American Planning Association

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Tuesdays at APA: Complete Streets: Tools to Move from Idea to Practice Nov 13, 2012

Show notes

Streets are very often a community's largest public asset, yet they have rarely been described as such. In an era of higher gas prices, increasing rates of chronic disease, and an increased call for fiscally responsible investments, people are demanding another look at our streets. They want safe streets that provide a choice of travel modes and access to destinations near and far. They want complete streets.

An ideal complete streets policy is an inter-disciplinary vision and an actionable tool to create robust, safe transportation networks within and between our communities. But what are the real barriers to complete design? What do people really mean when they ask for complete streets? And why do so many projects result in incomplete streets?

Stefanie Seskin from the Complete Streets Coalition and Paul Lippens, AICP, from the Active Transportation Alliance will describe the 10 elements of a complete streets policy, and how that written direction can prompt transportation decisions that are responsive to community needs. They will also look at common themes encountered in Complete Streets implementation and offer 10 roadway designfixes for complete results.

Tuesdays at APA: The Greenest Building Oct 23, 2012

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Each year in the U.S., approximately 1.7 billion square feet of buildings are demolished and approximately 5 billion square feet of newly constructed buildings are added to the total building stock. Until recently, the environmental impacts of this cycle of demolition and new construction have been poorly understood, as were the opportunities to gain carbon savings through building retrofit and reuse.

Earlier this year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation released "The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse," the most comprehensive analysis to date comparing the environmental impacts of new construction compared to retrofit and reuse of existing buildings. Commissioned by Preservation Green Lab, a project of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the study found that building reuse typically offers greater environmental savings than demolition and new construction and that building reuse and retrofits substantially reduce climate change impacts.

Patrice Frey from the National Trust for Historic Preservation provided an overview of the study's findings and discussed how the study's data and methodology can be applied to the work of planning professionals.

Tuesdays at APA: The Bloomingdale Trail and Park Framework Plan Sep 25, 2012

Show notes

Stretching 2.7 miles through four vibrant Chicago northwest side neighborhoods, the unused Bloomingdale elevated rail corridor is adjacent to numerous private properties and crosses over major arterials, a historic boulevard, bus and bicycle routes, and the CTA Blue Line. The conversion of this corridor into a trail and park will provide unprecedented connections to and among these communities.

The recently released Bloomingdale Trail and Park Framework Plan represents a critical juncture in the development of the project. Balanced between the efforts of the past and the development of the future, it strives to capture and harness the momentum and history of the project while defining a vision for the Bloomingdale's initial development and long-term stewardship. Beth White from the Trust for Public Land and Kathleen Dickhut from the City of Chicago will provide an overview of the collaborative planning process and discuss the plan's guidelines to design, implement, and manage a local trail and park with global appeal in the heart of Chicago's neighborhoods.

Tuesdays at APA Chicago - Chicago's Food Plan: A Recipe for Healthy Places Aug 29, 2012

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Obesity is the foremost public health crisis in Chicago and across the nation. More than half of Chicago adults and one-third of youth are overweight or obese, meaning they are at increased risk for serious, costly health problems such as heart disease and diabetes. A key focus in the city's obesity prevention effort is improving access to healthy food.

To this end the City of Chicago is developing a new food plan through a partnership that includes the Departments of Housing and Economic Development, Public Health, Family and Support Services, the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC), and many stakeholders that include individuals and organizations representing health and food related issues. Bradley Roback from the City of Chicago will discuss the process of developing the plan and highlight strategies that seek to increase the production and distribution of healthy food, improve access to healthier food, build demand and increase consumption of healthy food, and capitalize on opportunities for job creation and economic development.

In Motion: The Experience of Travel - An Interview with Author Tony Hiss Aug 09, 2012

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Author Tony Hiss (Experience of Place), talks with Bob Yaro, president of the Regional Plan Association about his new paperback edition of In Motion: The Experience of Travel. Hiss and Yaro discuss how planners can take on the role of stewards of Deep Travel.

Tuesdays at APA Chicago: The Legacy of Planning in Mariemont, Ohio and Riverside, Illinois Jul 18, 2012

Show notes

Riverside, Illinois, and Mariemont, Ohio, are two acclaimed examples of early planned communities. Riverside's plan was created in 1869 by Frederick Law Olmsted, the designer of New York City's Central Park, and John Nolen developed the town plan for Mariemont in 1921 as a national exemplar. Both of these pioneer planners were landscape architects who understood that good planning is good business.

In recognition of their uniqueness and significance, Riverside and Mariemont enjoy a special honor — designation as National Historic Landmarks. In addition, they possess such enviable but often elusive attributes as sense of place, strong community identity, and outstanding quality of life.

After presenting an overview of Olmsted, Nolen, and the two communities, former Mariemont Preservation Foundation president Frank Raeon, AICP, explained why the design principles used in Riverside and Mariemont merit not only further consideration but potential incorporation into the development patterns and character of communities.

Tuesdays at APA Chicago - Closing the Gap: Public/Private Financing Tools and Development Feasibility Jun 22, 2012

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Tax increment financing (TIF) has always been a key tool in the municipal arsenal to make high-quality development projects possible. Since the recession and real estate crash, TIF and other innovative public/private financing mechanisms such as tax credits, loan guarantees, and gap loans, have been more critical than ever.

Tony Smith, AICP, of S.B. Friedman Development Advisors will discuss the principles of "when and how to TIF," sharing case studies and approaches for getting the deal done. He will cover the new applications of public/private financing that have emerged since the recession and suggest lessons learned from these applications.

CicLAvia - Opening the Streets for Pedestrians in Los Angeles Apr 12, 2012

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APA talks with Aaron Paley about the CicLAvia bicycle and pedestrian event in Los Angeles.

Planning Los Angeles Apr 05, 2012

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Timothy Mennel, editor of APA Planners Press, interviews editor David C. Sloane and contributors Todd Gish and Andrew Whittemore, on their newest book, Planning Los Angeles.

New Orleans Recovery: A Social Science Perspective Mar 19, 2012

Show notes

Jim Schwab, Manager of the kAPA Hazards Planning Research Center and editor of the Recovery News blog, interviews Shirley Laska, PhD. and Kristina Peterson, PhD., from the Center for Hazards Assessment, Response, and Technology at The University of New Orleans (UNO-CHART).