Idaho Smart Growth

Recommended Reading

 

Other publications:

Montana Complete Streets Toolkit for Cities, Small Towns and Tribal Communities:  The purpose of this toolkit is to: 1) explain what is meant by a Complete Streets approach to designing and building a transportation network; 2) share the benefits of Complete Streets; 3) identify the various elements that make streets truly “complete” and describe the needed amenities to accommodate users of Montana’s roadways and 4) share innovative ways in which Montana’s cities, small towns and tribal communities are already working to complete their streets. This document will provide a resource to engineers, planners, elected officials, and residents who desire safe and efficient facilities for bicycling, walking and transit within their communities. This toolkit is organized into three sections - Planning Guidance, Case Studies in Montana communities, and Design Guidance.

Essential Smart Growth Fixes for Urban and Suburban Zoning Codes

EPA's Smart Growth Program convened a panel of national smart growth code experts to identify the topics in local zoning codes that are essential to creating the building blocks of smart growth. This document, Essential Smart Growth Fixes for Urban and Suburban Zoning Codes, presents the panel's initial work. It is an evolving document, one that will be regularly revised, added to, and updated, and is intended to spark a larger conversation about the tools and information local governments need to revise their land development regulations.

Healthy Urban Development Checklist: A guide for health services when commenting  on development policies, plans and proposals:  http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2010/pdf/hud_checklist.pdf

Growing Cooler - Report Links Vehicle Miles Traveled/Land Use: Less Auto-Dependent Development Key to Mitigating Climate Change
The report, released in Idaho in 200xby Idaho Smart Growth, the Idaho Chapter of the American Planning Association, and the Idaho District Council of the Urban Land Institute, warns that if sprawling development continues to fuel growth in driving, the projected 59 percent increase in the total miles driven between 2005 and 2030 will overwhelm expected gains from vehicle efficiency and low-carbon fuels.

Download executive summary
 
Idaho Food in Farm Country

Have you ever wondered how much of the food we grow in Idaho stays in Idaho?  Or how much money we send out of the region for food from other states?

The Treasure Valley Food Coalition recently commissioned a report to look at questions like these.  The study, completed by Ken Meter of Crossroads Research Center, includes lots of great information.  For example, did you know that if families in the Treasure Valley purchased 15% of their food locally, that would produce $165 million of new farm income?