News

ISG shares SRTS baseline data report.

May 24, 2018 by Alexandra Monjar

Idaho Smart Growth last week met with 15 Safe Routes to School (SRTS) coordinators and volunteers from around the state and shared a report on the current status of SRTS in the state. This convening was the beginning of forging a statewide network for SRTS programs to better coordinate and track their efforts.

ISG program coordinators Elaine Clegg and Deanna Smith led discussions to determine which data is currently collected, how ISG and Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) could help to support collection and interpretation as well as move towards more consistent reporting to assist with assessing impact from SRTS programs. SRTS representatives also shared their current programming efforts with each other for inspiration and peer support.

The report summarizes the staffed SRTS programs in Idaho, and the number of registered Walk to School events held in each city over the past four years. SRTS currently serves just 6% of Idaho school districts and 13% of Idaho students. These baseline numbers will help ISG evaluate impact over the next four years. During this time, ISG will work with funding from ITD to provide education, training, assessment, planning assistance and evaluation assistance in communities of all sizes statewide.

For more information about ISG and our work on Safe Routes to School, contact Elaine Clegg at elaine@idahosmartgrowth.org.

Booth Home Vision Report

May 16, 2018 by Alexandra Monjar

Idaho Smart Growth has released its report on its visioning exercises with neighbors of the historic Marian Pritchett Booth Memorial Home at 1617 N. 24^th Street in Boise. The property is owned by the Salvation Army, and currently is for sale by Thornton Oliver Keller commercial brokers. The report, “Marian Pritchett Booth Home Redevelopment Prospects and Vision,” is the result of work ISG performed with the North End Neighborhood Association (NENA) provide the neighborhood and potential developers with an opportunity to explore options for redeveloping the two-block site. The report can be viewed and downloaded here.

The listed sale of the property has caused concern for neighbors, and brought forward the neighbors’ desires to see the original building from 1921 preserved. After the NENA board completed an online survey of North End residents to gauge concern about the project, they hired ISG to create a public process and help define the neighborhood’s vision for the space.

The report presents conclusions from that effort and recommends action steps for the NENA board regarding the Booth Home’s potential redevelopment. NENA hopes the Salvation Army will consider this report and encourage whoever purchases the property to seek NENA’s engagement on a development proposal before taking it to the city.

Smart growth principles include encouraging community and stakeholder collaboration as well as fostering distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place. ISG applauds NENA’s efforts to draw attention to the opportunities presented by the Booth Home sale, and hopes to see similar actions with other interesting properties in Boise and elsewhere in Idaho.

CPA: How Communities Can Plan for Sustainability, June 6

May 15, 2018 by Alexandra Monjar

The 2018 Citizens Planning Academy (CPA) continues with its second session June 6. Visiting from Ketchum, Sharon Patterson Grant will present on “Turning Green: How Communities Can Plan for Sustainability.”

Sharon Patterson Grant, LEED AP BD+C and Homes, has been providing green building consulting and education since 2006. As a Certified Sustainable Building Advisor, she has worked with some of the largest property management firms in Idaho to conserve energy and was a coach for the Boise Kilowatt Crackdown competition that involved 47 buildings. She has consulted on over 95 LEED projects. Sharon worked with Boise to develop an energy reduction plan and has now worked with five additional cities. For the past decade, she has worked on advancing energy codes in the region, including being the exclusive contractor for NEEA’s Commercial Code Enhancement initiative. As a published author, Sharon has taught at BSU, presented at conferences across the nation and is a Provider with the Idaho Real Estate Commission. She chaired the USGBC Idaho and is a board member of Northwest Integrity Housing Co. and Idaho Smart Growth. Sharon has degrees in ecological design and business.

The CPA is a collaborative project of Idaho Smart Growth and the University of Idaho College of Law and Bioregional Planning Program. The monthly series is designed to help citizens become effective advocates on a wide range of planning topics. All sessions are free and open to everyone.

RSVPs are requested: office@idahosmartgrowth.org. Learn more about the series and see past and upcoming session titles here.

Grow Smart Awards in the Wood River Valley

April 27, 2018 by Alexandra Monjar

For Immediate Release:
Grow Smart Awards in the Wood River Valley
Date: April 27, 2018
Contact: Alexandra Monjar; 208-333-8066

BOISE, ID — Idaho Smart Growth is presenting Grow Smart Awards in the Wood River Valley at Ketchum Town Square at 5:30 pm on Friday, May 25. This showcase of local examples of smart growth is a part of “A Fair on the Square,” Ketchum’s celebration of the town’s accomplishments and what it’s doing to create a vibrant sustainable community.

A Fair on the Square is from 4:00 pm to 7:30 pm; the Grow Smart Awards in the Wood River Valley presentation begins at 5:30 pm. The fair includes music, local food and drinks and kids’ activities. All events are in Ketchum Town Square at Fourth Street and East Avenue, downtown Ketchum and are free and open to the public. For more information on the fair, contact Lisa Enourato at the city of Ketchum.

The Grow Smart Awards (GSA) recognize exemplary efforts in planning and development that help create great places to live. Since 2005 Idaho Smart Growth (ISG) has presented the year’s awards each fall in Boise, but this year for the first time, ISG is offering an additional showcase of past recipients in their communities. The May 25 event is an opportunity for Wood River Valley residents to meet with planners, designers, local officials and citizens who were instrumental in creating these plans and projects and to learn how smart growth principles can build stronger communities.

The presentation will highlight seven local GSA recipients, including Ketchum architect and advocate Dale Bates, who received the 2017 Charles Hummel Award, given by the ISG Board of Directors to someone who embodies a commitment to community, personal integrity and smart growth principles. Other local recipients are the Blaine County 2025 comprehensive plan; the Pineridge residential project in Ketchum; the Sweetwater residential project in Hailey; the Hailey 2010 comprehensive plan; the Woodside Boulevard Reconstruction and Complete Streets Initiative in Hailey; and the Blaine County Community Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.

The Grow Smart Awards recognize buildings, plans, developments, books and other projects that are judged to be excellent illustrations of smart growth principles in action. Awards are selected from nominations sent in from around the state by a volunteer jury of professionals. Anyone can nominate a project, and there is no time limit for eligibility. More about the GSA program is available at the ISG website here.

Nominations for the 2018 Grow Smart Awards are open until June 4; more information and nomination forms are available here. The 2018 GSA celebration will be held at the Boise Centre East conference center on Monday, November 5.

Idaho Smart Growth is a statewide nonprofit organization that brings people together to create great places to live, through education, advocacy and training on issues in land use, transportation and community development. For more information contact 208-333-8066 or go to www.idahosmartgrowth.org.

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2018 Grow Smart Awards Nominations are Open!

April 19, 2018 by Alexandra Monjar

Idaho Smart Growth (ISG) is now seeking nominations for the 2018 Grow Smart Awards. (Click here for nomination instructions and here for the required cover letter.) ISG has presented the annual Grow Smart Awards since 2005 to celebrate planning and development efforts around Idaho that exhibit outstanding implementation of smart growth principles. Nominations can be for buildings, plans, open spaces, studies, organizations and any other example of smart growth in action. Anyone can submit nominations, for projects of all types and sizes, from any year and from throughout the state. Awards are selected by a jury of professionals knowledgeable about smart growth principles.

Application deadline is midnight on June 4. We encourage anyone interested in nominating a project to get in touch with ISG staff soon—we can answer questions and offer suggestions to help make applications more effective.

Mark your calendar for the 2018 Grow Smart Awards celebration to be held at Boise Centre East on Monday, November 5. This event is the celebration of the awards and people who made them possible, and is a premier networking opportunity. The theme for this year’s celebration is the intersection of smart growth and urban renewal, with a special focus on Boise’s Central Urban Renewal District–the state’s first. We’re especially looking for nominations from Idaho communities that have used urban renewal tools to help achieve smart growth goals in stronger and healthier development. (Non-urban renewal projects are always welcome, too.)

Contact us with any questions at 208-333-8066 or office@idahosmartgrowth.org. More information on the Grow Smart Awards program is available here.

Citizens Planning Academy Returns May 2

April 19, 2018 by Alexandra Monjar

***UPDATE***
Our presenter Renee Magee is unfortunately ill and will need to reschedule.

But, we’re moving forward with the CPA with a presentation from Jaap Vos, director of the Urban Design Center at the University of Idaho Boise and professor of Bioregional Planning and Community Design.

Dr. Vos will present on “Cheap and Easy Ways to Make Boise Bike Friendly”

Same place and time.
******************

The 2018 Citizens Planning Academy (CPA) opens with its first session May 2. To start the series, Renée Magee will present on “Historic Preservation: Linking Past, Present and Future.”

Renée Magee, of Idaho Falls, retired recently after many years as the planning director for the city of Idaho Falls and the executive director of its redevelopment agency. Renée is an Idaho Smart Growth board member and was the 2016 recipient of the Idaho Smart Growth Charles Hummel Award. She holds degrees in English, planning and law, and has worked as a planner, city attorney, historic preservation officer, university professor and advocate for the planning profession in Idaho. Renée has served on the boards of Preservation Idaho, American Planning Association Idaho Chapter, Redevelopment Association of Idaho and Idaho State Historic Preservation Office Review Board. She is an AICP certified planner and a licensed attorney in Idaho.

RSVPs are requested: office@idahosmartgrowth.org. Learn more about the series and see past and upcoming session titles here.

Idaho Smart Growth Adds New Board Members

April 17, 2018 by Alexandra Monjar

Date: April 13, 2018
Contact: Scot Oliver, 208-333-8066

BOISE, ID – Just as the US Census Bureau names Idaho the fastest growing state in the nation, three new members have been elected to the Idaho Smart Growth Board of Directors, to help guide the statewide nonprofit that works with Idahoans to build stronger and healthier communities. The three include a former mayor, an economic development director and a real estate banker, and they bring a wide range of experience and expertise to the organization.

“We’re fortunate to have these folks step up to our team,” said Scot Oliver, ISG executive director. “The challenge of accommodating new growth in Idaho while preserving our quality of life has never been greater, and right now we have a stellar group leading us.”

Nancy Chaney headshot Nancy Chaney grew up hearing stories about her dad’s youth in Sandpoint, then moved from California to Boise in 1969. In 1980 she moved to Moscow “for a couple of years,” and has made it her home since. She served on the Moscow City Council, two terms as Moscow’s mayor, and is a past president of the Association of Idaho Cities. In 2015 she was the recipient of the Idaho Smart Growth Charles Hummel Award. Chaney and her husband operate a small business in his specialty of veterinary ophthalmology. She holds degrees in nursing and psychology from Boise State University and a master’s in environmental science from the University of Idaho.

Nathan Murray headshot

Nathan Murray lives in Twin Falls, where he is the city’s director of economic development as well as executive director for its urban renewal agency. Presently, he is overseeing four separate infrastructure improvement projects in downtown Twin Falls, valued at $20M. He also leads business recruitment and expansion efforts for the city which has received roughly $1.2B in capital improvements since 2012. A Boise native, Murray worked for 15 years in city planning and economic development in Utah. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Latin American studies from Brigham Young University.

Ben Casiano headshot

Ben Casiano is an assistant vice president in US Bank’s Commercial Real Estate Division specializing in real estate development financing. In this role, he works with the Boise area’s largest developers to provide creative financing solutions for development projects. Born and raised in Idaho, Casiano received a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Oregon and will complete a master’s in real estate from Georgetown University in August, 2018. He has conducted research on the world’s first LEED Platinum certified building and on assessing life cycle costs for high-performance building systems.

The new board members were elected for three-year terms. They join current directors Gary Allen, Matt Blandford, Hethe Clark, Melissa Galli, Sharon Grant, Michelle Groenevelt, Rob Hopper, Wyatt Johnson, Renee Magee and Sarah Martz.

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Idaho Smart Growth works with Boise’s North End Neighborhood Association to envision a future for the Booth Home block.

March 6, 2018 by Alexandra Monjar

Idaho Smart Growth (ISG) is working with Boise’s North End Neighborhood Association (NENA) to facilitate community workshops to help determine the fate of a two-acre block in the historic neighborhood. The property which includes the Booth Home is now for sale with potential buyers submitting bids through April 27.

ISG will be hosting two workshops for neighbors and stakeholders to help define the vision for the redevelopment of the Booth Home and its surroundings. The first workshop is scheduled for Monday, March 12 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Lowell Elementary in the cafeteria, 1507 N 28th Street in Boise.

See a flyer from NENA with details here. Questions can be directed to NENA at board@northendboise.org.

Citizens Planning Academy — December 6th session covers “Testimony With Impact”

November 20, 2017 by Alexandra Monjar

Come out on Wednesday, December 6th, for the eleventh session of the 2017 Citizens Planning Academy, “Developing and Presenting Testimony with Impact”

Speakers: Jim Hansen, Ada County Highway District Commissioner, and Jeremy Maxand, Director of Engage Idaho and Votes Idaho

Jim Hansen, Ada County Highway District Commissioner. Commissioner Hansen is serving his 2^nd term as an ACHD Commissioner, elected in 2012 and re-elected in 2016. Jim is a consultant on strategic planning, leadership development and fundraising. He also works as an executive coach as part of Community Partnerships of Idaho’s Leadership program. He served three terms in the Idaho State Legislature from 1988 to 1994 representing southeast Boise. Jim founded United Vision for Idaho and served as its Executive Director for 13 years. Jim is an attorney and practiced law with a Boise law firm before founding UVI.

Jeremy Maxand, Director of Engage Idaho and Votes Idaho. Jeremy directs two civic engagement roundtables in Idaho, and also serves as an adjunct faculty member with the BSU Department of Sociology. Jeremy is a board member with the Barber Valley Neighborhood Association, a member of the City of Boise’s Accessible Parking Committee, and Chair of the ValleyRide Regional Coordinating Council. Jeremy served two years as an Assemblyman and two years as Mayor of the Borough of Wrangell, Alaska.

All are welcome to attend this informative session!

When: Wednesday, December 6th. 6-7:30 PM
Where: University of Idaho College of Law in the Idaho Law Learning Center (514 W. Jefferson Street, Room 136 on the ground floor). Please use the eastern entrance, the room is the second door on the left after entering the building on this side. Parking is available behind the building on the eastern side in the spots marks “visitor.”

For more information on the Citizens Planning Academy, visit our Citizens Planning Academy webpage.

2017 Grow Smart Awards follow-up

November 18, 2017 by Scot Oliver

The 2017 Grow Smart Awards, held on November 16 at the Owyhee in Boise, was a warm success. Our thanks go out to everyone who helped put on the event, those who submitted projects for consideration, and those who picked up the awards. (Read more about the GSA and the awards in this year’s brochure here.)

Below, l-r: Mike Brown, LocalConstruct cofounder and keynote speaker; Karen Gallagher, Boise transportation planner, with award for Boise Transportation Action Plan; Sharon Grant, ISG board member, with Charles Hummel Award for Dale Bates; Michael Hormaechea, developer, with award for The Afton; Rhonda Jalbert, VRT development director, with award for City Center Plaza; Hiram Johnson, city of Driggs mayor, with award for West Little Avenue Complete Street; Wyatt Johnson, ISG board president.