Downtown Reno and the Truckee Meadows. Photo by Tonya Poole via Flickr.
In October Smart Growth America visited Reno, NV, to meet with residents and local officials there as part of a “Planning for Economic and Fiscal Health” technical assistance workshop.
The workshop aimed to lay the groundwork for the Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Agency (TMRPA) to examine different development models for the region, with the ultimate goal of creating a regional plan for sustainable development.
“Ensuring an economically competitive community is absolutely critical for our region,” said Kimberly H. Robinson, Executive Director of TMRPA. “We are excited to have assistance in understanding how the choices this community makes about growth impact our ability to provide efficient and effective public services and maintain a good quality of life in our region.”
On the workshop’s first day, October 29, residents of the Truckee Meadows region gathered for an introductory presentation that featured a broad overview of the fiscal and economic implications of various development patterns of the region. During the workshop’s second day, October 30, the Smart Growth America team focused on examining the differences between sprawling development patterns and more compact smart growth development patterns. They addressed how smart growth approaches could make the region more competitive and reduce taxpayer burdens.
“Smart Growth America is committed to providing training to help local leaders keep their communities livable, sustainable and vital places,” said Roger Millar, Vice President at Smart Growth America. “Development strategies that consider the economic and fiscal health of communities will support the Reno region’s economy today and protect it moving forward. TMRPA is taking an active role in helping local governments succeed in this endeavor, and we’re excited about an opportunity to provide technical assistance that will inform their work.”
In November 2012, Reno was one of 22 communities selected by Smart Growth America to participate in our 2013 free technical assistance program. Stretching from Maine to Washington State, these communities represent major cities, suburban centers, and rural towns alike.
Bring this workshop to your community: Applications are currently being accepted for our 2014 free technical assistance workshops! If your town is interested in learning about smart growth strategies, consider applying for a workshop today.
Smart Growth America’s free technical assistance workshops are made possible by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Sustainable Communities under the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program. The Building Blocks program funds quick, targeted assistance to communities that face common development problems. One other nonprofit organization—Global Green USA—also received a competitively awarded grant under this program this year to help communities get the kinds of development they want.
Workshop Materials: