Recently in Education Category

1. Surrounding Buildings Enhance Public Space

2. Limits are Placed on Residential Development
3. Activities go on Round-the-Clock and Throughout the Year
4. Flexible Design Fosters Adaptability
5. Creative Amenities Boost Everyone's Enjoyment

Read them all...

http://www.pps.org/info/newsletter/Waterfronts_Placemaking/10_Qualities_of_a_Great_Waterfront

This handbook is designed for community groups and faith-based organizations seeking to maximize the skills of their volunteers, expand their services to the community, and enhance their effectiveness. Although the handbook focuses on prevention, treatment, and recovery services for substance abuse and mental illness, the principles described in the handbook can be applied to any field and should help organizations understand how to implement and manage a successful volunteer program. http://www.hhs.gov/fbci/publications.html

October 14, 2008, 10am—12noon, Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham, 1st Floor Conference Room, Please RSVP by email to cahabacwp@hotmail.com by October 5th, 2008


Toolbox for the Future: Water Availability and Basin Assessment Modeling Black Warrior and Cahaba River Basins
Speakers: Brian Atkins, Director- ADECA-Office of Water Resources and Kenneth Odom, Studies Section Chief-US Geological Survey

In an effort to study past, present, and future water availability needs, the Office of Water Resources within the ADECA and USGS are partnering to develop a water availability toolbox for Alabama. The framework of the project will be built on the 12digit Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) level which means that each 12digit HUC will have its own water availability model. Initial focus of the study will be Choctawhatchee, Pea and Yellow Watersheds, followed by the Black Warrior and Cahaba River Watersheds. Other regional initiatives will be presented. If you have an initiative that you would like others to be aware of please contact Patti Pennington at cahabacwp@hotmail.com (205) 264-8453.

An Alabama Prosperity Forum Course
November 5-6, 2008

The course is a two-day course offered by the Economic & Community Development Institute, a partnership of Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Course will be held at the Alabama 4-H Center, Columbiana, AL. Learn more: www.auburn.edu/outreach/ecdi/green08.htm or call Allyson Martin at 334.844.3685.

Who Should Attend:

• State and Local Elected Officials
• Community Leaders
• Economic and Community Developers
• Community and Regional Planners
• Chamber of Commerce Officials
• Any Individual Interested in Building a Successful Community

September 10, 2008

8:00 A.M. Registration

9:00 AM Welcome and Introductions

9:15 AM ADECA Programs and Services, Doni Ingram, Assistant Director, ADECA

9:45 AM USDA Rural Development Programs, Steve Pelham, State Director, USDA Rural Development

10:15 AM Tourism Opportunities for Alabama’s Small Towns and Downtowns, Lee Sentell, Director, Alabama Tourism Department

10:45 AM EDAA Community Leadership Training Program, Tucson Roberts, President & CEO, Covington County Economic Development Commission

11:15 AM Break

11:30 AM Community Support for Dropout Prevention, Sydney Hoffman, Director, Governor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives

12:00 Noon Star Awards Luncheon

1:45 PM Regional Cooperation – Working Beyond Jurisdictional Boundaries, Wiley Blankenship, President/CEO, Coastal Gateway Regional Economic Development Authority

2:15 PM Funding Partners, Diane Roehrig, President, Alacom Finance

2:45 PM Break

3:00 PM Boomtown USA: The 7 1/2 Keys to Big Success in Small Towns Keynote Speaker: Jack Schultz

4:30 PM Closing Remarks, Book Signing

Registration:
Save $10 by registering now!! Early Registration: $45. Deadline: August 15
Regular Registration: $55. Deadline: September 2

Registration includes:

• Seminars
• Star Awards luncheon
• Refreshment Breaks
• Boomtown USA: The 7 1/2 Keys to Big Success in Small Towns ($20 value)
• ABC Volume One: Enriching Your Community One Letter at a Time ($10 value)

Location:
Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center
201 Tallapoosa Street, Montgomery, AL 36104, 334-481-5000

Download the ACE Brochure: ACE-missing-pieces.pdf

18-part series that covers the entire spectrum of grant proposal development. This series offers step-by-step tutorials, checklists, worksheets, and samples to help guide proposal development. The series will help novice grant writers understand each segment of the process, as well as provide more experienced grant writers with new ideas about how to approach grant writing.
http://www.grantstation.com/Public/News_Views_px/trackstosuccess.asp

This and the other recently posted information comes from the Faith and Community Based Loop, part of the Alabama Governor's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.
 

More than half of U.S. land is privately owned—much of it farmed—so tax incentives for land protection could significantly boost efforts to save farms across the country. The 2008 Farm Bill extends substantial tax incentives for "qualified farmers and ranchers" who donate conservation easements. Qualified landowners can deduct the value of donated easements up to 100 percent of their adjusted gross income and carry the unused deduction forward. For the latest on tax incentives and other farm business and family transfer issues, see our updated Farm Transfer and Estate Planning (pdf) fact sheet and the 2008 Conservation Tax Update (pdf).

From The American Farmland Trust.

Thursday, August 7, 2008
City of Fultondale Council Chambers, Fultondale, AL

7.0 CLE Hours, 0.7 CEUs; this course counts toward recertification in the "Certified Alabama Planning and Zoning Official" (CAPZO) Program.

Course description and registration information can be found on our website at www.una.edu/conted, select Planning and Zoning tab.  You may also call 800-825-5862, extension 4786, or 256-765-4786 to register.  Walk-ins are welcome.

Certified Alabama Planning and Zoning Official" training is being offered in Gulf Shores at the Adult Activity Center, 260 Club House Drive, Gulf Shores, AL 36542, beginning Wednesday, July 23, 2008. Course descriptions and a registration form can be found on our website at www.una.edu/conted, select Planning and Zoning tab. You may also call 800-825-5862, extension 4862, or 256-765-4862 to register. Walk-ins are welcome.

Need a room? Beachside Resort Hotel in Gulf Shores is offering a room rate of $139 plus tax for the nights of July 22, 23, 24. Call 1-888-410-3812 for information.

CAPZO CERTIFICATION COURSES
Home Study Course: Community Planning in Alabama (Required-YOU MAY REGISTER FOR THE HOMESTUDY AT ANY TIME) $139 per person

The Legal Foundation for Planning and Zoning in Alabama
Wednesday, July 23, 2008: 8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (Course No. 08-PZ723A)
$82 per person/$79 per person when 3 or more register together from the same organization

Powers, Duties, & Responsibilities of Planning Commissions and Boards of Adjustment
Wednesday, July 23, 2008: 12:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Course No. 08-PZ723B)
$82 per person/$79 per person when 3 or more register together from the same organization

Comprehensive Planning: How to Prepare, Update, and Implement Your Plan
Thursday, July 24, 2008: 8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (Course No. 08-PZ724A)
$82 per person/$79 per person when 3 or more register together from the same organization
 
Basic Zoning & Subdivision Regulations
Thursday, July 24, 2008: 12:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Course No. 08-PZ724B)
$82 per person/$79 per person when 3 or more register together from the same organization
$89 for CLE for attorneys

Meeting Management and Dispute Resolution
Friday, July 25, 2008: 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Course No. 08-PZ725)
$169 per person/$159 per person when 3 or more register together from the same organization

Guntersville State Park Lodge - Oct. 17

Registration is now underway for "Sign Regulation and Manufactured Housing in Your Community" being offered by UNA's Continuing Studies and Outreach on Friday, October 17, 2008, at Lake Guntersville State Park Resort, 1155 Lodge Dr., Guntersville, AL 35976.  This course meets the six-hour requirement for recertification in the CAPZO program.

Items of discussion: Sign Regulations:  How to draft, get approved and enforce them.

Manufactured Housing in Your Community:  What Do the Federal Regulations Say and How to Draft Appropriate Regulations for your Local Zoning Code.

You can register online at www.una.edu/conted (select Planning and Zoning, Sign Regulation and Manufactured Housing in Your Community, for agenda and registration form), or contact our office at 256-765-4862 to register by phone.  Please share this email with others who may be interested.

The Central Alabama Community Foundation will hold workshops for nonprofit groups looking for grants this month. The foundation supports programs in the areas of health and human services, cultural arts, recreation, preservation and education. The workshops will be offered on July 16, July 17, July 22, and July 23. For more information, call Caroline Montgomery Clark at 334 – 264 – 6223.

By the time you finish this article, someone's back 40 will be lost to urban sprawl.  But some communities have a way to save land from development - and, it's fair to farmers.

But the evidence that urban sprawl is a problem continues to mount.  Among the many considerations:

• More then 6 million acres - an area the size of Maryland - were taken out of agriculture and developed between 1992 and 1997 (American Farmland Trust)
• Within the next 32 years, this country will add 100 million people to its popultion, bringing the total to 400 million.  How we use land in that growth will only become more of an issue.
• The argument that people have to live somewhere is easily countered by proof that we are planning spaces poorly.  From 1982 to 1997, the US population grew by 17%, but land development grew by 47% (American Farmland Trust).  Since 1994, 55% of developed land went into 10 plus acre lots.

Progressive Farmer, March 2008, pg 46

The Project for Public Spaces (PPS) has identified ten qualities that contribute to the success of great streets. Streets account for as much as a third of the land in a city, and historically, they served as public spaces for social and economic exchanges. Great streets incorporate the elements described in the list below.

• Attractions & Destinations
• Identity & Image
• Active Edge Uses
• Amenities
• Management
• Seasonal Strategies
• Diverse User Groups
• Traffic, Transit & the Pedestrian
• Blending of Uses and Modes
• Protects Neighborhoods

Each quality is described in detail at the resource link below. PPS offers many more documents on great streets -- and great places -- on its website at www.pps.org/.

Resource: http://www.pps.org/info/newsletter/great_streets/qualities_of_a_great_street

From the Smart Growth Network.

Launched in 2007, the NACo Green Government Initiative provides comprehensive resources for local governments on all things green, including energy, air quality, transportation, water quality, land use, purchasing and recycling. NACo serves as a catalyst between local governments and the private sector to facilitate green government best practices, products and policies that result in financial and environmental savings.

Through the Initiative, NACo will:

• Increase education and outreach on all things green;
• Help educate counties and help them educate the public;
• Promote environmentally-preferable purchasing;
• Facilitate an open dialogue with the private sector;
• Reverse misinformed opinions that green techniques are too costly or of lesser quality; and
• Expand to schools and cities in the second and third years of the program.

Click here to read more about this initiative, or visit the NACo website at the resource link below.

Resource: http://www.naco.org

From the Smart Growth Network.

The Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham in partnership with the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Marketing & Industrial Distribution and the Alabama Retail Association invite you to MARK YOUR CALENDAR for Tuesday, Sept. 23! That is the date for the 2008 Retail Day.   The program will include a morning panel discussion from 9:00 am to 11:00 am, focusing on “Retail as Economic Development.”  The keynote speaker for the awards lunch will be Martin MacDonald with Bass Pro Shops. The morning seminar, luncheon and awards program will be at The Club, 1 Robert Smith Drive, Birmingham.  The panel discussion on “Retail as Economic Development” will dig into the issues that concern many emerging communities. The panel will discuss relevant topics in today’s retail market including,
·         What are retailers with a centralized plan going to do to withstand the economic conditions and gas prices?
·         Can we expect to see smaller stores pop up closer to where people live?
·         Will we see more neighborhood markets and fewer super centers?
·         What can we do to entice retailers to blaze new trails into our more rural trade areas while we are in an economic downturn – without giving away the bank?
·         The future of Brick and Mortar vs. Internet Retailing
·         Importance of retail development in a  community’s economic well being
·         Strategies for retail economic development in Alabama
The cost for the day’s activities will be $75 for the Retail Awards Luncheon and the panel discussion.   For more information, contact:  Cassandra Walker walkerc@uab.edu 205.934.8840

A new report by the Urban Institute provides case studies on how six cities, including Atlanta, Georgia, have attempted to lessen the pressures on neighborhoods being affected by gentrification. The case study neighborhoods range from those in the beginning stages of gentrification to those where gentrification has advanced to the point where little affordable housing remains. Strategies detailed in the report for avoiding the displacement of residents include producing affordable housing, retaining existing affordable housing, and asset-building among neighborhood residents. Learn more about the report at http://www.urban.org/publications/411294.html.
from Southern Compass

A draft policy statement entitled "Using Archaeological Resources for Public Benefit, including Education and Heritage Tourism," is the product of the ACHP’s Archaeology Task Force subcommittee and is being circulated for public comment in the Federal Register, and on the ACHP's website at www.achp.gov. After review of comments received, the Chair of the Task Force plans to bring the policy and guidance before the full ACHP membership for adoption at its August 15, 2008 quarterly meeting.

Comments are due to ACHP by July 11, 2008. Please note that all comments received will become part of the public record. For further information contact: Dr. Tom McCulloch, (202) 606-8554, or visit www.achp.gov.

May 21, 2008 - At the 110th Congress, 2nd session, H Con Res 305 - a concurrent resolution recognizing the importance of bicycling in transportation and recreation - was passed by the House of Representatives.

The resolution made statements and addressed statistics on bicycle use and non-motorized vehicles, including, “…the American bicyclist generates enormous economic returns - in 2006, the national bicycling economy contributed $133 billion to the U.S. economy, supported nearly 1.1 million jobs across U.S., generated $17.7 billion in annual Federal and State tax revenue, produced $53.1 billion annually in retail sales and services, and provided sustainable growth in rural communities.” The resolution recognized “increased and safe” bicycle use and included references to safety, intermodal transportation, support of funding for non-motorized travel, facilitated development of a coordinated system of bicycle routes across the country, and more. For full text of the resolution, visit http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:hc305eh.txt.

Rural by Design: Maintaining Small Town Character by Randall Arendt

Balancing Nature and Commerce in Gateway Communities by Jim Howe, Ed Mcmahon, Luther Propst
The Conservation Fund And The Sonoran Institute

Saving America's Countryside: A Guide to Rural Conservation (National Trust for Historic Preservation) by Samuel Stokes, Elizabeth Watson, Shelley Mastran. The National Trust For Historic Perservation

Save Our Land, Save Our Towns: A Plan For Pennsylvania by Thomas Hylton

Getting To Smart Growth: 100 Policies For Implementation from the Smart Growth Network

Getting To Smart Growth II: 100 More Policies For Implementation from the Smart Growth Network

Building Greener Neighborhoods: Tree As A Part Of The Plan American Forests/national Association Of Homebuilders

The mission of Network for Good’s new online Learning Center is to provide nonprofits with free access to the best available web-based fundraising and nonprofit marketing resources. The Learning Center features hundreds of articles in six areas: Online Fundraising, Social Networking, Website 101, Email 101, Donor Database, and Nonprofit Marketing. Much of the content comes from nonprofit professionals, coaches, trainers, bloggers, and consultants who are working everyday to improve fundraising and marketing effectiveness. To review the resources offered by the Learning Center, please visit http://www.fundraising123.org/
 

 recent editorial questions the merits of building new schools in remote, suburban locations as opposed to building or improving facilities in more central areas. The author contends that new schools, though cheaper to build in suburban areas, create hidden costs by encouraging sprawl, traffic congestion, and pollution. Additionally, suburban schools prevent most students from walking to school and require parents to spend more time chauffeuring their children. To learn more about the effects of school locations, and what can be done to encourage the renovation of existing center-city schools, visit www.blueridgepress.com/
from Southern Compass

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.” Robert Frost

The roads less traveled in Alabama are often our most beautiful. Everyone uses roads—they’re the backbone of our transportation system and without them, not much could get done. They’re how we get to work… how groceries get to market. But they are so much more, particularly when we open our eyes. Roads are how the world sees us. Roads are how impressions are made. Mostly, we see the world through our windshield.

Take the old-fashioned Sunday drive. No one got into the car after lunch on Sunday expecting to go anywhere—it wasn’t the destination that mattered, just that the wheels rolled and the scenery went by.

It is the idea of a Sunday afternoon drive that is the foundation of any pleasurable drive. If you’ve ever gone riding just to ride, you know. You know too if you’ve been on one of America’s most well known scenic drives, the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. The road IS the destination. Over ten million visitors drive some part of this 430 mile Parkway every year, stopping to purchase gas, food, crafts, lodging and services along the way.

Based on market analysis findings of many communities, coupled with business examples being submitted to the University of Wisconsin-Extension's Innovative Downtown Business online clearinghouse, 10 broad categories of retail are emerging as good fits for downtown. These can include both chains and independents and should be considered when downtown develops its business expansion and recruitment wish list, the university's community business development specialist Bill Ryan writes in this month's Perspectives column.

Read what those ten themes are in his column here: http://www.DowntownDevelopment.com/perspectives.php

(from Downtown Digest)

In 2009, Alabama Communities of Excellence (ACE) will have many newly eligible cities as per the new population range of 2,000 to 18,000 people.  Among the newly eligible cities are the following North Central Alabama communities:  Hueytown, Pelham, Jasper, and Trussville.  ACE serves as a technical assistance provider to help communities ensure long-term economic success.  For more information, go to www.alabamacommunitiesofexcellence.org or call toll free (866) 557-0007.

The American Planning Association, in close collaboration with the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and American Forests (AF), will prepare a state-of-the-art best practices manual about how urban and community forestry can best be integrated into long-range and current municipal planning activities in the U.S.

The Problem of Declining Urban Forests

Urban forests provide enormous environmental benefits — among them improving air and water quality and slowing stormwater runoff. Yet, tree canopy in many U.S. metropolitan areas has declined significantly over the last few decades. The national organization American Forests has analyzed tree cover in more than a dozen metropolitan areas and documented changes. Over the last 15 years, naturally forested areas of the country east of the Mississippi River and in the Pacific Northwest have lost 25 percent of their canopy cover while impervious surfaces increased about 20 percent. Theses changes have ecological and economic impacts on air and water systems. Communities can offset the ecological impact of land development by utilizing the urban forest's natural capacity to mitigate environmental impacts. More: http://www.planning.org/forestry/