Memphis 3.0 Five-Year Comprehensive Plan Update

Memphis 3.0, an ambitious plan engineered to propel the city of Memphis into its next phase of growth and development is set for a significant update, as announced by John Zeanah, Director of the Memphis Shelby County Planning and Development Department. As well as updates to the comprehensive plan, a sweeping citywide rezoning initiative is also in the pipeline.

The Need For Update And Rezoning

The first Memphis 3.0 plan, approved by the Land Use Control Board in 2019, demands continual updates in order to maintain its relevance and effectiveness. An integral part of the Memphis 3.0 strategy, Accelerate Memphis, has already issued $200 million in bonds to expedite community projects in neighborhoods impacted by historic underinvestment and underrepresentation. According to Zeanah, a raft of public investment projects identified by the communities have already been completed, necessitating a fresh revision of the plan.

Engaging With Communities

Central to the update is engagement with the local communities to both highlight the implemented projects and identify new priorities. Zeanah stated, “What we want to make sure we are doing in the update process is working with the community to not only highlight those projects that have been implemented, but also identify new implementation priorities.” Each of the 14 planning districts will host three community workshop meetings throughout the year, concluding in the summer of 2025.

Citywide Rezoning Effort

It is hoped that recommendations from the community in the workshops will guide the citywide rezoning proposal and facilitate identification of new community investments. The last instance of citywide rezoning was executed in the 1950s. The new citywide rezoning and updates to Memphis 3.0 aim to align prospective land strategies with community priorities and vision, re-directing zoning changes and community investments accordingly.

Organic Growth and Industry Attraction

Attracting new industries to Memphis and Shelby County forms part of the strategy, with an emphasis on organic growth rather than artificial stimuli. “So as we think about…growing a tech sector…it’s not just about… the industrial supercomputer and how and where that’s allowed…it’s also about how our city might stand to grow in other tech jobs as a result of that,” Zeanah comments.

First Community Workshop

The inaugural workshop of the Memphis 3.0 five-year plan update will be held at the Gaisman Community Center, 4221 Macon Road, in the Jackson planning district, on August 1 at 5:30 P.M. Additional details about future community workshops are available on the Memphis 3.0 website.