Frequently Asked Questions
The Southern Nevada Strong team includes you! The most frequently asked questions and answers are presented below to help you stay informed and be knowledgable about community’s growth and plans.
The Southern Nevada Regional Policy Plan (14MB PDF) was adopted by all local governments in the urbanized area in 2014, committing to using the Plan as a guide for policies and plans at their local agency. Several agencies have since updated their comprehensive growth plans and development codes to better align with the values of Southern Nevada Strong. These efforts are shared and discussed at the Steering Committee.
No. Southern Nevada Strong is not a regulatory document, meaning that local governments can choose whether or not to follow the guidelines of the Plan.
The Southern Nevada Regional Policy Plan (14MB PDF) was adopted by all local governments in the urbanized area in 2014, committing to using the Plan as a guide for policies and plans at their local agency. Several agencies have since updated their comprehensive growth plans and development codes to better align with the values of Southern Nevada Strong. These efforts are shared and discussed at the Steering Committee.
By 2050, Southern Nevada’s population will grow to over 3 million people. Without careful planning, this could lead to more traffic, higher housing and transportation costs, increased heat, and more water use.
Local governments and community groups need to work together to improve life in the region and create better opportunities for everyone. We need to plan and coordinate across the region to build a better Southern Nevada for everyone.
The short answer is everyone!
The Plan was created by the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition, which is a partnership between the region’s local government agencies to address needs across the region.
After taking over management of the Plan, RTC created the Southern Nevada Strong Steering Committee to oversee and collaborate on implementation of the plan. The Steering Committee consists of more than 20 local government agencies and community partners.
The Steering Committee meetings are open to the public and RTC invites all community members to be involved in the plan through participation at this meeting. Additionally, RTC’s regional planning staff attend community events and host participation opportunities throughout the year to talk with community members about the plan.
In 2016, RTC created its regional planning team as part of its Metropolitan Planning Organization. and integrated administration of the plan into its existing structure and efforts.
Our job includes raising awareness of the plan, supporting its implementation by providing research and data, facilitating collaboration among local governments and community groups, and involving the public in planning discussions and studies.
We are empowering Nevadans to take action to create the communities they want to live in through several key initiatives:
- Educating Community Leaders: Advancing transit-oriented development (TOD) by sharing best practices from across the country.
- Enhancing Coordination: Increasing collaboration among community partners to access new funding from both public and private sources.
- Encouraging Public Participation: Promoting the Southern Nevada Strong vision to engage the community in the public process.
- Measuring Progress: Tracking implementation progress and sharing data to keep everyone informed.
Coming out of the Great Recession, community members envisioned a future where their children could stay in Southern Nevada, obtain a good paying job, and raise their family here. The plan provided 4 primary goals for achieving this vision: Improve economic competitiveness and education, invest in complete communities, increase transportation choice, and build capacity for regional coordination.
By 2015, the original Southern Nevada Strong Regional Policy Plan (14MB PDF) was adopted region-wide and later that year the Regional Transportation Commission took over managing the Plan and created a Steering Committee of local government agencies and community partners to oversee it.
The original Plan recommends updating the Plan at least every 10 years to ensure the plan is not out-of-date and is still meeting the needs and goals of the community. In 2024, the Southern Nevada Steering Committee also identified a need to update the Plan.
Over the last year, RTC and our partners have worked with community members to understand what challenges still need to be addressed. We learned that our new plan needs to bring housing we can attain, higher-paying jobs, and better ways to get around the region. Working together through the plan update process, Southern Nevada Strong 2050 will provide us with a new roadmap for achieving these goals.
Southern Nevada Strong (SNS) is a community-led vision for how our community wants to grow and develop in the future. The Southern Nevada Strong Regional Policy Plan is a planning document, or roadmap, for achieving that vision. The original Plan was adopted as regional policy guide in late 2014.
We’re now updating the Plan to reflect on our successes and identify solutions to challenges that still remain. Southern Nevada Strong 2050 is the update to the Southern Nevada Strong Regional Policy Plan.
