Next week, Smart Growth America will meet with staff from the City of Kimberly, ID as part of a free, grant-funded technical assistance program aimed at assisting the City of Kimberly implement a cool planning program.
Residents are invited to attend the meeting, which will take place on Monday, March 12, 2012 from 6–8 PM at the new Rock Creek Fire Station.
The presentation and discussion will highlight how Kimberly can best plan for growth while enhancing community livability and economic sustainability. Staff will discuss how Kimberly can: Get Centered (creating a vibrant and attractive town center), Grow Compact (avoiding sprawl and minimizing vehicle miles traveled) and Make Streets Complete (making city roads safe for pedestrians and cyclists).
“We are very excited to have been selected for this incredible opportunity,” said Kimberly City Administrator, Polly Hulsey. “This assistance will allow professionals from around the country to converge on Kimberly and to meet with City leaders, business owners, builders, realtors and our citizens to help us maximize our resources, while helping guide us in the right direction for our future. We invite anyone interested to attend the program to provide input and join us in planning Kimberly’s future.”
In September 2011, Kimberly was one of 15 communities nationwide selected by Smart Growth America to participate in its annual free technical assistance program. Stretching from Maine to Washington State, the 15 communities selected represent major cities, suburban centers, and rural towns alike.
“Smart Growth America is committed to providing the tools and training to help community leaders keep their cities and towns livable, sustainable and vital places,” said Roger Millar, Director of Smart Growth America’s Leadership Institute. “Kimberly is focused on supporting existing businesses by providing safe and inviting settings for commercial activity that are close to housing and schools. They have requested assistance in framing a community conversation to allow all stakeholders to see the community in its entirety rather than just focusing on the impact of growth on their specific business or property.”
The annual free technical assistance program, made possible through a five-year Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Sustainable Communities, seeks to develop local planning solutions that help communities grow in ways that benefit families and businesses, while protecting the environment and preserving a sense of place. Three other nonprofit organizations — Forterra, Global Green USA and Project for Public Spaces — also received competitively awarded grants this year to help communities get the kinds of development they want.
As a national leader in the field, Smart Growth America has accumulated extensive experience working with communities to help them use land strategically, make the most of existing resources and invest strategically to catalyze private development. To learn about the next opportunity for free technical assistance, join Smart Growth America’s mailing list.
Photo of downtown Kimberly, Idaho from City Data.
Workshop Materials:
- Cool Planning Tool Description (PDF)
- Kimberly: Next Steps Memo (PDF)
- Kimberly: Progress Report – 1 month (PDF)
- Kimberly: Progress Report – 6 months (PDF)
Evening Presentations