The last two days have been spent in the company of the City of Sugar Land's Visioning Task Force as we traveled by van around the Houston metro area in search of a plan for the last 1,000 acres available in Sugar Land for development. Long time readers of QG may remember that I've served on visioning task forces for presbytery and often struggled with the assignment. It's been interesting to contrast the municipal and presbytery experiences. I was asked by City Council to serve on the task force.
Visioning at presbytery typically involved a lengthy process of starting with a couple of days retreat to Cho-Yeh followed up with several months of continued meetings in Houston. The municipal process is much more compressed and active. Last week part of the group spent 2 days careening around the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex looking at mixed use developments ( I couldn't go because General Council of presbytery met one of those days). This week we toured the Houston area. Today I have a debriefing interview and tomorrow there's a half-day "visioning workshop". The whole process will be completed with a report to City Council by mid-July. That's a dizzyingly fast schedule compared to the s.l.o.w. (ok some would say deliberate) presbytery process.
The reason for this difference in schedule is simple: the city's process is focused on bricks and mortar rather than the presbytery's spiritual concerns. Time is money when it comes to city planning and development, so serving on a visioning task force is a short term commitment, not a long term one. I liked that, to tell you the truth.
Another significant difference of course, is that the city's constitutency is far more diverse in every way than the presbytery's. Presbytery only has to concern itself with the different flavors of Presbyterians. Sugar Land has significant ethnic and religious minorities--including sizeable Hindu and Muslim communities in addition to virtually every Christian denomination.
There are similarities, too. Both the city and the presbytery have to consider the financial implications of decisions or policies that follow from the process. Both strive to bring together members of their community who represent different groups in order to achieve consensus. Both focus on broad concepts rather than pesky details.
I'm the only "lawyer" in the group so it's been fun to shake the dust off that old hat. I've met some very interesting people, learned more about the city, and am looking forward to the rest of the week.
Visioning at presbytery typically involved a lengthy process of starting with a couple of days retreat to Cho-Yeh followed up with several months of continued meetings in Houston. The municipal process is much more compressed and active. Last week part of the group spent 2 days careening around the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex looking at mixed use developments ( I couldn't go because General Council of presbytery met one of those days). This week we toured the Houston area. Today I have a debriefing interview and tomorrow there's a half-day "visioning workshop". The whole process will be completed with a report to City Council by mid-July. That's a dizzyingly fast schedule compared to the s.l.o.w. (ok some would say deliberate) presbytery process.
The reason for this difference in schedule is simple: the city's process is focused on bricks and mortar rather than the presbytery's spiritual concerns. Time is money when it comes to city planning and development, so serving on a visioning task force is a short term commitment, not a long term one. I liked that, to tell you the truth.
Another significant difference of course, is that the city's constitutency is far more diverse in every way than the presbytery's. Presbytery only has to concern itself with the different flavors of Presbyterians. Sugar Land has significant ethnic and religious minorities--including sizeable Hindu and Muslim communities in addition to virtually every Christian denomination.
There are similarities, too. Both the city and the presbytery have to consider the financial implications of decisions or policies that follow from the process. Both strive to bring together members of their community who represent different groups in order to achieve consensus. Both focus on broad concepts rather than pesky details.
I'm the only "lawyer" in the group so it's been fun to shake the dust off that old hat. I've met some very interesting people, learned more about the city, and am looking forward to the rest of the week.
5 comments:
This is fascinating, and what an interesting experience and set of perspectives to bring to the position of moderator.
I went to the link because I couldn't believe that there is a place named Sugar Land. But I see that there is!
Although Sugar Land is now a suburb of Houston, it is a lot older than Houston.
The Imperial Sugar Company, from which it takes its name, was the oldest corporation in Texas. Prior to the Civil War the area was filled with sugar cane plantations and production of sugar cane continued until well after WWII.
It is also situated on the site of the first Anglo-American settlement in Texas, founded by Stephen F. Austin. The area is full of Texas history!
You do the coolest things!! I can just imagine the really interesting folks you meet.
Good luck on your project.
Sigh...presbytery visioning...sigh...
What interesting things you do! Like hang out with us, and this! Aren't they lucky to have you!?
I love Sugar Land as a place name. I used to think it was a magic place. All that sugar cane.
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