March Citizens Planning Academy

February 7, 2019 by Sarah

Is congestion really the problem? Talking transportation with Don Kostelec.

Wednesday, March 6 at 6 PM. Free and open to the public.

Attend Online:

Join remotely from any internet-connected device by clicking this link: https://uidaho.zoom.us/j/236930382

Attend in-person:

U of I Legacy Pointe Conference Room, Idaho Water Center, 322 E. Front Street, Boise. Free off-street parking is available in the Idaho Water Center and Ada County Courthouse garages. More information and links maps can be found here.

Don Kostelec, AICP, is a 17-year professional in transportation planning, health analysis and comprehensive planning. He is applying and researching Health Impact Assessments and integrated health/planning efforts through various projects throughout the United States. Don’s work extends from Alaska to Florida and California to New York.

His specialty areas include: The Americans with Disabilities Act, Transportation Policy & Finance, Health Impact Assessment, Active Transportation Design, Complete Streets, and Governance. Don is a member of the Idaho Walk Bike Alliance Board of Directors and a past member of the Board of Directors of Bike Walk NC. He has also served on the TRB Committee on Transportation Demand Management and the Eat Smart/ Move More Leadership Team in North Carolina.

Don is known as a provocative speaker who helps communities better engage the design profession for more equitable and safer street design that prioritizes the safety of people over the movement of cars. He is a frequent contributor to national podcasts and stories on safe street design and walkability. Don has a Master of Urban Planning & Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Journalism from Western Carolina University.

The C.P.A. is a collaboration of Idaho Smart Growth and the University of Idaho’s College of Law in Boise and Bioregional Planning Program. Monthly sessions are designed to help citizens become effective advocates on a wide range of planning topics.

RSVP office@idahosmartgrowth.org. Learn more about the series here or view past session videos on our YouTube channel.

February Citizens Planning Academy

January 16, 2019 by Sarah

So we’re the fastest growing state, how does planning fit in?

Wednesday, February 6 at 6 PM. Free and open to the public.

Attend Online:

Join remotely from any internet-connected device by clicking this link: https://uidaho.zoom.us/j/236930382

Attend in-person:

The first session of the year will be a panel including:

Kelli Badesheim–
Kelli is the executive director of Valley Regional Transit. She serves on the COMPASS (Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho) board, is president of the board of the Community Transportation Association of Idaho and a founding member of the Treasure Valley Chapter of WTS International, an association dedicated to the advancement of women in the transportation industry.

Rob Hopper–
Rob serves as the vice president of the Idaho Smart Growth board. He has served on the Caldwell City Council since 2001, chairs the city’s urban renewal commission and is the chairman of the Valley Regional Transit Board of Directors. He is an IT manager at Blue Cross of Idaho.

Patricia Nilsson–
Patricia is the development services director for Canyon County. She has been a public sector planner for agriculture-based counties in Virginia, Pennsylvania and Idaho for more than 30 years. She has extensive experience in long-range planning and has been a project manager of a multimillion dollar open space and farmland preservation program.

Jaap Vos-
Jaap is the program head of the University of Idaho Bioregional Planning and Community Design program and the director of the Urban Design Center in Boise. Prior to joining the University of Idaho, Jaap was director of the planning program for Boise State University.

RSVP office@idahosmartgrowth.org. Learn more about the series here or view past session videos on our YouTube channel.

Join us for our Holiday Social!

November 29, 2018 by Sarah

It’s a holiday tradition! Join us for our annual holiday gathering on Thursday, December 6th from 4:30-7pm to celebrate smart growth, socialize and network. We’re teaming up again with ULI Idaho and U.S. Green Building Council Idaho to promote collaboration on responsible development in Idaho.

Appetizers will be provided and a cash bar serving drinks.

Thanks to CTA Architects and Engineers for hosting us!

The event is FREE, bring a friend! RSVP on Facebook or by emailing office@idahosmartgrowth.org

Thank you to our event sponsors: Bittercreek Alehouse, Holland & Hart, Lee & Associates, McKibben + Cooper, Urban Land Development, and Zhoo Zhoo

Walk to School Day 2018

November 13, 2018 by Sarah

71 Idaho Schools registered to participate in Walk to School Day 2018.

This is a 82% INCREASE over 2017! Way to go Idaho!

Safe Routes Chart for 2018

Eastern Idaho

Eastern Idaho led the pack with 26 total schools participating, including 20 schools in the city of Idaho Falls. The Safe Routes to School program in Idaho Falls is coordinated through the Bonneville Metropolitan Planning Organization which has taken the lead in planning for walking and biking in the region. They have a robust Walking School Bus program and use Walk to School Day to try and affect lasting change, encouraging more students to walk regularly.

In addition to urging more kids to join the Walking School Bus program, activities included; meeting at the park and walking together to school, free breakfast at school on Walk to School Day, walking at school if you arrive by bus and more. Activities were led by volunteers at each of the schools.

Moscow

Nora and Bill walking school bus In Moscow 10 schools shared in the fun with 2 charter schools and a private school joining all seven of the district’s public schools. Many students and parents participated. Students could walk to any school from home or a designated location.

Walking groups with supervising adults, called a Walking School Bus, were organized at some locations. There were park and walk locations near each school for children who wanted to walk but live too far away.

The mayor facilitated a walk from downtown and University of Idaho students hosted Walk at School events, where students dropped off by car or bus can could join in by walking around the school grounds before class.

Sandpoint

There was participation in Walk to School Day at every school in the district this year with nearly 1,000 students participating! From parents to community leaders, the day featured students walking to school with an emphasis on pedestrian safety, physical activity, and community connections.

Washington Elementary School had 191 students – their biggest group ever – along with Principal Hamer and community leaders Mayor Shelby Rognstad and Steve Lockwood who made an 8 block trek together. Principal Olson, city officials and police officers, teachers, and parent volunteers joined 100 students walking at Farmin-Stidwell Elementary.

Special bus stops allowed bus students in Kootenai to walk along with Principal Knowles and Idaho Representative Sage Dixon, and drew 75 students. Over 480 students were part of Walk at School events at the rural schools in the district.

Safe Routes to School encouraged those traveling by car to park a few blocks away and finish their journey on foot.

Treasure Valley

Cynthia Mann Walk to School Day Idaho’s biggest program is housed in the Treasure Valley YMCA and serves multiple school districts and communities. There were individual events at schools across the valley run by local volunteers. These included Walk, Ride, and Roll events. Boise city council members Holli Woodings, Lisa Sanchez and Elaine Clegg participated at various locations, as did the police chief and many officers, the fire department and police dog Scout.

The Boise Police Department led a big group, including some city council members, from Winstead Park to Morley Nelson Elementary where they were greeted with snacks and activities. At Cynthia Mann Elementary there were greeters at the crosswalks and both pathway entrances to the school grounds.

The Safe Routes to School program also sponsored a Bike Rodeo at Galileo STEM Academy where ITD Transportation Alternatives Program Manager Ryan McDaniel helped. Check out the video they created!

In Meridian, Idaho Walk Bike Alliance and the American Heart Association joined in the fun at Hunter Elementary School to highlight the importance of good infrastructure.

Wood River Valley

Mountain Rides organizes a trail ride day in October and concentrates other events in the spring.

Mayor’s Walking Challenge

Moscow Mayor with students There is a natural partnership between Safe Routes to School and other walking events.

Many of the mayors in Idaho who participate in the Mayor’s Walking Challenge use Walk to School Day as part of the challenge, including Shawn Barigar in Twin Falls, Gordon Petrie in Emmett, Tammy DeWeerd in Meridian and Homedale’s Gheen Christofferson.

Pictured is Mayor Bill Lambert on Walk to School day in Moscow’s Friendship Square.

Register now for the 2018 Grow Smart Awards!

October 16, 2018 by Sarah

2018 Grow Smart Awards

Our 14th Annual Grow Smart Awards will be at Boise Centre East, on Monday, November 5, from 5:00-7:30pm. Appetizers and a no-host bar are available.

In addition to celebrating this year’s Grow Smart Awards, the evening will highlight the importance of urban renewal tools to advancing smart growth projects in Idaho, with a special focus on the Boise Central Urban Renewal District, the state’s oldest, which sunsets this year. The evening keynote speaker will be Paddy Tillett, architect at ZGF who led the creation of the Central District urban design plan.

This year’s event will be free, but reservations are required. Walk-in tickets (without reservation) will be $20 at the door.

Click here to register.

Keynote Speaker: Paddy Tillett, Principal, ZGF; RIBA, FRTPI, FAICP, FAIA, LEED AP®

Paddy is a principal in the Portland office of the design and planning firm ZGF, responsible for many of the firm’s major planning and urban design projects. Paddy led the original urban design plan for the Boise Central Urban Renewal District and other downtown Boise URDs as well as the master plans or design plans for Boise State University, Reed College, Denver 16th Street Mall, Embarcadero Parkway and many other public and private clients. Paddy holds an Architectural Diploma from the Oxford School of Architecture, as well as a Master of Civic Design from the University of Liverpool. His most recent publication is Shaping Portland – Anatomy of a Healthy City.

Presenting Sponsor: Capital City Development Corp.

Table sponsorships available. Contact office@idahosmartgrowth.org for information and availability.

Walking Tour & Porch Party

October 15, 2018 by Sarah

You’re Invited!

Idaho Smart Growth is kicking off a new tradition leading up to the Grow Smart Awards! Join us on October 16 for a walking tour of prior Grow Smart Award recipients in downtown Boise. It’s your chance to see smart growth principles in action! We’ll end the tour with a social hour at the CSHQA front porch.

The Porch Party will be our official announcement of this year’s Grow Smart Awards. Be one of the first to know!

Walking Tour starts at CSHQA at 4:00 PM. Porch Party is from 5 – 6:30 PM. Join us for food and drink and the official announcement of the 2018 Grow Smart Award winners!

Click here to register to attend.

Reservations are required. Tour is limited to the first 30 people. Porch party open to all!

Click here for more information about the Grow Smart Award program.

Registration is now open to attend this year’s Grow Smart Awards! Register here.

October Citizens Planning Academy: Placemaking

September 25, 2018 by Kate

Creative Placemaking: An Action-Oriented Guide to Arts in Community Development

Wednesday, October 3, 6 – 7:30 PM. Free and open to the public.
U of I Legacy Pointe Conference Room, Idaho Water Center, 322 E. Front Street, Boise.

Free off-street parking is available in the Idaho Water Center and Ada County Courthouse garages. More information and links maps can be found here.

Dr. Amanda J. Ashley is an associate professor in the Urban and Regional Planning Department and the Director of the Urban Studies and Community Development program in the School of Public Service at Boise State University. She teaches economic and community development, and her research has covered the politics of urban development and land use change, the relationship between civic engagement and planning policy, and the dynamics of communication in strategic planning and visioning. Amanda also consults for public agencies at the city, state, and federal level on placemaking and urban development.

RSVP office@idahosmartgrowth.org. Learn more about the series here or view past session videos on our YouTube channel.

PARK(ing) Day! Friday, September 21, 2018

September 18, 2018 by Kate

Idaho Smart Growth joins local partners to Unpave Parking Spots and put up a paradise for people in celebration of PARK(ing) Day 2018 on Friday, September 21!

Parking spaces along 8th Street, 9th Street, Main Street, Vista Village and Collister shopping center in Boise, and around the globe, to be reclaimed and turned into temporary public “PARKs” for people.

(Image Credit: “Shifting the Paradigm” designed by Maki Kawaguchi)

WHAT:

In celebration of PARK(ing) Day on Friday, September 21, Idaho Walk Bike Alliance and Idaho Smart Growth will join with ACHD Commuteride, American Heart Association, DL Evans Bank, Energize Our Neighborhoods, North End and Collister neighborhoods and Vista Healthy Corridor to create temporary public “PARKs” in eight locations around Boise.

PARK(ing) Day, an annual global event since 2005, inspires artists, activists and citizens in cities around the world to temporarily transform metered parking spaces into public parks and other social spaces. Originally invented by Rebar, a San Francisco-based art and design studio, PARK(ing) Day challenges people to rethink the way streets are used and reinforces the need for broad-based changes to urban infrastructure.

WHEN & WHERE:

Friday, September 21, 2018

8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Downtown Boise, on 9th Street near Main Street, hosted by DL Evans Bank and Stack Rock Group

D.L. Evans Bank and Stack Rock Group have partnered to transform 2 parking spaces outside of D.L. Evans’ Downtown branch to illustrate how parklets can make our streets more human centered and provide places to gather, play, and to enjoy being outside.

8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. – YIMBY! on Main Street south of City Hall between Capital and 6th Street hosted by Energize Our Neighborhoods

Energize our Neighborhoods will have a parklet on Main Street to encourage Boise’s neighborhoods to join in the fun next year. Parklets create inviting community spaces and are a great way to engage with neighbors and residents as they pass by.

11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Downtown Boise, on 8th Street between Idaho and Bannock, in the three parking spots closest to Idaho Street hosted by Idaho Walk Bike Alliance, ACHD Commuteride and American Heart Association

Idaho Walk Bike Alliance envisions an Idaho known for its active, vibrant, healthy and economically strong communities. Its “PARK” will be similar to the one last year, featuring greenery and sitting areas where visitors can stop by to chat or just sit and relax.
ACHD Commuteride promotes smart commute options through education, rideshare services, and effective partnerships. Its “PARK” will show off how relaxing vanpooling really is by inviting people to stop by to read a book, listen to a podcast, or just relax while sitting in a cushy, outdoor vanpool seat.
American Heart Association works to impact lives by empowering people and their loved ones to live healthier lives and enjoy more peace of mind about heart disease and stroke. Its “PARK” will star a little red bench where people will be invited to share their “why” by explaining the moments, people or experiences that motivate them to live healthier lives. “PARK” visitors will also be able to win by participating in a physical challenge.

12:00 – 8:00 p.m. – Vista Village Vista Avenue Healthy Corridor hosted by Vista Healthy Corridor Initiative, Urban Land Institute and Depot Bench Neighborhood

Pavement into Parks turning parking lots into parks is an effort by the Vista Healthy Corridors Initiative, Depot Bench Neighborhood Association and Urban Land Institute to illustrate what is possible and how Vista Avenue can become a healthy, vibrant economic corridor connected to the community through neighborhood gathering places.

3:00 – 8:00 p.m. – Triangulate! at the Collister Shopping Center on State Street near Baskin and Robbins hosted by Collister neighbors

Why not “triangulate” and continue to build a strong sense of place and community by giving neighbors an opportunity to linger. In the spirit of park{ing} day we encourage neighbors to bike or walk down to our “park” and join us for ice cream, rock painting and games!

3:30 – 5:30 p.m. – Play Frenzy, on 8th Street between Ada and Sherman hosted by North End neighbors

Front Yard Play Frenzy put together by neighbors to celebrate Park(ing) Day to redefining their play space and busy north end streets by bringing play to front yards to remind drivers that children live and play there in hopes of slowing speeds making their streets feel safer and more comfortable.

Use hashtag #ENERGIZEBOISE to share your Park(ing) Day experience in Boise.

WHY:

“Streets are for people too! So, we hope to call attention to the way our streets are improved when we share them and highlight the need for more urban open spaces,” said Cynthia Gibson, executive director of Idaho Walk Bike Alliance. “We chose 8th Street for our “PARK” because it is such a fantastic example of how access for cyclists and pedestrians helps create a healthy and vibrant community. This access even boosts communities’ bottom lines because non-motorized transportation facilities provide tangible economic benefits. It’s just good for business.”

“We’re supporting community group parklets throughout the city as a way to illustrate how our streets can be so much more than just travel for motor vehicles,” said Deanna Smith, Idaho Smart Growth program coordinator.

September Citizens Planning Academy: NIMBY, YIMBY, or …?

August 7, 2018 by Kate

NIMBY, YIMBY, or …? Being an Effective, Constructive Advocate in Times of Growth

Wednesday, September 5, 6 – 7:30 PM. Free and open to the public.
U of I Legacy Pointe Conference Room, Idaho Water Center, 322 E. Front Street, Boise.

You’ve probably heard the term NIMBY (not in my back yard) and perhaps the emerging YIMBY (yes in my back yard) response. While these are catchy descriptions of how one might respond to development, constructive approaches to growth are often more nuanced than a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ Join us for this presentation and discussion on how to be a positive influence on development and growth in your community – whether your stance is a ‘yes,’ ‘no,’ or something else.

Deanna Smith, Program Coordinator at Idaho Smart Growth, has served on the East End Neighborhood Association Board of Directors since 1999, including five years as president. She has been involved in community activities since moving to Boise in 1982, working in numerous staff positions in the nonprofit community. She served as field director for Neighbors Protecting Idaho, managed two successful city council candidate campaigns and served on the staff of several other electoral campaigns. United Vision for Idaho recognized Deanna as the 2008 “Administrator of the Year” and the Idaho Business Review recognized her as a “Woman of the Year” in 2012. Deanna joined the staff at Idaho Smart Growth in 2006 after serving on the Board of Directors since the organization’s inception in 2000. She has a degree in education and planning from Evergreen State College and has a Charrette Facilitator certificate and a certificate from Portland State University’s Institute for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation.

Off-street parking (free) is available in two adjacent garages. Maps can be found here. Can’t make it in person? You can attend remotely with this link: https://uidaho.zoom.us/j/236930382

August CPA: Housing for All

July 9, 2018 by Kate

2018 Citizens Planning Academy Session Four

Housing for All: Disruptors, Challenges, and Strategies for Equity

Wednesday, August 1, 6 – 7:30 PM. Free and open to the public.
U of I Legacy Pointe Conference Room, Idaho Water Center, 322 E. Front Street, Boise.

Housing stability and diversity are fundamental to sustaining communities. As communities struggle to meet local housing needs, several forces have converged to push housing out of reach for residents and undermine Idaho’s workforce development goals. This session will explore emerging market disruptors, challenges for residential development, and strategies to preserve and create housing that meets the needs and incomes of all community residents.

Our guest speakers:

Erik Kingston, PCED, Housing Resources Coordinator, Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA). Erik created IHFA’s Housing Information Referral Center in 1998 and coordinates several statewide program and outreach initiatives. He represents IHFA on the Idaho Rural Partnership (IRP) board and Idaho Community Review Team, and is a regular contributor to conference and planning efforts, including the NW Community Development Institute, where he teaches Housing as a Second Language. He is member of the Western Community Assessment Network (WeCAN), a three-year rural development and civic engagement collaborative among teams in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming (communityreview.org).

Shellan Rodriguez, Real Estate Development Manager, Capital City Development Corporation (CCDC). Shellan works with landowners and developers to improve Boise’s downtown infrastructure and expand public-private partnerships. Before joining CCDC, she managed housing and sustainability programs for affordable housing developer Pacific Companies, entitling, financing, and developing quality, sustainable housing for seniors, families, and homeless populations. She is a commissioner for Boise City/Ada County Housing Authorities, former US Green Building Council-Idaho board member, LEED Green Associate, and Urban Land Institute member.

Off-street parking (free) is available in two adjacent garages. Maps can be found here.
Can’t make it in person? You can attend remotely with this link: https://uidaho.zoom.us/j/236930382