CRANBERRY TWP — As they sat around a table together, members of the Butler County Growth Collaborative recently discussed the concept of the American Dream and what it meant for them.

According to Mark Gordon, chief of economic development and planning for the county, the realization came quickly that the details of that dream might have changed over the years.

To figure out how that differs from a younger demographic — from high school or college to those just beginning their careers — the group created a survey asking what a 21st century American Dream looks like and what was meaningful to them.

“The American Dream to us might have been that home in the suburbs — hence, Butler County,” he said. “We didn't really hear about the big house in the suburbs or the three to four acres of grass to take care of.”

Instead, the focus was on walkable communities with recreation space. It was also on multifamily homes that were affordable in community hubs, allowing individuals to live and work in the same location.

Gathering and putting that data into action is one of many focuses for the Growth Collaborative, which formally kicked off Friday during the Community Development Corporation of Butler County's annual meeting at the Regional Learning Alliance in Cranberry Township.

This is an excerpt — pick up Sunday's Butler Eagle or subscribe online to read the rest of the article.