Virginia Tech Politics and Planning Speaker Series

“Exploring the Spatial Distribution of Low Income Housing Tax Credits”

by Casey Dawkins

Associate Professor Urban Affairs and Planning &

Director, Metropolitan Institute, Virginia Tech

WHEN? Wednesday, December 8, 7:00-8:30pm

WHERE? SPIA Room 305, 1021 Prince Street

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Upcoming lectures:

"Power, You Can't Measure It But You Know When You Don't Have It"

by Clarence Stone, Research Professor of Public Policy and Political Science at George Washington University and Professor Emeritus, American Politics, University of Maryland.

When: Wednesday, February 9, 2011, 7pm

Call for Student Papers

The Transportation Planning Division of the American Planning Association has announced its 2011 Student Paper Competition.

Details about the competition can be found here.

Additional guidelines for student paper submittals can be found here.

New Publication

Yang Zhang, Assistant Professor in the UAP, had his article published in The Journal of Planning Education and Research. And abstract for the article, Residential Housing Choice in a Multihazard Environment: Implications for Natural Hazards Mitigation and Community Environmental Justice, can be found at this link.

The full article is found is in the following issue of the journal: Journal of Planning Education and Research 2010;30 117-131

TAR CREEK: An environmental justice documentary w/ Q&A

CASPA/Urban Affairs & Planning and Government & International Affairs cordially invite you to a Free screening of TAR CREEK, an environmental justice documentary about the Tar Creek Superfund site in Oklahoma. A Q&A session with director Matt Myers will immediately follow the screening.

When: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3 @ 7PM
Where: 1021 Prince Street, Room 305, Alexandria, VA

The event is open to the public, so please feel free to pass this announcement along to anyone interested. Refreshments and popcorn will be served.

For more information, please visit www.tarcreekfilm.com

TAR CREEK is the story of the worst environmental disaster you’ve never heard of: the Tar Creek Superfund site. Once one of the largest lead and zinc mines on the planet, Tar Creek is now home to more than 40 square miles of environmental devastation in northeastern Oklahoma: acid mine water in the creeks, stratospheric lead poisoning in the children, and sinkholes that melt the heartland right out from under American backyards and ball fields.

Now, nearly thirty years after being named among the first—and most costly—sites designated for federal cleanup by the EPA under its “Superfund” program, Tar Creek residents still fight for measurable cleanup, tangible environmental justice, and ultimately, the buyout and relocation of their homes to safer ground. As TAR CREEK reveals, America’s Superfund sites aren’t just environmental wastelands. Breeding grounds for distrust, poverty, and corruption, they’re community tragedies, too. Until the community fights back.

Urban Flux: Solutions through Sustainable Design

Are you interested in sustainable development and urban design?

If so, the Virginia Tech Urban Affairs and Planning Student Association is hosting a presentation and interactive discussion featuring Thomas E. Low, AIA, CNU, LEED, AICP, director of Duany Plater-Zyberk Charlotte branch and Virginia Tech architecture alumnus, on the topics of sustainable design and sprawl repair December 2nd and 3rd!

See the flyer for more information or send your questions to lidaa8@vt.edu

Help the Homeless Walkathon this Saturday!

Please join CASPA and the ULI Young Leaders DC at the Fannie Mae

Help the Homeless Walkathon Saturday, Nov 20th on the National Mall

Time: 8:00 am, November 20, 2010

Location: Corner of 7th and Madison, a ULI YL sign will be clearly displayed

Cost: $25 if you register in advance and $30 on the day of the Walkathon.

To Register: Join the “ULI Young Leader” team by following this link and click “Join Team” at the bottom of the page. Online registration will run through 5:00 pm November 18th so be sure to
register early!

Day-of registration will begin at 7:30am. Be sure to bring your printed waiver
in order to claim your T-shirt!

The Walkathon will officially kick off at 9:00 am and is approximately a 2.5
mile loop down Independence Avenue towards the Tidal Basin and back to the
starting point. This is an open event, so please encourage friends and family
to join as well!

Please call Iqbal with any questions or if you have trouble finding
our group the day of the event at 202 664 7884 or iqbalk@vt.edu.

The weather will be chilly, so please be sure to dress accordingly.
Coffee and donuts will be provided by ULI before the walk to warm up any cold
hands!

More information can be found here.

Update to CM Credit Posting

Please note that two upcoming sessions will be postponed until the spring.

An Introduction to Green Roofs

1.25 AICP Credit Pending
Postponed until Spring 2011
WSSI, Inc. 5300 Wellington Branch Drive, Suite 100 Gainesville, VA 20155

By now most (and hopefully all) planners know that a green roof has nothing to do with a can of green paint and a brush! Whether being used to assist the management of storm water runoff, to help to achieve LEED certification or for other reasons, green roofs can provide a wide range of benefits.

Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. (WSSI) has kindly agreed to provide a presentation on the different types of green roofs available, their various benefits, implementation and maintenance requirements and associated costs. To allow attendees to get a first hand view of an established facility, the presentation will include a tour of WSSI’s office building’s green roof.

Policy to Practice: Planning for Bicycles

Where: Aurora Hills Community Center, 735 18th St., Arlington, VA 22202
Postponed until Spring 2011
Includes demonstration of a Capital Bikeshare station.
Please join us for Happy Hour after the session.

Approved for 2.0 AICP Credits
Free and open to the public, RSVP required

Bicycling as a mode for commuting and recreation has made great strides in recent years in the Washington metro area. Recently approved policies and implementation of innovative solutions to provide infrastructure for bicycles have helped promote this mode of transport. The new partnership between Arlington, VA, and Washington, D.C., has helped the region to launch the largest bikeshare program in the country. Three speakers will discuss the importance of various facets of transportation planning that help programs to achieve success: Policy Development; Implementation and Infrastructure provision; as well as Marketing and Community Outreach. The session will conclude with a demonstration of a Capital Bikeshare bike station near Pentagon City Metro station.

Jim Sebastian will discuss integration of bicycle infrastructure with urban planning and development, and innovative bike lane design. Mr. Sebastian is a Supervisory Transportation Planner at the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), Washington D.C., where he manages the Bicycle, Pedestrian and Transportation Demand Management Programs.
Paul DeMaio will speak about planning and launching of Capital Bikeshare, including how station locations were determined, the RFP process for the program, and expansion plans. He will also touch on the history of bikesharing and different models for provision of service. Paul DeMaio is the founder of MetroBike LLC, a company that assists organizations in implementing bike-sharing programs, and writes The Bike-sharing Blog, an international news resource about the field.

Chris Eatough will discuss increasing bicycle use for transportation through encouragement and education of the community, as well as the activities and structure of BikeArlington and the impact of the program. Chris Eatough, program manager for BikeArlington, has an engineering background and was a professional endurance mountain bike racer, winning six 24-hour solo world titles and five US 24-hour national championships. He also has extensive experience as a mountain bike coach and product tester.

UAP 5424, Technology in Planning meets in SecondLife

Beth Offenbacker gave a guest lecture for UAP 5424 (Technology in Planning) today in SecondLife. Attending were Dustin Akers, Chris Chop, Allison Lohrenz, Harvey Clark, Lauryn Douglas, Will Long, Will Sutton, Ashley Prout, and Tom Sanchez. She focused on the use of Second Life for public engagement and participation. The class discussed the positive and negative aspects of meeting in a virtual world. Some stayed afterwards and practiced their dance moves.

Habitat for Humanity Needs Your Help

Connecting Women in Construction(CWIC) join with students from the Myers-Lawson School of Construction(MLSoC), Department of Building Construction (BC)and College of CAUS for a much needed build at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Roanoke.

Flyer

UAPSA This Week

Updates on current projects:

Vertical Garden- more research needed on cost benefit analysis
Livable, Sustainable Cities Symposium - the updated outline of the event can be found here.

Although we are still waiting to hear from our keynote speaker about a detailed project outline, we will continue with general planning for the event.

Exec meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) morning at 9 AM
**Squires couches next to front door**
Again, all are invited to attend this meeting and it may be very beneficial to those working in project groups.

Thursday Meeting: 7 PM
**Squires Yorktown Room**
-Symposium planning -Electing VP of Activities -
Collecting dues and distributing t-shirts: $15/year, $10/semester

Online Seminar

Sustainable Community Design (SCD)

Developed for those interested in building subdivisions and other developments using sustainable development practices. Each module represents a piece of the puzzle for the implementation of the concept. Those who follow the principles set out in all modules will be able to implement and co-ordinate their own property subdivision in New Brunswick.

Note: Implementation of the Sustainable Community Design concept may require adaptation for rules and regulations in the jurisdiction where the land to be subdivided is located.

Inclusive Housing: A Pattern Book

An invaluable resource for designing communities that accommodate social diversity and provide equitable opportunities for all residents.

Inclusive Housing focuses on housing that provides access to people with disabilities while benefiting all residents and that incorporates inclusive design practices into neighborhood and housing designs without compromising other important design goals.

Emphasizing urban patterns of neighborhood development, the practices outlined here are useful for application to all kinds of housing in all types of neighborhoods. The book addresses trends that have widespread significance in the residential construction market and demonstrates that accessible housing design is compatible with the goals of developing livable and healthy neighborhoods, reducing urban sprawl, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and ensuring that the benefits of thoughtful urban design are equitably distributed.

Inclusive Housing recognizes that to achieve the goals of urbanism, we must consider the total picture. The house must fit on the lot; the lot must fit in the block; and the block must fit with the character of the neighborhood. Its context-sensitive approach uses examples that cover a wide range of housing types, styles, and development densities. Rather than present stock solutions that ignore the context of real projects and design goals, it explores how accessibility can be achieved in different types of neighborhoods and housing forms, all with the goal of achieving high-quality urban places.

Upcoming CM Opportunities

Lifestyle Centers- Where will they work best?
Discussion of Fairfax Corner in Fairfax, Virginia (http://www.fairfaxcorner.com/main.html)
November 12, 2010; 11am-12:30pm
Meet at the Rave Motion Pictures movie theatre; 11900 Palace Way, I-66 @ Fairfax Cty adj. to Fairfax Cty Gov Ctr, Fairfax, VA 22030, (703) 378-6550
Approved for 1.5 CM Credits

RSVP to vapanova@gmail.com

Lifestyle centers are an attractive pedestrian oriented retail format typically with a mix of additional uses. Most jurisdictions prefer this form for new retail developments. However, they will only be successful locations with the right demographics, access and zoning flexibility. This session will visit a very successful lifestyle center, Fairfax Corner, and hear about its planning evolution and its future development plans. The session will also discuss the challenges of building such centers currently given recent changes in consumer tastes, retailers’ growth plans and financing challenges.

Policy to Practice: Planning for Bicycles
Where: Aurora Hills Community Center, 735 18th St., Arlington, VA 22202
When: 4:00-6:00 pm on 18th November 2010
Includes demonstration of a Capital Bikeshare station.
Please join us for Happy Hour after the session.

Approved for 2.0 AICP Credits
Free and open to the public, RSVP required
RSVP to Sonali Soneji preferably by email: sonalisoneji2@gmail.com or call: 703-867-6042

Bicycling as a mode for commuting and recreation has made great strides in recent years in the Washington metro area. Recently approved policies and implementation of innovative solutions to provide infrastructure for bicycles have helped promote this mode of transport. The new partnership between Arlington, VA, and Washington, D.C., has helped the region to launch the largest bikeshare program in the country. Three speakers will discuss the importance of various facets of transportation planning that help programs to achieve success: Policy Development; Implementation and Infrastructure provision; as well as Marketing and Community Outreach. The session will conclude with a demonstration of a Capital Bikeshare bike station near Pentagon City Metro station.

Jim Sebastian will discuss integration of bicycle infrastructure with urban planning and development, and innovative bike lane design. Mr. Sebastian is a Supervisory Transportation Planner at the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), Washington D.C., where he manages the Bicycle, Pedestrian and Transportation Demand Management Programs.
Paul DeMaio will speak about planning and launching of Capital Bikeshare, including how station locations were determined, the RFP process for the program, and expansion plans. He will also touch on the history of bikesharing and different models for provision of service. Paul DeMaio is the founder of MetroBike LLC, a company that assists organizations in implementing bike-sharing programs, and writes The Bike-sharing Blog, an international news resource about the field.

Chris Eatough will discuss increasing bicycle use for transportation through encouragement and education of the community, as well as the activities and structure of BikeArlington and the impact of the program. Chris Eatough, program manager for BikeArlington, has an engineering background and was a professional endurance mountain bike racer, winning six 24-hour solo world titles and five US 24-hour national championships. He also has extensive experience as a mountain bike coach and product tester.

An introduction to Green Roofs
1.25 AICP Credit Pending
Friday, December 3rd, 2010, 9:00 – 10.15 a.m.
WSSI, Inc. 5300 Wellington Branch Drive, Suite 100 Gainesville, VA 20155

By now most (and hopefully all) planners know that a green roof has nothing to do with a can of green paint and a brush! Whether being used to assist the management of storm water runoff, to help to achieve LEED certification or for other reasons, green roofs can provide a wide range of benefits.

Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. (WSSI) has kindly agreed to provide a presentation on the different types of green roofs available, their various benefits, implementation and maintenance requirements and associated costs. To allow attendees to get a first hand view of an established facility, the presentation will include a tour of WSSI’s office building’s green roof.

Please RSVP by November 24, 2010 to Ben Wales at bwales@cooley.com

Fairfax County Webinars
Sessions will be held in Room 106, Herrity Building, 12055 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA.
No RSVP necessary-just show up!

Regulating Controversial Uses November 10, 2010; 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. ET; CM |1.5
Cosponsor: Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
Retrofitting Corridors January 19, 2011; 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. ET; CM |1.5
Mitigating Hazards Through Planning March 16, 2011; 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. ET; CM |1.5
Cosponsor: Federal Emergency Management Agency
2011 Planning Law Review June 29, 2011; 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. ET; CM |1.5