Planning Forward: Reviving a Town with Vision and Resolve
Planning Forward: Reviving a Town with Vision and Resolve
In the aftermath of one of the most destructive wildfires in recent U.S. history—resulting in the loss of over 13,000 homes and more than 80 lives—a mountain town and its surrounding communities faced the urgent need for coordinated, long-term recovery. Praxisma was engaged through a philanthropic initiative to support the Town-led process of rebuilding not only physical infrastructure, but also a renewed sense of place, safety, and community identity.
Our team guided the development of a Community Recovery Plan, grounded in deep engagement with over 1,200 residents, 65 local businesses, and 30 stakeholder organizations. The planning process was structured around four critical phases: Relieving Pressure (stabilizing immediate post-disaster conditions), Listening (gathering broad community input), Testing (evaluating potential strategies), and Deciding (building consensus around a preferred recovery framework).
The resulting plan identifies priority investment zones, phased infrastructure upgrades, and a new set of design standards to support more resilient, mixed-use neighborhoods. It also integrates over 200 acres of green infrastructure for fire buffers and stormwater management, along with strategies for affordable housing, mental health services, and economic redevelopment.
Praxisma’s role included leading community workshops, producing illustrative master plans, coordinating with county and state agencies, and drafting implementation tools to support funding and permitting. The plan has since been adopted by the local council and is guiding over $350 million in public and private recovery funding over a projected 10-year horizon.