About

The Process of Creating the Vision

One Gaston 2040 was an ambitious process designed to identify a Vision for what Gaston County, a fast-growing community in the Charlotte region, can achieve between now and 2040. The process began in Spring 2022 with a goal of engaging county residents, businesses, and organizations in dialogue about their desires for the future of Gaston County and to use the results of that discussion, along with an examination of data and trends, to create a vision for what Gaston County can achieve between today and 2040.

The visioning process was informed by a set of guiding principles that influenced how the process was conducted and structured how the vision framework was developed. These principles were:

Robust, inclusive, multi-channel community engagement. Across 70 virtual, in-person, and on-line survey opportunities, over 1700 people have made their views known.

An invitation to discuss difficult topics. Discussions were open and candid.

Acknowledging our differences and seeking areas of consensus toward common goals. Though differences arise as a result of our geography, population diversity, time of life, and personal interests, the defining qualities we seek for our community can be the same.

“Baking in” an implementation plan that brings stakeholders together. After calling the community together to create this shared vision, we will not let it sit on the shelf. Instead, we will move directly into implementation, call on our organizations and residents to set specific goals, and collaborate to make progress toward the vision.

A way to measure progress. An online data dashboard will be created and maintained, a resource for residents, visitors, prospective businesses, and researchers who are looking for detailed information about Gaston County.

Powered by public/private collaboration and support. Every local government in the county committed resources to the effort. Twenty-two individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations provided monetary contributions. Going forward, implementation of the Vision will also be a public/private endeavor.

Dozens of existing reports, plans, and strategies were reviewed and high-level quantitative research was conducted comparing Gaston County trends to those in North Carolina, the United States, and peer communities including Spartanburg County, SC; Sumner County, TN; and Union County, NC. The list of referenced materials for the One Gaston 2040 process is contained in Appendix A of the One Gaston 2040 report.

Read the Vision Framework

What did the community tell us?

Over 1,700 Gaston County stakeholders contributed their ideas and perspectives to the One Gaston 2040 process. The principal takeaways from all these interactions, coupled with findings from a high-level quantitative analysis of Gaston County trends compared to peer counties, North Carolina, and the U.S., led to a set of key themes summarizing Gaston County’s strengths, weaknesses, challenges, and opportunities.

Summarized below, these research themes and their underlying components formed the basis of the One Gaston 2040 Vision.

Gaston County has a competitive array of core assets and amenities that position it for future growth, including:

Proximity to Charlotte and Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Natural environments and amenities
Historic downtowns and unique destinations
Community spirit and pride
Confidence in public schools and higher education institutions
Production employment and strong skills base

Persistent legacy challenges must still be overcome. They include:

Historical divides between different parts of the county (urban/suburban/rural/etc.)
Evolving relations among racial and ethnic groups
Lower levels of educational attainment
Pockets of poverty, crime, and disinvestment

Gaston County has seen positive demographic and economic trends yet still lags some peer communities. Local positive trends include:

Population, job growth, wages, and incomes are all rising
Improving educational attainment
Notable poverty reduction
Perception of county improving

Impacts of growth on Gaston County create both issues and opportunities.

Examples include:

Notable quality of life investments – Renovation of mill structures, FUSE District, revitalization of downtowns
The expansion of CaroMont Health hospitals and facilities
Understanding the tradeoffs between new development and protection of natural environments
Concerns over gentrification and Not In My Back Yard (NIMBYism)
Lack of affordable housing

Key issues as Gaston County positions itself for the future include:

Improved connectivity within Gaston County and with the rest of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region
Preserving character and retaining history while evolving to meet the challenges of future growth
Developing sustainable infrastructure for people and businesses
Preparing local talent for careers
Engaging diverse voices in decision making and leadership