Livability in small towns #6: Breckinridge, Colorado
September 2, 2010By Sean Barry
This collection of 12 case studies helps put to rest the idea that livability is an exclusively “urban” idea. Small cities, towns and rural regions across the country are transforming themselves into more livable communities. While some of these communities face formidable threats – from job losses and shrinking populations to disappearing farmland and strained resources – their leaders have forged collaborations and created plans that are growing economies, benefiting people and protecting the land and lifestyles treasured by residents and non-residents alike.
Check back each day for a new post and read the full series of livability case studies as they’re posted. The intro can be found here.
Breckinridge, Colorado
| “You’ve got to find ways to keep the police officers, the teachers, the managers in the community.” Mayor Sam Mamula, Breckenridge, Colorado |
Breckenridge is a resort destination for thousands of vacationers every year, but was unaffordable to the people working in the community until an effort between the EPA and the Colorado Department of Health launched new affordable housing options.
Local residents employed in the resort town of Breckenridge, Colorado were being squeezed. The median cost for a single-family home in Breckenridge was $725,000, out of reach for the resort cooks, teachers and police officers, whom Mayor Sam Mamula described as “both the economic engine and the soul of the town.” Many workers had 45 minute commutes or longer.
Residents in the Wellington Neighborhood of Breckenridge chose to repeal restrictive zoning policies and reclaim a 22-acre brownfield site. With funding from the U.S. EPA and the Colorado Department of Public Health, officials approved 122 new market-rate and affordable homes built with a traditional neighborhood aesthetic. Twenty of those acres are dedicated to open space.
According to the EPA, “Wellington has increased the supply of affordable housing, cleaned a contaminated site and created a compact, walkable neighborhood with access to trails and open space.” Eighty percent of the new homes were reserved for people who work in Summit County at a cost that was one-third or lower than the median Breckenridge housing price.
Just as intended, many new homeowners were the very people the effort intended to help: shop owners, teachers, police officers and even the town manager.
“You’ve got to find ways to keep the police officers, the teachers, the managers in the community,” said Mayor Mamula. “There’s nothing else like the Wellington Neighborhood in the county and not much else like it in the whole country.”
Source: Environmental Protection Agency.
Livability in small towns #5: Davidson, North Carolina
September 1, 2010By Sean Barry
This collection of 12 case studies helps put to rest the idea that livability is an exclusively “urban” idea. Small cities, towns and rural regions across the country are transforming themselves into more livable communities. While some of these communities face formidable threats – from job losses and shrinking populations to disappearing farmland and strained resources – their leaders have forged collaborations and created plans that are growing economies, benefiting people and protecting the land and lifestyles treasured by residents and non-residents alike.
Check back each day for a new post and read the full series of livability case studies as they’re posted. The intro can be found here.
Davidson, North Carolina
| “To me, I have no problem with the government trying to look at the big picture. Livability and smart growth are in the interest of everyone and we all have the responsibility to be involved.” Kris Krider, Town Planner, Davidson, North Carolina. |
Davidson faced a surge in population head-on by revitalizing its town center and improving transportation options, earning the 2004 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement from the U.S. EPA.
Davidson, North Carolina, a small community 20 miles from Charlotte, is noted for its small town identity and great neighborhoods. Davidson has seen a sharp hike in population since 2000, but by increasing transportation options and revitalizing Main Street, the town was able to preserve its character and community. Davidson was the 2004 recipient of a National Award for Smart Growth Achievement from the U.S. EPA.
The key to Davidson’s success, according to Town Planner Kris Krider, was connecting each new housing or commercial development with travel options and broadening the definition of how people move.
“Sitting in traffic is not one of the themes of livability that we think is valuable,” Krider said. “It could be a walking path. It could be bike paths. Connectivity is not just streets, it’s connecting people.”
Under current law, communities like Davidson that take a more comprehensive approach to transportation often get shut out of federal dollars. That is why Krider supports President Obama’s move to reward the efforts like the ones Davidson has pursued.
“To me, I have no problem with the government trying to look at the big picture,” Krider said. “Livability and smart growth are in the interest of everyone and we all have a responsibility to be involved.”
“I think the relationship between the DOT, HUD and EPA is a great way to start,” Krider added, citing the Partnership for Sustainable Communities that stresses collaboration between the three agencies. “I think it’s looking at things comprehensively. We don’t live in a world that’s just HUD and EPA, so the relationships between agencies in the federal government should mimic what towns are facing.”
Source: Environmental Protection Agency. Krider, Kris. Telephone Interview. Monday, March 19, 2010.
Today’s Headlines – 9/1/10
September 1, 2010By Transportation for America
A lame-duck energy bill is in the mix, but the transportation sector will probably not be included. (Hill)
Denver officials broke ground on a new rail line from downtown to the airport. (USA Today)
The AC Transit bus system in San Francisco’s East Bay could slash its weekend service by half. (Chronicle)
A Dallas neighborhood strives toward “building a better block.” (NRDC Blog)
And, UCLA Planning professor Donald Shoup sends a personal rebuttal to Cato’s Randal O’Toole over free parking. (Greater Greater Washington)
Livability in small towns #4: Laconia, New Hampshire
August 31, 2010By Sean Barry
This collection of 12 case studies helps put to rest the idea that livability is an exclusively “urban” idea. Small cities, towns and rural regions across the country are transforming themselves into more livable communities. While some of these communities face formidable threats – from job losses and shrinking populations to disappearing farmland and strained resources – their leaders have forged collaborations and created plans that are growing economies, benefiting people and protecting the land and lifestyles treasured by residents and non-residents alike.
Check back each day for a new post and read the full series of livability case studies as they’re posted. The intro can be found here.
Laconia, New Hampshire
| “I think what the EPA process did is it really got the creative juices flowing. It gave the decision-makers and citizens the energy and the enthusiasm and the excitement to move forward with those ideas on their own.” Shanna Saunders, Director, Planning and Zoning Town of Laconia |
Laconia worked with the U.S. EPA on three neighborhood plans to enhance the safety and accessibility of their streets and add more vitality to the community.
Laconia, New Hampshire is a longtime tourist destination and hotspot for vacation homes and retirees. However, the absence of a longer-term plan was putting a strain on year-round residents and had the potential to leave core neighborhoods in the dust.
In 2006, Laconia officials applied to participate in the U.S. EPA’s Smart Growth Implementation Assistance program. The EPA assisted residents and staff in a visioning process that eventually resulted in a comprehensive Master Plan.
“I think what the EPA process did is it really got the creative juices flowing,” said Shanna Saunders, Director of Planning and Zoning for the City of Laconia. “It gave the decision- makers and citizens the energy and the enthusiasm and the excitement to move forward with those ideas on their own.”
The Master Plan, titled “Three Neighborhoods, One Vision,” was designed to maintain the city’s small-town character while encouraging investment in core neighborhoods. Three major neighborhoods – Downtown Laconia, Weirs Beach and Lakeport – emerged with concrete plans as a result of EPA assistance.
In the Weirs Beach area, for instance, EPA traffic engineers helped transform a congested area that was unsafe for both driving and walking. Now, bicyclists and pedestrians have easy access and driving is safer as well.
Although the economic downturn forced Laconia to delay some improvements to downtown, officials said EPA assistance has created a foundation for future action.
“A lot of the information once we do hire professionals could easily be handed over to be used for the design,” Saunders said.
Source: Environmental Protection Agency (pdf.) Saunders, Shanna. Telephone Interview. April 2, 2010.
Today’s Headlines – 8/31/10
August 31, 2010By Transportation for America
Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell is continuing his vocal support for a new transportation bill. (Hill)
In a lengthy interview, President Bush’s former DOT Secretary cited the need for a new revenue in the highway trust fund, while calling for more “market mechanisms.” (Transportation Nation)
Portland’s success has compelled other cities to embrace streetcars. (USA Today)
Montanans struggle with a culture too lax toward drinking and driving. (AP)
And, a high-profile climate change skeptic conveys a change of heart. (TNR)
National Geographic on Dangerous by Design
August 30, 2010By Stephen Lee Davis
We mentioned this on Twitter when the issue came out back in July, but National Geographic had a nice one-page feature on Dangerous by Design, our study from 2009 ranking metro areas on their relative danger to those on foot and bike, focusing on Florida’s overall risk based on having 4 of the top 10 most dangerous metros. In the last 15 years, more than 76,000 Americans have been killed while crossing or walking along a street in their community, and it’s high time that more attention was paid to this preventable loss of life that we far too often ignore or simple believe to be inevitable.
Click the image to download a PDF of the one-page article, and while you’re at it you could just go ahead and subscribe to one of our country’s best magazines for only 15 bucks.
Livability in small towns #3: Cache Valley, Utah
August 30, 2010By Sean Barry
This collection of 12 case studies helps put to rest the idea that livability is an exclusively “urban” idea. Small cities, towns and rural regions across the country are transforming themselves into more livable communities. While some of these communities face formidable threats – from job losses and shrinking populations to disappearing farmland and strained resources – their leaders have forged collaborations and created plans that are growing economies, benefiting people and protecting the land and lifestyles treasured by residents and non-residents alike.
Check back each day for a new post and read the full series of livability case studies as they’re posted. The intro can be found here.
Cache Valley, Utah
| “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
State Rep. Marc Gibbs, R-Idaho |
Through a unique community planning process called Envision Cache Valley, residents in Cache Valley, Utah established strong benchmarks for preserving farmland, maintaining clean air and welcoming new development and housing.
Envision Cache Valley is modeled after Envision Utah, a similar statewide process widely praised in planning circles that operates under the banner “how we grow matters.”
Valley residents were motivated to take charge of their future in response to estimates that 2040 population levels would likely double to a quarter-million from present day 125,000. Air quality, a healthy economy and smart use of existing resources were identified as key priorities. The Cache Valley Regional Council, an agreement between Cache Valley jurisdictions and officials from both Cache County, Utah and neighboring Franklin County, Idaho, constituted the beginning of the visioning process.
According to the Envision Cache Valley website, “participants tackled such difficult issues as growth locations and patterns, private property rights, transportation, air quality, water quality, economic development, job growth, agriculture, land consumption, housing, environment, critical lands and recreation.”
Working off a baseline scenario that outlined the future of Cache Valley absent clear goals, residents asked themselves how they would preserve what was best about their community while embracing inevitable change.
During a 2009 Envision Utah meeting, Idaho State Representative Marc Gibbs, a Republican, said of the effort: “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
Participants found that many of their goals – preserving farmland and open space, promoting recreation and community and maintaining air quality – would be best achieved through a more connected transit system. To that end, the final vision statement calls for higher capacity development to reduce infrastructure costs, enhanced peak-time bus loops, a potential bus-rapid-transit line and streets that accommodate walking and biking.
Source: Envision Cache Valley
Today’s Headlines – 8/30/10
August 30, 2010By Transportation for America
High-speed rail has put California in the spotlight. (NYT)
A Kentucky-based child advocacy group is pushing for complete streets policies. (Public News Service)
Students in Salem, Oregon seek a more sustainable city. (NYT)
Michigan public transit needs a major push and greater attention in this year’s election, the Detroit Free Press editorialized. (Free-Press)
And, USDOT gets high marks for small business contracting. (DOT Blog)
Livability in small towns #2: Menominee Indian Reservation, Wisconsin
August 27, 2010By Sean Barry
This collection of 12 case studies helps put to rest the idea that livability is an exclusively “urban” idea. Small cities, towns and rural regions across the country are transforming themselves into more livable communities. While some of these communities face formidable threats – from job losses and shrinking populations to disappearing farmland and strained resources – their leaders have forged collaborations and created plans that are growing economies, benefiting people and protecting the land and lifestyles treasured by residents and non-residents alike.
Check back each day for a new post and read the full series of livability case studies as they’re posted. The intro can be found here.
Menominee Indian Reservation, Wisconsin
| “We’re very proud of our transit system and the work it does everyday in helping people get to places like the doctor or to the shop.”
Lisa Waukau, Menominee Tribal Chair |
The Menominee Tribe in rural Wisconsin partnered with local schools and health providers to help residents navigate its sparse reservation while maintaining good stewardship of the land.
The Menominee Indian tribe’s reservation includes almost 250,000 acres of largely rural and forested land near Green Bay and has a rich history in the state of Wisconsin, with a treaty dating back to 1854.
With hundreds of miles of rivers and streams and dozens of native plant species, transportation was a significant challenge. Menominee Regional Public Transit was established in 1982 because people needed help getting around the reservation and accessing services, according to Shawn Klemens, Menominee Transit Director.
“We had so many people without vehicles, and with long distances to travel just to get to the nearest grocery store, transit made sense,” Klemens said.
More than 90 percent of the tribal population of 3,200 use Menominee Transit, and the service makes more than 80,000 trips every year. Partnerships with the College of the Menominee Nation (pictured above), as well as local schools, veterans’ services, Menominee County Human Services and other institutions help residents meet their unique needs while preserving precious natural resources.
“Good, efficient public transit is something that you don’t realize how important it is and how much it can help until you have it,” says Menominee Tribal Chairman Lisa Waukau. “We’re very proud of our transit system and the work it does everyday in helping people get to places like the doctor or to shop.”
Source: Community Transportation Association of America
Today’s Headlines – 8/27/10
August 27, 2010By Transportation for America
High-speed rail has the potential to create 127,000 permanent jobs in Southern California, according to a UC Irvine study. (LA Times)
USDOT launched its “Over the Limit, Under Arrest” campaign to halt drunk driving. (DOT Blog)
The candidates for Governor of Texas talked transportation with a local reporter. (Dallas Morning News)
In Illinois, both major Senate candidates have very similar transportation goals, although Republican Mark Kirk is more skittish about spending. (Daily Herald)
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell thinks ending his state’s monopoly on packaged liquor sales could provide a transportation revenue boost. (FABB)
And, Tea Party activists visiting DC this week were warned to “not use the Green line or Yellow line.” (Yglesias)
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- Livability in small towns #6: Breckinridge, Colorado
September 2, 2010 - Livability in small towns #5: Davidson, North Carolina
September 1, 2010 - Livability in small towns #4: Laconia, New Hampshire
August 31, 2010 - Livability in small towns #3: Cache Valley, Utah
August 30, 2010 - Livability in small towns #2: Menominee Indian Reservation, Wisconsin
August 27, 2010
- Livability in small towns #6: Breckinridge, Colorado
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