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» 2012 Grow Smart Nominations-OPEN!
February 01, 2012
Show Your Love for What Makes Your Community a Great Place to Live: Idaho Smart Growth Now Accepting Nominations for the
Nominations accepted until April 30, 2012
What makes your community a great place to live? A great historic building that has been renovated for re-use? A school that has incorporated green building practices? A neighborhood or housing development where you can walk to shops, jobs, and school? Whether it is a brand new project or one that has been around for years, nominate your favorite example of smart growth today!
Idaho Smart Growth is now accepting nominations for their eight annual Grow Smart awards. Idaho Smart Growth’s Grow Smart awards recognize the innovative work of communities, builders, planners, architects, organizations, and developers whose work exemplifies smart growth principles.
Winners are selected by the Grow Smart Awards Jury, a diverse group of community leaders and professionals knowledgeable about Smart Growth principles.
The jury evaluates nominated development projects using smart growth principles as identified. Smart growth principles include:
- Provide a variety of Transportation Choices
- Mix Land Uses
- Create a range of housing opportunities and choices
- Create walk-able neighborhoods
- Foster distinctive communities with a strong sense of place
- Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost-effective
- Preserve open space, parks, farmland, natural beauty, and environmentally critical areas
- Strengthen and direct development towards existing communities
- Encourage Community and Stakeholder Collaboration
- Adopt compact Building Patterns and efficient Infrastructure Design
Anyone may submit a nomination. It is important to note that ALL projects are eligible, not just recently completed projects.
An application and instructions can be downloaded here or by contacting Idaho Smart Growth at 208.333.8066 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). All completed applications must include a $50 processing fee.
Past award winners can be viewed at http://idahosmartgrowth.org/index.php/projects/awards/
» New Safe Routes to Schools (SR2S) mini-grants for FY12:
February 01, 2012
DUE MARCH 31, 2012
The SR2S program provides technical assistance to help facilitate planning activities to help identify issues preventing students from walking and bicycling to school safely. Communities/schools who are awarded will receive technical assistance from transportation professionals with a background in transportation and community planning to assist with the development of a comprehensive travel plan for a specific school. We are accepting applications for planning assistance up to March 31, 2012. Depending on the volume of applications received, we will announce whether additional applications will continue to be accepted after that date. To be considered please send the SR2S Comprehensive Planning Assistance application found at the URL below to the ITD SR2S Program Coordinator.
http://itd.idaho.gov/SR2S/documents/forms/0233Draft.docx
» Idaho Smart Growth 2011 Accomplishments
January 17, 2012
Idaho Smart Growth Highlights in 2011
Assisting Idaho Communities
- Provided direct assistance to 19 communities around Idaho: American Falls; Boise; Caldwell; Coeur d’Alene; Emmett; Fremont County; Hailey; Homedale; Idaho City; Idaho Falls; Ketchum; Kimberly; Lewiston; Moscow; Mountain Home; Nampa; Potlatch; Pocatello, Sandpoint.
- Continued our work with 5 Active Living Task Forces to create healthier and safer transportation options in Nampa, Lewiston, Moscow, Idaho Falls, and Blaine County.
- Provided free technical assistance to Caldwell, American Falls, Kimberly, Potlatch, and Moscow to make it easier and safer for kids to walk and bike to school by implementing Safe Routes to Schools policies.
- Helped Moscow, Idaho Falls, Caldwell, Nampa and Kimberly conduct bicyclists and pedestrian counts to assess the volume of users in order to better provide pedestrian and bicycle services.
- Helped partners in Nampa open the state’s first bicycle boulevard
Building Coalitions
- Maintained a coalition of more than 50 organizations and individuals who support transportation choices.
- Formed a “Project Incentive” committee to identify ways to make it easier to get good development built, make the development process fair and predictable, and to encourage collaboration.
Presentations, Workshops & Classes
- Complete Streets presentation for Active Living and Health Communities at the Community Transportation Association of Idaho (CTAI) Mobility Conference, Idaho American Planning Association (APA) annual conference, and six presentations in four additional communities.
- Best Practice Policies for Safe Routes to School at the CTAI conference, Idaho Rural Council, Safe Routes to Schools and New Partners for Smart Growth national conferences and in five additional Idaho communities.
- Healthy Communities workshops on public health and the built environment for more than 150 people in three Idaho communities: Lewiston; Idaho Falls; and Nampa.
- Sustainable Cities class at Boise State University.
- Additional presentations: Brokers Council of Idaho; Intermountain West Funders Network; Smart Growth America state caucus meeting; COMPASS Demographic Advisory Committee; University of Idaho class; Boise State University.
Publications
- Citizen’s Guide on Smart Growth written and published in partnership with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Events
- Held our 7th annual Grow Smart Awards event with over 150 people attending and presented 8 awards, including the Charles Hummel award to Peter O’Neill
- Hosted a breakfast with Gary Toth, Director, Transportation Initiatives with the Project for Public Spaces
- Conducted two “members only” tours of smart growth in the Treasure Valley