In late 1998, a coalition of Cullman County citizens initiated a community visioning exercise, facilitated by a representative of TVA's Quality Communities Initiative Program. The group named this initiative Outlook XXI. Over the next few months, a twelve-member Outlook XXI Quality Commission held community-brainstorming sessions across the county, eliciting from participants their aspirations for the future of Cullman County. In March 1999, Cullman County adopted Outlook XXI: A Strategic Agenda for Cullman County, Alabama. Outlook XXI participants established the following vision statement intended to guide their efforts:

"Through a cooperative and unified spirit, the community will provide an exceptional quality of life, promote opportunities which enable each individual to attain maximum potential and enhance future growth in the areas of economic, cultural, educational, and civic development while preserving our rich heritage."

In addition to a community vision, this strategic agenda established five key goals intended to serve as a framework for future growth and development throughout Cullman County:

The Outlook XXI vision and goals served as a starting point for this long-range comprehensive planning effort for Cullman and Cullman County and has resulted in this Strategic Development Plan for Land Use and Transportation. Planners undertook study and analysis of both the City of Cullman and Cullman County simultaneously.

The strategic plan has been approved by the Outlook XXI Committee, consisting of three members of the Cullman County Industrial Development Board and three members from the City of Cullman Industrial Development Board with advice from the County Economic Development Director and the City of Cullman Economic Development Director.

The KPS Group is in the process of completing the final document for presentation to all parties involved. When the final document is complete, it will be available on this website.