February 26, 2000
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GULF COAST GROWTH NEWS
Regional News
Growth task forces forming
Congressman Nick Lampson (D-9) is hosting a series of economic development forums entitled "Forum on 21st Century Technology and Economic Growth." Three have already been held, and now Lampson is forming four task force groups: Economic Growth Through Regional Cooperation; Fostering the R&D Mission: Technology Creation and Transfer; Transportation and Infrastructure: Preparing for Economic Growth; and 21st Century Approaches to Environmental Quality. The Task Force groups will meet during the next few months and generate a set of recommendations for release during the fall of 2000. For info, call the Beaumont office at 409-838-0061.
Highway expansion gathering opposition
Residents of neighborhoods along I-10 west and I-45 north are building up steam for a fight about the proposed major expansion of both highways. Also, environmental groups concerned about air pollution from the increased traffic envisioned from these and all the other planned road projects are questioning the On-Road Emissions Budget, while other groups that support increased public transit options are challenging the wisdom of the highway plans. The I-45 north group has apparently gained the help of State Senator Mario Gallegos, State Rep. Jessica Farrar and Houston City Council members Gabriel Vasquez and Carroll Robinson. At a meeting with these officials, area residents, and METRO, TxDOT said it has postponed its study of the corridor until late summer because it has become a partner in this process with METRO. Notes from the meeting say that TxDOT was encouraged to partner with the Harris County Flood Control District, the Harris County Toll Road Authority, and the affected civic associations. The elected officials and civic association representatives told TXDOT it must incorporate locally preferred alternatives into its plans. For information on a variety of highway and transit issues, go to http://www.transact.org.
Insurance by the gallon proposed
Houston City Council member Carroll Robinson is suggesting that the premium for basic auto liability insurance should be collected at the gas pump, and that this would have a positive effect on air quality. The concept would eliminate uninsured drivers from the roads and match gas use with insurance risk. Currently, people who drive 5,000 miles per year pay the same fees as those who drive 20,000 miles per year, even though the risk factors are very different. Robinson and other proponents of this new plan believe that people would also be more aware of gas mileage and the amount of driving if they paid for insurance by the gallon.
Notes From Other Places
Monorail fans point to light rail dangers
As one promising monorail project after another is defeated in the U.S., frustrated monorail proponents are beginning to focus on the dangers of light rail to attract attention to their cause. The Monorail Institute notes that the Utah Transit Agency, which recently completed a new section of light rail, recently ran radio commercials warning of "mangled" bodies, "pulverized" heads, and people losing their legs, in an effort to warn people to be careful around the trains, which mix with pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle traffic. The Monorail Institute claims that light rail cars are actually heavier than heavy rail cars because they are built to withstand traffic collisions. Salt Lake City newspapers have quoted the statistic of 30 pedestrian deaths along the Los Angeles Blue Line in the last eight years. The Monorail Society Web site connects to most of the innovative transit projects in the world: http://www.monorails.org/.
Incentives found not important
State incentives "play only a marginal role in the location decisions of private firms." say the authors of a University of North Carolina study. The report says "Such incentives can divert public expenditures from investments in human resources, quality of life, infrastructure, and services that business executives consider more important in the location decisions." States, counties and towns continue to provide publicly funded incentives to private companies even though most economic development professionals know that they are not effective, the researchers said. The report suggests the alternative to incentives is to build the state's infrastructure and educational facilities that provide the labor and quality of life factors that seem far more attractive to 21st-century businesses than conventional incentives. For info, dennis_rondinelli@unc.edu
Do SUVs cause congestion?
The Sierra Club's Planet newsletter reports that a recent study shows sport utility vehicles exacerbate traffic congestion. The researchers, Kara Kockelman and Rahell Shabih, found that drivers keep a greater distance from SUVs and light trucks than from other cars. Also, they say, SUVs simply take up more space, and they accelerate more slowly than cars at intersections. The report says an SUV takes up as much space as 1.41 cars.
Reports
Top ten influences on cities
The Fannie Mae Foundation's report on the top 10 influences on American cities over the past half century and the future 50 years is available online. Titled "The American Metropolis at Century's End: Past and Future Influences," it's at http://www.fanniemaefoundation.org/research/metropolis/.
Urban decay and sprawl report
Anthony Downs' new report "Some Realities about Sprawl and Urban Decline" is available at http://www.fanniemaefoundation.org/research/policy/pdf/HPD104/HPD104/downs.pdf
Transit guide for politicians
"Local Politician's Guide to Urban Transportation" was written by Gordon Price, Councilor, City of Vancouver. Price, who is an experienced municipal politician, discusses the transportation challenges facing local officials and offers innovative solutions. Posted at the Victoria Transit Policy Institute, http://www.vtpi.org/localpol.htm.
Smart Growth Awards
A call for entries has been issued for the "Best Smart Growth Community Awards". For more information, call the National Association of Home Builders, 800-368-5242 x351.
Big City News
SEATTLE
Downtown revitalization in Seattle is being driven by changing demographics and the resurgence of downtown as the cultural and entertainment center. For a perspective on the dynamics, see the attached file, Seattle Trends.
City trends
A collection of items about trends and events in American cities is attached to this newsletter.
Events
Next Houston Gulf Coast Smart Growth Initiative meeting: Mar 22, 11:30 am, place to be announced. http://www.gulfcoastideas.org
Bus Tour of Fifth Ward redevelopment: Mar 10, 9:40 am, 2020 Herman Dr. near Hermann Park (Judson Robinson Community Center). Features the new business buildings developed on Lyons Avenue by the Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corp, which has also built or rehabbed about 200 homes. Reserve a place: jndenkler@aol.com.
Collaborative Urbanisms: Global Markets: Mar 4 10 am-Noon. Moderator: Mary Ann O'Donnell, Postdoctoral Scholar, Pembroke Center on the Research and Teaching of Women, Brown University; Bill Gilmer, Assistant Vice-President, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas at Houston; Rainer Lilienthal, General Manager, Trade Development, Port of Houston Authority. Second in a series of four workshops pairing urban scholars and key practitioners actively engaged in Houston's downtown revitalization and economic development. Free. Phone: 713-348-2055, E-mail: ndeckha@hotmail.com URL: http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~culture/urbanisms.html
Livable Texas Conference: Feb 27-29 in Dallas at the DoubleTree Hotel in Lincoln Centre. The theme of the conference is "Sustaining the Environment and Economic Development". Sponsor is the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission. Keynote speaker is Amory Lovins, author and founder of the Rocky Mountain Institute (http://www.rmi.org/lovins.html). Info: Sue Phillips,TNRCC, 512-239-6327 or http://www.tnrcc.texas.gov/new.html.
Transportation 2000 Plan: A CEC Roundtable: Mar 8. A Citizens' Environmental Coalition discussion of the draft version of the City of Houston's long term transit plan. The document, which calls for a broad assortment of smart growth strategies, will be presented by John Jackson of the City's Planning & Development Department. At the Houston Environmental Center in the Upper Kirby District building, 3015 Richmond, east of Kirby. Noon, lunch will be provided. RSVP at alison.dodson@cechouston.org or 713-524-4232.
The Practice of Environmentally Sensitive Development: Mar 20-21, Shepherdstown, W. Va. An Urban Land Institute workshop on balancing environmental protection with economic return. Also to be held in San Francisco June 22-23. 800-321-5011.
Urban Approaches to Smart Growth: Building New Homes in Cities and Older Suburbs: Mar 30, Chicago, sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders. Hotel special price cut-off date Feb 28. 800-368-5242 x324.
National Green Builders Conference: Apr 5-8, Denver. Adam's Mark Hotel. Sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders. http://www.nahbrc.org/gbcon/gb2000schedule.htm
Developing New Urbanist Communities: Apr 10-12, Orlando, Florida. Urban Land Institute and the Congress for the New Urbanism offer this three-day course in town building using new urbanist principles. 800-321-5011.
Nature in Fragments: The Legacy of Urban Sprawl: a two-day conference in New York City, April 13-14 at the American Museum of Natural History. Those interested in land-use planning, conservation, and how sprawl is affecting the natural world are encouraged to attend this symposium to explore in more detail how to integrate biodiversity conservation with all levels of our decision-making. For info call 212-769-5200 and refer to program code SPRAWL2K.
Books
Growing Greener: Putting Conservation into Local Plans and Ordinances is a new book by Randall Arendt, vice president for conservation planning at the Natural Lands Trust. The book explores design strategies for new developments that use the protection of open space as an organizing principle. http://www.islandpress.org/community/planning/greener.html
Note to readers: If you have news to share or have reports from events, please let us know at issues@gulfcoastideas.org
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