Planning Commissioners Journal

Fore! for the Fourth

From PCJ General Manager Betsey Krumholz:

Looking to play a round of golf -- disc golf that is -- over the upcoming July 4th weekend. Don't plan on doing it in Burlington, Vermont.

"The debate over same-sex marriage may have been emotional, but it's got nothing on the ongoing disc-golf fracas in Burlington (Vermont)" reports Shay Totten in Burlington's Seven Days newspaper.

Readers of the daily Burlington Free Press have been "treated" to the continuing saga of a proposed disc-golf course to be located in one of the city's parks.

Disc-golf involves throwing a modified "Frisbee" (discs) into chain baskets (holes) at the end of a fairway. Most courses have multiples holes -- usually between 9 and 18 -- and use "hazards" like trees, water features, or other irregularities in the terrain to create a more or less challenging course for users.

Players throw a disc (weighing less than half-a-pound), with the goal of making the fewest number of throws to reach each hole. It can be played in rain and snow, by young and old, by the fit and by the, well, less fit.

Then why the fracas?

Apparently the sound of chain-saws in one city park drew the attention of neighbors, even when the publicly noticed Parks and Recreation Commission meetings about the proposed disc-golf course did not.

At a supplemental public hearing on the issue after the work on the approved course was underway, dozens of outraged residents expressed concerns about the impacts on other recreational uses within the park, potential environmental damage from the discs on the flora and fauna, and the (alleged) inappropriate behavior by (potential) players.
 
But an equally large group of advocates praised the sport for being inexpensive, family-friendly, a great way to exercise outdoors year-round, and a fun and inclusive activity for all ages -- perfectly suited for this park.

Family-oriented sports enthusiasts versus environmental protectors. And both sides faulting city government for not providing clear information and an open process. Money spent, trees cut, and angry neighbors. As of now, disc-golf is dead in Burlington, rejected by the city's Parks & Recreation Commission after a heated debate.

Perhaps this is a "Tale of Two Cities" because Springfield, Minnesota had no such drama.

Derek Tonn was one of driving forces behind the Springfield Municipal 14-Hole Disc Golf Course which is free to all, and open year-round. There the course was proposed by community members who were looking for ways to improve recreational opportunities for families and youth.

The City Manager and City Attorney worked with citizens (like Derek) to identify appropriate site locations. "Throwaway land" -- municipally owned space on the old landfill, a strip adjacent to an existing rail-line, and some within the flood plain -- was found to be suitable for the purpose. With the approval of the governing body, the city engaged a professional designer to lay out the course.

Derek, an avid disc-golfer himself, worked with the course designer to make sure that it would be attractive to players, as he believes that "so much of the success or failure of a course is in the design." They paid specific attention to areas of competing use (such as where bikers may ride near the fairways), degraded or potentially dangerous spots (where concrete and road materials had been dumped), and to sensitive environmental areas (like the river banks). Hundreds of volunteer hours went in to trimming trees, filling in holes, clearing brush, and making the space attractive and safe.

The $7,200 they raised from city coffers and private sources has been well spent, he says. His proudest moments come when he hears his community refer to this area now as "park" space. He isn't aware of any conflicts or safety issues, and the course is even being expanded.

Disc-golf is growing, nationally, and it is likely that a course will be coming (or proposed) in a town near you. Perhaps the message in this tale involves being prepared -- and keeping your head up and your eye on the disc.

The Kindle, Students, Backpacks, & Walking

-- The new Amazon Kindle DX, has a 9.7 inch screen, and weighs just over one pound.
-- Amazon is working with several textbook publishers to have their books converted for use on the Kindle.
-- The average 11th grade student in California carries some 20 pounds of textbooks in his or her backpack. (For 1st graders, it's 8 pounds!). Backpack weight exceeds the "recommended maximum at nearly all grade levels from 1-12, presenting a health hazard for students."
--  Excessive backpack weight can prevent students from being able to walk or bike to school, setting a pattern for future auto-dependency.

Could this mean that the Amazon Kindle (and other similar devices) will promote walking, and walkable communities, by eliminating one significant reason why so many K-12 students are currently driven to school?

"Yes," says Fred Lane, who has written extensively on computers and technology (among other issues). Lane has some additional "expertise" as he's Chair of the Burlington, Vermont, School Board and father of a 10th grader who, Lane told me, "typically lugs around 20 pounds of textbooks." As Lane notes, that makes his son much more dependent on getting a ride to school than walking or biking, and also, "puts a big strain on his back." 

While enabling students to walk more may not have been one of the primary motivations for Amazon, it's a fascinating potential "fringe benefit."

Lane feels that competition will likely drive prices of devices like the Kindle down. "Within five years most college students will be getting their textbooks on electronic readers ... because the cost savings will be so huge." In terms of K-12 use, Lane also see electronic devices replacing textbooks, though over a somewhat longer time frame.

One major advantage Lane points to is the ease of quickly updating material electronically, without needing to print out new editions of the textbook. Given the value in students to having up-to-date material in their textbooks, this is a important benefit.

[note: student photo from Flickr, reposted under Creative Commons License]

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Some additional details. First, from a posting, Amazon Kindle: Lightweight, Digital…Textbooks? (May 13, 2009) on The Bottom Line web site:

"In 2005, a Government Accountability Office report estimated that textbooks cost the average university student about $900 per year. These textbooks are often bulky and quite heavy; a literal burden on students' backs. Amazon.com has released a new version of Kindle, an electronic paper display which seeks to replace the traditional textbook for students.

Three textbook publishers that collectively publish 60% of the country's textbooks recently agreed to publish Kindle versions of their books. At least six universities will be running Kindle pilot programs ... Kindle DX weighs just over one pound, and is about a third of an inch thick; compared to even one textbook the weight and space savings are enormous, let alone several classes worth."

Here's a Table from the California backpack study I mentioned earlier,Textbook Weight in California: Analysis and Recommendations (April 14, 2004; link is to pdf file).

Interestingly, heavy backpacks cause injuries for a variety of reasons:

"The study found that the most common means of injury were tripping over the backpack (28%), followed by wearing 13%), and getting hit by the backpack (13%). ... it is clear that the actual weight of backpacks, given the presence of other materials carried by an average student, far exceeds the recommendations of health professionals. ... ... One issue is the general trend of removing lockers where students can store books in between classes. Lockers have been removed in many schools due to the proliferation of both weapons and drugs in schools."

What's the Kindle DX look like, and how does it work? Here's a 5 minute video overview:

On Entering the Twitterverse

From PCJ Editor Wayne Senville:

The past couple of months I've been getting familiar with Twitter -- entering the Twitterverse, so to speak. It might surprise some of you (as it surprised me) that I've actually found Twitter both useful and fun to use. Twitter users often post links to breaking stories and blog reports. In a sense, you can use Twitter as your own personalized news-wire service. 

But there are also many strangely entertaining Tweets -- in part because of the need to compress a Tweet (i.e., message) into no more than 140 characters. Here's a composite of some Tweets from the past few days; they all include the word "planning," which was included in my Twitter search.

You can follow my most recent Tweets in the bottom right portion of our PlannersWeb page. Give Twitter a try. You can find my at: wsenville

Zoning Wars

From PCJ Editor Wayne Senville:

There's an interesting article posted online by Michael Saint, titled Carl Von Clausewitz, An historical yet timely perspective on "Zoning Wars."

Saint is founder, CEO, and chairman of The Saint Consulting Group, which provides consulting services related to land use politics. With Saint's permission, I'm reposting some brief excerpts from his article:

"When Prussian solider and writer Carl Von Clausewitz wrote his classic book, "On War" in the 1830's, his words were directed at the philosophy, strategy and tactics of successful ground wars in Nineteenth Century Europe. But his ideas are equally relevant to real estate zoning battles in 21st Century America. Twenty years ago, most commercial and residential real estate projects were easily approved at the municipal or county level. Development was seen as beneficial -- a sign of progress and growth, a source of new jobs and tax revenue for the community, a wellspring of new opportunity for the business community, and an example of accomplishment that local politicians could cite as a reason for re-election. All that has changed. Today from small towns in the Midwest, to suburbs on both coasts, to cities in the South, citizens are organizing to oppose all kinds of new projects: big box category killers (Wal-Mart, Home Depot), shopping malls, power plants, cellular phone towers, residential subdivisions, apartment complexes, affordable housing, office buildings, industrial parks and even churches, schools and playgrounds. ... To be successful, the modern real estate developer must assume every proposal will be opposed and that every project will require a campaign using the kind of battle strategy and analysis that Von Clausewitz brought to the battlefield two centuries ago. COMMIT ENOUGH RESOURCES ... Real estate developers must commit sufficient resources to defeat the opposition, or face wasted opportunities, contentious hearings, long delays, and ultimate defeat. Few contests are won cheaply these days. GET GOOD INFORMATION ... These days, devising a successful strategy requires polling, detailed political research, and analysis to identify likely opponents and tactics to neutralize or marginalize them; to identify potential supporters and methods of motivating them; ... BUILD A CROWD ... Neutralizing the crowd, so that public officials can safely vote in favor requires the developer to produce as big a crowd at the hearing as the opponents do -- not an easy task in a NIMBY world. ...

Personally, I've seen all of the factors Saint mentions come into play during the ten years I've served as a member of the Burlington, Vermont, Planning Commission. While NIBMYism can be a motivating force, I've also seen neighbors and neighborhood groups -- not just developers -- need to heed Saint's advice: marshall their forces, do "opposition" research, and turn out their supporters in large numbers. In some places, it's the developers who seem to have the inside edge.

One problem underlying all this is that land use hearings typically follow the adversarial model used in our legal system. Too rarely are consensus building techniques employed. In part, I believe that's because planning departments simply don't have the financial resources to provide for this. As a result, many times planning commissions or zoning boards have to leave it to the proponents and opponents of a project to come in with their own experts, and argue their case.

Planning commissioners and zoning board members, like judges, are often left in the position of having to evaluate often conflicting testimony. Sometimes staff can allocate the time to provide independent information and analysis, but many times not.

I'd be interested to hear your comments. How do controversial land use applications play out in your city? Are there better ways of doing business?

p.s., we've run a couple of articles related to the above. One is on the use of land use mediation. The other focuses on the growing use of charrettes -- a useful (but sometimes expensive) approach to resolving issues without needing to go to war.

Stay Involved in Your Communities

Former Vermont Governor and DNC Chairman Howard Dean, at yesterday's Commencement Ceremonies at the University of Vermont, focused on the importance for new graduates to stay engaged in their communities, whether through service on a planning commission, city council, church vestry, or in other ways.

"Every single one of you has an obligation to stay involved in your communities," he said.

Governor Dean also made the interesting observation that the biggest mistake his generation made, after the activism of the 1960s and 70s was to "take a vacation from politics."

Pre-fabulous

When we think of pre-fab housing -- are we thinking trailer? If we are, then we'd better think again. Now referred to as "off-site construction," modular, prefabricated housing is coming of age. 

This type of housing can provide substantial opportunities to both communities and homebuyers -- where construction techniques can be cost effective and also provide significant environmental benefits.

Wendy Koch reports in USA Today about smaller, smarter homes. With family size declining, energy expenses increasing, and the economy facing an uncertain future, homebuyers may be more interested in factory-built, eco-friendly, smaller footprint homes. 

In areas with expensive land, or strict environmental or design considerations, modular homes may present solutions.

In an industry newsletter, M & M Construction's Deric Aube says, "As the builder, one of the many reasons we use modulars in urban-infill areas is that we often run across unusual and unique shaped lots, with tight spaces surrounding them. Genesis Homes, as the manufacturer, can design floorplans for us just to fit those unique situations and lots, as well as design exteriors that fit with the architecture of more established homes next door or nearby." He also adds that modular homes can be "shoe-horned" into tight spaces without disrupting the surrounding homes and vegetation. "We can lift the home with a crane into these tight locations, eliminating the space requirements, noise and increased activity associated with site-building," he concludes.

David A. Keeps of the Los Angeles Times interviewed Allison Arieff, co-author of Prefab, which describes the history and offers a look at the future of pre-fabricated housing. Communities for decades have seen "manufactured homes" as cookie-cutter and cheap, and many have zoned them out of the mainstream and into parks or specially designated neighborhoods. Arieff finds it interesting that, "people speak all the time of 'context' or houses being true to their respective neighborhoods, but what I see when I travel around the country is the same boxes with a tacked-on facade –- French Country, Tuscan, Cape Cod, whatever. It’s not architecture, and it’s not good design." She sees prefab homes as opportunities for individual expression, and for homes to be built to meet the needs of the inhabitant, rather than the needs of the market. [For more on Arieff, see her New York Times design blog].

Another innovation is something called the "Everhouse" -- built from concrete wall panels that resist fire, wind, and mold. In an article in the Christian Science Monitor, Boston-based builder John Sawyer describes a construction concept based on the Swedish factory-crafted model identified with retail giant Ikea. When disaster hits, speed of reconstruction and the availability of both materials and a suitable workforce are of the essence, and he may have hit on a way to address both. Manufactured off-site, and then assembled in just a little more than a week, Sawyer sees his "Everhouse" as a one strategy to help hard-hit areas get back to normal.

And last, but not least, who can resist a yurt? Intershelter, an Alaska-based company, has updated the Buckminster Fuller dome for short-term use for disasters or field use. Look for the complete story in the New York Times (Mar. 18, 2009). 

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Note: In an article on manufactured housing published in the Planning Commissioners Journal, Matt Weiser reported that "nationwide, about 22 million people now live in factory-built housing, or about one in 12 people ... and it still pales compared to all of Europe, where 70 percent of all new housing is factory built" (Weiser's article is available to order and download).

Train-ing for 2009

National Train Day: Saturday, May 9th. For more information about this year's event.

Note from Planning Commissioners Journal Editor Wayne Senville:

In recognition of this annual event (actually, the second time it has been held), we're reposting a portion of my remarks from last year -- still pertinent. But there has been one huge +plus since last year: President Obama's dramatic recognition of the long-term value of investing in high-speed rail -- in the form of $8 billion provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

As President Obama recently observed, "A major new high-speed rail line will generate many thousands of construction jobs over several years, as well as permanent jobs for rail employees and increased economic activity in the destinations these trains serve. High-speed rail is long-overdue, and this plan lets American travelers know that they are not doomed to a future of long lines at the airports or jammed cars on the highways." As Vice President Biden added, "railways are the best way to connect communities to each other."

Many American planners -- and citizens who have traveled to Europe or Japan and enjoyed high-speed rail service -- realize that our national system is far behind where it should be. With gas prices projected to keep on climbing, and concerns about greenhouse gas emissions, it's time we turned our attention to catching up with countries like France, Germany, Spain, and Japan. In fact, Obama explicity recognized this, noting at his April 16 news conference, that "high speed rail ... is happening right now. The problem is it's been happening, elsewhere, not here."

While there has been progress in many U.S. cities on light rail and trolley systems -- the same can't be said of our inter-city rail system. Even in our dense Northeast Corridor, our high-speed rail is nearly a generation behind that in use in Europe.

For just a quick look at high-speed rail in Europe, see "Touring Europe at 200 Miles an Hour: Travel by High-Speed Rail Catches On as an Alternative to the Hassles of Flying," in the Mar. 12, 2008 Wall Street Journal:

"Consumers are flocking to the comfortable, speedy trains -- while growth is slowing in parts of the airline industry. Eurostar reported a 15% rise in ticket sales for 2007, with much of the increase occurring after the London enhancements. Meanwhile, airport passenger-traffic growth has fallen to 2% in Britain for the past two years ..."

photo above is of the new TGV-Est line, connecting Paris and Strasbourg at operating speeds in excess of 200 mph. Interestingly, France views its high-speed rail system as key to strengthening regional economic development by facilitating access to medium size cities throughout the country. See, e.g., Strasbourg: a "Magistrale" city. The video below shows tests of the new TGV breaking the world speed record of 574 kph (344 mph).

It didn't used to be this way. America for nearly a century was the world-wide leader in passenger rail, with trains like the 20th Century Limited connecting cities between New York and Chicago.

But countries like Spain now far surpass us -- witness their expanding high-speed AVE network, which connects Barcelona and Madrid -- 314 "air miles" apart -- in 2 hours and 40 minutes.

By comparison Chicago and St. Louis are just 260 miles apart. Amtrak connects the two cities, but it takes 5 hours and 20 minutes.

At high speeds now common in much of Western Europe, rail often replaces air as the fastest city-to-city travel option. Only in a very few places in the U.S. can the same be said.

Slashing Infill Development Fees in Nashville

The Metro Planning Commission in Nashville, Tennessee, just made a move to stimulate development in distressed parts of the city by slashing development fees. This from a report on the Nashville Post web site (4.24.09):

"Planning Commission to cut fees for infill projects: Costs for applications slashed by 80 percent. The Metro Planning Commission on Thursday green-lighted a proposed change to the development fee structure that will reduce fees for projects meant to spark development in distressed neighborhoods. The change was passed unanimously."

As further explained on the Metro Planning Commission web page: "Commissioners voted April 23 to cut the application fee from $2100 to $400 for consolidation plats and some subdivisions, effective immediately. That change applies to partition and/or final plat proposals on existing streets inside the Briley Parkway loop, and to all consolidation plats countywide. It does not apply to plats requiring new public infrastructure."

Has your planning department made any similar moves? If so, add a comment below to help get the word out that infill development is one key way to strengthen our cities.

Worth Wait to Dispose E-Waste

From Planning Comm'rs Journal Editor Wayne Senville:

Now that I'm back from the first leg of my Circle the USA travels, I was able to get rid of two old computers, a printer, multiple keyboards and mice, and assorted cables.

It was all part of a great e-waste recycling event organized by Small Dog Electronics. It was held yesterday at South Burlington High School here in northwestern Vermont, and was definitely worth the half hour wait.

To the right is a photo I took while in line, and inserted below is a great YouTube time-lapsed video that Small Dog just posted. Hope this is something your community does.