6th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth:
Building Safe, Healthy and Livable Communities

The 2007 New Partners for Smart Growth Conference in Los Angeles, California, hosted record attendance of over 1500 people from across the country for three full days of presentations, discussions, and information sharing.

The conference was produced by the Local Government Commission (LGC), with support from a very impressive and multi-disciplinary group of partners and sponsoring organizations, agencies and companies. Without their collective support, this dynamic event would not have been possible. For a complete list of sponsors and cosponsors, visit www.newpartners.org/sponsors.html.

The conference program is reproduced below and PowerPoint presentations have been made available courtesy of the presenters and the LGC, as PDF files. Presentations from each day may be viewed by selecting the appropriate link. Please note: while nearly all the PowerPoint presentations given at the conference were collected and are posted here, there were several speakers who did not use PowerPoint as part of their presentation.

Audio CDs of the conference are also available. Nearly all of the conference sessions, plenaries, breakouts and workshops were audio recorded. Get audio order form (PDF).

Please note: Some presentation files are large and may take time to download. Number of pages and file size information is provided next to the presentation link.

Thursday, February 8 | Friday, February 9 | Saturday, February 10

Promoting Healthy Eating and Active Living through Improvements in the Built Environment: What Health Professionals Need to Know and What They Can Do This daylong session will explore the role of health professionals in influencing community design to help create health-promoting live, work, and play environments for their patients and families. Environmental causes of the nation's obesity crisis and the supporting research will be reviewed. Interactive and role-playing sessions will help participants learn skills for working both inside and outside the clinical setting to contribute to environmental and policy changes. This is a unique opportunity to interact with physicians, planners, local government officials, and other partners to uncover effective ways to collaborate around creating communities with increased physical activity opportunities and access to healthy food.   Esteban Cruz, MD, Physician Co-Lead for Community Initiatives, Southern California Kaiser Permanente Scott Gee, MD, Medical Director, Prevention & Health Information, Kaiser Permanente Loel Solomon, PhD, National Director, Community Health Initiatives and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Richard Jackson, MD, MPH, Adjunct Professor, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of California at Berkeley, School of Public Health Phillip Wu, MD, Pediatrician, Kaiser Permanente Northwest James F. Sallis, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, San Diego State University; Director, Active Living Research Program Paul Zykofsky, AICP, Director, Transportation and Land Use Programs, Local Government Commission Keith Bachman, MD, Clinical Lead, CMI Weight Management Initiative, Kaiser Permanente Trina Histon, PhD, Director, Weight Management Initiative, Kaiser Permanente Dan Burden, Senior Urban Designer, Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin Lopez Rinehart Mark Horton, MD, California State Public Health Officer Lisa Feldstein, JD, Senior Policy Director, Public Health Institute Supervisor Kathy Long, Ventura County, California Supervisor Josie Gonzalez, San Bernardino County, California Randall Lewis, Executive Vice President, Director of Marketing, Lewis Operating Corp. Janet Ruggerio, Community Development Director, City of Citrus Heights, California Christine Maulhardt, MPH, Director, Obesity Prevention, California Medical Association Foundation View Jackson PDF (152 pages, 6.2mb) View Wu PDF (27 pages, 0.2mb) View Sallis PDF (23 pages, 0.5mb) View Zykofsky PDF (77 pages, 7.0mb) View Bachman/Histon PDF (12 pages, 0.1mb) View Burden PDF (46 pages, 6.3mb) View Feldstein PDF (6 pages, 0.2mb)

Water, Water Everywhere: Exploring Stormwater Strategies in Smart Growth Communities Join national experts and designers for an all day hands-on workshop that explores different regional and site-specific strategies for minimizing stormwater runoff in smart growth communities. Workshop attendees will participate in several exercises that will examine approaches for allocating projected growth regionally and then apply site specific stormwater strategies to further minimize runoff. This workshop will allow participants to work with architects and urban designers to figure out the best stormwater strategies for a variety of urban design barriers, such as infill sites, narrow streets, and compact buildings.   Pat Stoner, Director, Resource Conservation Programs, Local Government Commission Geoffrey Anderson, Director, Development Community Environment Division, U.S. EPA Lynn Richards, Senior Policy Analyst, U.S. EPA Clark Wilson, Associate Principal, Community Design + Architecture Jeff Loux, Director, Land Use & Natural Resources Program, UC Davis Extension Jessica Millman, Maryland Director, Coalition for Smarter Growth View Anderson PDF (39 pages, 3.2mb) View Wilson PDF (6 pages, 0.5mb) View Millman PDF (24 pages, 0.7mb)

Finding the Dollars and Making Them Grow: Funding for Smart Growth As smart growth becomes a more mature movement, the range of activity increases in depth and breadth while sources of funding for smart initiatives evolve. Old funders are moving to other issues, new funders seek more diverse portfolios, and all have insights into what is working and what is not. Join panelists to explore the current world of smart growth funding as seen through the eyes of the funders themselves. This interactive discussion will consider lessons learned, possible models for the future, and how smart growth practitioners might think about initiatives and trends for the future.   Moderator: Julia Seward, Director of State Policy, Local Initiatives Support Corporation L. Benjamin Starrett, Executive Director, Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities Jon Jenson, Senior Program Officer, George Gund Foundation Diane Forte, Director of Sustainability Programs, Environment Now No Presentations available from this event.

Why Streetcars and Why Now? Not all transit is alike. Streetcar systems are about a third the per-mile cost of light rail -- and typically just 2-3 miles in length -- and are much quicker and less disruptive to construct. Moreover, new systems have been shown to correspond to significant private investment in walkable development that uses less land and generates far fewer car trips, and many are built using local funding and public-private partnerships. That's why more than 70 cities across the U.S. -- from Tucson to Miami -- are either planning or building streetcar lines to promote and to serve all the higher density development being built in their downtowns. Hear about the innovations in partnerships, planning, finance and construction that have convinced both small towns and big cities to use streetcars to travel back to the future.   Moderator: Gloria Ohland, Senior Editor, Reconnecting America Rick Gustafson, Executive Director, Portland Streetcar, Inc. Charles A. Hales, Senior Vice President, HDR Inc. Jeffrey F. Boothe, Partner, Holland & Knight LLP Mark L. Dorn, PE, URS Corp. Scott Bernstein, President, Center for Neighborhood Technology View Ohland PDF (11 pages, 1.2mb) View Boothe PDF (11 pages, 0.1mb)

Livable Communities, Southern California Style: Circumstantial Urbanism in Los Angeles Congestion, the lack of affordable housing, and the migration of immigrants from across the globe to Southern California has created a landscape of urban innovations. The changing economic conditions, lack of land for development and deterioration of the environment makes individuals creative in solving their own spatial needs in the existing built environment. People bring with them what they know from other countries and retrofit the physical landscape to create innovative development patterns. As a result Southern California becomes a complex urban environment not always easy to read or plan. From the ubiquitous illegal street vendors to gentrification of neighborhoods the living, business and movement patterns of residents is always shifting. Southern California has become a region of urban innovations from the ground up with or with out the help of government. As good, bad or indifferent how we fill toward these urban innovations we need to learn to understand and appreciate the Southern California urban laboratory.   Moderator: Lewis MacAdams, Friends of the LA River Mott Smith, Principal, CIVIC ENTERPRISE John Kamp, Urban Planner, City of Los Angeles, California Robert Gottlieb, Professor, Urban & Environmental Policy Institute, Occidental College View Kamp PDF (25 pages, 1.3mb)

Smart Growth 101 This session is geared towards first-time attendees to the conference or for participants who are new to the practice of implementing smart growth solutions. The session will cover general topics, such as the ten principles of smart growth, the process of how land development typically occurs, and the basics of planning and zoning for smart growth. The goal of the session is to provide a good working background on smart growth and prepare participants for more in-depth sessions during the main conference.   Paul Zykofsky, AICP, Director, Transportation and Land Use Programs, Local Government Commission John Frece, Associate Director, National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education View Zykofsky PDF (170 pages, 14mb) View Frece PDF (66 pages, 2.6mb)

Preserving Workforce Housing through Civil Receivership & Rental Inspection Programs Local governments and community development organizations are searching for new tools and strategies to preserve and maintain an aging housing stock -- both as one of the few meaningful opportunities to provide affordable homes and to prevent these properties from becoming public nuisances. Through its national technical assistance program, the National Vacant Properties Campaign has identified two complementary strategies that assist communities in preserving and protecting aging housing stock: civil receivership and systematic rental inspection programs. Hear from experts about how these programs have successfully been led by government entities, nonprofits, and tenant organizations.   Moderator: Jennifer Leonard, National Vacant Properties Campaign Director, Smart Growth America Co-Moderator: Joseph Schilling, Professor in Practice, Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech Elissa Barrett, Esq., Bet Tzedek Legal Services & Tenant Rights Diane Silva-Martinez, Head Deputy City Attorney, Code Enforcement Unit, Office of the City Attorney, City of San Diego Mel Plummer, Chief Inspector, Los Angeles Housing Department View Leonard/Schilling PDF (5 pages, 0.2mb) View Barrett PDF (18 pages, 0.1mb) View Silva-Martinez PDF (35 pages, 0.6mb) View Plummer PDF (48 pages, 1.6mb)

Tales from the 25: Success Stories and Lessons Learned through Active Living by Design Many communities are discovering the importance of community design to public health and are forming multidisciplinary partnerships to build greater opportunities for routine physical activity and healthy eating into the fabric of their communities. Active Living by Design has supported community-based partnerships throughout the United States to promote physical activity and healthy eating by means of its "5P model of community change", and has learned a lot from these partnerships' experiences about pursuing health goals through a combination of policy and environmental change, public health programs and social marketing. Learn how active living initiatives are succeeding in a variety of contexts using a variety of strategies and what they've learned along the way. Explore what we need to build around urban design policies for citizens to adjust their travel behavior and other routines to fulfill the cultural promise of smart growth.   Rich Bell, Project Officer, Active Living by Design Leah M. Fraser, Ph.D., Director of Policy, Latino Health Access View Bell PDF (32 pages, 2.5mb) View Fraser PDF (30 pages, 2.0mb)

The Tax Toolbox: Financing Mechanisms for Encouraging Smart Growth Ever feel overwhelmed by the financing options that make smart growth happen? What will be the most effective? Which will provide the most return on investment? What steps can I take to ensure that the tools that I use can encourage smart growth? This session will explore some of the most common, but at times, misused and misunderstood resources from the tax toolbox. Hear from national experts who can break down Tax Increment Financing, New Markets Tax Credits, and the Local Income Housing Tax Credits and show how they can be most effectively applied.   Moderator: Kevin Nelson, Senior Policy Analyst, U.S. EPA Toby Rittner, EDFP, Executive Director, Council of Development Finance Agencies Abby Sigal, Vice President of Syndication, Acquisitions, Western Region, Tax Credit Syndication, Enterprise Community Investment, Inc. Robert Poznanski, Director, New Markets Initiative, Local Initiatives Support Corporation View Rittner PDF (30 pages, 0.2mb) View Sigal PDF (20 pages, 0.2mb) View Poznanski PDF (15 pages, 0.1mb)

Thinking Outside the Grid There are multiple advantages to streets built in a grid pattern. However, research suggests that this might not be the best way to encourage and support walking and biking. This panel will look at the theory, research and practice of an alternative to the grid -- the Garden City pattern of development.   Moderator: David Crossley, President, Gulf Coast Institute Susan Handy, Associate Professor, ESP, Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis Bill Emlen, City Manager, City of Davis, CA View Crossley PDF (68 pages, 10mb) View Handy PDF (54 pages, 3.0mb) View Emlen PDF (50 pages, 2.5mb)

Planning for Excellence: The 2006 Transportation Planning Excellence Awards As communities across the United States grapple with growth and development, metropolitan planning organizations are learning to effectively use unique and innovative planning and implementation tools to integrate transportation and land use at the local and regional level. Join us in hearing how award-wining communities have used these tools to bring consensus through "cooperatively addressing growth, transportation and environmental quality planning." From voluntary urban growth boundaries, intergovernmental agreements to implementation, and comprehensive multi-modal corridor visions to consensus building through branding, photo-realistic renderings and video documentation, there is something in this session for everyone.   Moderator: Effie Stallsmith, Community Planner, Office of Systems Planning, Federal Transit Administration Robert Ritter, Team Leader, Office of Planning, Federal Highway Administration Jeffrey Lambert, Owner, Lambert Consulting; Boardmember, American Planning Association Supervisor Steve Kinsey, Marin County, California Thomas Thomson, PE, AICP, Executive Director, Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission Larry Mugler, AICP, Planning Services Manager, Denver Regional Council of Governments View Ritter PDF (6 pages, 0.1mb) View Kinsey PDF (40 pages, 2.0mb) View Thomson PDF (40 pages, 2.3mb) View Mugler PDF (42 pages, 3.0mb)

Technical Assistance: How to Help Communities and States Get to Smart Growth This session will host a panel discussing best practices from the first two years of the US EPA and EPA-NOAA Smart Growth Implementation Assistance programs. Panelists will present case studies from some recipient locations, steps communities are taking toward implementation, and lessons learned. The session will also host a discussion of practices transferable to other localities and how to create a state or regional technical assistance program. Representatives from some of the recipient communities will be available for peer discussions. Communities interested in applying for technical assistance or agencies and programs interested in creating new technical assistance programs are encouraged to attend.   Facilitator: Ilana Preuss, Senior Policy Analyst, U. S. EPA Will Schroeer, Vice President, ICF International Dena Belzer, Principal, Strategic Economics Jim Charlier, President, Charlier Associates, Inc. Reid Ewing, Research Professor, National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education, University of Maryland Mary Madden, Principal, Ferrell Madden Associates Tim Van Meter, Architect/Partner, Van Meter Williams Pollack View Preuss/Schroeer PDF (29 pages, 3.0mb) View Belzer PDF (19 pages, 2.5mb) View Charlier PDF (87 pages, 6.2mb) View Van Meter PDF (52 pages, 5.5mb)

Acquiring Land to Curb Sprawl Many urban areas are dealing with vacant and abandoned properties while at the same time experiencing booming land prices. Beyond using eminent domain or tax liens, most cities do not have the capacity to acquire property and hold it for redevelopment at the right time. Learn how entrepreneurial nonprofits are working with financial institutions and foundations to create long-term acquisitions funds that help reclaim vacant, abandoned or underutilized land in urban areas. These funds allow nonprofits to build new affordable homes where existing infrastructure is in place as well as retain needed green space. This session also will examine how groups with different agendas (i.e. conservation, open space, development) can work together to build mutually beneficial acquisition funds. These funds can take the pressure off of cash-strapped municipalities that need development to boost their economies and still create livable, sustainable communities.   Moderator: Noreen Beatley, Sustainable Communities Advocate, Innovative Consulting Lori Chatman, Vice President, Chief Credit Officer, Enterprise Community Loan Fund Anthony Flint, Public Affairs Manager, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy View Beatley PDF (11 pages, 0.3mb) View Chatman PDF (11 pages, 0.3mb) View Flint PDF (13 pages, 0.7mb)

Smart Schools and Smart Growth This session will focus on the importance of coalition-building and linking concerns between smart growth advocates and education equity and reform advocates. Cutting-edge collaborations across the country are working to break through the longtime intractable problems that held back both schools and the communities in which they serve. At the national level, the Smart Schools Initiative of Smart Growth America has been developing common ground between the movements for smart growth and quality public education, and encouraging grassroots reform efforts. Some citizens are mobilizing at the state level to lessen local reliance on property taxes to promote education equity and reduce sprawl. Others are working to repeal state minimum acreage requirements that have fueled "school sprawl." Still others are promoting smaller, neighborhood-based schools that can better serve as centers of community. The session will hear about such efforts, and will include a focus on the path-breaking work of New Schools, Better Neighborhoods, which has rallied support in the state of California for smarter, more community-based school facilities.   Moderator: Jonathan Weiss, Senior Counsel, SRS Technologies David Abel, Chairman and Founder, New Schools Better Neighborhoods Robert Garcia, Executive Director, The City Project View Abel PDF (19 pages, 0.7mb) View Garcia PDF (18 pages, 2.3mb)

Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) SAFETEA-LU authorizes the Federal surface transportation programs for highways, highway safety, and transit for the 5-year period 2005-2009. In SAFETEA-LU, metropolitan and statewide transportation planning processes are continued; however, a number of changes have been made in the planning processes for surface transportation; some of these changes add flexibility and efficiency, while others add new consultation and environmental planning requirements. This session will explore the opportunities and requirements for incorporating land use, environmental stewardship and mitigation, public participation and community values in the transportation planning and project development processes.   Moderator: Robert Ritter, Team Leader, Office of Planning, Federal Highway Administration Effie Stallsmith, Community Planner, Office of Systems Planning, Federal Transit Administration Shari Schaftlein, Team Leader, Office of Project Development & Environmental Review, Federal Highway Administration View Ritter PDF (25 pages, 0.6mb) View Stallsmith PDF (17 pages, 0.1mb) View Schaftlein PDF (27 pages, 1.2mb)

Gentrification in the Name of Smart Growth: Lessons and Strategies for Maintaining Diversity Smart Growth strives to reduce the need for the automobile and encourage neighborhoods that encompass opportunities for live, work, and play. In Los Angeles, as commutes grow longer, restrictions impede higher densities, and land costs in desirable and moderate neighborhoods skyrocket, developers have increasingly been looking to historically low-income neighborhoods as places to provide workforce housing affordable to the middle class. Although not at the high end of the market, these new homes are more expensive than the existing stock and, thus, some level of gentrification ensues. In doing so, low income residents of those neighborhoods are being pushed further out in to the fringe to make way for housing that is affordable to the workforce, but not necessarily for low-income households. As a result, with little available income to spend on transportation and housing, the low-income households find themselves with even fewer choices than before as they are pushed further out and/or to areas underserved by transit. The session will include a panel discussion representing various viewpoints on the pitfalls of and solutions for displacement as a result of enacting Smart Growth principles.   Moderator: Howard Kozloff, Development Manager, The Martin Group Victor Rubin, Director of Research, PolicyLink Mary Wright, AICP, Program Manager, Planning Department, City of San Diego, California Michael Woo, Planning Commissioner, City of Los Angeles, CA View Rubin PDF (19 pages, 0.3mb) View Wright PDF (26 pages, 1.4mb)

Implementing the Next Generation of Smart Growth and Farmland Protection The challenge to achieve smart growth faced by urbanizing agricultural counties has resulted in a new generation of strategies for farmland protection. Participants in the session will explore the key elements and approaches communities can use to successfully link smart growth and planning for agriculture. Panelists who spearheaded nationally recognized projects in California, Pennsylvania and Maryland will highlight: utilizing urban lands as efficiently as possible while protecting strategic farmland; recognizing the importance of agriculture to both the local economy and environment; and the need to elevate decisions that effect agriculture to the same level as decisions about the built environment.   Moderator: John Miller, Project Manager, Technical Assistance Services, American Farmland Trust Mike Nelson, Executive Officer, San Diego River Conservancy Stephen Hammond, Principal, Director of Planning, Wallace, Roberts and Todd LLC View Miller PDF (14 pages, 0.3mb) View Hammond PDF (61 pages, 5.2mb)

Making Rating Systems Work The session will begin with a brief overview of rating systems from around the nation, describing what the programs were designed to do, how they are measuring their success, and what spin-off benefits and pitfalls they've encountered. We will then introduce the LEED-ND rating system (which will be in its Pilot stage by the date of this session), what it is designed to promote, and its intended audience. After that introduction, we will call a civic organization that has successfully deployed scorecards, endorsement programs or rating systems to discuss a specific project and how it fares under their own rating system vs. LEED-ND. The point of this case study will be to draw out the relative advantages of each system. Panelists from Section One will be invited to comment, and then this session will end with a round of detailed discussion, in which the audience will be invited to raise questions, concerns and ideas for the integration of LEED-ND with any existing local programs. This part of the session will be geared towards those implementing or developing systems of their own and advocates considering adopting the LEED-ND criteria in lieu of developing their own.   Moderator: Jessica Millman, Maryland Director, Coalition for Smarter Growth Janet Milkman, President & CEO, 1000 Friends of Pennsylvania Tom Steinbach, Executive Director, Greenbelt Alliance Kaid Benfield, Co-chair, LEED-ND Core Committee, Director, Smart Growth Program, Natural Resources Defense Council View Milkman PDF (17 pages, 0.8mb) View Steinbach PDF (21 pages, 5.8mb) View Benfield PDF (27 pages, 0.6mb)

It's Easy Being Green.... and Healthier Too! Smart growth looks at where we build and attempts to curb the sprawl that's become prevalent across the U.S. But to really grow smartly we need to look at not just where we grow, but how we grow. The built environment plays a major impact on our environment - the building sector consumers 40 percent of all the world's energy and material resources. Buildings in the U.S. are responsible for more CO2 emissions than any other country in the world except China. Building "green" maximizes building performance while minimizing environmental impacts. Moreover, the benefits of green building accrue across the community. Learn how to increase the performance of the buildings in your neighborhood - schools, healthcare facilities, homes, etc., to ensure Smart Growth holistically across your community. Hear how high performance buildings not only curtail energy usage and save precious resources, but also improve our health and productivity. Children living and studying in green buildings get sick less and perform better in school. Green hospitals increase recovery periods. Green retail sells more products. This session will examine how creating high performance building throughout our communities takes smart growth one level higher. Speakers will come from the across a wide variety of sectors -- from healthcare to education to housing.   Moderator: Noreen Beatley, Sustainable Communities Advocate, Innovative Consulting Kollin Min, Senior Program Director, Enterprise Community Partners Reid Ewing, Ph.D., Research Professor, National Center for Smart Growth, University of Maryland Todd Jersey, Owner, Todd Jersey Architects View Min PDF (11 pages, 0.3mb) View Ewing PDF (28 pages, 1.2mb) View Jersey PDF (80 pages, 3.1mb)

Getting Developers On Board Transit-Oriented Development The market for TOD products has now been well established, a few hundred TOD projects have been built in recent years, and more and more developers understand that TOD can out perform traditional real estate products. Local governments advocate TOD, yet getting development approval for TOD projects remains highly problematic in most communities. Learn from developers what they need to develop TOD on your site and in your community.   Facilitator: GB Arrington, Principal Practice Leader, PB PlaceMaking Tony M. Salazar, President, McCormack Baron Salazar Katherine Perez, Vice President of Development, Forest City Development Dan Rosenfeld, Principal, Urban Partners LLC Mark Farrar, Principal, Millennium Partners No Presentations available from this event.

Complete Streets: Innovations for Planning and Policies Officials and planners are discovering street design as an effective route towards healthier, sustainable communities. By asking if planned and existing streets are complete for all users they are getting at the root of much more evasive issues such as economic growth, optimizing mixed-use and accessibility for all residents and visitors. Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit users of all ages and abilities enjoy traveling along and across complete streets. Complete streets policies require that all of these users are accommodated in all transportation projects. Come learn from others and share your experiences in this interactive workshop that will give you the tools you need to complete the streets for your communities.   Moderator: David Goldberg, Communications Director, Smart Growth America Barbara McCann, Principal, McCann Consulting Sue Knaup, Executive Director, Thunderhead Alliance Mike Davis, Design Section Manager, Charlotte Department of Transportation View McCann PDF (42 pages, 1.5mb) View Davis PDF (35 pages, 2.0mb)

Growing Smarter Workplaces The influence of smart growth principles on the design of neighborhoods, streets and town centers is indisputable. Major planning and visioning efforts have also embraced smart growth, and illustrated how the principles might play out at the regional scale. But largely left out of this progress is a dominant shaper of the sprawl landscape -- the business park. This session will report on efforts and achievements at transforming business park environments, while also inviting participants to explore the meaning of growing smarter workplaces, from the perspectives of experts in economics, urban design, and transportation.   Ellen Greenberg, AICP, Principal, Freedman, Tung and Bottomley Dena Belzer, Principal, Strategic Economics View Greenberg/Belzer PDF (127 pages, 5.4mb)

Safe Routes to School: The Key to Walkable Communities Walking and bicycling to school is about as American as mom and apple pie. Creating a Safe Routes to School program offers you an opportunity to partner with many different constituencies to create a more walkable and bikeable community with political ease. Learn how to start a Safe Routes to School program in your community from the national experts. Learn more about the 5 E's, engineering, encouragement, education, enforcement, and evaluation. Find out about the $612 million SAFETEA-LU federal funding program and how you can make the program work in your state. Learn the specific engineering tools that apply to Safe Routes to Schools.   Facilitator: Wendi Kallins, Founder & Program Director, national model Safe Routes to Schools program in Marin County, California Tim Torma, Policy Analyst, U.S. EPA Paul Zykofsky, AICP, Director, Land Use and Transportation Programs, Local Government Commission Deb Hubsmith, Coordinator, Safe Routes to School National Partnership Diane Wigle, Chief, Safety Countermeasures Division, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration View Kallins PDF (66 pages, 2.7mb) View Torma PDF (22 pages, 1.2mb) View Zykofsky PDF (84 pages, 6.4mb) View Hubsmith PDF (18 pages, 0.4mb) View Wigle PDF (34 pages, 1.4mb) View Traffic Safety Game Show PDF (25 pages, 0.2mb)

What's DAT? The Design Assistance Programs of the AIA Architects and other design professionals play a unique role in leading sustainable change for community growth. The AIA's Center for Communities by Design provides design assistance through several design assistance programs--the AIA has provided these services for 40 years. This workshop explains the Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT) model through an interactive charrette format. Participants will learn about charrettes, community engagement, and design assistance in general as well as the SDAT and Regional and Urban Design Assistance Team (R/UDAT) programs in particular. They will review a sustainable design checklist, and participate in a simulated community design assessment charrette based on the three E's: environment, energy and equality.   Facilitator: Ann Livingston, Esq., Director, Center for Communities by Design, The American Institute of Architects Robert G. Shibley, AIA, AICP, Director, The Urban Design Project; Professor of Architecture and Planning, University at Buffalo Grace Perdomo, Assoc. AIA, Wallace + Perdomo, Inc. Erica Gees, AIA, Associate, Kuhn Riddle Architects View AIA-I PDF (14 pages, 0.1mb)

Developing a SmartCode for Your Community The SmartCode is a comprehensive form-based zoning and planning approach that incorporates Smart Growth and New Urbanism principles to help organize the human habitat. It is based on the idea of the Transect, which defines a continuum of urbanized conditions ranging from the permanently rural and undeveloped, to the dense, intensely urbanized city centers. Developed over the past decade by Andres Duany of DPZ, with input from professionals around the country, the SmartCode is receiving increasing attention nationwide. It has been particularly well received in many Mississippi gulf coast communities looking to rebuild after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. In this session, Andrés Duany will present an overview of the SmartCode and highlight ways in which it can be successfully applied to communities across the nation. This session will be particularly applicable to those professionals and public sector officials who have some preliminary knowledge of the SmartCode and are interested in learning how to successfully implement it in their communities.   Robert Alminana, LEED AP, CNU, Director of Town Planning, HDR Inc. Andrés Duany, FAIA, Principal, DPZ View Duany PDF (22 pages, 7.9mb)

Conference Welcome & Acknowledgements 6:30-7:00pm Vice Mayor Jake Mackenzie, City of Rohnert Park, California; LGC Board Member Supervisor Kathy Long, Ventura County, California; LGC Board Chair Charles Kent, Director, Office of Business and Community Innovation, U.S. EPA No Presentations available from this event.

Realizing the New Urban Form in Los Angeles and Beyond 7:00-7:15pm California has always been for dreamers, and Los Angeles is the city making those dreams a reality. Over the past two years, issues about growth and quality of life have risen to the top of the Mayoral agenda, with cornerstone themes of increasing the supply of affordable housing, providing transportation choices and creating vibrant mixed-use urban neighborhoods that inform a smart planning policy. Michael Woo, one of Mayor Villaraigosa's appointees to the City Planning Commission and the first trained urban planner elected to the L.A. City Council, will discuss how the evolution of the city into a dense yet sustainable metropolis will provide opportunities of affordable housing and good jobs for its residents. Investment in core services such as housing, parks and transportation help stabilize and grow neighborhoods but also sets forth an agenda for community vitality consistent with those who dream of economic and environmental prosperity.   Michael Woo, City Planning Commissioner, City of Los Angeles, California No Presentations available from this event.

The Next Chapter for Smart Growth: Capacity Building to Institutionalization 7:15-8:45pm Ten years ago, smart growth was a burgeoning concept -- one that had gained footing in a few progressive places throughout the country. These days, smart growth plays an important role in communities across the nation. This plenary will focus on how the smart growth movement has evolved from the first seeds of the movement to its current iteration of implemented principles and policies adopted by many communities. Speakers from diverse professions will assess threats and opportunities, and offer action items for implementers who seek to move smart growth from cutting edge to business-as-usual.   Judy Corbett, Executive Director, Local Government Commission Harriet Tregoning, Director, Office of Planning, City of Washington, DC Panelists: Will Fleissig, Director for Development, Urban Villages Ed Thompson, Jr., California State Director and Senior Associate, American Farmland Trust Doug Farr, Founding Prinicpal, Farr Associates Celeste Cantu, General Manager, Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority; Former California State Water Boards Director Loel Solomon, PhD, National Director, Community Health Initiatives and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Cielo Castro, Deputy Director of Constituency Services, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Stefanos Polyzoides, Principal, Moule Polyzoides -- Urbanists and Architects No Presentations available from this event.

Back to Top

Morning Welcome 8:30-8:40am Vice Mayor Jake Mackenzie, City of Rohnert Park, California; LGC Board Member No Presentations available from this event.

Smart Growth: Growing Our Economy and Accelerating the Pace of Environmental Protection 8:40-9:15am For the last 10 years the EPA has played a leadership role on smart growth at the national level. But, ultimately EPA is a catalyst and resource; change comes about as a result of new directions in the states, local governments, and the business and non-profit sectors. Administrator Johnson will discuss how EPA is partnering with these sectors to support their efforts, the challenges and opportunities smart growth presents for the environmental community, and what it will take to reach the next level of environmental protection.   Introduction: Wayne Nastri, Regional Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 9 Steve Johnson, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency No Presentations available from this event.

Ensuring Equitable and Healthy Communities 9:15-10:00am Smart Growth is about quality of life and the ability for all people to have access to decent livable communities. For some, this is inherent in their daily lives. For many others, especially those in the middle and lower classes, choices and options for safe and healthy living are few. This discussion will focus on strategies smart growth advocates employ to ensure greater access to opportunity, and provide safe, economically attainable, livable neighborhoods. In doing so, these communities are models of healthy lifestyles and practice. We will hear from Robert K. Ross, the President and CEO of The California Endowment who will expound on the Endowment's efforts to strengthen communities and provide opportunities for its residents.   Robert K. Ross, MD, President and CEO, The California Endowment No Presentations available from this event.

Community Benefits Agreements: A Development Tool to Ensure Jobs, Housing and Other Benefits for Your Community Pioneered by the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, Community Benefits Agreements have now become a nationally recognized tool for promoting equity in urban redevelopment. CBAs are project-specific contracts between community coalitions and developers to provide for community benefits such as local hiring, affordable housing set-asides, living wages, open space, environmental amenities and/or space for services such as child care or health care. CBA projects embody smart growth standards such as density, transit access, and mixed use; they also address the increasingly salient issues of displacement and gentrification by enabling area residents to capture more value from redevelopment. This session will use a Los Angeles case study the Staples Center expansion to provide practical advice on how a CBA is structured and negotiated; it will also include lessons learned from how it has been implemented to date.   Moderator: Donald Cohen, Executive Director, Center on Policy Initiatives Madeline Janis-Aparicio, Executive Director, Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy Jerilyn Lopez Mendoza, Policy Director, Environmental Defense View Mendoza PDF (13 pages, 0.2mb)

Coming Out Strong and Getting it Right: 2006 Smart Growth In The States As smart growth priorities have ebbed and flowed in during the last decade, state smart growth policies, messages, and players have evolved to reflect pressing initiatives, public sentiment and political opportunity. 2006 has been a banner year! Join this panel for a look at hot policy issues and meet key players. Explore how local groups are getting the attention of state leaders; how governors are translating their interests into policies and action; and how these state actions are having a dramatic effect at the local level. Learn more about emerging issues at the state level and about strategies that are effecting long-term change on the ground.   Moderator: John Frece, Associate Director, National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education Missy Neff, Assistant Secretary of Natural Resources for Administration, Commonwealth of Virginia Nick Bollman, Senior Advisor, California Center for Regional Leadership Joanne Denworth, Senior Policy Manager, Governors Office of Policy, State of Pennsylvania View Denworth PDF (15 pages, 0.2mb)

Smart Growth Development in the West: What are the Water Implications? The Western US is one of the fastest growing areas in the nation; it also has some of the scarcest water resources. Accommodating growth while ensuring sufficient and reliable water is a critical challenge facing the region. This session will connect smart growth strategies to managing water supplies in the rapidly growing West. It will illustrate why smart growth development is less water resource intensive than conventional development patterns. Examples of communities in the West that are counting the water supply benefits of smart growth in their land use strategies will be highlighted. Strategies for implementation and overcoming barriers will be included.   Moderator: Martha Davis, Executive Manager of Policy Development Inland Empire Utilities Agency Susan Spegar, Special Project Manager, City of San Antonio, TX John Norris, Founding Principal, Norris Design Laura J. Huffman, Assistant City Manager, City of Austin, Texas View Spegar PDF (26 pages, 0.4mb) View Norris PDF (44 pages, 2.8mb) View Huffman PDF (10 pages, 0.9mb)

Latino New Urbanism As great numbers of Latino immigrants settle into large parts of Los Angeles, they bring a different use of urban space to an already existing built environment. Latino growth is occurring at a time when California is conflicted between several urban development models -- a choice between developing compact cities, preserving the environment or increasing urban sprawl and slums. This session will examine the impacts Latino urbanism has on the built form and discussed needed policies to address these issues.   Moderator: Councilmember Maribel de la Torre, City of San Fernando, California Brittanya Murillo, Fannie Mae - Enterprise Fellow, Los Angeles Housing Department James Rojas, Chair, Latino Urban Forum; Project Manager, Central Area Team, Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority View de la Torre PDF (34 pages, 4.5mb) View Murillo PDF (12 pages, 0.3mb) View Rojas PDF (26 pages, 1.5mb)

Healthy Eating in the City: Improving Access to Fresh Foods and the Connection to Sustainable Food Systems This session will feature: 1) strategies that have either emerged or evolved since January 2006 in the service of increasing access to healthy foods and improving health in urban centers, 2) recent or current policy and programmatic efforts to support local sustainable agriculture work, and 3) a case illustration of how one community is working to both increase food access and support a local food system with multiple strategies. Speakers will focus on providing implementation strategies and current examples of how this work can be done in local communities.   Moderator: Raquel Luz Bournhonesque, MPH, Food Policy Council Program Manager, Community Food Security Coalition Andy Fisher, Executive Director, Community Food Security Coalition Leslie Mikkelsen, MPH, Managing Director, Prevention Institute Phil McGrath, Owner, McGrath Family Farms View Bournhonesque PDF (9 pages, 0.3mb) View Mikkelsen PDF (17 pages, 1.4mb)

From City to Suburb: Urbanity Embraced Downtown Vancouver may be the poster child for high-density urbanism, but now the suburbs want a piece of the action. The "D" word is no longer verboten in the single-family suburbs, as Mayors and Councils increasingly accept density and mixed-use -- so long as it gives their municipalities a sense of place, more housing choice and a guarantee of improved transit. Gordon Price once again tells the Vancouver story, but this time explores how the lessons learned are being adopted by suburban communities.   Gordon Price, Director, City Programs, Simon Fraser University View Price PDF (103 pages, 14mb)

The Challenges of Joint-Use School-Based Community Planning As many communities across the country struggle with the social and environmental consequences of suburban sprawl and unmanaged urban growth, a new trend in school design that addresses a range of community problems is emerging. Joint-use schools that create partnerships with other community resources including libraries, parks, health clinics, youth programs, and even farmer's markets. These partnerships can reverse the trend of sprawl, attract more people to live and raise families closer to the core of the city, and make efficient use of scarce materials and land. This session will explore some of the major challenges and opportunities facing joint-use school-based development and will look at several success stories and the lessons learned from these experiences.   Moderator: David Abel, Managing Director, New Schools Better Neighborhoods John R. Dale, AIA, LEED AP, Associate Principal, K-12 Schools Studio, Harry Ellis Devereaux Randall Lewis, Executive Vice President, Director of Marketing, Lewis Operating Corp. Gail Goldberg, Planning Director, City of Los Angeles, California View Abel PDF (78 pages, 6.3mb) View Dale PDF (38 pages, 4.4mb)

Turning 5,000 Acres into Smart Growth -- Can it be Done? Smart growth developments seem obvious as infill sites or even as 500-acre developments, but what happens in the wide open plains when 5,000-acre are available for a smart growth plan? Or a 25,000-acre site? What can we learn from successful smart growth developments of 200-500 acres? Come meet with people who are trying to make it happen and discuss lessons learned. This session will include presentations by the panelists and provide an opportunity for participants to brainstorm ideas for smart growth in large-scale developments.   Moderator: Carol Whiteside, Executive Director, Great Valley Center Dena Belzer, Principal, Strategic Economics Laurel Prevetti, Deputy Director, Department of Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement, San Jose, California Jim Schulte, Vice President, Long Range Planning, Kennecott Land View Belzer PDF (20 pages, 1.5mb) View Prevetti PDF (15 pages, 1mb)

Everybody's Talking At Me: Communication, Negotiation, and Mediation Strategies for Managing Conflicts over Development Decisions Many land use policies and development decisions are fraught with conflict and controversy. Caught in the middle of a firestorm of irate residents and frustrated developers, local officials, civic leaders, and community groups often need help in how to strategically frame issues and define terms to avoid impasse and enhance understanding about the real versus perceived impacts of a development project or a change to the communities' comprehensive plan or zoning ordinance. This session will initially examine essential communication strategies for project managers, department heads, elected officials, and executive directors of nonprofit organizations. As former chief of staff for Los Angeles City Councilmember Ruth Galanter and former Executive Director of Heal the Bay, Adi Liberman has worked with government officials and community leaders on framing land use and environmental issues. He will explore strategies they can use to minimize miscommunications and enhance trust and credibility. For the second half of the session, Donna Silverberg, former director of Oregon's Office of Dispute Resolution will share her experience designing and facilitating multi-party, public policy consensus building processes along with specific mediation and negotiation techniques and skills.   Facilitator: Elizabeth Schilling, Principal, Urban Associates Adi Liberman, President, Adi Lieberman & Associates Donna Silverberg, Principal, DS Consulting View Schilling PDF (1 page, 0.1mb) View Liberman PDF (12 pages, 0.6mb) View Silverberg PDF (5 pages, 0.1mb)

Turning Bases into Great Places The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure recommendations slated 25 military installations for closure around the nation. These communities now face the challenge of losing a major employer and, for many, an emotional center of the community. Smart growth approaches can help turn these challenges into long-lived assets to the entire community. Many of the lessons learned from converting former military bases into mixed-use communities are applicable to other large redevelopment projects as well. This session will explore some of the major challenges and opportunities facing communities with closing or closed bases and will look at two success stories and the lessons learned from their experiences.   Moderator: Megan Susman, Policy Analyst, U.S. EPA Kathi Riser, Vice President, The Corky McMillin Companies Robert "Bob" Santos, CEO and President, Lennar Homes, Heritage Fields Division View Susman PDF (27 pages, 3.3mb) View Santos PDF (57 pages, 3.6mb)

Livable Cities -- The Best Protection for Ag Land and Open Space Ventura County has urban growth boundaries to protect agricultural land and open space. Now, the City of Ventura is pursuing urban infill as the alternative to suburban sprawl. Hear the exciting and inspiring Ventura story from three national leaders in smart growth.   Moderator: Rick Cole, City Manager, City of Ventura, California Bill Fulton, President, Solimar Research; Councilmember, City of Ventura, California Supervisor Steve Bennett, Ventura County, California View Cole PDF (40 pages, 4.3mb) View Fulton PDF (12 pages, 0.3mb)

Doing the Deal: Mistakes and Missteps in the Market for TOD Cities across the country are working to be the next light-rail star as they build entire lines and systems seemingly overnight. But these same places are making tragic mistakes and missteps in preparing the market for TOD to sprout around each new rail station. Public agencies rarely see that they are intrinsic players in the success or failure of TOD along their rail lines. With current drops in the residential market, more TOD plans are at stake. This session features discussion about cities that are becoming the Good, the Bad and the Indifferent at doing the deal for TOD to succeed in the marketplace.   Ilana Preuss, Senior Policy Analyst, U.S. EPA Katherine Perez, Vice President of Development, Forest City Development Dena Belzer, Principal, Strategic Economics View Preuss PDF (15 pages, 0.6mb) View Perez PDF (11 pages, 0.8mb) View Belzer PDF (18 pages, 1.5mb)

Eminent Domain: Getting Your Arms around the Mine Field of Land Use and Property Rights 2006 was a banner year for critical state eminent domain and takings legislation that is re-shaping local capacity to redevelop and build smart, compact communities of choice. With a flurry of action in over 30 states and several major initiatives currently in play, smart growth, local government, and community advocates are on the front line of land use regulation. Join this session and get the scoop on the current arena of action. Panelists who are in the thick of activity and will explain what is happening, implications for communities, learnings and challenges as they face challenges to come in 2007. Included will be a state-by-state handout of current legislation.   Moderator: Julia Seward, Director of State Policy, Local Initiatives Support Corporation David Goldberg, Communications Director, Smart Growth America Michael Snodgrass, Director Neighborhoods Now, Kansas City LISC Michael Goldberg, Partner, Action Media View Snodgrass PDF (15 pages, 0.5mb) View M. Goldberg PDF (25 pages, 0.3mb)

Planning, Designing, and Building for Health: Healthcare Facilities as a Source of Health Promotion This session will uncover key opportunities, responsibilities and challenges for the health sector in designing and building facilities that promote community health. Past and current strategies in designing healthcare facilities to be "healthy buildings" have focused on environmental sustainability and environmental health issues, such as the siting of buildings and the use of "green" materials. Given the current understanding about the impact of the built environment on health, designers, architects, and facilities executives can leverage their knowledge and successes in building "green" facilities to build or renovate healthcare facilities so that they also promote public health by encouraging physical activity. This includes strategies such as linking the campus to a bus or metro stop, creating welcoming stairwells and providing walking trails on campus to promote walking. Speakers from three different fields (public health, healthcare facilities, and design/architecture) will discuss the key responsibilities, opportunities and challenges in this work. Small group breakouts will give participants a chance to interact and brainstorm ways to address problems encountered in building healthcare facilities that promote health. This session is geared towards facilities executives, planners, public health professionals, and clinical champions interested in making healthcare facilities a source of prevention and wellness.   Moderator: Richard Jackson, MD, MPH, Adjunct Professor, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of California at Berkeley, School of Public Health John Kouletsis, National Director of Strategy, Planning, and Design, Kaiser Permanente John Pangrazio, FAIA, FACHA Partner, NBBJ Architects Michael Hrast, Project Director, NFS Capital Projects Modesto View Jackson PDF (34 pages, 1.1mb) View Kouletsis PDF (18 pages, 0.5mb) View Pangrazio PDF (35 pages, 2.5mb) View Hrast PDF (12 pages, 0.4mb)

Partnerships for Building Crime-Resistant Communities Public safety is a critical factor in smart growth planning, given that crime and fear have such a pronounced impact on property values, the ability of children to walk to school, the success of businesses, prospects for new investment and the overall health of residents. Likewise, planners and community developers can greatly influence crime patterns as they shape the physical environment and the landscape of economic and social opportunities in a given place. This session will explore how law enforcement and planners/developers can integrate their strategies to transform troubled neighborhoods and prevent crime in the long run. Leaders in the Community Safety Initiative (CSI), a national program of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, will discuss how and why such police-developer alliances have worked; describe ways to overcome common barriers to collaboration, such as distrust, resource limitations and institutional differences; and share examples of police-developer collaboration around land-use and infrastructure decision-making, architectural design, and community programming that have helped to create safe and healthy neighborhoods across the country.   Moderator: Julia Ryan, Program Director, Community Safety Initiative, Local Initiatives Support Corporation Theresa Carr, Executive Director, American Indian Neighborhood Development Corporation Sharon Lubinski, Deputy Chief, Minneapolis Police Department View Ryan PDF (8 pages, 0.5mb)

Farms, Forests, Food, and Mobility: Policies that Promote Livability and Healthy Communities in Rural America Historically, rural America solved a generations-old transportation problem with a distinct land use and development pattern. Post WWII, the market, transportation technology, and advances in agriculture production all changed, altering the character of the rural landscape and the clear connection between the rural economy and the rural development pattern, especially in fast growing rural areas. Many rural communities across the country are meeting the challenge of how to grow while at the same time keeping their quality of life. Some communities have adopted smart growth strategies as a way to accommodate growth and maintain rural character. This panel will address various policy options related to rural land use, access to healthy food choices, transportation, conservation, public health, and the environment. The moderator will provide a short overview of smart growth in rural America. The panelists will discuss their current work on food access, rural transportation and land use, and the connection between conservation and land development patterns outside of public and private forests.   Moderator: Matt Dalbey, Policy Analyst, U.S. EPA Judith Bell, President, PolicyLink Dan Emerine, Livable Communities Team, International City and County Management Association Stephanie Bertaina, Open Space Conservation Specialist, U.S. Forest Service View Bell PDF (15 pages, 0.3mb) View Emerine PDF (30 pages, 1.4mb) View Bertaina PDF (16 pages, 1.2mb)

Developing and Implementing a Successful Form-Based Code Form-Based (or Design-Based) Codes have become a subject of enormous interest to municipalities and jurisdictions across the country, particularly those that are interested in redeveloping and revitalizing all or parts of their communities. Such codes tend to derive, in part, from urban design and architectural design guidelines that have been used, in the past, to supplement conventional use-based zoning with a set of criteria addressing the physical attributes of proposed development. Over time, the idea has arisen of combining the use-based zoning code and the form-based guidelines into a single set of legally defensible criteria for dictating elements of future development. Most codes include three critical elements - the design components, the structuring of the code itself, and the legal implementation. This session includes experts in each of these three categories to present a short overview of each respective category and then discuss the ways in which the three must work together to create a truly viable form-based code.   Moderator: Paul Zykofsky, AICP, Director, Land Use and Transportation Programs, Local Government Commission David Sargent, AIA, Principal; California Director of Planning, HDR, Inc. S. Mark White, JD, AICP, White and Smith, Planning and Law Group Alan Loomis, Principal Urban Designer, City of Glendale, California View Sargent PDF (117 pages, 13mb) View White PDF (29 pages, 1mb) View Loomis PDF (28 pages, 3.7mb)

Smart Growth and Social Equity: Lessons in Civic Engagement Ask an environmental advocate how they engage their constituency in policy and political action and their answer will be very different from how a low-income or community development advocate engages their constituency. We know that sprawl has significant negative social, economic, and environmental consequences for low-income and immigrant communities, yet we often lack these communities' voices and input in the Smart Growth discussion. This session will examine the type of outreach needed to engage low-income and immigrant communities in the planning discussion and development stages. Panelists will address how to turn conversations with city officials around to ensure that the entire community is engaged, how to work with local residents to help them understand why their input and advocacy matters, and how to ensure that the smart growth movement is also a social equity movement. The session will highlight two cases studies and include public outreach consultants that worked with the community as well as community residents that are part of the process.   Moderator: Will Cipes, Interim Executive Director, Transportation Land Use Collaborative of Southern California Monica Villalobos, Community Outreach Director, Transportation & Land Use Collaborative of Southern California Mayor Maria Davila, City of Southgate, California Ramon Trias, AICP, Principal, Trias and Associates Elise Rollins, Resident, Ft. Pierce, Florida View Cipes PDF (12 pages, 0.6mb) View Villalobos PDF (19 pages, 0.8mb) View Trias PDF (28 pages, 2.7mb)

Reclaiming Vacant Land and Abandoned Properties: Promoting Smart Growth, Improving Housing Affordability, and Revitalizing Communities Redeveloping blighted properties helps make our communities vibrant places once again and can provide the opportunity to produce much-needed affordable housing. By revitalizing vacant lots and abandoned buildings as part of a larger strategy, we can create desirable mixed-use and mixed-income neighborhoods close to transportation and job centers while simultaneously offering affordable opportunities to home buyers and renters. Such efforts also are a key ingredient in any smart growth strategy to stimulate more reasonable development patterns and revitalize core communities. Come hear from a panel of award-winning nonprofit community developers and their partners about how they teamed up to reclaim and redevelop vacant and abandoned properties, generating affordable homes for working families and stimulating reinvestment in their neighborhoods. Learn about the challenges these organizations faced, the strategies employed to overcome those challenges, and how these models of success might be replicated in other areas.   Moderator: Chris Morton, Director of Policy and Consulting, Fannie Mae Foundation Edith C. Martinez, Project Manager, New Economics for Women Beatriz O. Stotzer, Board President, New Economics for Women Loni Willey, Director of Finance & Operations, Women's Institute for Housing and Economic Development Lynn Peterson, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Women's Institute for Housing and Economic Development View Martinez-Stotzer PDF (20 pages, 0.3mb) View Peterson PDF (29 pages, 0.7mb)

Why Labor Unions Support Smart Growth Over 20 years and three ballot initiatives, San Diego,s labor leaders moved from opposition to smart growth to neutrality to enthusiastic support. How that change occurred is a telling microcosm of how unions are coming to see urban revitalization to be strongly in their self-interest and are seeking common ground with environmentalists and other smart growth advocates. The Building Trades in Oregon (unlike some other states), have long understood the value of Urban Growth Boundaries, and see UGBs as integral to the revitalization of cities like Portland and to the strength of their unions. With San Diego and Portland as case studies, this session will also explain how the national AFL-CIO came to officially denounce sprawl and provide practical insights for anyone seeking ways to recruit their local labor movements into smart growth efforts.   Moderator: Donald Cohen, Executive Director, Center on Policy Initiatives Jerry Butkiewicz, San Diego-Imperial Counties Central Labor Council Bob Shiprack, Executive Secretary, Oregon Building and Construction Trades Council No Presentations available from this event.

State Smart Growth Transportation Initiatives Every state Department of Transportation is concerned about mobilitiy -- getting people and freight from one place to another. When a variety of modes for mobility are offered in coordination with smart growth land use decisions, the consumer and the community benefits from choices and environmental improvements. Get an overview of trends guiding state DOTs. Then learn from several states that have developed innovative practices and policies to create a more informed public about their transportation options and decision. The session will feature Caltrans and its strategy for improving mobility while contending with future growth and New Jersey's Fix-It-First Programs aimed at transportation infrastructure upgrades versus new construction.   John Thomas, Policy Analyst, U.S. EPA R. Gregg Albright, Deputy Director, California Department of Transportation Mark Stout, Assistant Commissioner for Planning and Development, New Jersey Department of Transportation View Thomas PDF (17 pages, 1.2mb) View Albright PDF (24 pages, 0.7mb) View Stout PDF (67 pages, 6mb)

Tools for Engagement: Successful Strategies for Siting Homeless Housing Service providers, architects and developers can ensure that homeless housing projects are well designed and managed showing that special purpose housing projects can be, and often are, the most attractive and well maintained buildings on the block. The learning objectives from this inquiry will yield tools for assisting elected officials and communities in providing innovative and distinctive architectural solutions for homeless projects that integrate planning and community outreach to work with neighbors to build long lasting community support. Come learn about innovative examples from Santa Monica and other Westside Cities projects.   Moderator: Councilmember Richard Bloom, City of Santa Monica, California John Maceri, Executive Director, OPCC Jeffrey Kalban, Principal, Jeffrey M. Kalban & Associates Architecture, Inc. Julie Rusk, Human Services Manager, City of Santa Monica View Combined PDF (46 pages, 2.3mb)

Weaving the Fabric of Smart Growth: Linkages between Crime Prevention, Pedestrian Safety, Public Health and Economic Vitality In one session, this high energy, 3-screen presentation will concurrently tie together the multi-disciplinary fabric of smart growth for professionals of all backgrounds and experience levels. Based on the success of this session at the 2006 New Partners Smart Growth in Denver, conference participants will be provided with a fresh, thought-provoking understanding of how key smart growth principles contribute, simultaneously, to important quality of life issues. Wherever possible, the presenters--an economist, a public health practitioner, and an urban designer--will include both empirical and anecdotal support for each smart growth principle. This session is a must-attend!   Al Zelinka, AICP, Principal, RBF Consulting's Urban Design Studio Tina Zenzola, Director, Safe and Healthy Communities Consulting Marie Jones, Community Development Director, City of Fort Bragg, California View Combined PDF (99 pages, 4.2mb)

The Power of Smart Growth for Health: Using Health Impact Assessment and the Built Environment to Optimize Health This two-hour work session will discuss the fundamentals of Health Impact Assessment (HIA), provide examples of HIA from different aspects, all in the context of smart growth. In addition, participants will spend half of the session working through a "rapid" HIA exercise that will give hands-on experience and the knowledge necessary to leave the room and conduct a prospective health analysis of a built project.   Moderator: Valerie Rogers, Program Manager, National Association of County and City Health Officials Brian Cole, Project Manager, Health Impact Assessment Group, UCLA School of Public Health Rajiv Bhatia, MD, MPH, Medical Director, San Francisco Department of Public Health, California Andrew Dannenberg, MD, MPH, Associate Director for Science, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Carrie Fesperman, American Planning Association View Cole PDF (22 pages, 1mb) View Bhatia PDF (43 pages, 1mb) View Dannenberg PDF (40 pages, 0.7mb) View Fesperman PDF (19 pages, 0.7mb)

From Visioning to Scenario-building: Techniques and Tools Groups across the country are using a range of techniques and tools to involve citizens in visioning and scenario-building efforts for their communities. What tradeoffs did the tools force between deeper public understanding vs. broader public involvement and impact? What are the logistical, time and resources implications of various tools and techniques? And how do different tools and techniques play out in the media and political environments? Hear from a diverse panel of experts reporting on some of the most ambitious and extensive leading-edge work in the country. Learn about a variety of tools and techniques for visioning and scenario planning including PlanMaster, Google Earth, CommunityViz, Wikis, WorldKit mapping, keypad polling, SketchUp and more. Learn how to better choose tools and techniques, confront challenges of complexity and data availability, and incorporate tools more effectively into official planning activities.   Facilitator: Uri Avin, Practice Leader, Regional Growth Management, PB PlaceMaking Ken Snyder, Director, Planning Tools and The Planning CoLaboratory, Orton Family Foundation David Hawkins, President and CEO, Facet Decision Systems John Frece, Associate Director, National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education View Snyder PDF (20 pages, 2.2mb) View Hawkins PDF (30 pages, 0.9mb) View Frece PDF (50 pages, 3mb)

Smart Growth and Water for Beginners This workshop, geared towards an introductory audience, will make the connection between smart growth and water resources, from the watershed to the site scale. Land development has numerous impacts on water resources (both quality and quantity). Smart growth development has been shown to reduce or mitigate those impacts. This session will illustrate how smart growth practices such as protecting natural areas, clustering development, and building walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods are also good strategies for water resource protection. Participants will learn how the techniques we have been promoting to reduce our dependence on cars, get our residents walking and biking, and build neighborhood identity and interaction also work to protect water quality and quantity.   Moderator: Pat Stoner, Director, Resource Conservation Programs, Local Government Commission Lisa Nisenson, President, Nisenson Consulting Lynn Richards, Senior Policy Analyst, U.S. EPA George Hawkins, Executive Director, New Jersey Futures View Nisenson PDF (23 pages, 1.5mb) View Richards PDF (46 pages, 2.1mb) View Hawkins PDF (65 pages, 6.5mb)

Getting the Parking Right This dynamic workshop with feature renowned parking expert Don Shoup, UCLA Urban Planning professor and author of "The High Cost of Free Parking." He will share his latest research and highlight innovative parking strategies (car sharing, shared parking, unbundling parking from residential units, stacked, automated) that are being successfully used to create more efficient and cost-effective parking options in urban environments.   Donald Shoup, Ph.D., Professor of Urban Planning, University of California, Los Angeles View Shoup PDF (132 pages, 8mb)

Innovative Regional Strategies Linking Smart Growth, Infrastructure and Climate Change This session will highlight innovative ways regional agencies are working to simultaneously reduce traditional air pollution and greenhouse gases. These discussions will also include how these efforts are linked to new land use and transportation strategies developed to slow urban sprawl and encourage alternative modes of transportation beyond the auto, directly reducing vehicle miles traveled.   Moderator: Larry Greene, Air Pollution Control Officer, Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District Tom Jordan, Special Projects Administrator, San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Jim Lopez, Deputy Chief of Staff to King County Executive, Washington Henry Hogo, Assistant Deputy Executive Officer, Science and Technology Advancement, South Coast AQMD View Jordan PDF (11 pages, 0.1mb) View Lopez PDF (19 pages, 0.9mb) View Hogo PDF (24 pages, 1.6mb)

Forestry: Smart Growth Along the Urban/Rural Gradient Growth and land conservation are often seen as two opposing forces. This session will explore a new paradigm where development and conservation are compatible and complimentary. The Forest Service will moderate a discussion of three strategic and collaborative approaches to managing growth and conservation along the rural/urban gradient. Jerry Moles from the New River Land Trust in rural Grayson County, VA will discuss the work that the Trust has modeled on the Australian Landcare Program. The New River Trust is developing markets for local agriculture and forest products. Landowners use tax credits for development rights, or sell them to people, or corporations with large tax obligations. Dan Reuter from the Atlanta Regional Commission will discuss several projects that integrate development with forest conservation, including a regional forest assessment and a conservation easement program. Don Outen, a Baltimore County planner, will describe how the County is using the Montreal Process Criteria and Indicators framework in a county that has successfully managed growth for 40 years.   Moderator: Susan Mockenhaupt, National Program Manager, Urban & Community Forestry Program, US Forest Service Don Outen, Natural Resource Manager, Baltimore Co. Dept. Environmental Protection & Resource Management Stephanie Bertaina, Open Space Conservation Specialist, U.S. Forest Service Dan Reuter, Land Use Chief, Atlanta Regional Commission Jerry Moles, NWFW Grant, Consulting Director of Land Stewardship, New River Land Trust View Outen PDF (41 pages, 6.2mb) View Reuter PDF (26 pages, 1.9mb) View Moles PDF (14 pages, 1.1mb)

Translating Smart Growth Principles into Political Victories Success in the political arena is critical if smart growth is to succeed. How can you help smart growth candidates and issues win at the ballot box? Many who work on smart growth issues focus on and talk about statistics, data, and policies that support smart growth principles. Such an approach may be useful for some audiences, but it is not likely to appeal to or energize a broad cross-section of the public. How can smart growth make the transition from a wonkish policy discussion to a movement with broad political appeal? Who are the swing voters on these issues? How do you motivate them? Learn proven strategies from four speakers who have been active and successful translating smart growth principles into political victories.   Moderator: Nick Bollman, Senior Advisor, California Center for Regional Leadership Councilmember Elaine Clegg, City of Boise, Idaho Gene Krebs, State Director, Greater Ohio Alan Caron, President, GrowSmart Maine View Krebs PDF (42 pages, 0.9mb) View Caron PDF (52 pages, 0.9mb)

Smart AND Green: LEED® for Neighborhood Development and Municipal Green Building Programs Local governments across the country are looking to sustainable development practices to preserve the quality of life and promote greater environmental stewardship. This session highlights two tools that can assist local governments in guiding development in a more sustainable direction. Jennifer Henry of USGBC and Jessica Millman of the Coalition for Smarter Growth will present an overview of LEED® for Neighborhood Development, a new rating system designed by the U.S. Green Building Council, the Congress for the New Urbanism, and the Natural Resources Defense Council. The rating system, which is currently being piloted with a limited number of projects, has been developed to recognize and encourage smart growth, more walkable and/or transit-oriented neighborhood design, and green building by certifying development projects that meet specific criteria in these areas. LEED® for Neighborhood Development's potential value to developers, planners, smart growth advocates, and municipalities will also be discussed. Walker Wells of Global Green will outline a new step-by-step guide for developing municipal green building programs. Participants will learn how cities can accommodate new development and building activity while still protecting the natural environment by implementing green building programs and linking them to a commitment to smart growth principles.   Jennifer Henry, Program Manager for LEED for Neighborhood Developments, U.S. Green Building Council Walker Wells, AICP, Program Director, R.E.S.C.U.E., Global Green Jessica Millman, Maryland Director, Coalition for Smarter Growth View Henry PDF (17 pages, 0.7mb) View Wells PDF (32 pages, 0.5mb)

Smart Growth Strategies for Preserving Open Spaces and Creating Green Places A central principal of smart growth, open space preservation can be elusive due to a host of forces. In this workshop, two successful projects demonstrate lessons learned to create and preserve urban parks. The Rose Kennedy Greenway in Downtown Boston comprises 11 acres of new parkland. Design for The Wharf District Park, heart of this greenway, is the result of 150 public meetings held in a year to generate design consensus. The nascent Emerald Necklace in Southern California is a project to connect 1,500 acres of parks with 17 miles of trails in urban Los Angeles County. In four years, proponents have raised $13 million, unified neighboring municipalities, and involved thousands of residents. Panelists will discuss vision, navigating the political climate, cross-government collaboration, and long-term stewardship. Workshop participants will learn to manage public participation, tap local knowledge, and generate grassroots support.   Moderator: Nathan Springer, Co-Founder, Amigos de los Rios; Member, Emerald Necklace Coalition Belinda Faustinos, Executive Director, Lower Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers and Mountains Conservancy Norma Garcia, Staff to Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina Barbara Faga, Executive Vice President, EDAW, Inc. Lynn Wolff, President and Principal, Copley Wolff Design Group View Springer PDF (26 pages, 2.7mb) View Faustinos PDF (24 pages, 1mb) View Garcia PDF (11 pages, 1mb) View Faga PDF (82 pages, 7.7mb)

In the Wake of the Storm: Gulf Coast Recovery, Over One Year and Counting Hurricanes Katrina and Rita slammed into the Gulf Coast more than a year-and-a half ago, causing devastation never before seen in the history of the United States. Fully recovering from this disaster will take time, resources, and a dedicated commitment to planning and community development that recognizes and incorporates the needs of Gulf Coast residents, particularly low-income households, in all facets of rebuilding. Along with all levels of government, national, state, and local nonprofit organizations have partnered together to help provide a comprehensive policy response, investments, and other assistance to rebuild healthy neighborhoods and vibrant communities throughout the region for all area residents. This session will explore where the redevelopment efforts stand from the perspectives of these multiple partners, highlight current opportunities, and address the challenges that remain in the quest to revitalize and strengthen Gulf Coast communities.   Moderator: Chris Morton, Director of Policy and Consulting, Fannie Mae Foundation Evelyn Brown, Senior Vice President, LISC Gulf Region Rebuilding Initiative William Stallworth, Director, East Biloxi Relief, Recovery and Redevelopment Center Kay Fernandez, Senior Associate, PolicyLink Representative Cheryl A. Gray, Louisiana House of Representatives Nadine Jarmon, Ph.D., Vice President of Community Development, Providence Community Housing View Stallworth PDF (43 pages, 5.0mb) View Fernandez PDF (13 pages, 1.6mb)

Reshaping America's Housing: Preparing for the Next Building Boom 7:30-9:00pm Whether you rode the recent housing wave or not, the impacts of housing supply and affordability has left an indelible mark on planning and society. While scores of homeowners are reaping the benefits of new found wealth, barriers to supplying additional housing at all price points will drastically impact the ability for a new generation of households to afford the American Dream. This plenary will discuss the confluence of shifts in national demographics over the next 30 years with the lack of a broad-based housing plan that will address the needs of Americans. The conversation will weave the perspectives of a demographer, a retailer, two homebuilders and a local official. Since it has been said that half of what is needed to house the country by 2030 has not been built yet, the time is now to chart a course for housing that meets the demands of the public and builds within the context of livable and sustainable communities.   Facilitator: Benson (Buzz) Roberts, Local Initiatives Support Corporation Dr. Arthur C. "Chris" Nelson, Director, Alexandria Campus, Virginia Tech's School of Urban Affairs and Planning Randall Lewis, Executive Vice President, Director of Marketing, Lewis Operating Corp. Councilmember Robert Weiner, Esq., New Castle County, DE; NACo Chair, Land Use & Growth Management Subcommittee Con Howe, Director, Center for Balanced Development in the West, The Urban Land Institute View Nelson PDF (27 pages, 0.4mb)

Back to Top

Morning Welcome 8:30-8:40am Vice Mayor Jake Mackenzie, City of Rohnert Park, CA; LGC Board Member No Presentations available from this event.

Changing the Climate Through Smart Growth 8:35-10:00am Atlantic-based hurricanes are in a high occurrence cycle, the planet's temperature is rising, conventional development patterns are still the overwhelming norm and vehicle miles traveled is increasing throughout the country. Interest in climate change and the between growth patterns and their impacts is increasing. This panel of national experts will connect the dots of land use and climate change from health to transportation to the insurance industry and illustrate how policy changes at the local state and national levels can be implemented to preserve our economic, social, and environmental health.   Keynote: Assemblymember Fabian Núñez, 46th District; Speaker, California State Assembly Panel: John Geesman, Commissioner, California Energy Commission Reid Ewing, Ph.D., Research Professor, National Center for Smart Growth, University of Maryland Tim Wagner, Director, Nebraska Department of Insurance Richard Jackson, MD, MPH, Adjunct Professor, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of California at Berkeley, School of Public Health View Ewing PDF (49 pages, 1.5mb) View Jackson PDF (40 pages, 1.9mb)

From Regional Planning to Smart Growth Implementation This two-hour workshop will examine cutting-edge regional transportation plans that are making a difference in what gets funded and what gets built. These regional plans and programs move beyond looking at transportation-in-a-silo and employ new tools to allow the multiple aspects of land use to be considered in the planning process. Their innovative use of transportation dollars is helping to make that all-important transportation/land use link. There will be ample opportunity for attendees to participate in the discussion.   Moderator: Supervisor Steve Kinsey, Marin County, California Mike McKeever, Executive Director, Sacramento Area Council of Governments Mayor Christopher Cabaldon, City of West Sacramento, California Paul Richardson, Planning & Redevelopment Director, City of Roseville, California Larry Mugler, AICP, Planning Services Manager, Denver Regional Council of Governments View McKeever PDF (27 pages, 2mb) View Mugler PDF (41 pages, 1.5mb)

Turning Regional Policies Into Local Plans: A Digital Charrette This session will replicate a local implementation workshop by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) for its 2040 Regional Framework Plan. Attendees will be treated as local officials and citizens from a community designated as a "regional center" in the 2040 plan. They will use CMAP technology tools and charrette techniques to create and evaluate land-use and transportation scenarios that satisfy both regional and local goals. The objective is plan implementation using tools and techniques that offer participants real-time feedback and a clear path toward consensus.   Facilitator: Eliot Allen, AICP, Principal, Criterion Planners Daniel Clark, Senior Planner, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning No Presentations available from this event.

When Smart Growth Meets Stormwater Management There is a growing need to align land use planning strategies with efforts to protect and manage water resources. Smart Growth development accommodates more growth in less area so important areas of watersheds can be protected, and encourages mixed-use, walkable communities that reduce automobile dependence. Site-specific LID techniques aim to reduce and treat runoff within developed areas. Implementing these strategies together will help communities protect watershed health, improve water quality, recharge groundwater supplies, reduce localized flooding, while meeting regulatory requirements, accommodating growth and achieving other community goals. Speakers will stress the importance of integrating regional and site-scale strategies. Selected case studies will highlight smart growth developments that have incorporated effective site-specific stormwater techniques, and discuss common programmatic and policy barriers that can preclude implementation.   Moderator: Tom Liptan, Environmental Specialist, Bureau of Environmental Services, City of Portland, Oregon Clark Wilson, Associate Principal, Community Design + Architecture Milt Rhodes, Urban Designer, New Urban Waterworks Neil Weinstein, Executive Director, Low Impact Development Center, Inc. View Rhodes PDF (22 pages, 2.3mb) View Weinstein PDF (37 pages, 3.2mb)

Smart Growth Codes Makeover: Lessons for Making the Transition Despite the growing popularity of Smart Growth objectives and values, most American cities still have regulating codes that enforce patterns of sprawl. Implementing smart growth does not have to difficult, however, to redirect the development pattern of a community the transition must be well thought out and articulated. To express this process we will start with an assessment of national trends, i.e., the shift from Euclidian zoning to Form Based Codes and related hybrids, hear the consultants perspective, and then move to the perspective of a local planning official who will speak to challenges and opportunities related to the transition to smart growth zoning.   Moderator: Kevin Nelson, Senior Policy Analyst, U.S. EPA Mary Madden, Principal, Ferrell Madden Associates Ed Starkie, Urban Adivisors, Ltd. Conan Smith, Executive Director, Michigan Suburbs Alliance View Madden PDF (72 pages, 6.0mb) View Starkie PDF (85 pages, 8.1mb) View Smith PDF (7 pages, 0.3mb)

Retrofitting Strip Development Smart growth advocates are making impressive progress in revitalizing our downtowns; cutting-edge developers are providing us with some excellent models for greenfield developments; even some industrial areas are being transformed into hip, lively places to live. But what to do about that auto-dominated, look-alike, declining strip development found in communities all over the country? Freedman will provide an engaging overview of design and restructuring strategies for transforming some of the most unlivable places into community assets.   Michael Freedman, FAIA, Principal, Freedman, Tung and Bottomley View Freedman PDF (326 pages, 32mb)

Building Public Health Capacity to Influence Community Design Public health has recently joined the ranks of those who advocate for Smart Growth. How can the public health community make sure neighborhoods are designed to allow residents to incorporate physical activity in their daily lives and eat healthy? Our panelists, all at the cutting edge of this issue, will share their secrets to successes.   Moderator: Judy Corbett, Executive Director, Local Government Commission Karen Roof, President, KRoof EnviroHealth Consulting Sandra Jackson, Program Coordinator II, Riverside County Health-Injury Prevention Services Mitra Mehta, Senior Planner, Riverside County, CA Randall Lewis, Executive Vice President, Director of Marketing, Lewis Operating Corp. Bill Mitchell, Public Health Director, San Joaquin County Health Department View Roof PDF (11 pages, 0.2mb) View Jackson-Mehta PDF (30 pages, 6.6mb) View Mitchell PDF (30 pages, 1.1mb)

Barriers to Infill Development You Haven't Thought Of Infill development is a common goal of comprehensive plans and Smart Growth strategies across the country but widely acknowledged as a challenge. The Annual New Partners for Smart Growth conference has tackled many of the first generation barriers, such as neighborhood resistance, financial barriers and zoning obstacles. This session will highlight a new round of surprising obstacles, and techniques for addressing them. The first example is getting buy-in for infill and redevelopment among staff members. The City of Greensboro was faced with this situation after adopting their first comprehensive plan in 2003. A group of city staff was charged with identifying barriers to infill development in the city spent over a year and a half on this effort with very surprising results for the organization and the development community. Houston Texas conducted a similar exercise at the regional level. The second set of barriers is even more surprising. The pendulum swing towards "Green design" is welcome among builders and environmentalists alike; however, the implementation of a new green code is throwing up unforeseen barriers for redevelopment. Addressing these, and other, barriers to infill and redevelopment require a new set of skills in anticipating conflicts and preparing stakeholders throughout the process.   Facilitator: Lisa Nisenson, President, Nisenson Consulting Sue Schwartz, FAICP, Neighborhood Planning Manager, Housing & Community Development, City of Greensboro, North Carolina Jeff Taebel, AICP, Director of Community and Environmental Planning, Houston Galveston Area Council View Nisenson PDF (27 pages, 0.8mb) View Schwartz PDF (35 pages, 0.9mb) View Taebel PDF (33 pages, 3.5mb)

Jobs and Housing: Promoting Balance The growing divide between the locations of jobs and housing has far reaching costs - economic in terms of productivity and costs of infrastructure and fuel, social in terms of time spent away from the family unit, health in terms of prolonged periods of inactivity while commuting, and environmental in terms of air pollution from emissions. In an increasingly rare occurrence of shared public and private interests, corporate strategies are aligning with regional planning strategies. Using Los Angeles as an example to highlight the growing imbalance, and citing employer-assisted housing strategies in Illinois and Pennsylvania that actually work this session will provide participants with knowledge to address this far-reaching concern.   Moderator: Sarah Treuhaft, Program Associate, PolicyLink Dr. Lucy Kerman, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition Michael Stoll, Vice Chair, Assoc Professor, School of Public Affairs, UCLA Robin Snyderman, Housing Director, Metropolitan Planning Council View Stoll PDF (17 pages, 0.2mb) View Snyderman PDF (27 pages, 0.4mb)

Turning DoD "Mission Growth" into Smart Growth This Workshop -- the first session on this topic at a smart growth conference -- will discuss the increasingly important issue of how the growth being experienced at a number of military installations can be carried out with sustainability and community planning in mind. The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process is bringing about a major increase in new missions and troops at certain bases as well as the need for new off-base military housing. The total population increase in a given community near a base can be much larger than the announced troop increase, with the impacts of base growth being felt throughout a region. Find out more about the challenges and opportunities of such mission growth for communities. Learn from and interact with several top DoD officials, as well as a leading private developer of military housing and local government official who is working with a major installation on growth issues.   Moderator: Jan Larkin, Outreach Coordinator, Department of Defense Range Sustainment Initiative, U.S. Department of Defense James "Mike" Davis, Associate Director, Office of Economic Adjustment, U. S. Department of Defense Rick Flansburg, OSD Housing and Competitive Sourcing, U. S. Department of Defense Neal Payton, Principal, Torti Gallas and Partners Rick Jones, AICP, Director of Planning, Columbus Consolidated Government View Larkin PDF (2 pages, 0.2mb) View Flansburg PDF (11 pages, 0.4mb) View Payton PDF (16 pages, 3.9mb) View Jones PDF (29 pages, 1.0mb)

Creating Better Streets Through Road Diets and Lane Diets Communities across the nation are putting their roads on "diets" by helping them to lose lanes. Road diets and lane diets (shrinking roads and shrinking lane widths) are an emerging tool in reclaiming urban streets, accommodating all users and creating safer and more vibrant "people" places. Communities that are interested in broadening transportation choices and creating livable centers find that road diets can be a useful tool in achieving their vision. The panel will focus on how to advance a road diet project, how to work with citizen and elected officials to gain support for a project and detail "lessons learned" for implementing a successful road diet. Discover where road diets have been successfully implemented and review before and after case studies from across the nation to determine if a road diet might be right for your community.   Moderator: Barbara McCann, Principal, McCann Consulting Daniel Gallagher, AICP, Transportation Planning Manager, Charlotte Department of Transportation Michael Ronkin, Designing Streets for Pedestrians and Bicyclists Dan Burden, Senior Urban Designer, Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin Lopez Rinehart View Gallagher PDF (41 pages, 1.2mb) View Ronkin PDF (51 pages, 2.8mb) View Burden PDF (58 pages, 9.8mb)

Mixing It Up in TOD Mixed-income transit-oriented communities are the most sustainable and equitable, and our ability to create and preserve them is at the core of our economic competitiveness and quality of life. But the barriers seem insurmountable: from high land prices to onerous parking requirements to neighborhood opposition to density and development. The Center for TOD studied five regions to ID the best tools for ensuring that affordable housing is part of the TOD mix. And, because affordability is never just about housing - since the cheapest housing often requires the costliest commute - looking at the combined housing and transportation costs can provide a persuasive argument for locating density and affordability near transit. Hear about the best strategies, see the affordability numbers, and brainstorm about new ways to keep TOD mixed-income.   Moderator: Mariia Zimmerman, Vice President for Policy, Reconnecting America Effie Stallsmith, Community Planner, Office of Systems Planning, Federal Transit Administration Dena Belzer, Principal, Strategic Economics Barbara Lipman, Research Director, Center for Housing Policy Jeanne DuBois, Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation Joe Carreras, Lead Regional Planner, Southern California Association of Governments View Stallsmith PDF (21 pages, 0.4mb) View Belzer PDF (15 pages, 0.7mb) View Lipman PDF (16 pages, 0.6mb) View DuBois PDF (37 pages, 3.4mb) View Fairmont/Indigo Line (Boston) PDF (40 pages, 7.0mb) View Carreras PDF (16 pages, 1.6mb)

Addressing Health Disparities Through Building Healthier Communities: A Focus on California Across the country, the state of the built environment -- the design of neighborhoods and man-made structures such as buildings, roads and sidewalks -- is having detrimental effects on the public's health. Residents who live in low-income areas are at particular risk because these neighborhoods are often of poor quality. Housing, schools, and other structures in these areas are often unsafe and dilapidated. These communities often lack access to affordable fresh foods and good social services. Pollution sources, such as mass transit and industry are more often than not located in these areas. Further, people who live in these communities are typically minorities. It is not surprising that leading health issues such as asthma, obesity and heart disease (all health issues that are now understood to be linked to the built environment) are more prevalent among these disparate populations. This session will look at how building healthier communities, can help address existing health disparities, with a focus on California.   Moderator: Earl Johnson, Ph.D., Senior Program Officer, California Works for Better Health, The California Endowment Larry Cohen, MSW, Executive Director, Prevention Institute Andrea Hricko, MPH, Associate Professor of Preventative Medicine University of Southern California, & Director, Community Outreach & Education, Southern California Environmental Health Sciences Center Antronette "Toni" Yancey, MD, MPH, Co-Director, Center to Eliminate Health Disparties, UCLA School of Public Health View Cohen PDF (41 pages, 2.4mb) View Hricko PDF (28 pages, 1.8mb) View Yancey PDF (28 pages, 1.2mb)

Shaping the Farm Bill to Better Serve Agriculture, Urban Communities and Smart Growth The 2007 federal Farm Bill provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fundamentally change U.S. agricultural policy so that it better serves farmers, consumers and those who care about the use of land. In particular, it could strengthen the ability of agriculture to withstand the pressures of urban sprawl and to improve environmental quality near populated areas, contributing to more livable cities. In short, it could improve the chances of achieving smart growth. Panelists from the leading specialty crop (fruit, vegetables and nuts) association and a leading environmental group will explain the key issues and answer questions about how smart growth advocates can be more involved in farm policy reform. The moderator is a veteran of five farm bills and now serves as California Director of American Farmland Trust, which has made farm policy reform one of its major policy objectives.   Ed Thompson, Jr., California State Director and Senior Associate, American Farmland Trust Hank Giclas, Vice President, Science & Technology, Strategic Planning, Western Growers Katheryn Philips, Manager, California Clean Air for Life Campaign, Environmental Defense No Presentations available from this event.

The Los Angeles Transit Story With each passing generation, the City and County of Los Angeles experience significant changes in transportation infrastructure. These transformations result in new developments in urban design and the social and cultural make up of the city. Through this process of continuous change, Los Angeles has been portrayed and perceived in many ways. From the desert cow-town frontier of the late 1800's with a population of less than 20,000 people, to a bustling city in the 1920's with 1000 miles of electric trolleys serving a population of 500,000 inhabitants. Later, when the electric trolley system was dismantled, Freeways became the primary mode of transportation while public transit was carried on a much-reduced network of buses, and Los Angeles became the poster child of the automobile and freeway city. Not until the 60's would some transportation planners begin realize that reliance on the automobile, as the only mode of transport was an environmentally and financially unsustainable approach to move people and maintain a healthy and livable city. In this workshop you will learn about the new transit system in Los Angeles and the foundation for the new urban form of the Los Angeles of the 21st Century.   Diego Cardoso, Director, Central Area Planning Team, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Rex Gephard, Director, Regional Transit Planning, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority View Cardoso PDF (27 pages, 2.6mb) View Gephard PDF (26 pages, 3.0mb)

Smart Growth on the Coast: What does it look like? Coastal communities, including those located adjacent to rivers and lakes, are increasingly attracting more development, yet the resources that are critical to our coastal ecosystems, economies, and quality of life are being negatively affected. How can coastal communities accommodate new development while protecting those resources? The purpose of this session is to explore principles unique to coastal communities that help create more livable communities while sustaining social, economic, and environmental resources. These coastal elements should serve numerous purposes, such as creating a more distinctive sense of place and protecting natural resources. Like the smart growth principles, these are elements for a community to consider implementing as many places have found they achieve better neighborhood outcomes. Regulatory and non-regulatory approaches will also be explored through case studies from coastal communities around the U.S. This session will explore opportunities and barriers within coastal regulations to promote better growth patterns, as well as opportunities for decision makers to connect development decisions with sustaining the resources that make our coastal communities unique. This session will also include a 30-minute discussion with audience members to discuss the coastal smart growth principles, and identify any missing opportunities or issues.   Moderator: Lynn Richards, Senior Policy Analyst, U.S. EPA Pam Rubinoff, Rhode Island Sea Grant, Coastal Resources Center, University of Rhode Island Charles Lester, Deputy Director, North Central/Central Coast Districts, California Coastal Commission Tim Van Meter, Architect/Partner, Van Meter Williams Pollack View Rubinoff PDF (17 pages, 1.3mb) View Lester PDF (45 pages, 4.0mb) View Van Meter PDF (35 pages, 5.2mb)

Fixing it First: Targeting Investments, Developing Innovative Practices, and Coordinating Housing and Economic Development to Build Sustainable Communities This session is a behind-the-scenes look at emerging and innovative policies, programs, and practices employed by an increasing number of Governors and legislatures, working collaboratively and cross-functionally with state agencies, local government representatives, and non-governmental organizations, to build sustainable communities from the inside out. Panelists will explore strategies that prioritize and target state investments in existing communities before utilizing resources to develop open space on the exurban fringe. Goals are accomplished through incentives and state agency restructuring that align and elevate housing, economic development, transportation, and other initiatives into a coherent and comprehensive strategy. Learn from real world players about the opportunities and challenges of a comprehensive, integrated approach to state development--gaining policy support, realigning state investments, and improving efficiency and coordinated planning to strengthen communities and create a sustainable quality of life for all.   Moderator: Kil Huh, Ph.D., Director, Policy and Consulting, Fannie Mae Foundation Timothy E. Marx, Commissioner, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency Dr. Sheila D. Harris, Director, Arizona Department of Housing Lisa J. Yaffe, Deputy Executive Director, Pennsylvania Governor's Office of Housing and Community Revitalization View Marx PDF (13 pages, 0.3mb) View Harris PDF (15 pages, 0.5mb) View Yaffe PDF (18 pages, 0.6mb)

How to Get Them to Build Communities Instead of Projects Many local governments are looking to attract quality mixed-use developments. Partnering with the private sector can provide the economic engine to build great communities. Learn what it takes to attract quality mixed-use development and recognize the market factors that need to be in place for mixed-use development to happen. What types of incentives can the public sector use to induce large-scale mixed-use projects and what extra public amenities can a mixed-use developer provide?   Moderator: Mark Whitlow, Partner, Perkins Coie LLP Lawrence E. Kilduff, President, The Kilduff Company Tom Cody, Principal, Gerding Edlen Development Pix Howell, AICP, Urban Design Officer, City of Leander, Texas View Cody PDF (14 pages, 1.8mb) View Howell PDF (12 pages, 1.1mb)

Greening the Transect: Seeing Things Whole Using the natural landscape as a fundamental design component across the transect can create beautiful places that function well both environmentally and economically. Natural landscape functions--mimicked through "soft" engineering, protected in their original form, or restored through careful intervention--help create valuable amenities while also managing environmental quality and providing critical habitat. This session will highlight examples at the regional and community level where green infrastructure design principles have been incorporated as an integral part of smart community design.   Moderator: Lynn Desautels, Ph.D., Senior Policy Analyst, U.S. EPA Sharon Pfeifer, Community Assistance Manager, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Marshall Foster, Urban Strategies Designer, Mitnun Architects + Designers + Planners View Desautels PDF (23 pages, 0.8mb) View Pfeifer PDF (25 pages, 3.2mb) View Foster PDF (44 pages, 4.3mb)

Smart Growth in College Towns: On and Off Campus In aggregate per year, college and universities undertake $14 billion in construction to expand their campuses. Some build up, but a majority build-out. With increasing land costs and a focus on fiscal responsibility, many colleges and universities are recognizing that reusing previously developed land, including brownfield sites, underutilized sites, and vacant properties, is a good and efficient way to grow. In the session, we'll discuss the environmental, fiscal, and community based benefits associated with smart growth development practices on and off campus. We'll also show how growing in place as a way of accommodating increasing enrollments, additional research needs, and institutional change can be tied in with college and university missions as well as fiscal realities. This discussion will draw from a national smart growth perspective, a consultant that specializes campus master planning, and a trade association that works with institutional leaders -- on and off campus -- to implement smart growth and sustainable practices.   Moderator: Matt Dalbey, Policy Analyst, U.S. EPA David Bagnoli, AIA, Associate, Cunningham + Quill Architects PLLC Timothy McCarty, Project Manager, UniDev LLC View Dalbey PDF (3 pages, 0.4mb) View Bagnoli PDF (24 pages, 3.0mb) View McCarty PDF (19 pages, 0.9mb)

Creative Strategies for Building Schools as Centers of Community Local communities are increasingly challenged by how to finance needed new infrastructure as residents demand more and better services but resist increased taxes to pay for these. There are a variety of infrastructure financing alternatives available to communities today, in an increasingly favorable climate for innovation, yet these are not well known or understood. This session is sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders and National Association of Realtors and will highlight cost-effective solutions for building and rebuilding schools, including public-private partnerships and community-based schools that strengthen the tie between schools and neighborhoods and provide opportunities to share public facilities.   Moderator: Robert McNamara, Policy Representative, National Association of REALTORS® Kelly Leid, Executive Director, Foundation for Educational Excellence; Oakwood Homes, LLC Kevin Sullivan, Foundation Consultant, Knowledge Works Foundation Tom Kube, Executive Director/CEO, Council of Educational Facility Planners International View Leid PDF (11 pages, 0.4mb)

Cities Leading the Way To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Global warming presents perhaps the most overwhelming challenge that we have met to date. Fortunately, state and local leaders are emerging to help address this enormous threat. A panel of those working at the local level will be lead by a forward-thinking member of the California Energy Commission with responsibility for addressing global warming through Smart Growth.   Moderator: John Geesman, Commissioner, California Energy Commission Timothy Burroughs, Program Officer, ICLEI U.S.A. Jim Lopez, Deputy Chief of Staff to King County Executive, Washington Councilmember Elaine Clegg, City of Boise, Idaho View Burroughs PDF (18 pages, 0.5mb) View Lopez PDF (23 pages, 1.2mb) View Clegg PDF (47 pages, 2.9mb)

Really Getting Sensitive "Context sensitive solutions" is a tantalizing idea for smart growth advocates focusing on urban design, integration of transportation and land use, and promotion of walking and biking. Federal, state and local agencies as well as advocacy and professional organizations are initiating new programs and formulating new design guidance rooted in the principles of Context Sensitive Solutions. The transition from these programs and publications to project design and delivery is the focus of this session. We will get past the vision thing and into nuts-and-bolts questions such as how the design exception process meshes with Context Sensitive Solutions. Panelists with the perspective of practitioner, agency executive, academic and advocate will address the obstacles and opportunities in our paths as we work to "really get sensitive" with implementation of projects that aim to both improve accessibility and enhance the quality of the built environment.   Ellen Greenberg, AICP, Principal, Freedman, Tung and Bottomley R. Gregg Albright, Deputy Director, California Department of Transportation Norman Garrick, Associate Professor and Director, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Center for Smart Transportation View Greenberg pt.1 PDF (40 pages, 1.5mb) View Greenberg pt.2 PDF (9 pages, 0.4mb) View Garrick PDF (44 pages, 3.7mb)

Role of State & Local Agencies in Promoting Healthy Communities Public health plays an important role in creating healthier communities. State and local health agencies, in particular, provide the necessary leadership to assist in the development and implementation of innovative and creative smart growth policies and environmental modifications. This session will offer a series of case studies and examples demonstrating the different approaches that state and local health agencies from around the country have taken to develop healthy communities and environments conducive to active lifestyles. Public health issues to be discussed include chronic disease and injury prevention, health promotion and education, environmental health, senior services, school health, maternal and child health and others. Examples of successful, innovative partnership opportunities within these frameworks will be provided. Attendees will understand the skills and expertise within public health agencies, and how it can be used to benefit planners, transportation planners, developers, and other working to advance the smart growth movement.   Moderator: Stuart Berlow, MPP, MHSA, Director, Injury Prevention Policy Association of State and Territorial Health Officials Barbara Alberson, Chief, State and Local Injury Control Section, California Department of Health Services Eloise Gonzalez, MD, Deputy Director, Los Angeles County Health Department, California Daniel Parker, Environmental Health Division, Florida Department of Health (NO SHOW) View Alberson PDF (44 pages, 1.6mb) View Gonzalez PDF (24 pages, 0.7mb) View Parker PDF (36 pages, 3.0mb)

Players, Partners & Politics Making smart growth happen is much more than changing codes. It is about building partnerships and playing the game of politics to make code changes acceptable and compact development a win-win possibility. At times leadership comes from elected officials, local non-profits, business investors, or citizens to make smart growth development a reality. This work is usually based on a health dose of politics, a diverse set of partnerships, a lot of public outreach and education, and an understanding of how to make things happen. This session delves into the details of how players in the field are making it happen in their worlds.   Moderator: Ilana Preuss, Senior Policy Analyst, U.S. EPA Bill Fulton, President, Solimar Research; Councilmember, City of Ventura, California Ian Rosenberg, Director of Planning, Main Street Coalition, Houston, Texas Gene Krebs, State Director, Greater Ohio View Fulton PDF (20 pages, 0.6mb) View Rosenberg PDF (31 pages, 1.3mb) View Krebs PDF (54 pages, 0.9mb)

Boomburbs: The Suburban Landscape and Smart Growth's Future Suburban communities have their own culture, growth patterns, and demographics. The suburbs are critical to the success of Smart Growth in dozens of regions across the country. Smart Growth policymakers must understand what drives suburban communities so they can fashion realistic planning, land use, and transportation strategies. Come hear about Robert Lang's new book for the Brookings Institution--Boomburbs--that explores the demographic and policy trends of the nation's largest suburban cities (with populations 200,000+). These trends will have huge implications in shaping the future SG policies, such as providing affordable housing, transportation, and regional collaboration among local governments. More importantly, the Boomburbs have become a political force all their own.   Moderator: Christy McFarland, Senior Research Associate, National League of Cities Dr. Arthur C. "Chris" Nelson, Director, Alexandria Campus, Virginia Tech's School of Urban Affairs and Planning Mayor Ron Loveridge, City of Riverside, California View Nelson PDF (30 pages, 1.7mb)

Historic Preservation Tax Incentives -- A Critical Tool for Smart Growth Come hear why Historic Preservation Tax Incentives have been touted as "the best legislation on the books today for encouraging smart growth" and learn how they play a large role in revitalizing America's neighborhoods and commercial districts as well as supporting the goals and principals of smart growth. The session will address specific concerns of rehabilitation tax incentives, including dispelling common myths, how to make projects financially feasible, techniques commonly used to solve difficulties encountered in the process, and how to make incentives work in partnership with other smart growth tools. In addition, panelists will provide information about the latest research showing the impact of rehabilitation tax incentives and discuss how potential changes to current legislation could affect use of the incentives. Participants in this session will leave with a firm understanding of how tax incentives can be used to promote smart growth in their communities.   Linda Dishman, Executive Director, Los Angeles Conservancy Christine Fedukowski, Acquisitions Manager, National Trust Community Investment Corporation Larry Moradi, Managing Member, ICO Development, LLC View Dishman/Fedukowski PDF (46 pages, 1.0mb) View Moradi PDF (21 pages, 1.0mb)

Watershed-based Planning for "Smarter" Growth All land, developed or not, is part of a watershed. To accommodate growth while protecting water resources, communities need to develop in ways that sustain watershed health. This session will highlight watershed planning approaches that link land use decisions and water protection. Speakers will outline an approach to watershed protection that includes compact development, identifying and protecting ecologically valuable areas, and designing the built environment to emulate watershed processes so that development impacts are prevented, minimized, or managed. Additionally, speakers will stress the importance of regional coordination for accommodating regional growth pressures while protecting regional watershed assets.   Moderator: Clark Anderson, Project Manager, Local Government Commission Jeff Pratt, Director, Ventura County Watershed Protection District Milt Rhodes, Urban Designer, New Urban Waterworks George Hawkins, Executive Director, New Jersey Futures View Rhodes PDF (22 pages, 2.3mb) View Hawkins PDF (77 pages, 6.5mb)

Neighborhood Strategies to Preserve Open Space Thinking green does not take much space! Learn how even small bits of land can provide neighborhood green space and collective parcels of neighborhood green add up to a land use system that provides beauty, relaxation, and activity. Community practitioners and green experts from cities across the country will share their efforts to bring green space to the back door of citizens in dense, urban environments. This conversation will include examples of best practices, discussion of key success factors, and interactive exchange about how you make green space a reality and bring projects to completion.   Moderator: Teresa Brice, Program Director, Phoenix LISC Stephanie Taylor, Central City Neighborhood Partners Steve Rasmussen Cancian, Landscape Architect View Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative PDF (26 pages, 1.6mb) View Taylor PDF (47 pages, 4.0mb) View Los Angeles Land Trust PDF (52 pages, 2.3mb)

Aging & Smart Growth: Myths, Facts and Clever Solutions Many smart growth advocates think smart growth is a natural solution to the problem of a rapidly aging America. This panel will explore some of the myths about transportation and housing choice, as well as mixed-use. Experts will highlight the complex and clever smart growth solutions that can solve some of the vexing problems communities will face as our society ages.   Moderator: Brett Van Akkeren, Policy Analyst, U.S. EPA Harrison Rue, Executive Director, Thomas Jefferson District Planning Commission Carol Berg, Housing and Community Development Manager, City of Santa Cruz Elizabeth Sassen, Director, Cafe Development, Mather LifeWays View Van Akkeren PDF (7 pages, 0.3mb) View Rue PDF (104 pages, 9.8mb) View Berg PDF (33 pages, 2.5mb) View Sassen PDF (24 pages, 0.6mb)

Press 2 for English: Engaging Residents in Creating More Livable Communities Doing public participation with many different language and cultural groups may require developing special approaches to achieve successful outreach. Special consideration of religious or ethnic restrictions, etiquette and cultural sensitivity of the specific groups may take time and effort but achieve genuine results. Different cultures may use a facility differently than it was originally designed. It is not only important that we achieve successful outreach, but gain an understanding of the community, who they are, their travel patterns, either vehicle, pedestrian, bicycle or transit, while understanding cultural differences so the facility can be designed to fit the needs, improve safety and fit the cultural context of the community. Increasing pedestrian safety for the diverse community that primarily walks or uses transit on a corridor that was initially designed for vehicle traffic takes understanding. Come learn about successful strategies for reaching out and discussing transportation options with the entire community that can result in improved participation and transportation outcomes.   Moderator: Robert Ritter, Office of Planning, Federal Highway Administration Jacky Grimshaw, Vice President, Center for Neighborhood Technology Anne C. Morris, Senior Project Manager, PBS&J Paul Zykofsky, AICP, Director, Transportation and Land Use Programs, Local Government Commission View Ritter PDF (15 pages, 0.2mb) View Grimshaw PDF (20 pages, 0.8mb) View Morris PDF (48 pages, 2.0mb) View Zykofsky PDF (37 pages, 4.7mb)

From Pedestrian-Friendly to Pedestrian-Seductive This session will describe the difference between streets that accommodate pedestrians well (pedestrian-friendly) and those that entice people to come out and walk (pedestrian-seductive). It will feature places that provide the basic safety and conveniences for pedestrians like sidewalks and intersection crossings. Then we will show how to make these streets come alive through streetscaping, landscaping, architecture, paseos and more. This session will display an outstanding example of how to engage the community into making their neighborhoods more walkable. It will showcase the Great Hollywood Walkabout where 150 people came out and surveyed 43 streets to bring pedestrian enhancements into the community plan. Last, an Angeleno will describe how it is possible to carry on daily life in Los Angeles without a car. He will recall his daily experiences, rewards, and barriers. He will also discuss the most important improvements needed to foster auto-free lifestyles here.   Moderator: James Rojas, Chair, Latino Urban Forum; Project Manager, Central Area Team, Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority Ryan Snyder, Principal, Ryan Snyder Associates Deborah Murphy, Urban Designer/Planner, Deborah Murphy Urban Design & Planning Tim Papandreou, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Agency View Snyder PDF (115 pages, 13mb) View Murphy PDF (37 pages, 2.3mb)

Emergency Response and Street Design Developers and jurisdictions that try to build safe, narrow, slow streets often run into opposition from fire departments and other emergency responders. What are their concerns and are there ways to work things out so that we can still build streets that are slow and safe but also allow emergency responders to operate? Listen to a former fire chief and a street design expert describe examples and approaches that work.   Moderator: Steve Tracy, Senior Research Analyst, Local Government Commission Dan Burden, Senior Urban Designer, Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin Lopez Rinehart John Anderson, Vice President of Planning & Design, New Urban Builders View Tracy PDF (52 pages, 5.5mb) View Burden PDF (195 pages, 30mb)

Where We Go From Here: The Importance of the Region 4:20-5:00pm Whether the problem is the jobs/housing imbalance, increasing vehicle miles traveled, competition for localized tax base, open space preservation, or air and water quality, the importance of a regional model for smart growth planning is critical. Local governments and their neighbors need to find common ground through understanding the benefits of land use polices directed at making the regional healthier, this will in turn create more livable communities in localized neighborhoods. Our closing speaker, Sunne Wright McPeak, has broad experience as a highly-acclaimed leader in the implementation of Smart Growth through her work as a county supervisor, business leader, and most recently as the Governor's cabinet appointee and Secretary of the California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. McPeak will provide practical and informed advice on how one might work with others within a region. This expertise can inform all participants for the year to come.   Sunne McPeak, President and CEO, California Emerging Technology Fund View McPeak PDF (12 pages, 0.3b)

Back to Top

This web site is developed and maintained by the
National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT),
and supported with funding from the US EPA.
Disclaimer
Copyright © 1996-2010. All Rights Reserved.