The Importance of Building a Sense of Place

Place is more than just a location on a map. A sense of place is a unique collection of qualities and characteristics – visual, cultural, social, and environmental – that provide meaning to a location. A community’s unique identity also adds economic and social value. To foster distinctiveness, cities must plan for built environments and settlement patterns that are both uplifting and memorable and that foster a sense of belonging and stewardship by residents.

There isn't really a better way to state the importance of place than this excerpt from an article from The Atlantic Cities . At Monday's council meeting, I stressed to to the council that the Groveway Hybrid Form-Based Code is the first step that needs to be taken to begin building places where people WANT to be here in Roswell.  In an article titled Character is Key to an Economically Vibrant City, Edward McMahaon makes a great case dor doing just that.  Build places where people want to be, and you will have success.