Recently in Planning Category
HUD Secretary Shawn Donovan
has announced a Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) that gives
grantees priority for buying foreclosed Federal Housing Administration
(FHA)-insured homes. Called FHA's First Look Sales Method, the
initiative also offers NSP participants - states, localities and
nonprofits - a 10-percent price discount for about 14 days from the
transfer of foreclosed properties to FHA. After the 14-day period, those
properties remaining will be listed for sale under FHA's standard
procedure. The initiative will be effective until May 31, 2013.
''We believe FHA First Look will provide communities with a
powerful tool to help them convert these vacant properties into the
affordable homes families need to thrive and our local economies need to
recover,'' Secretary Donovan told the National Council of La Raza
Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas. ''The truth is, as hard as it
is right now, it's even harder to imagine what would have happened had
we not acted when we took office - when we were losing 753,000 jobs a
month, home prices had declined for 30 straight months and Americans had
lost $6 trillion in home equity.''
Thanks largely to the joint HUD-Treasury Home Affordable
Modification Program (HAMP) and FHA's loss mitigation options, which
together ''helped set a standard across the industry,'' the secretary
pointed out, ''nearly 3 million borrowers have received restructured
mortgages since April of 2009,'' almost three times more than lost their
homes during that time. 7/12/2010
Click here to view the source article or Click here to view the source publication.
16th Street Corridor Study and Conceptual Streetscape Plan
The RPCGB and the Fountain Heights Neighborhood Association presented the 16th Street Corridor Study and Conceptual Streetscape Plan to the City of Birmingham Planning Commission and City Council. The City of Birmingham Planning Commission adopted the 16th Street Corridor Study and Conceptual Streetscape Plan on May 5th, 2010. The City of Birmingham City Council adopted the 16th Street Corridor Study and Conceptual Streetscape Plan on May 11th, 2010. The Fountain Heights Neighborhood Association and the City of Birmingham have requested assistance from the Regional Planning Commission through the Building Communities Program to complete this study. For additional information please contact Richard Amore, Senior Planner with the RPCGB at ramore@rpcgb.org.
City of Leeds Master Plan
The RPCGB continue to move forward on the City of Leeds Master Plan 2010. The RPCGB met with several stakeholders during the month of May and is moving forward with the stakeholder involvement process during the month of June in guiding the future direction of the Master Plan. The RPCGB is in the process of putting together a stakeholder advisory committee for the City of Leeds Master Plan. The RPCGB looks forward to kicking off the public involvement meetings in the coming months once the existing conditions analysis is completed. The City of Leeds has requested assistance from the RPCGB through the Building Communities Program to complete the master plan for the city. For additional information please contact Richard Amore, Senior Planner with the RPCGB at ramore@rpcgb.org.
To see a complete list of community planning projects completed over the last year, visit the Community Planning section of the RPCGB website.
Greenway Project Moves Forward
A long anticipated greenway project has taken another step towards completion with help from RPCGB. In April 2009, a Building Communities Grant was awarded to complete a "Strategic Plan for the Implementation of the Five Mile Creek Trail Location Study." The implementation study will be modeled after the PATH Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization in Atlanta with a mission of develop a system of interlinking greenway trails from commuting and recreation.
Plans for the Five Mile Creek Greenway began with an 8-mile section of greenway on Five Mile Creek funded by Sloss Industries (now Walter Coke) as part of a Supplemental Environmental Plan agreement. Sloss also set aside property on the creek in conservation easements and planted trees. RPCGB and Cawaco RC&D Council in cooperation with Sloss produced the Five Mile Creek Greenway Master Plan in 2005. RPCGB took the project another step by securing funding through the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for trail location studies in Brookside, Fultondale, and Center Point. The Five Mile Creek Trail Location Study was completed in April 2008.
The main feature of the Five Mile Creek Greenway is a 16.5 mile path planned on the CSX Cane Creek Rail Line. This historic mineral rail line is planned to be developed as a multi-use trail. Money has been programmed for the acquisition of the Cane Creek Rail Trail through the MPO. Matching funds will be provided through fund raising and local grants.
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The RPCGB and the Fountain Heights Neighborhood Association presented the 16th Street Corridor Study and Conceptual Streetscape Plan to the City of Birmingham Planning Commission and City Council. The City of Birmingham Planning Commission adopted the 16th Street Corridor Study and Conceptual Streetscape Plan on May 5th, 2010. The City of Birmingham City Council adopted the 16th Street Corridor Study and Conceptual Streetscape Plan on May 11th, 2010. The Fountain Heights Neighborhood Association and the City of Birmingham have requested assistance from the Regional Planning Commission through the Building Communities Program to complete this study. For additional information please contact Richard Amore, Senior Planner with the RPCGB at ramore@rpcgb.org.
City of Leeds Master Plan
The RPCGB continue to move forward on the City of Leeds Master Plan 2010. The RPCGB met with several stakeholders during the month of May and is moving forward with the stakeholder involvement process during the month of June in guiding the future direction of the Master Plan. The RPCGB is in the process of putting together a stakeholder advisory committee for the City of Leeds Master Plan. The RPCGB looks forward to kicking off the public involvement meetings in the coming months once the existing conditions analysis is completed. The City of Leeds has requested assistance from the RPCGB through the Building Communities Program to complete the master plan for the city. For additional information please contact Richard Amore, Senior Planner with the RPCGB at ramore@rpcgb.org.
To see a complete list of community planning projects completed over the last year, visit the Community Planning section of the RPCGB website.
Greenway Project Moves Forward
A long anticipated greenway project has taken another step towards completion with help from RPCGB. In April 2009, a Building Communities Grant was awarded to complete a "Strategic Plan for the Implementation of the Five Mile Creek Trail Location Study." The implementation study will be modeled after the PATH Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization in Atlanta with a mission of develop a system of interlinking greenway trails from commuting and recreation.
Plans for the Five Mile Creek Greenway began with an 8-mile section of greenway on Five Mile Creek funded by Sloss Industries (now Walter Coke) as part of a Supplemental Environmental Plan agreement. Sloss also set aside property on the creek in conservation easements and planted trees. RPCGB and Cawaco RC&D Council in cooperation with Sloss produced the Five Mile Creek Greenway Master Plan in 2005. RPCGB took the project another step by securing funding through the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for trail location studies in Brookside, Fultondale, and Center Point. The Five Mile Creek Trail Location Study was completed in April 2008.
The main feature of the Five Mile Creek Greenway is a 16.5 mile path planned on the CSX Cane Creek Rail Line. This historic mineral rail line is planned to be developed as a multi-use trail. Money has been programmed for the acquisition of the Cane Creek Rail Trail through the MPO. Matching funds will be provided through fund raising and local grants.
A new survey reveals that just since November, the number of Americans willing to pay more now for energy-efficient and less wasteful national infrastructure in order to save money and resources in the future has risen from 58 to 64 percent. Equally significant, 96 percent of respondents agree with the need to consider sustainability in all new construction, 76 percent see sustainability-minded, large-scale infrastructure projects as an important investment for future generations, and 51 percent would add an average of $256 to their annual taxes to ensure some form of sustainability for new construction in their regions.
www.smartgrowth.org/news/article.asp?art=7633
www.smartgrowth.org/news/article.asp?art=7633
Free technical assistance available!
The Development, Community, and Environment Division in EPA's Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation is seeking applications for technical assistance from communities that want to incorporate smart growth in their future development to meet environmental and other community goals. This request is being coordinated under the interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities. Staff from HUD and DOT will assist in the provision of this technical assistance.
Eligible entities are tribal, local, regional, and state governments, and nonprofit organizations that have a demonstrated partnership with a governmental entity. Letters of interest are due at 3:00 pm EST, April 9, 2010.
EPA has identified some key topics in which communities are likely to benefit from technical assistance:
Proposals are not limited to requests for technical assistance in only these thematic areas; other topics for assistance are welcome and encouraged, provided they demonstrate cutting-edge challenges and the possibility of replicable solutions. The type of work may incorporate policy analysis and review, planning and visioning processes, scorecard/ranking criteria development and assessment, and/or other elements pertinent to the role of the applicant.
Selected communities or states will receive assistance in the form of a multi-day visit from a team of experts organized by EPA, HUD and DOT and other national partners to work with local leaders. EPA plans to assistthree to four communities over a period of twelve months. The Agency anticipates announcing the selected communities in fall of 2010.
For more information and application materials, visit http://epa.gov/smartgrowth/2010_0128_rfli.html
The Development, Community, and Environment Division in EPA's Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation is seeking applications for technical assistance from communities that want to incorporate smart growth in their future development to meet environmental and other community goals. This request is being coordinated under the interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities. Staff from HUD and DOT will assist in the provision of this technical assistance.
Eligible entities are tribal, local, regional, and state governments, and nonprofit organizations that have a demonstrated partnership with a governmental entity. Letters of interest are due at 3:00 pm EST, April 9, 2010.
EPA has identified some key topics in which communities are likely to benefit from technical assistance:
- climate change
- equitable development
- financing and planning infrastructure investments
- hazard mitigation plans
- removing local barriers to implementing LEED-ND
- suburban retrofit
- transportation solutions for rural communities and places without rail
- cities in transition (significant population loss, poverty, or economic deterioration)
Proposals are not limited to requests for technical assistance in only these thematic areas; other topics for assistance are welcome and encouraged, provided they demonstrate cutting-edge challenges and the possibility of replicable solutions. The type of work may incorporate policy analysis and review, planning and visioning processes, scorecard/ranking criteria development and assessment, and/or other elements pertinent to the role of the applicant.
Selected communities or states will receive assistance in the form of a multi-day visit from a team of experts organized by EPA, HUD and DOT and other national partners to work with local leaders. EPA plans to assistthree to four communities over a period of twelve months. The Agency anticipates announcing the selected communities in fall of 2010.
For more information and application materials, visit http://epa.gov/smartgrowth/2010_0128_rfli.html
Often we are asked about the challenges communities struggle with when reviewing and calibrating SmartCode for their city or town. Two themes often arise in the discussion of SmartCode developments and mixed use projects in general. One is the financing of mixed-use development and the second is the long term municipal responsibility of improvements constructed within the public frontage.
The tightening of underwriting standards and changes in interest rates has altered financing capabilities for mixed-use properties. This makes the financing of mixed-use properties challenging. The development team must help bankers and investors feel comfortable with the project and how its various components will fit together to create a successful development. If the community is committed to changing development patterns, then the case can be made that mixed-use development will provide incremental benefits to the community in which the development sits. Secondly, the case can be made that mixed-use projects provide long term benefits the public in ways that single-use developments do not. Local government may play an important role in providing ongoing support, zoning flexibility, and/or creative financing for mixed-use projects.
SmartCode diagrams typically delineate private frontage and public frontage. This delineation should not be confused with sidewalk maintenance responsibility. Sidewalk maintenance can be designated as the responsibility of the adjoining property owner. In fact §11-48-65 of the Code of Alabama states, "Nothing in this article shall be so construed as to take from any city or town or in any manner affect the power and authority to compel the property owners, by penal ordinance or otherwise, to repair the sidewalks in front of their property in such manner and with such material as may be directed under the supervision of the engineer or other officer or agent of the city or town or to cause such repairs to be made at the expense of the property owner, such expense to be collected as in the case of taxes". The issue of sidewalk maintenance does not need to stand in the way of SmartCode Development.
If you have SmartCode questions please contact Steve Ostaseski or Richard Amore at RPCGB. Steve may be reached by phone at 205.264.8421 or by email at smo@rpcgb.org. Richard may be reached by phone at 205.264.8447 or by email at ramore@rpcgb.org.
The tightening of underwriting standards and changes in interest rates has altered financing capabilities for mixed-use properties. This makes the financing of mixed-use properties challenging. The development team must help bankers and investors feel comfortable with the project and how its various components will fit together to create a successful development. If the community is committed to changing development patterns, then the case can be made that mixed-use development will provide incremental benefits to the community in which the development sits. Secondly, the case can be made that mixed-use projects provide long term benefits the public in ways that single-use developments do not. Local government may play an important role in providing ongoing support, zoning flexibility, and/or creative financing for mixed-use projects.
SmartCode diagrams typically delineate private frontage and public frontage. This delineation should not be confused with sidewalk maintenance responsibility. Sidewalk maintenance can be designated as the responsibility of the adjoining property owner. In fact §11-48-65 of the Code of Alabama states, "Nothing in this article shall be so construed as to take from any city or town or in any manner affect the power and authority to compel the property owners, by penal ordinance or otherwise, to repair the sidewalks in front of their property in such manner and with such material as may be directed under the supervision of the engineer or other officer or agent of the city or town or to cause such repairs to be made at the expense of the property owner, such expense to be collected as in the case of taxes". The issue of sidewalk maintenance does not need to stand in the way of SmartCode Development.
If you have SmartCode questions please contact Steve Ostaseski or Richard Amore at RPCGB. Steve may be reached by phone at 205.264.8421 or by email at smo@rpcgb.org. Richard may be reached by phone at 205.264.8447 or by email at ramore@rpcgb.org.
16th Street Corridor Study and Conceptual Streetscape Plan
The RPCGB and the City of Birmingham conducted a successful public meeting on the 16th Street Corridor Study for the Fountain Heights Neighborhood on Tuesday, November 3rd. The RPCGB presented a overview of the project, the results from the Visual Preference Survey, and displayed conceptual alternatives based on the comments from the September 12th Fountain Heights Neighborhood Association Meeting. The residents of Fountain Heights comments and public input were insightful for guiding the future development of the 16th Street Corridor Plan. The Fountain Heights Neighborhood Association and the City of Birmingham have requested assistance from the Regional Planning Commission through the Building Communities Program to complete this study. For additional information please contact Richard Amore, Senior Planner with the RPCGB at ramore@rpcgb.org.
City of Calera adopted Subdivision Regulations
The City of Calera and the KPS Group conducted a successful public hearing on the City of Calera's subdivision regulations on Tuesday, November 3rd. The City of Calera's Planning Commission adopted the subdivision regulations on November 3rd and recommended the regulations to the City Council. The update to the city's zoning and subdivision regulations are funded by the RPCGB through the Building Communities Program. For additional information please contact Richard Amore, RPCGB Senior Planner, ramore@rpcgb.org or Jason Fondren with the KPS Group, jfondren@kpsgroup.
City of Leeds Master Plan
The RPCGB met with the City of Leeds Planning Commission of October 8th to go over the first installment of the draft Master Plan. The draft of the first installment of the Master Plan includes a community assessment that shows the existing conditions, which include the environmental analysis, a demographic study and an overview of the City of Leeds services and infrastructure.
The RPCGB will meet with the City of Leeds Planning Commission on Thursday, November 12th to collect any comments from the Commissioners, Councilors and City Staff. The RPCGB and the City of Leeds are seeking a date in December for a public meeting on the Master Plan. The public meeting date will be confirmed in the next few weeks. The City of Leeds have requested assistance from the RPCGB through the Building Communities Program to complete the Master Plan for the City. For additional information please contact Richard Amore, Senior Planner with the RPCGB at ramore@rpcgb.org.
City of Irondale to Examine Commercial Corridor Areas
The City of Irondale has contracted with the RPCGB and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to examine the land use and transportation issues along three important commerce corridor areas within the City of Irondale. The project will examine and report findings within concentric drive time areas for the three geographic targets defined by the City. Through a comprehensive analysis of the community's economy and demography, RPCGB will compile an inventory of existing retail businesses and identify the most promising types of retail prospects for economic development for the market. In addition to a market assessment, RPCGB will also develop a transportation plan for the City of Irondale which will include a circulation review, roadway assessments, and improvement recommendations.
City of Jemison Master Plan Completed
The City of Jemison's Master Plan was completed and adopted in recent months. The plan addresses growth and future development within the next twenty years and examines the city's current policies that relate to the changing conditions in the area and region. To look at the City of Jemison's Master Plan please visit the RPCGB website.
To see a complete list of community planning projects completed in 2009, visit the Community Planning section of the RPCGB website.
The RPCGB and the City of Birmingham conducted a successful public meeting on the 16th Street Corridor Study for the Fountain Heights Neighborhood on Tuesday, November 3rd. The RPCGB presented a overview of the project, the results from the Visual Preference Survey, and displayed conceptual alternatives based on the comments from the September 12th Fountain Heights Neighborhood Association Meeting. The residents of Fountain Heights comments and public input were insightful for guiding the future development of the 16th Street Corridor Plan. The Fountain Heights Neighborhood Association and the City of Birmingham have requested assistance from the Regional Planning Commission through the Building Communities Program to complete this study. For additional information please contact Richard Amore, Senior Planner with the RPCGB at ramore@rpcgb.org.
City of Calera adopted Subdivision Regulations
The City of Calera and the KPS Group conducted a successful public hearing on the City of Calera's subdivision regulations on Tuesday, November 3rd. The City of Calera's Planning Commission adopted the subdivision regulations on November 3rd and recommended the regulations to the City Council. The update to the city's zoning and subdivision regulations are funded by the RPCGB through the Building Communities Program. For additional information please contact Richard Amore, RPCGB Senior Planner, ramore@rpcgb.org or Jason Fondren with the KPS Group, jfondren@kpsgroup.
City of Leeds Master Plan
The RPCGB met with the City of Leeds Planning Commission of October 8th to go over the first installment of the draft Master Plan. The draft of the first installment of the Master Plan includes a community assessment that shows the existing conditions, which include the environmental analysis, a demographic study and an overview of the City of Leeds services and infrastructure.
The RPCGB will meet with the City of Leeds Planning Commission on Thursday, November 12th to collect any comments from the Commissioners, Councilors and City Staff. The RPCGB and the City of Leeds are seeking a date in December for a public meeting on the Master Plan. The public meeting date will be confirmed in the next few weeks. The City of Leeds have requested assistance from the RPCGB through the Building Communities Program to complete the Master Plan for the City. For additional information please contact Richard Amore, Senior Planner with the RPCGB at ramore@rpcgb.org.
City of Irondale to Examine Commercial Corridor Areas
The City of Irondale has contracted with the RPCGB and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to examine the land use and transportation issues along three important commerce corridor areas within the City of Irondale. The project will examine and report findings within concentric drive time areas for the three geographic targets defined by the City. Through a comprehensive analysis of the community's economy and demography, RPCGB will compile an inventory of existing retail businesses and identify the most promising types of retail prospects for economic development for the market. In addition to a market assessment, RPCGB will also develop a transportation plan for the City of Irondale which will include a circulation review, roadway assessments, and improvement recommendations.
City of Jemison Master Plan Completed
The City of Jemison's Master Plan was completed and adopted in recent months. The plan addresses growth and future development within the next twenty years and examines the city's current policies that relate to the changing conditions in the area and region. To look at the City of Jemison's Master Plan please visit the RPCGB website.
To see a complete list of community planning projects completed in 2009, visit the Community Planning section of the RPCGB website.
ATLANTA - Thirty years ago, people from the Gulf Coast to Canada were cleaning up from a
monstrous storm named Hurricane Frederic.
Frederic struck the Gulf Coast near the Alabama-Mississippi border on September 13, driving storm surges of 12 feet and producing more dollar damage than any previous Gulf Coast hurricane. However, the death toll was small for such a large and intense storm, which President Jimmy Carter credited to accurate, timely warnings and an orderly and extensive evacuation.
That was an example of the value of preparedness,‖ said Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region IV Administrator Phil May. ―FEMA was in its infancy at the time, and today we still know the best way to respond to an event like this is to be ready before it happens.
Alabamians long experienced with hurricanes described the devastation of their coast as ―near- total from Fort Morgan to Gulf Shores, which reported 80 percent of its buildings destroyed. Before hitting the mainland, Frederic struck Dauphin Island - knocking out the causeway that joined the island to the mainland. Although Alabama suffered the most damage, Frederic's eye spent more time over Mississippi than any other state in remaining a hurricane to Meridian - nearly 200 miles inland. Florida suffered the only coast-state fatality when a boater was washed overboard near Pensacola.
Amid the largest evacuation in Gulf Coast history to that time, some 500,000 people, all three states received disaster declarations and FEMA spent over $225 million helping them recover. Some $118 million of that was in Alabama, $34 million in Mississippi and $4 million in Florida. FEMA followed those dollars with more federal funds aimed at reducing the impact of future disasters - $42 million to Alabama, nearly $750,000 to Mississippi and $1.5 million to Florida.
Frederic was indeed the first mainland hurricane in the history of FEMA, which the president had activated that July. Although the first hurricane disaster declaration of the FEMA era was for Hurricane David, it was for Puerto Rico. After what have been called the ―twin hurricanes‖ separated, Frederic targeted the mainland as no storm ever before in terms of dollar damage and time over land. After holding hurricane strength almost halfway to Tennessee, it retained tropical characteristics all the way to Pennsylvania and dumped more than half a foot of rain
into New England and even Canada.
―Citizens can best be safe by having a disaster plan and an emergency kit, learning a life- saving skill and checking on one neighbor after they make sure their own family is safe, May said.
Over the years, September has brought many major disasters and is now observed as National Preparedness Month. For more information on that observance or getting prepared, call 800- BE-READY or visit www.ready.gov, its Spanish-language version www.listo.gov or www.citizencorps.gov for free preparedness resources, such as family emergency plan templates, emergency supply kit checklists, and much more.
The Ready Web site also has a special sections for children, ages 8-12, (Ready Kids) and small- to medium-sized businesses (Ready Business).
FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
monstrous storm named Hurricane Frederic.
Frederic struck the Gulf Coast near the Alabama-Mississippi border on September 13, driving storm surges of 12 feet and producing more dollar damage than any previous Gulf Coast hurricane. However, the death toll was small for such a large and intense storm, which President Jimmy Carter credited to accurate, timely warnings and an orderly and extensive evacuation.
That was an example of the value of preparedness,‖ said Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region IV Administrator Phil May. ―FEMA was in its infancy at the time, and today we still know the best way to respond to an event like this is to be ready before it happens.
Alabamians long experienced with hurricanes described the devastation of their coast as ―near- total from Fort Morgan to Gulf Shores, which reported 80 percent of its buildings destroyed. Before hitting the mainland, Frederic struck Dauphin Island - knocking out the causeway that joined the island to the mainland. Although Alabama suffered the most damage, Frederic's eye spent more time over Mississippi than any other state in remaining a hurricane to Meridian - nearly 200 miles inland. Florida suffered the only coast-state fatality when a boater was washed overboard near Pensacola.
Amid the largest evacuation in Gulf Coast history to that time, some 500,000 people, all three states received disaster declarations and FEMA spent over $225 million helping them recover. Some $118 million of that was in Alabama, $34 million in Mississippi and $4 million in Florida. FEMA followed those dollars with more federal funds aimed at reducing the impact of future disasters - $42 million to Alabama, nearly $750,000 to Mississippi and $1.5 million to Florida.
Frederic was indeed the first mainland hurricane in the history of FEMA, which the president had activated that July. Although the first hurricane disaster declaration of the FEMA era was for Hurricane David, it was for Puerto Rico. After what have been called the ―twin hurricanes‖ separated, Frederic targeted the mainland as no storm ever before in terms of dollar damage and time over land. After holding hurricane strength almost halfway to Tennessee, it retained tropical characteristics all the way to Pennsylvania and dumped more than half a foot of rain
into New England and even Canada.
―Citizens can best be safe by having a disaster plan and an emergency kit, learning a life- saving skill and checking on one neighbor after they make sure their own family is safe, May said.
Over the years, September has brought many major disasters and is now observed as National Preparedness Month. For more information on that observance or getting prepared, call 800- BE-READY or visit www.ready.gov, its Spanish-language version www.listo.gov or www.citizencorps.gov for free preparedness resources, such as family emergency plan templates, emergency supply kit checklists, and much more.
The Ready Web site also has a special sections for children, ages 8-12, (Ready Kids) and small- to medium-sized businesses (Ready Business).
FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
Huntsville Preservation Workshop
Huntsville Museum of Art
300 Church Street, South
August 27‐28, 2009
Fee: $35 per day or $70 for both days
Fee includes lunch, snacks and tours.
Come join the Huntsville Historic Preservation Commission, Historic Huntsville Foundation, Alabama Historical Commission, and National Park Service in a special opportunity to learn about the National Register of Historic Places from the expert - LISA DELINE - the National Park Service staff member who reviews all National Register nominations from the state of Alabama. Ms. Deline will discuss how to document and record historic buildings and districts for listing and the many new requirements for submitting digital photographs and maps. Also be ready to put this information to work as we use case studies and participate in activities to determine why properties are eligible. All participants are asked to bring a photo of one building or archaeological site to share with the group and discuss questions related to their National Register status. Please bring the information in a digital format (disc or flash drive) to project image for group participation. Preservation consultants, commission staff and members active in the National Register program are strongly encouraged to attend this session.
The program continues on August 28 with more general training specific to the work of local historic preservation commission members and staff in Huntsville and other Alabama communities. The agenda will include a presentation on the value of documenting the historical significance of properties listed on the National Register and protected with local design guidelines.
Dr. C. VAN WEST, director of the Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee State University is our featured speaker on the National Register and historic significance on Aug. 28. He is an author and also works with the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, Tennessee Historical Quarterly and Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture.
The program will include discussion of designating landmarks and districts and regulating changes to protect these special places. Presenters will be staff with the Alabama Historical Commission, Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation and Certified Local Government communities. Download the brochure/registration form: historicpreservation-huntsville.pdf
Huntsville Museum of Art
300 Church Street, South
August 27‐28, 2009
Fee: $35 per day or $70 for both days
Fee includes lunch, snacks and tours.
Come join the Huntsville Historic Preservation Commission, Historic Huntsville Foundation, Alabama Historical Commission, and National Park Service in a special opportunity to learn about the National Register of Historic Places from the expert - LISA DELINE - the National Park Service staff member who reviews all National Register nominations from the state of Alabama. Ms. Deline will discuss how to document and record historic buildings and districts for listing and the many new requirements for submitting digital photographs and maps. Also be ready to put this information to work as we use case studies and participate in activities to determine why properties are eligible. All participants are asked to bring a photo of one building or archaeological site to share with the group and discuss questions related to their National Register status. Please bring the information in a digital format (disc or flash drive) to project image for group participation. Preservation consultants, commission staff and members active in the National Register program are strongly encouraged to attend this session.
The program continues on August 28 with more general training specific to the work of local historic preservation commission members and staff in Huntsville and other Alabama communities. The agenda will include a presentation on the value of documenting the historical significance of properties listed on the National Register and protected with local design guidelines.
Dr. C. VAN WEST, director of the Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee State University is our featured speaker on the National Register and historic significance on Aug. 28. He is an author and also works with the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, Tennessee Historical Quarterly and Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture.
The program will include discussion of designating landmarks and districts and regulating changes to protect these special places. Presenters will be staff with the Alabama Historical Commission, Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation and Certified Local Government communities. Download the brochure/registration form: historicpreservation-huntsville.pdf
The Year of CLG Training continues with another great opportunity in Huntsville on August 27-28! Lisa Deline, the National Register nomination reviewer with the National Park Service will provide a one day workshop on the National Register process and requirements on August 27. This workshop will be useful to consultants, CLG staff and commission members wanting to take a more active role in nominating properties and providing oversight to consultants and other nomination preparers. The August 28 program will provide more general training for historic preservation commission members and staff. Agenda items are in
development but will include:
Thank you,
Mary Shell, Alabama Historical Commission
334-230-2691
development but will include:
- Roles and responsibilities of preservation commissions
- National Register program requirements with a focus on properties eligible for their historic associations
- Protecting historic resources.
Thank you,
Mary Shell, Alabama Historical Commission
334-230-2691
Historic Preservation Training Seminar
July 23,2009
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Historic Barna Theatre
600 Greensboro Avenue
This workshop provides annual training for local historic preservation commission members and staff to meet Certified Local Government (CLG) requirements. Communities interested in establishing a local historic preservation planning program in accordance with CLG requirements are also encouraged to attend.
Registration: 8:00 - 8:45
Program: 9:00 - 4:00
The featured speaker is David Schneider, Executive Director of the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation. Ethics training for Preservation Commissioners will be provided by City of Tuscaloosa Office of the City Attorney. After lunch at one of Downtown Tuscaloosa's fine dining establishments, there will be a tour of Tuscaloosa's Downtown Urban Renewal Project.
The tour will also include a visit to the Historic Queen City Bathhouse, which is currently being converted to a museum. For more information, please contact Brendan Moore at bmoore@tuscaloosa.com or Sherry King at sking@tuscaloosa.com.
July 23,2009
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Historic Barna Theatre
600 Greensboro Avenue
This workshop provides annual training for local historic preservation commission members and staff to meet Certified Local Government (CLG) requirements. Communities interested in establishing a local historic preservation planning program in accordance with CLG requirements are also encouraged to attend.
Registration: 8:00 - 8:45
Program: 9:00 - 4:00
The featured speaker is David Schneider, Executive Director of the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation. Ethics training for Preservation Commissioners will be provided by City of Tuscaloosa Office of the City Attorney. After lunch at one of Downtown Tuscaloosa's fine dining establishments, there will be a tour of Tuscaloosa's Downtown Urban Renewal Project.
The tour will also include a visit to the Historic Queen City Bathhouse, which is currently being converted to a museum. For more information, please contact Brendan Moore at bmoore@tuscaloosa.com or Sherry King at sking@tuscaloosa.com.
Join us for "Planning for Sustainability" on Thursday, May 21, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. in Tuskegee. UNA's Continuing Studies and Outreach offers this one day course which qualifies for Certified Alabama Planning and Zoning Official (CAPZO) recertification. It is also approved for 2.0 CMO hours and 7.0 CM hours. The cost is $169/$159 when three or more register. You may register for this course online at www.una.edu/continuing-studies, select Alabama Planning Institute, or call 256-765-4862. NOTE: This course will also be offered in Bay Minette on Friday, July 17, 2009.
Course Description:
In these uncertain economic times,most everyone is becoming more interested in sustainable development, and much has been accomplished regarding green building techniques. Even sustainable city governance is widely talked about by our colleagues in the city management profession. However, in between all this, relatively little has been done to pull together concepts and techniques that city planners may apply to their own unique situations here in Alabama. How can we plan in ways that will help our own communities balance and sustain their diverse environmental and cultural systems over time? Clearly, this is a time for effective planning and good urban and environmental design. This short course will demonstrate how to account for the given form and the made form, combined with a method for coping with these issues and more-planning processes and techniques that may be used by planners in places faced with conflicts between development pressures and natural environments.
Meet Your Instructor:
DARRELL C. MEYER, FAICP, has over 40 years professional experience, including 19 years as founding chair of the Graduate Program in Planning of the School of Architecture at Auburn University, where he is Professor Emeritus. As Director of Planning Services for KPS Group, Darrell is responsible for all planning/urban design projects, directing and managing Planning and Landscape Architecture staff resources. His expertise includes city planning and urban design, downtown revitalization and preservation, and campus master planning. Darrell authored the Alabama Planning Handbook, has devised numerous community planning programs, and has served as an expert witness on planning, zoning, and annexation matters. He received a Master of Regional Planning in 1971 from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts, in 1968 from California State University.
Course Description:
In these uncertain economic times,most everyone is becoming more interested in sustainable development, and much has been accomplished regarding green building techniques. Even sustainable city governance is widely talked about by our colleagues in the city management profession. However, in between all this, relatively little has been done to pull together concepts and techniques that city planners may apply to their own unique situations here in Alabama. How can we plan in ways that will help our own communities balance and sustain their diverse environmental and cultural systems over time? Clearly, this is a time for effective planning and good urban and environmental design. This short course will demonstrate how to account for the given form and the made form, combined with a method for coping with these issues and more-planning processes and techniques that may be used by planners in places faced with conflicts between development pressures and natural environments.
Meet Your Instructor:
DARRELL C. MEYER, FAICP, has over 40 years professional experience, including 19 years as founding chair of the Graduate Program in Planning of the School of Architecture at Auburn University, where he is Professor Emeritus. As Director of Planning Services for KPS Group, Darrell is responsible for all planning/urban design projects, directing and managing Planning and Landscape Architecture staff resources. His expertise includes city planning and urban design, downtown revitalization and preservation, and campus master planning. Darrell authored the Alabama Planning Handbook, has devised numerous community planning programs, and has served as an expert witness on planning, zoning, and annexation matters. He received a Master of Regional Planning in 1971 from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts, in 1968 from California State University.
Certified Alabama Planning and Zoning Official (CAPZO) training begins in Fultondale on April 16th and Bay Minette on April 17th. It's a great time for new board members, council members, city attorneys, city clerks, and planners to begin this certification program. Course descriptions, cost, and a registration form can be found on our website at www.una.edu/continuing-studies, select Alabama Planning Institute. You may also call 800-825-5862, extension 4862, or 256-765-4862 for more information or to register.
Fultondale
The Legal Foundation for Planning and Zoning in Alabama
Thursday, April 16, 2009: 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ416)
$82 per person/$79 per person when 3 or more register from the same organization
Bay Minette
The Legal Foundation for Planning and Zoning in Alabama
Friday, April 17, 2009: 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ200)
$82 per person/$79 per person when 3 or more register from the same organization
Powers, Duties, & Responsibilities of Planning Commissions and Boards of Adjustment
Friday, April 17, 2009: 1:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ201)
$82 per person/$79 per person when 3 or more register from the same organization
RECERTIFICATION--Need a recertification course? Several seminars that qualify for CAPZO recertification will be held in various locations throughout the state.
SIGN REGULATION AND MANUFACTURED HOUSING IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Prattville, AL - Thursday, April 24, 2009: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ403)*
Fultondale, AL - Saturday, June 20, 2009: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ620)**
Florence, AL - Saturday, July 25, 2009: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ725)**
Cost: $169/$159 when 3 or more register together
PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Tuskegee, AL - Thursday, May 21, 2009: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ521)**
Bay Minette, AL - Friday, July 17, 2009: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ205)**
Cost: $169/$159 when 3 or more register together
12TH ANNUAL ALABAMA LAND USE LAW UPDATE
Fultondale, AL - Friday, May 22, 2009: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ522)
Mobile, AL - Friday, September 11, 2009: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ828)
Cost: $169/$159 when 3 or more register together/$179 CLE
*CM has been approved for this event
**CM has been requested for this event
Fultondale
The Legal Foundation for Planning and Zoning in Alabama
Thursday, April 16, 2009: 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ416)
$82 per person/$79 per person when 3 or more register from the same organization
Bay Minette
The Legal Foundation for Planning and Zoning in Alabama
Friday, April 17, 2009: 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ200)
$82 per person/$79 per person when 3 or more register from the same organization
Powers, Duties, & Responsibilities of Planning Commissions and Boards of Adjustment
Friday, April 17, 2009: 1:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ201)
$82 per person/$79 per person when 3 or more register from the same organization
RECERTIFICATION--Need a recertification course? Several seminars that qualify for CAPZO recertification will be held in various locations throughout the state.
SIGN REGULATION AND MANUFACTURED HOUSING IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Prattville, AL - Thursday, April 24, 2009: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ403)*
Fultondale, AL - Saturday, June 20, 2009: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ620)**
Florence, AL - Saturday, July 25, 2009: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ725)**
Cost: $169/$159 when 3 or more register together
PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Tuskegee, AL - Thursday, May 21, 2009: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ521)**
Bay Minette, AL - Friday, July 17, 2009: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ205)**
Cost: $169/$159 when 3 or more register together
12TH ANNUAL ALABAMA LAND USE LAW UPDATE
Fultondale, AL - Friday, May 22, 2009: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ522)
Mobile, AL - Friday, September 11, 2009: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ828)
Cost: $169/$159 when 3 or more register together/$179 CLE
*CM has been approved for this event
**CM has been requested for this event
Registration is underway for "Sign Regulation and Manufactured Housing in Your Community." This seminar will be held on Friday, April 24, 2009, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., at Marriott Legends at Capitol Hill, Prattville, AL. This course has been approved for Certification Maintenance (6.0 Hours) and also qualifies for CAPZO recertification. For more information or to register, please call me at 256-765-4786. You may also register online at www.una.edu/continuing-studies, select Alabama Planning Institute.
On March 26th, the U. S. House of Representatives approved passage of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. This follows the passage of the same legislation in the U. S. Senate on January 15th. President Obama signed the act into law on March 30th. Contained within this legislation is the Chattahoochee Trace National Heritage Corridor Study Act which also became law at the same time. The Historic Chattahoochee Commission spent almost five years working to have this legislation approved by the U. S. Congress.
Once the National Heritage Area designation is formally approved, the Chattahoochee Trace region will be eligible to receive funding for publications and marketing for tourism, historic preservation, environmental education, outdoor recreation and small business development. National Heritage Areas are significant geographical, cultural and historical sites, as designated by the U. S. Congress. In contrast to National Parks, these areas are not federally owned or managed, but are maintained and controlled by local entities. In this instance, the Historic Chattahoochee Commission, a state agency of both Alabama and Georgia, will manage the Chattahoochee Trace National Heritage Area.
For further information on the Chattahoochee Trace National Heritage Corridor Study Act contact Doug Purcell, Executive Director, Historic Chattahoochee Commission, P. O. Box 33, Eufaula, AL 36072 or P. O. Box 942, LaGrange, GA 30241. E-mail inquiries may be directed to trace@eufaula.rr.com. or call 334-687-9755.
Once the National Heritage Area designation is formally approved, the Chattahoochee Trace region will be eligible to receive funding for publications and marketing for tourism, historic preservation, environmental education, outdoor recreation and small business development. National Heritage Areas are significant geographical, cultural and historical sites, as designated by the U. S. Congress. In contrast to National Parks, these areas are not federally owned or managed, but are maintained and controlled by local entities. In this instance, the Historic Chattahoochee Commission, a state agency of both Alabama and Georgia, will manage the Chattahoochee Trace National Heritage Area.
For further information on the Chattahoochee Trace National Heritage Corridor Study Act contact Doug Purcell, Executive Director, Historic Chattahoochee Commission, P. O. Box 33, Eufaula, AL 36072 or P. O. Box 942, LaGrange, GA 30241. E-mail inquiries may be directed to trace@eufaula.rr.com. or call 334-687-9755.
Cawaco RC&D is hosting a workshop to address basic streamside management techniques. Park officials, municipal employees, landscape maintenance personnel, and landowners concerned about streams on their property are encouraged to attend.
Topics Include:
• Protecting your stream from erosion
• Floodplain function and buffers
• Plant selection
• Restricting access
• Economic benefits
• Wildlife interactions
• Maintaining aesthetics
• Local sources for native plants
Registration is $25.00. Register online @ http://cawaco.org/registration.html
Partners include: Black Warrior Clean Water Partnership, Cahaba Clean Water Partnership, Walker County SWCD, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, North Carolina State University and the City of Jasper.
Topics Include:
• Protecting your stream from erosion
• Floodplain function and buffers
• Plant selection
• Restricting access
• Economic benefits
• Wildlife interactions
• Maintaining aesthetics
• Local sources for native plants
Registration is $25.00. Register online @ http://cawaco.org/registration.html
Partners include: Black Warrior Clean Water Partnership, Cahaba Clean Water Partnership, Walker County SWCD, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, North Carolina State University and the City of Jasper.
Charrette System, Certificate 3 Day Training - visit www.rpcgb.org to for registration information - accredited with AICP for 18 CM credits and AIA for 18 CES units
April 14 - April 16, 2009, 9am - 4pm each day. Training services provided by the National Charrette Institute and hosted by the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham located at 1731 1st Avenue North, 1st Floor Conference Room, Birmingham, AL 35203.
Visit www.rpcgb.org to obtain registration form and for online registration with a credit card.
This 3-day training is a fresh, new course that illustrates the capability of the NCI Charrette System for all aspects of community planning. Participants learn the practical NCI Charrette System skills, tools and techniques through new interactive, hands-on exercises practiced on four case study types:
§ Sustainable community planning
§ Regional/comprehensive planning
§ Transportation/infrastructure planning
§ Transit oriented development planning
Who should take this course: The training is ideal for planners and designers specializing in sustainable development, transportation, public works, and transit as well as citizen advocacy.
Course Content: The purpose of this training is to teach the tools and techniques for planning and running a successful project using a NCI charrette and to give participants a practical understanding of the power of the NCI Charrette System to create sustainable communities. It is an advanced course for serious planning practitioners, developers and community advocates. The course begins with a comprehensive overview of the entire NCI Charrette System including a day-by-day account of the process and products of a recent charrette. This overview sets the framework for the in-depth case study exercises, conducted in a small team format. The goal of the exercises is to teach the essential tools for assessing and planning a project using a NCI Charrette, including: Project Touchstones, Objectives and Measures, Stakeholder Analysis, Project Roadmap, Charrette Ready Plan and Charrette Schedule. Also covered are discussions of charrette team capabilities and chemistry, charrette studio set-up, budgets and stories from famous charrette successes and failures. One major benefit of this training is meeting and working with your fellow students. NCI trainings consistently attract top practitioners in the field from across the US and abroad. Students report that one of the most valuable aspects of the course is learning from each other and establishing beneficial relationships with others in the field of community planning. You will gain a practical, working knowledge of the most advanced tools and techniques used by the leaders in community planning. Depending on your skill and experience level, upon completion of the training you will be able to host or conduct a NCI charrette.
April 14 - April 16, 2009, 9am - 4pm each day. Training services provided by the National Charrette Institute and hosted by the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham located at 1731 1st Avenue North, 1st Floor Conference Room, Birmingham, AL 35203.
Visit www.rpcgb.org to obtain registration form and for online registration with a credit card.
This 3-day training is a fresh, new course that illustrates the capability of the NCI Charrette System for all aspects of community planning. Participants learn the practical NCI Charrette System skills, tools and techniques through new interactive, hands-on exercises practiced on four case study types:
§ Sustainable community planning
§ Regional/comprehensive planning
§ Transportation/infrastructure planning
§ Transit oriented development planning
Who should take this course: The training is ideal for planners and designers specializing in sustainable development, transportation, public works, and transit as well as citizen advocacy.
Course Content: The purpose of this training is to teach the tools and techniques for planning and running a successful project using a NCI charrette and to give participants a practical understanding of the power of the NCI Charrette System to create sustainable communities. It is an advanced course for serious planning practitioners, developers and community advocates. The course begins with a comprehensive overview of the entire NCI Charrette System including a day-by-day account of the process and products of a recent charrette. This overview sets the framework for the in-depth case study exercises, conducted in a small team format. The goal of the exercises is to teach the essential tools for assessing and planning a project using a NCI Charrette, including: Project Touchstones, Objectives and Measures, Stakeholder Analysis, Project Roadmap, Charrette Ready Plan and Charrette Schedule. Also covered are discussions of charrette team capabilities and chemistry, charrette studio set-up, budgets and stories from famous charrette successes and failures. One major benefit of this training is meeting and working with your fellow students. NCI trainings consistently attract top practitioners in the field from across the US and abroad. Students report that one of the most valuable aspects of the course is learning from each other and establishing beneficial relationships with others in the field of community planning. You will gain a practical, working knowledge of the most advanced tools and techniques used by the leaders in community planning. Depending on your skill and experience level, upon completion of the training you will be able to host or conduct a NCI charrette.
As RPC professionals visit and work within your communities, they may discuss smart codes or form-based codes. The concepts of smart codes or form-based codes are an emerging trend throughout the nation and here in Alabama. What are they and how would they work in your community? Smart Code Corner will be a recurring section of your Connections newsletter. RPC staff will compile monthly articles on smart code and formed-based code. Our goal is providing you information to help you understand smart code and formed-based code. With an understanding of the concepts, you can determine how these tools may help you shape your community.
What is smart code or form-based code?
Form-based codes have developed over several decades. The SmartCode is a model form-based code originally developed by the preeminent architectural firm Duany, Plater-Zyberk and Co., to guide the development of the Florida resort town of Seaside. Form-based codes regulate land development with more emphasis on controlling urban form and less emphasis on controlling land uses. The regulations and standards in form-based codes are presented in both diagrams and words. Form-based codes are always accompanied by a regulating plan. Most of us have in place a zoning code that is know as Euclidean zoning. Conventional Euclidean zoning regulates land development with the most emphasis on controlling land use. Form-based code does concentrate on the form of the built environment and not exclusively on the use.
SmartCode is a formed-based code. SmartCode moves beyond regulating only the form of a specific piece of land and instead further regulates how a singular form fits into the larger context of a region, this concept is know as the transect. The transect recognizes that development fits within the context of the region not just the individual site. SmartCode brings the transect and form-based code together. It folds zoning, subdivision regulations, urban design, public works standards, and basic architectural controls into one compact document. It is a unified ordinance, spanning scales from region to community to building. Ultimately, a form-based code is a tool; the quality of development outcomes is dependent on the quality and objectives of the community plan that a code implements.
What is smart code or form-based code?
Form-based codes have developed over several decades. The SmartCode is a model form-based code originally developed by the preeminent architectural firm Duany, Plater-Zyberk and Co., to guide the development of the Florida resort town of Seaside. Form-based codes regulate land development with more emphasis on controlling urban form and less emphasis on controlling land uses. The regulations and standards in form-based codes are presented in both diagrams and words. Form-based codes are always accompanied by a regulating plan. Most of us have in place a zoning code that is know as Euclidean zoning. Conventional Euclidean zoning regulates land development with the most emphasis on controlling land use. Form-based code does concentrate on the form of the built environment and not exclusively on the use.
SmartCode is a formed-based code. SmartCode moves beyond regulating only the form of a specific piece of land and instead further regulates how a singular form fits into the larger context of a region, this concept is know as the transect. The transect recognizes that development fits within the context of the region not just the individual site. SmartCode brings the transect and form-based code together. It folds zoning, subdivision regulations, urban design, public works standards, and basic architectural controls into one compact document. It is a unified ordinance, spanning scales from region to community to building. Ultimately, a form-based code is a tool; the quality of development outcomes is dependent on the quality and objectives of the community plan that a code implements.
The FHWA Central Federal Lands Highway Division published the Guide to Promoting Bicycling on Federal Lands (HTML / PDF). Bicycling facilities are important transportation and recreation links to connect gateway communities, visitor centers, campgrounds, trailheads, and other attractions. This report presents benefits of bicycling, successful programs, policies that support bicycling, issues and challenges faced by land managers, and resources available to help meet these challenges.
Take a look at this interesting site for some innovative ideas on what to do with those dead strip malls....
http://www.flipastrip.org/
http://www.flipastrip.org/
Nationwide, redevelopment and housing authorities have built 75 parks on the former sites of factories, homes, office buildings, railyards, parking lots, landfills, and even highways. Based on a 2008 survey by TPL's Center for City Park Excellence, "When There's Nothing to Conserve, Create!" was recently published in the Journal of Housing and Community Development and is now available for download. Also from the center: a new report on the parkland deficit in Virginia's Hampton Roads area recommends that the soon-to-be-decommissioned Fort Monroe be converted into a 570-acre park.
Download the reports from the Trust for Public Land.
Report: When There's Nothing to Conserve, Create! The Role of Parks in Redevelopment Projects: http://www.tpl.org/content_documents/RedevelopmentAuthorities&Parks.pdf
Report: Hampton Roads Parkland Deficit (VA): http://www.tpl.org/content_documents/Fort_Monroe_Bracing_for_ChangeWEB.pdf
Download the reports from the Trust for Public Land.
Report: When There's Nothing to Conserve, Create! The Role of Parks in Redevelopment Projects: http://www.tpl.org/content_documents/RedevelopmentAuthorities&Parks.pdf
Report: Hampton Roads Parkland Deficit (VA): http://www.tpl.org/content_documents/Fort_Monroe_Bracing_for_ChangeWEB.pdf
Certified Alabama Planning and Zoning Official (CAPZO) training is being offered at the Helena City Hall beginning Thursday night, January 15, 5:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Complete course description and a registration form can be found on our web site at www.una.edu/continuing-studies, select Alabama Planning Institute.
HELENA CITY HALL
816 Highway 52, Helena, AL 35080
The Legal Foundation for Planning and Zoning in Alabama
Thursday, January 15, 2009: 5:30 - 9:00 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ105)
Powers, Duties, & Responsibilities of Planning Commissions and Boards of Adjustment
Thursday, February 5, 2009: 5:30 - 9:00 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ106)
Comprehensive Planning: How to Prepare, Update, and Implement Your Plan
Thursday, February 19, 2009: 5:30 - 9:00 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ107)
Basic Zoning & Subdivision Regulations
Thursday, March 5, 2009: 5:30 - 9:00 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ108)
Meeting Management and Dispute Resolution
Saturday, March 21, 2009: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ109)
Need CAPZO recertification? Sign Regulation and Manufactured Housing in Your Community, Helena, AL - Saturday, January 31, 200: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ131)
Complete course description and a registration form can be found on our web site at www.una.edu/continuing-studies, select Alabama Planning Institute.
HELENA CITY HALL
816 Highway 52, Helena, AL 35080
The Legal Foundation for Planning and Zoning in Alabama
Thursday, January 15, 2009: 5:30 - 9:00 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ105)
Powers, Duties, & Responsibilities of Planning Commissions and Boards of Adjustment
Thursday, February 5, 2009: 5:30 - 9:00 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ106)
Comprehensive Planning: How to Prepare, Update, and Implement Your Plan
Thursday, February 19, 2009: 5:30 - 9:00 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ107)
Basic Zoning & Subdivision Regulations
Thursday, March 5, 2009: 5:30 - 9:00 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ108)
Meeting Management and Dispute Resolution
Saturday, March 21, 2009: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ109)
Need CAPZO recertification? Sign Regulation and Manufactured Housing in Your Community, Helena, AL - Saturday, January 31, 200: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Course No. 09-PZ131)
Working with the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham, Tarrant has drafted and adopted a Comprehensive Plan. The City adopted a Comprehensive Land Use and Zoning Ordinance to compliment the Comprehensive Plan. Some projects, like the Five mile Creek Greenway project, were underway and continue to be developed. However, like too many city plans, some of the other community needs identified within the Comprehensive Plan were shelved along with the plan. The intent is to use the opportunity that the ACE program provides to bring all the shareholders to the table to have a serious discussion about the future of the City. Intended outcomes include: leadership development within the City, the development of strategic plans with identified goals and action steps to be taken to reach those goals, improved communication between the school board and the city officials in an attempt to have each understand the needs of the other and promote a unified plan that best serves the needs of both, to improve a sense of place that folk will be proud to call their home, and to address community and economic development in order to grow and prosper. Tarrant has seen better times. There is no reason that this community, that is contiguous to City of Birmingham, its international airport, and transportation corridors should not continue to improve and become the best that it can be.
The Alabama Communities of Excellence (ACE) program is a comprehensive three-phase approach to economic and community development for cities with populations between 2,000 and 12,000. With the mission of helping Alabama's smaller communities to plan, grow and prosper, ACE partners from the private sector, governmental agencies, and universities work with each community to successfully achieve the vision and goals created during the ACE program. (www.alabamacommunitiesofexcellence.org)
The Alabama Communities of Excellence (ACE) program is a comprehensive three-phase approach to economic and community development for cities with populations between 2,000 and 12,000. With the mission of helping Alabama's smaller communities to plan, grow and prosper, ACE partners from the private sector, governmental agencies, and universities work with each community to successfully achieve the vision and goals created during the ACE program. (www.alabamacommunitiesofexcellence.org)
RiverWay South is designed to work with communities within the
Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint (ACF) watershed to preserve,
protect and promote the unique heritage of the watershed while infusing
new economic life into those communities struggling to survive. Although
three states and three rivers are involved, ACF represents one
magnificent river system.
We are working with counties in the Chattahoochee, Flint, and Apalachicola watershed to stimulate economies through cultural heritage tourism and by supporting and encouraging river excursions and recreation on the river. RiverWay South is a not for profit organization funded by a USDA Rural Business Opportunity Grant.
We are working with counties in the Chattahoochee, Flint, and Apalachicola watershed to stimulate economies through cultural heritage tourism and by supporting and encouraging river excursions and recreation on the river. RiverWay South is a not for profit organization funded by a USDA Rural Business Opportunity Grant.
Continue reading RiverWay South!.
Completed in April 2008, the Five Mile Creek Trail Location Study represents a culmination of existing, planned and proposed bicycle and pedestrian transportation corridors along the waterway and its tributaries. The primary objective was to identify a seamless network of interconnected greenway facilities that could potentially link key destinations such as schools, neighborhoods, towncenters, parks and other green space. The report was drafted by Tom Maxwell (Senior Environmental Planner) with input from the Five Mile Creek Greenway Partnership and other members of the community. Francesca Gross (Partnership Coordinator) also played a key role in editing the report as well as collecting and providing input from the Partnership. The report has been posted on the Partnership's website at www.cawaco.org/fivemilecreek/resources/recreation/index.html. For questions or more information contact Tom Maxwell at tmaxwell@rpcgb.org or Francesca Gross at fgross@rpcgb.org
With business signs, more is not necessarily better. Oversized signs and signage "clutter" can have a negative impact on how downtown and its businessesare perceived.
"It also becomes very expensive and cost-prohibitive, for the start-up business to have to pay $10,000 or $15,000 on a sign, just to get minimal recognition on the street," says Scott Day of Urban Development Services. Other common business signage problems are signs not properly positioned for the public to see them, and store windows that are jam-packed with signage.
"Too many signs say too many things," Day says. "It becomes visual white noise. People don't want to take the time to sort through it all. A lot of main street retail corridors suffer from information overload."
from: www.DowntownDevelopment.com/dpr.php
"It also becomes very expensive and cost-prohibitive, for the start-up business to have to pay $10,000 or $15,000 on a sign, just to get minimal recognition on the street," says Scott Day of Urban Development Services. Other common business signage problems are signs not properly positioned for the public to see them, and store windows that are jam-packed with signage.
"Too many signs say too many things," Day says. "It becomes visual white noise. People don't want to take the time to sort through it all. A lot of main street retail corridors suffer from information overload."
from: www.DowntownDevelopment.com/dpr.php
