Shared Visioning in Urban Development strategy Process; Case Study: Maragheh

Cities are increasingly aware that they need to take a proactive role in making their local economy competitive and in improving the quality of life for all residents. Experience in developed countries indicates that local government economic and social development efforts are more successful if guided by a strategic process. In between visioning as a heart of strategic process and as a strategic thinking before strategic planning is important in planning for urban development.

This paper followed two principal goals: first purpose is to provide community residents with a process for thinking about and planning for their shared future. The second purpose is guides a community through the process of arriving at a shared vision for urban development planning and an action plan that supports and leads the Maragheh toward its goals.

The methodology is practical at the purpose of research and descriptive- analytic at the course of research. Responder for this study was 305 citizens, 62 elites (in one of two focus groups) and 36 city authorities. A nonrandom selection process was used to obtain focus groups and city authorities and random selection for citizen.

It combines input from citizen, focus groups and city authorities to positively influence urban development planning initiatives. This process result will culminated in the creation of a vision that will guide urban development and invigorate city’s action plan.