join in the fun and planning. The City of Arlington is organizing open houses and pop-up events beginning in November. To stay informed or get involved, visit www.ArlingtonListens.com/Comprehensive-Plan or email [email protected] to sign up for newsletters and updates.