Photo courtesy of Dougtone via Flickr
Officials and local residents in Campbell, NY met with representatives from Smart Growth America on April 24 and 25, 2013 as part of a free, grant-funded technical assistance program. The workshops gave Campbell the tools it needs to preserve its character, while creating strategies that allow the town to move toward a more sustainable future.
“The Town of Campbell feels very fortunate to have been selected for this technical assistance workshop,” said Town Supervisor David Tennent. “We’re eager to learn what Smart Growth America has to teach us regarding strategies for improving our zoning code and planning for sustainable growth in our town.”
Nicolette Barber, AICP, with Hunt Engineers, Architects & Land Surveyors, a consultant for the town and working closely with the technical assistance team said, “Campbell is a small town that would like to maintain and enhance its rural character. In planning for its future, the town is not looking to compete with the regional shopping centers or expand its population by leaps and bounds. Rather, what residents would like are more opportunities for local shopping, social events and recreation. To the extent that the Comprehensive Plan Committee could help promote that through smart growth strategies learned from Smart Growth America, they would like to do so.”
Campbell residents and city officials gathered for an introductory presentation that featured a broad overview of smart growth zoning codes on April 24. The next day was an all-day workshop. Key stakeholders met with Chris Duerksen of Clarion Associates to create of list of implementation tools that will help the town attract new residents and businesses. Following the workshop, Chris provided a ‘next steps’ memo that will help the town as they prepare to take on the strategies outlined during the workshop.
In November 2012, the Town of Campbell was one of 22 communities selected by Smart Growth America to participate in the free technical assistance program. Stretching from Maine to Washington State, these communities represent major cities, suburban centers, and rural towns alike.
The 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 under this program to help communities get the kinds of development they want.
Learn more about the workshop and the Town of Campbell’s accomplishments by reading the documents below.
Workshop Materials:
- Smart Growth Zoning Codes for Small Cities Tool Description (PDF)
- Evening Presentation (PDF)
- Campbell: Next Steps Memo (PDF)
- Campbell: Progress Report – 1 month (PDF)
- Campbell: Progress Report – 6 months (PDF)
- Campbell: Progress Report – 12 months (PDF)
Workshop Outcomes: