Residents across the metro area are concerned about the walkability of their communities, having more accessible housing options, support for childcare and better internet access – all of which are among the potential improvements outlined in an ambitious new plan for Shelby County.

But there’s a cost. Shelby County planners recently released a comprehensive plan covering the next 15-20 years that suggests raising the county’s sale tax.

After meeting with over 2,000 local residents over several months of public hearings and stakeholder meetings earlier this year, Shelby County officials, in partnership with the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPC), released an updated comprehensive plan to guide the county’s development through 2040.

The plan identifies ten “quality inspired” guiding principles for development that were deemed most important in a review of community input, according to its text.

Those principles are: