Engaging the community is critical to ensuring the comprehensive plan is reflective of Kingsport resident's needs and desires. The planning process will provide a variety of ways for you to be involved, both virtually and in-person.

The Kingsport Comprehensive Plan process includes three rounds of community engagement taking place in the spring, summer, and fall of 2025. The first Community Workshop occurred on April 30, 2025, and was afterward adapted to an online version, which was open for feedback from May to August. Participants in the Community Workshop shared their vision for Kingsport and documented challenges and opportunities to achieving this vision. From this touchpoint with the public, Community Priorities were developed for Land Use and Community Character, Infrastructure, Quality of Life, Economic Strategy and Jobs, and Housing.

The project team returned to the community with the Community Priorities during Summer Jam, with booths at the pickleball tournament, parade, concert, and farmers market to ensure the Community Priorities were representative of resident's vision for the city and hear more about challenges and opportunities in Kingsport. The project team will host a final community engagement in the fall of 2025. Check back for more information on our final meeting!

Community Workshop participants were first asked to describe Kingsport in one word. Then, they were asked to visualize their ideal future Kingsport and describe that vision in one word.

When asked to describe Kingsport in one word, participants described the city as a mix of contrasting characteristics, including growing, community-minded, family-oriented, friendly, safe, but also stagnating, struggling, boring, and odorous, with both positive and negative perceptions.

When asked to describe the ideal future Kingsport in one word, participants described the city as a vibrant, thriving, family-oriented community, imbued with balanced growth, innovative progress, mindful livability, and inclusive, with a strong emphasis on safety, cleanliness, and comprehensive development.

When asked to rate each priority on a scale from one to five, where one indicates a lower priority and five represents a higher priority, preserving and enhancing the unique character of Kingsport's neighborhood and developing a variety of housing types and affordable/attainable housing options were the highest priorities.

Kingsport residents identified challenges including homelessness, an aging population, rising cost of living, infrastructure issues, environmental concerns, and limited growth space. There are also concerns about the healthcare system, retaining younger residents, and the overall perception and reputation of the city.