NPSG13-114

How Municipalities Can Avoid the 20 Most Common Place-Making Mistakes

Speakers: Chad Emerson, Director of Development, City of Montgomery, AL; Eliza Harris, Urban Planner, Canin & Associates; Amanda Thompson, Planning Director, City of Decatur, GA. Moderator: Nathan Norris, CEO, Downtown Development Authority, Lafayette, LA

In this “get real” session, you learn about the 20 most common placemaking mistakes that municipalities make, as well as the 10 most effective placemaking tools you should be using. The motivation for this session stems from the fact that many municipalities continue to make the same mistakes over and over — all the while hoping for a better result. Oftentimes, their major problem isn’t the execution of a specific tactic or tool, but the incorrect diagnosis of their challenges from the outset. This session arms you with the techniques and strategies you need to effectively advocate for meaningful improvements to your community.

Audio CDs: 1

Audio CD

$15.00

$15.00

NPSG13-108

Partnerships that Deliver Thriving Communities

Speakers: Ben Bakkenta, AICP, Program Manager, Puget Sound Regional Council; Rebecca Saldana, Community Benefits and Development Program Director, Puget Sound Stage; Nathaniel Smith, Founder, Partnership for Southern Equity; Shelly Griswold, Planner, City of Freeport, IL; Evelyn Curry, Neighborhood Leader, Stephenson County Health Department, IL. Moderator: Sarita Turner, Sustainable Communities Fellow, PolicyLink

Smart, sustainable planning incorporates equity principles from concept to implementation. Increasingly, governments are recognizing the value non-traditional partnerships bring to planning processes. Planning that is informed and guided by the wisdom and experiences of communities, coupled with equity-focused smart growth strategies, is winning sustainability in developments of all types. Hear how metropolitan planning organizations (MPO) and cities are working in partnership with community to bring new vision, energy and approaches to traditional planning processes. In the Puget Sound, the MPO is working in lock-step with the Puget Sound Regional Equity Network to plan equitable transit oriented development; in the Atlanta region, in collaboration with the Partnership for Southern Equity, the MPO has formalized an equity committee within its structure and developed an Equitable Target Areas Index; in Freeport, IL, the city is working hand in hand with resident leadership to redevelop a brownfield in a African-American neighborhood.

Audio CDs: 1

Audio CD

$15.00

$15.00

NPSG13-118

Success with Schools: New Tools for Your Community

Speakers: Candi Beaudry, AICP, Director, City of Billings, MT; Sharon Thomas, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Las Cruces, NM; Leslie Meehan, AICP, Director of Healthy Communities, Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. Moderator: Renee Kuhlman, Director of Special Projects-Government Relations and Policy, National Trust for Historic Preservation

Where to locate schools is a complex and often contentious question. Three communities are working to ensure that the health and sustainability of their community are part of the decision-making process. With help from EPA, Billings, Montana is developing a new cost calculator (with transportation, health, and environmental considerations) and conducting a thorough policy audit. Las Cruces, New Mexico has set up a joint city-county school district working group and will share how they are planning concurrently for the future. In Nashville, Tennessee, a new mixed-use development with a commuter train station is being built and planners have used a health impact assessment to help the community make a fair and equitable decision about the location of a new school facility. Attendees also share their own challenges so panelists can describe how the new tools can be used or modified in different situations.

Audio CDs: 1

Audio CD

$15.00

$15.00

NPSG13-107

Building Community While Greening the City: The Parklet Revolution

Speakers: Ariel Ben-Amos, Senior Planner/Analyst, Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities, Philadelphia, PA; Alexis Smith, Planner / Urban Designer, City of San Francisco, CA; John Bela, Principal, Rebar. Moderator: Judy Corbett, Executive Director, Local Government Commission

The elements of a parklet – a parking spot transformed into a tiny public relaxation area – can vary, from a patch of grass-like turf and plants to an outdoor patio with seating. At a time when city budgets are severely constrained, parklets have become a popular way for residents and businesses to green their neighborhoods. Parklets got a start in 2005 in San Francisco, when staff of a design firm fed a parking meter with coins, covered the asphalt with sod, and added a potted tree. Their experiment spread like wildfire. The City responded by making parklets legal and setting up an approval process. Today parklets can be seen in neighborhoods throughout the City. The parklet concept has spread beyond SF, with different versions evolving for different climates. This session features a professional from the San Francisco Parks Department, a staff member from the Mayor’s Office in the City of Philadelphia, and a representative of Rebar, the design firm that initiated the parklet revolution.

Audio CDs: 1

Audio CD

$15.00

$15.00

Subtotal

$60.00