Technical assistance Archives - Page 17 of 27

Macon-Bibb County, GA is making its revitalization vision a reality with help from Smart Growth America

By Kevin Wender · April 22, 2015

Downtown Macon, GA. Photo via NewTown Macon.

Macon-Bibb County, GA has big plans and a grand vision for how they want to revitalize their downtown. A workshop with Smart Growth America will help turn those plans into reality.

Smart Growth America traveled to Macon-Bibb on April 15 and 16, 2015 to conduct a workshop on Implementing Smart Growth 101. The workshop will help local leaders translate the plans for downtown revitalization into actionable next steps.

Since the workshop: Region-wide prosperity is collaborative effort in Graham County, NC

By Kevin Wender · April 16, 2015

graham-county-nc A new regional vision will help Graham County, NC and its neighbors work together to achieve shared goals.

In April 2013, Smart Growth America traveled to Graham County, NC to hold a “Smart Growth 101” workshop for county staff. The workshop was designed to provide an introduction to smart growth development strategies, including ideas about how the county could work with other jurisdictions in the region to achieve its long-term goals.

This past January that work took a big step forward with the release of Opt-In SWNC: The Regional Vision. The report was authored by the Southwestern North Carolina Planning and Economic Development Commission, which represents a seven-county region in southwest North Carolina that includes Graham County.

Technical assistance Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Grant Building Blocks: Implementing Smart Growth 101 EPA TA Graham County North Carolina SGA technical assistance Smart Growth 101

Bentonville, AR workshop will inform the city’s comprehensive plan update

By Kevin Wender · April 16, 2015

Smart Growth America staff lead a technical assistance workshop in Bentonville, AR. Photo courtesy of the City of Bentonville.

Smart Growth America traveled to Bentonville, AR on April 1 and 2, 2015, to hold a workshop for city staff on “Planning for Economic and Fiscal Health.” The workshop, which was part of our 2015 free technical assistance program, was designed to help Bentonville plan for development in ways that support long term prosperity.

Bentonville is just beginning the process of updating the city’s comprehensive plan, which will guide development in the city for years to come. City officials will use what they learned in this month’s workshop to inform their work on the comprehensive plan moving forward. Bentonville was one of just 14 communities nationwide awarded a free workshop as part of this competitive program.

Technical assistance Arkansas Bentonville Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Grant Building Blocks: Planning for Economic and Fiscal Health EPA TA Planning for Economic and Fiscal Health Planning for fiscal and economic health SGA technical assistance

Evaluating Complete Streets Projects: A guide for practitioners

Across the country, government agencies are working to meet residents’ demands to be more responsive, transparent, and accountable in decisions and investments. Transportation agencies are not exempt from this call—and they face the additional challenges of dwindling capital and maintenance budgets. Performance measures, in the broad sense, provide a quantitative and, sometimes, qualitative indicator of … Continued

Complete Streets Technical assistance Transportation Complete Streets performance measurement Performance measures

The Fiscal Implications of Development Patterns: Overview

Every town, city, and county makes decisions about how to grow and what kind of development to build. These decisions shape entire neighborhoods and form the foundation of communities as we know them. These decisions can also have enormous implications for a municipality’s finances. Over the past 40 years research has shown that low-density, unconnected, … Continued

Advocacy Technical assistance Analysis Fiscal modeling Fiscal policy Land development Municipal costs Public budgets Public costs tax revenue

Vermont Agency of Transportation sets new standards for excellence

By Rayla Bellis · March 31, 2015

VTrans, in partnership with Smart Growth America, has unveiled a work program for revising the Vermont State Standards, which provide VTrans staff and other partners with direction in designing roadway transportation projects.

Technical assistance Design Guidelines M2D2 Multimodal projects Transportation Vermont Vermont State Standards VTrans

Franklin, TN hosts workshop to consider development strategies for economic growth

By Kevin Wender · March 10, 2015

Downtown Franklin, TN. Photo by Wayne Hsieh via Flickr.

Smart Growth America staff met with officials from the City of Franklin, TN, on March 3 and 4, 2015, to discuss a range of strategies to position Franklin for long-term economic growth in the context of new development pressures and rapid population growth. Franklin was awarded the two-day workshop as part of Smart Growth America’s annual free technical assistance competition.

Technical assistance Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Grant Building Blocks: Implementing Smart Growth 101 EPA TA Smart Growth 101 Tennessee

Town Supervisor David Tennent on connecting communities in rural Campbell, NY

By Claire Jaffe · February 13, 2015

Town of Campbell, NY. Photo via Town of Campbell website.

Residents of Campbell, NY, want a vibrant main street while maintaining their rural atmosphere. David Tennent, Town Supervisor and member of Smart Growth America’s Local Leaders Council, is using smart growth strategies to improve walkability, foster local business, and enhance natural resources to provide the Campbell that the residents desire.

Local Leaders Council Technical assistance New York

Since the workshop: Boulder, CO continues to develop new transportation strategies for sustainable development

By Kevin Wender · February 12, 2015

boulder
Bike lanes at the intersection of Broadway and University. Photo by City of Boulder via Flickr

Boulder, CO has ambitious goals to reduce carbon emissions and improve transportation in the city. A newly adopted transportation plan—informed by Smart Growth America’s work with the city—is the most recent step toward achieving these goals.

In August 2014, the Boulder City Council accepted an update to the city’s Transportation Master Plan (TMP). The updated TMP addresses bikeways, pedestrian infrastructure, and regional transit, acknowledging that each has an important role in supporting the sustainability and quality of life goals set by the local community.

Technical assistance Blog Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Grant Building Blocks: Cool Planning EPA TA

New program will help Vermont communities coordinate land use decisions and transportation investments

By Smart Growth America · February 11, 2015

vergennes-vt
A street sign in Vergennes, VT, one of the first participants in VTrans and ACCD’s Strong Communities, Better Connections program. Photo by The Selby.

In a new collaboration to support vibrant community centers and increase in town and regional transportation options, the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) and the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development are pleased to announce the Strong Communities, Better Connections Pilot Grant Program has funded three projects that help align land use planning and community revitalization efforts with transportation investments.

Technical assistance Vermont