Brittany M. Kubinski City & Regional Planning Portfolio
b r i t ta n y m . k u b i n s k i 2416 Quarry lake dr., Columbus, OH 43204
(614) 425-3215 • Kubinski.6@buckeyemail.osu.edu
Portfolio:
View online resume and porfolio here: www.brittanymkubinski.com
skills profile:
• Proficient computer skills with experience using Microsoft Office applications including: Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint; Adobe Creative Suite applications including: Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign; ESRI ArcGIS; and Apple iBooks Author. • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills developed through public engagement. • Advanced analytical skills developed through research and report writing. • Adept at problem solving and managing multiple, diverse tasks simultaneously.
Education:
Th e Ohio State Unive rs i t y Master’s degree in City & Regional Planning (in progress) JANUARY, 2013 - PRESENT
Th e Ohio State Unive rs i t y Bachelor’s of science in City & Regional Planning and minor in Economics Graduated Magna Cum Laude, GPA = 3.8 Admitted to the Accelerated BS/MCRP Program MAY, 2013
employment history:
g r aduat e r ese arch as s o ciat e & underg r ad uate St ude n t As s i stan t The Ohio State University - Columbus, OHio SEPTEMBER, 2010 - PRESENT
su stainabi li t y p l an n i ng i n t e rn gulf regional planning commission - gulfport, Mississippi JANUARY, 2011 - DECEMBER, 2013
ec onomic de ve lop m e n t res e arch i n t e r n columbus chamber of commerce & COLumbus 2020 JUNE, 2012 - DECEMBER, 2012
We bcast Assistant The Ohio Chapter of the American Planning Association MAY, 2011 - AUGUST, 2012
Web si t e Desig n I n t er n Mississippi Food Policy Council JUNE, 2011 - SEPTEMBER, 2011
LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE:
Ci t y & R eg ional P l an n i ng St udent As s o ciation President DECEMBER, 2012 - PRESENT
Secretary
SEPTEMBER, 2010 - DECEMBER, 2012
O SU Ci t y & R eg ional P l an n i ng Department Undergraduate Student Representative JUNE, 2011- AUGUST, 2012
AWARDS & HONORS:
MO ST VALUAB LE ST UDEN T I N ST UDIO AWARD As Voted by Faculty and Peers AUTUMN QUARTER, 2011, WINTER QUARTER, 2012 & FALL SEMESTER, 2013
den man un derg r aduat e r esearch forum “Identifying Stakeholders Through Social Network Analysis” - Honorable Mention MARCH, 2013
contents Planning projects: Plan for Opportunity....................................................................................................4
air quality plan....................................................................................................8
food system plan............................................................................................12
Water resource plan...................................................................................16
livability analysis...........................................................................................20
Analysis for Mobility Planning......................................................................24 college of engineering facilities master plan..........................28 OSU traffic safety analysis..............................................................................32 Research projects:
*Photos not sourced are taken by me. Photos sourced are either from group members, creative commons licensed from the internet, or purchased from istockphoto.com
how planners are using apps...........................................................................36 page 3
Page 36
social network analysis for public engagement..................40
Source: Yuru Yang
Source: Kerrypolka from flickr.com
studio work:
Page 4, 8, 11, 15, 16, 19, 20 Page 44, 47
somali community plan studio....................................................................44 columbus downtown tourism plan studio..................................48 ecotourism plan for benque viejo, belize.....................................52 Social media strategy for the apa.............................................................56 OSU STEP Program Housing Studio..........................................................60
Source: istockphoto.com
Source: Amanda Golden
Page 7,
Page 48
Source: Ben Requet
Source: Asti Powell
Page 12
Page 50
Source: Amanda Meddles
Source: Justin Ledsome
Page 23
Page 51
Source: Courtney Keys
Source: Ben Hershey
Page 24, 27
Page 59
Source: Denis Bocquet from flickr.com
Source: Jaime Pujol
Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
The Plan for Opportunity
4
professional projects
The Plan for Opportunity Where: mississippi gulf coast when: january, 2010 - december, 2013 From January, 2010 to December, 2013, I worked on a food system plan for the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a part of The Plan for Opportunity, a collaborative planning project intended to guide the economic growth and development of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and to improve housing, employment and transportation opportunities throughout the region. This plan is a result of a Regional Sustainability grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Mississippi Gulf Coast was one of 45 metropolitan regions nationwide to receive grant funding from the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities to develop a regional sustainability plan. My role in this project was to assist in drafting, reviewing and laying out the plan components as well as leading the air quality work. I was also responsible for engaging with stakeholders and facilitating the graphic design of the final plan document.
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Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
Guided by six Liv ability Principles, the Partner agencies are coordinating investments, restructuring funding programs, and aligning policies to support local efforts to provide more housing choices, make trans portation systems more efficient and reliable, reinforce existing investments, and support vibrant and healthy neighborhoods that attract businesses. The Plan for Opportunity is structured around these six Livabilty Principles.
In order to measure the benefits that would result from the region’s progress on implementing the priority actions listed in the plan, indicators were developed to allow for progress to be quantified over the twenty year planning horizon of the plan.
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professional projects
The Plan for Opportunity was a three year undertaking beginning in 2011 that brought together over one hundred organizations and agencies and thousands of individuals in a collaborative planning process. The Plan for Opportunity has seven topical areas that have been integrated into the final plan. The seven topical areas are: • Air Quality • Economic Development and Workforce • Food Systems • Housing • Resilience • Transportation and Land Use • Water Each topical area was produced by members of the PMC and guided by topical subcommittees. The final reports for each topical area are included in the Plan for Opportunity. Meetings with potential partners who could support or implement priority actions were instrumental in helping refine and shape the final language for the plan. These meetings were necessary to assess the level of interest in advancing the priority actions into the implementation phase of the plan.
Plan for Opportunity: Regional Sustainability Plan
In December 2013, the final Plan for Opportunity was adopted by the Executive Committee. The final Plan for Opportunity was then released to the public in a paper version, a Kindle version, an interactive Apple version and an online children’s version available at: www.gulfcoastplan.org 7
Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
Air quality plan
8
professional projects
The Plan for Opportunity: air quality plan Where: mississippi gulf coast when: june, 2013 - septmber, 2013 From June to September, 2013, I worked on an air quality plan for the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a part of The Plan for Opportunity, a collaborative planning project intended to guide the economic growth and development of the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a result of a Regional Sustainability grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The air quality component is a part of a three year planning process which is guided by the Constituency for a Sustainable Coast (CSC), a stakeholder working committee including city and county leadership, key community and public partners, and residents of the region. The air quality plan looks at current condition of the region’s air quality and what actions the region can take to make sure that it remains in attainment of the U.S EPA’s ozone standards My role in this project was to develop an assessment of the region’s air quality, engage with the community and key stakeholders and to develop recommendations for the region to use in planning for better air quality.
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Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
The air quality assessment consists of research to help better understand the factors that affect air quality on the Gulf Coast. This air quality study focuses on indicators, health and environmental effects, mobile and stationary sources, land use/ development patterns and indoor air quality.
A stakeholder assessment was conducted to gain local knowledge into relevant resources, challenges, and opportunities for the air quality of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Stakeholders throughout the Mississippi Gulf Coast area—mobile sources (on-road vehicles, boats and personal watercraft), stationary sources (manufacturers, energy providers, ports, airports and waste disposal) and indoor air quality (residents, employers and schools)—were interviewed between June and August 2013 to compile a comprehensive understanding of the Gulf Coast’s current air quality conditions and the region’s future needs and desires.
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professional projects
From the research conducted in the air quality assessment and the feedback generated by the stakeholder analysis, a list of recommendations was prepared to support the sustainability of the region’s air quality. These recommendations, address goals to reduce annual eight-hour average ozone readings and expand its number of alternative fueling stations. These recommendations seek to reduce ground level ozone by supporting the implementation and monitoring of ozone reduction strategies, encouraging the ports on the coast to develop and clean air programs, advocating for expanded bicycle infrastructure and encouraging school districts to adopt anti-idling programs.
Air Quality Plan
My involvement in the air quality plan consisted of performing background research to better understand air quality on the Gulf Coast, communicating and engaging with local stakeholders in order to understand what issues exist relating to air quality and how it can be improved. I was responsible for drafting the assessment, stakeholder analysis and recommendations and designing the documents that would be submitted to HUD. These documents were accepted by the executive committee of the Plan for Opportunity, made up of mayors, county commissioners, and other regional leaders.
For the Mississippi Gulf Coast 11
Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
Food System Plan
12
professional projects
The Plan for Opportunity: food system plan Where: mississippi gulf coast when: January, 2011 - june, 2011 From January to June, 2011, I worked on a food system plan for the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a part of The Plan for Opportunity, a collaborative planning project intended to guide the economic growth and development of the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a result of a Regional Sustainability grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The food system component is a part of a three year planning process which is guided by the Constituency for a Sustainable Coast (CSC), a stakeholder working committee including city and county leadership, key community and public partners, and residents of the region. The food system plan looks at how the region’s food system can be used to support increasing economic competitiveness, support existing communities, leverage federal investment and value communities and neighborhoods. My role in this project was to provide background research, engage with the community through outreach, and to facilitate the graphic design of the document.
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City & Regional planning portfolio
Brittany M. Kubinski
The food system assessment consists of research to help better understand the complicated regional food system that feeds the Gulf Coast. This food system study focuses on indicators, agricultural and aquaculture resources, distribution infrastructure, food security, the food economy, food waste and climate change.
September, 2011
A stakeholder analysis was conducted to gain local knowledge into relevant resources, challenges, and opportunities for the 100-mile foodshed. Stakeholders throughout the food system— producers, processors, distributors, educators, retailers, consumers, and waste managers—were interviewed between January and June 2011 to compile a comprehensive understanding of the Gulf Coast’s current food system and its future. Mississippi Gulf Coast Food System Stakeholder Analysis September, 2011
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professional projects
From the research conducted in the food system assessment and the feedback generated by the stakeholder analysis, a list of recommendations was prepared to support the sustainability of the region’s food system. These recommendations, titled Savor the Coast, address goals to support access to healthy food for all community members, foster connections between stakeholders, and strengthen the regional food economy. These recommendations seek to enhance consumer access to healthy food, expand food diversion to food banks and food pantries, support the production of healthy food, support local food entrepreneurs, improve producers’ and consumers’ access to markets, amplify communication among stakeholders, educate consumers about the food system, stimulate purchasing and consumption of locally produced food, increase marketing of local foods, and promote economic efficiency through resource reuse.
Savor the Coast:
A Recipe for a Sustainable Coast
My involvement in the food system plan consisted of performing background research to better understand the Gulf Coast food system, communicating and engaging with local stakeholders in order to understand what issues exist relating to the local food system and how it can be improved. I contributed to the drafting of the stakeholder analysis and organizing and designing the documents that were accepted by the executive committee of the Plan for Opportunity, made up of mayors, county commissioners, and other regional leaders.
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Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
Water resource Plan
16
professional projects
The Plan for Opportunity: Water resources plan Where: mississippi gulf coast when: June, 2011 - december, 2011 From June to December, 2011, I worked on a water resource plan for the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a part of The Plan for Opportunity, a collaborative planning project intended to guide the economic growth and development of the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a result of a Regional Sustainability grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The water resource component is a part of a three year planning process which is guided by the Constituency for a Sustainable Coast (CSC), a stakeholder working committee including city and county leadership, key community and public partners, and residents of the region The food system plan looks at how the region’s water resources can be used to support increasing economic competitiveness, support existing communities, leverage federal investment and value communities and neighborhoods. My role in this project was to provide background research, engage with the community through outreach, and to facilitate the graphic design of the document.
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City & Regional planning portfolio
Brittany M. Kubinski
The water assessment consists of research to help envision more sustainable water resources for the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This water assessment focuses on human uses, the water dependent economy, natural resource extraction, water quality, ecology and coastal vulnerability.
February, 2012
Mississippi Gulf Coast Water Stakeholder Analysis February, 2012
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A stakeholder assessment was conducted to gain local knowledge into relevant resources, challenges, and opportunities for the waters of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Stakeholders throughout the Mississippi Gulf Coast area—natural resources, passive users, active users, consumers, utilities, education, research institutions, advocacy groups, and government/regulatory agencies—were interviewed between June and October 2011 to compile a comprehensive understanding of the Gulf Coast’s current water resources and their future needs and desires.
professional projects
From the research conducted in the water assessment and the feedback generated by the stakeholder analysis, a list of recommendations was prepared to support the sustainability of the region’s water resources. These recommendations, titled Tides of Change, address goals to build a resilient economy, provide equitable infrastructure, and conserve the coastal environment. These recommendations seek to promote and market tourism, provide incentives to plan and build resilient communities, promote regional cooperation, manage human impact, promote green infrastructure and recycling, provide waterfront amenities, reduce pollution and runoff, balance development with preservation, and raise public awareness of environmental stewardship.
Tides of Change: A New Wave of Sustainability
My involvement in the water resource plan consisted of performing background research to better understand the Gulf Coast’s water resources, communicating and engaging with local stakeholders in order to understand what issues exist relating to the sustainability of the Gulf Coast’s water resource, and how the waters can be improved. the drafting of the stakeholder analysis and organizing and designing the documents that were accepted by the executive committee of the Plan for Opportunity, made up of mayors, county commissioners, and other regional leaders.
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Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
Livability analysis
20
professional projects
assessing gulf coast comprehensive plans on regional livability Where: mississippi gulf coast when: June, 2011 - september, 2011 From June to September, 2011, I worked on the Livability Assessment for the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a part of the Plan for Opportunity, a collaborative planning project intended to guide the economic growth and development of the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a result of a Regional Sustainability grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Livability Assessment examines each of the fourteen comprehensive plans created on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and identifies how each community matches up to the six livability principles developed by HUD. My role in this project was to evaluate each of the fourteen comprehensive plans based on 101 indicators of livability, of which 36 were indicators of factual basis, 36 were indicators of goals and objectives and 29 were indicators of policies and strategies. Each indicator was given a score out of two as to how well the plan addressed the indicator. After evaluating the plans, I assisted in facilitating the graphic design of the document.
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Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
After the plans were evaluated, scores were calculated by summing the scores across the comprehensive plans to understand how the region as a whole is addressing particular livability principles.
For each livability principle there are six factual basis and six goal indicators. Each plan indicator was evaluated on a scale of zero to two. A percentage score was calculated and is included in the report. The scale symbol is used to represent the degree to which the region is planning for the individual indicators.
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1
professional projects
The conclusions found as a result of the analysis highlight the region’s successes in planning for livability and sustainability. While some indicators were found to be lacking and needing of improvement through planning, individual communities on the Gulf Coast were highlighted for successfully planning to increase livability. The assessment concludes with a discussion of opportunities for the region to increase livability. These opportunities address ways the fourteeen communities on the Mississippi Gulf Coast can improve their efforts to plan for a livability and sustainability. The opportunities to increase livability relate to HUD’s six livability principles and provide recommendations on how the communities can achieve increased livability and sustainability. My involvement in the livability analysis of the Mississippi Gulf Coast consisted of evaluating the fourteen comprehensive plans drafted on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I read through each plan and identified how they addressed each of the 101 indicators. We provided scores as to how each plan addressed an indicator and then added them up over the region to see how the region as a whole is addressing livability. Individual community results were also provided upon request to communities interested in learning how their plan stacked up to the regions scores of livability. I also contributed to the organizing and designing of the document that would be submitted to HUD. 23
Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
Analysis for Mobility Planning
24
professional projects
Social networking and planning project (snappatx) Where: Austin, texas when: April, 2010 - october, 2010 In October of 2010, I worked on the Social Networking and Planning Project (SNAPPatx) in Austin Texas. SNAPPatx is a project of the Texas Citizen Fund, an Austin based non-profit and funded by a Federal Transit Administration grant. SNAPPatx gave people easy, 24/7 opportunities to listen and be heard. Users can share their thoughts about transportation (called “snapps”) on Twitter, Facebook, or email, see their contribution on a live feed, of which the comments are captured and stored in a database, analyzed and aggregated for themes and topics, and then sent to the City of Austin, Texas in order to help solve Austin’s transportation challenges. My role in this project was to provide an analysis of the data generated through the “snapps”. As a result of analyzing what people said we were able to determine what issues citizens in Austin, Texas were most concerned about with their transportation system and provide these results to the City of Austin for their Strategic Mobility Plan.
snappatx 25
City & Regional planning portfolio
Brittany M. Kubinski
These words were the most frequently used within the more than 50,000 tweets analyzed. This table shows the difference in what people were interested in talking about, compared to what the news media was most commonly talking about. We found that media was car focused, while the public was more multimodal in its conversations.
Top 10 Words the public talked about
Top 10 Words News Media Talked About
1. Traffic
1. Traffic
2. Bike
2. Road
3. @snappatx
3. Car
4. Car
4. Street
5. Bus
5. Wreck/Crash/Killed
6. Road
6. Bus
7. Metro
7. Police
8. Ride
8. Metro
9. Walk
9. Driving
10. Downtown
10. Lane
Sentiment Analysis % Positive
Bicycling
% Negative
Walking Rail Car Bus 0
26
50
100
When analyzing the tweets, we looked at the sentiment or tone of the tweet when related to different modes of transit. This chart shows how the citizens of Austin, Texas feel about their various modes of transportation.
professional projects
The tweets analyzed were captured through an algorithm created by SNAPPatx and stored in a database. The “snapps” were captured every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The captured “snapps” were then forwarded to me where I was able to filter through them, organize them based on their theme, topic, or sentiment. I then analyzed the “snapps” in order to determine what sorts of issues users would like addressed by the City of Austin in their Strategic Mobility Plan (ASMP), funded by the 2010 Transportation Bond. From the more than 50,000 “snapps”, 11,500 were found to be relevant, and 8,308 came from microbloggers (a form of blogging that allows the user to blog short content, such as sentences or links), 1,109 from the news media, and 2,173 from SNAPPatx who would facilitate conversation and push for information. The “snapps” were coded for theme, topic, sub-topic, and sentiment. The themes related to the ASMP and the topics and subtopics were mentioned by the microblogger. The sentiment analysis was used to determine positive or negative sentiment of topic. The equality of participation was also analyzed to determine who was microblogging. We found that 83 percent of the microbloggers were onetime users, and their messages represented 56 percent of the “snapps”. This project was able to generate 203 Facebook fans, and 366 Twitter followers with an average of 45 tweets per week, participation that has been unseen in Austin’s past projects.
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Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
college of engineering facilities master plan
28
professional projects
ohio state college of engineering faciltiies master plan Where: The ohio state university, columbus, oh when: August, 2012 - december, 2012 During autumn semester of 2012, I assisted with a facilities master plan for the College of Engineering at Ohio State University. The College of Engineering Facilities Master Plan is a document which aims to further the direction of the One Framework Plan by providing a growth strategy for the College of Engineering. The underlying goals of the College of Engineering Facilities Master Plan are to create quality spaces, ensure connectivity, promote a unique sense of community, implement smart growth techniques, encourage sustainability, and create a safe and comfortable environment in which to learn, live and work. This study was conducted using extensive data collection, stakeholder engagement meetings, transportation and building assessments, and a tactical urbanism salon. This data was further analyzed to provide multiple practical solutions. The Facilities Master Plan guides a future of planned growth specific to the needs of the College of Engineering.
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City & Regional planning portfolio
Brittany M. Kubinski
The data collected was used to create recommendations for the College of Engineering to plan for strategic growth. The report provides recommendations specific to aspects of education and student life. These include transportation, green space, and building renovations necessary for each College of Engineering building.
CLASSROOM UTILIZATION - HITCHCOCK HALL AUTUMN SEMESTER, 2012
020
ROOM SIZE
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
ROOM
FRIDAY
UTILZATION OF 40 HOUR WINDOW 15%
0008 ROOM
10%
0050 ROOM
83%
0206 110%
21-40
ROOM
0214 104%
ROOM
0216 90%
ROOM
0308 ROOM
100%
0346 62%
ROOM
201300
101150
61- 4180 60
0446 62%
ROOM
0030 93%
ROOM
0224 84%
ROOM
0031 ROOM
97%
0035
86%
ROOM
0131 SCALE 8:00AM
30
Department Classrooms 9:00PM
Pool Classrooms
In order to determine classroom space and how it is being utilized, the task force asked for a comprehensive study for each College of Engineering building. These were done using scheduling information for each classroom in the Fall of 2012. These graphs identify how rooms are being used and where there are gaps. It also helps to identify the differences in how departmental classrooms are utilized compared to pool classrooms.
professional projects
To develop this report, Professor Jennifer Evans-Cowley held an undergraduate studio during autumn semester of 2012. The class worked to develop the plan and create the recommendations which were delivered to the Dean and the task force. My role in this project was to assist with data collection and prepare graphics and maps necessary to illustrate the existing conditions of the college. Over the semester, I performed building audits to help determine how the buildings are being utilized, and how rooms are used at certain times of the day. I also created a set of graphs for each building in the college to demonstrate how the classrooms were being scheduled and where gaps exist. While most buildings were close to their full utilization of a 40 hour a week window, we found many rooms, especially department rooms, that were being under utilized. This information can help guide the college in making decisions regarding the addition of more classroom space. I also prepared a set of maps to visually show where engineering department classes are being held on campus in relation to their department home. Using a 1/2 mile walking radius, these maps illustrate the need for better scheduling and planning of classes to help keep students closer to their department which can help facilitate student/teacher relationships.
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Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
osu Traffic Safety analysis
32
professional projects
ohio state university traffic safety report Where: The ohio state university, columbus, oh when: August, 2012 - december, 2012 in 2012, a series of accidents occurred during the first weeks of the semester prompting the formation of a Traffic Safety Task Force. The task force was charged to provide an initial assessment of safety on campus as it relates to pedestrian and vehicular behavior and suggest both short and long term solutions. The task force reviewed safety measures and practices on other campuses and considered related research of Ohio State students and faculty before making the following recommendations. Jaywalking is a common concern on campus. For example, in observing 1,200 pedestrians on 17th Avenue at three buildings, there were significant rates of jaywalking. Even after an educational effort, significant jaywalking persisted crossing 17th. My role in this study was to observe pedestrian and bicyclists and document their paths to and from campus buildings using a GIS enabled iPad. These paths were then analyzed to determine priority areas of concern that the University could target for education or infrastructure improvements.
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City & Regional planning portfolio
Brittany M. Kubinski
Traffic Safety Task Force Report
The task force recommendations included short term action items that would be implemented over the next four to six months. These short term actions help to identify and inform the steps needed to achieve the long term cultural change in traffic safety behaviors on campus.
A study was conducted of the campus’ multimodal circulation patterns and behaviors. This study analyzed where pedestrians were most often jaywalking and where designated cross walks were located. This study helped to idenitfy priority areas where design, regulation and enforcement September 1 could be enacted. 2012
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professional projects
To develop this report, Professor Jennifer EvansCowley held an undergraduate studio during autumn semester of 2012. The class worked to collect data on pedestrian travel patterns in order to determine priority areas for the traffic safety task force to focus its efforts. Accidents involving vehicles, bycicles and pedestrians can occur because of distracted behavior, failure to follow traffic laws, and inadequate infrastructure. Short term education alone is not enough to change behavior. The task force recommends prolonged educational efforts combined with defined periods of enforcement. My role in this project was to assist with data collection and observe pedestrian travel patterns. Over the semester, I observed pedestrians walking to and from buildings on campus and mapped their routes using a GIS enabled iPad. This information was then used to determine which areas of campus are in need of educational programs or infrastructure improvements that will help to reduce jaywalking occurances and increase safety on campus.
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Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
How Planners are using apps
36
research projects
how planners are using apps Where: The ohio state university, columbus, oh when: june, 2012 - august, 2012 Mobile apps are paving the way for planning professionals to interact in real time with citizens and receive more feedback than ever before. Mobile apps can be used to collect data and share data with the public, making information readily available for eager developers to enhance and build upon. This era of open data and crowdsourcing is an exciting time for planners who are beginning to take advantage of the power of mobile apps to enhance planning projects and help make communities more sustainable and efficient. Between June and August of 2012, Professor Jennifer Evans-Cowley and I set about to survey planners on their use of mobile apps in the planning profession and what types of mobile apps they would like to see developed in the future. We also talked to several organizations who currently have an app in place that they are using either to disseminate information or gather public input. Through this research we were able to learn more about new technologies that are being developed and used in planning as well as what planners are looking for in the way of mobile technology. 37
City & Regional planning portfolio
Brittany M. Kubinski
From the survey we found the most commonly used apps by planners in their daily lives are social media apps, like Twitter and Facebook. Note taking apps are also popular for daily use; and apps like Photoshop, PowerPoint and Prezi, that are used for productivity and for giving presentations, are more frequently used on a monthly basis.
Percent of Planners Who Use Their Smartphone for Work
Yes
79%
No
21%
38
In the survey we also sought to understand how planners are using smartphones and mobile apps at work. Seventy nine percent of those surveyed use their smartphone for work purposes, while 40 percent are using tablets at work.
research projects
After we surveyed planners on their use of mobile apps and smartphones/tablets for planning, we interviewed organizations who have developed a mobile application. We talked to 10 different organizations who have created apps that serve purposes such as transportation, economic development, community engagement, and healthy living initiatives. We found private planning firms can be particularly important in the development of new technologies and application of technologies for planning purposes. One such organization we interviewed was the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority created the app “SFPark� which allows users in San Francisco to see real time availability of parking, in an effort to reduce emissions from people circling around to look for a space. Planners are also able to set prices for parking based on demand. Apps like these are interesting because they not only allow for information to be shared but they can work to change behaviors and better a community with little human intervention. Many of the organizations we spoke to also make their code available to the public to use and other cities to adapt and built upon. The results of this study are published here: http://www.planetizen.com/node/58314 and are currently being replicated to update the study for the ever changing world of mobile applications. 39
Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
social network analysis for public engagement
40
research projects
social network analysis for public engagement Where: The ohio state university, columbus, oh when: january, 2013 - march, 2013 In the planning process one of the key stages is identifying stakeholders so as to engage key community members who have a stake in the project. Between January and March of 2013, I embarked on a research project concerning social network analysis and its uses for public engagement and identifying stakeholders. Previous research on the use of Facebook by planning organizations has found that Facebook is generally used as a tool for pushing out information rather than truly engaging. Using social network analysis, organizations can gain insight into who they are engaging with online and help to identify potential stakeholders. This study mixes qualitative and quantitative analysis to gain an understanding of how people are engaged in planning processes and how their engagement influences others. Using case studies of organizations currently engaging with the public for a particular plan or project online, this project will identify what the character of the engagement currently is, and what the organization is pushing out.
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City & Regional planning portfolio
Brittany M. Kubinski
Out of State Using social network analysis softwares such as Gephi and NodeXL, I was able to create “maps� of the activity on various planning project Facebook pages. By cross-referencing active users (those who comment on or like posts) with their LinkedIn profiles, I was able to categorize the users by their role in the community. This graph shows the level of activity by stakeholder group.
Government
Health Education Local Business
N/A
ENGAGING
SHARING
NUMBER OF LIKES
39
28
NUMBER OF COMMENTS
26
23
TOTAL POSTS
13 3:1 2:1
33 0.85:1 0.70:1
RATIO LIKES:POSTS RATIO COMMENTS:POSTS
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There are many factors that go into determining whether or not an organizations online presence will be successful. One factor I analyzed was the type of information being pushed out by the organization. Using Nvivo and Ncapture, the organizations posts were coded based on their level of engagement, and whether or not they were attempts at gathering public input, or simply disseminating information. The level of activity was then summed for these types of posts, resulting in a matrix that clearly shows posts that are of engaging nature yield a higher level of user activity for the page.
research projects
For each of the projects analyzed, a social network map was created using NodeXL and Gephi. These maps show the level of activity (which users are most active based on their node size) and how these users are interconnected (the edges that link nodes). These maps show the most active users by level of comments and likes. The color code represents their role in the community. This shows which stakeholder groups are the most active, and how they are connected to other stakeholder groups. The end result of this project was to identify processes organizations can use to enhance their public engagement and stakeholder identification processes. After collecting the data for each project I conducted interviews with the various organizations to understand how these maps relate to the real-world planning process. For many of the organizations, the most active users online did not correlate with the people they most frequently engaged with in person. This signifies that there may be a group of stakeholders who are interested in the project, but do not wish to engage in the traditional ways. An organizations online presence can be much more than simply sharing information, and there is an obvious need for organizations to actively seek input from their stakeholders who want to participate in non-traditional ways.
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Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
Somali community plan
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studio work
Somali community plan studio Where: the ohio state university, columbus, ohio when: september, 2011 - december, 2011 In Autumn Quarter of 2011 I was involved in a studio that put together a plan for the Somali Refugee community in Columbus, Ohio. Our client was the Somali Documentary Project, a group who works to document the refugees plight through diaspora. We analyzed the critical conditions and potential emerging issues such as health, community resources, community alliances, demographic patterns, housing, and economic development and developed a set of recommendations to address these issues and concerns. It was the goal of these recommendations to be a guiding force for the community into the future. Our research was set up to follow the flow of important steps in the life of a Somali refugee. We looked at immigration, policy, and demographics; housing and settlement; education and health; business and employment; and community resources, recreation, and leisure. The goal of our project was to develop recommendations and identify local officials, government departments and agencies that we felt would be vital in implementing and funding these recommendations. 45
Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
Our document was broken into five categories. Throughout each category the major problem and background are discussed per the findings throughout the quarter and end with a list of recommendations for each category.
Seeking Refuge for Change
Making Columbus a Better Host City to Somali Refugees1 December 2011
Our research began by identifying the areas with the heaviest population of Somali refugees. This population is located primarily in the Northeast area of Columbus, near Morse Road. We spent a lot of time researching and getting to know the community so that we would be able to identify what their needs were and what was important to them.
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studio work
Somalia is located on the east coast of Africa, also known as the Horn of Africa. In the late 1880’s Britain, France and Italy all colonized parts of Somalia, and thus broke the region into separate areas. In 1960 the three colonized areas of Somalia were reunited and declared the Somali Republic. Because the regions had operated as independent countries for so long, the reunion brought on political unrest. A civil war in Somalia began in 1991 and has continued ever since. This has left many people homeless and as a result sent to refugee camps in nearby Ethiopia and Kenya. These refugees are then sent to a final and third location. The U.S. accepts 80,000 refugees per year and a portion of these are from Somalia. The U.S. accepts nearly twice as many refugees as all the other countries participating in the Refugee Resettlement Program. Columbus has somewhere between 15,000 and 45,000 Somali refugees living here. Since Columbus has such a large population of refugees living within its borders, we must plan and adapt our policies to help better suit their needs. Our classes role in this project was to help identify what would make the Somali refugees integration into American society easier and how we could also retain their unique culture. My role in this project was to meet with community members and stakeholders such as immigration lawyers and social workers to help identify the policy changes that could help this community. I also was charged with designing the final report document and presenting it to our clients. 47
Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
downtown columbus tourism plan
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studio work
downtown columbus tourism plan studio Where: the ohio state university, columbus, ohio when: January, 2012 - March, 2012 In Winter Quarter of 2012 I was involved in a studio that put together a “tourism infrastructure strategy” document that proposed memorable, low-cost, and implementable improvements for the City of Columbus. Our client was Experience Columbus, the Greater Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau. With the construction of the new Columbus Convention Center Hilton and surrounding hotels this area will soon be the front door to Columbus. In order to increase revenues for local businesses we proposed certain tourism infrastructure improvements that can be made to the downtown area. With these improvements in place, the city can begin to mold the experiences and perceptions of future visitors. The goal of our project was to create an identity for Columbus through small, memorable improvements that people would remember and recognize as “distinctly Columbus”.
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Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
We created a document of nearly 40 ideas to help create an identity for the city of Columbus. These ideas ranged from short term and easy projects to more long term and intricate projects.
experience us: enhancing our identity through tourism infrastructure
1
One relatively easy idea we proposed was to create a mural underneath the railroad tracks near the Convention Center as to create a more pleasant view for tourists visiting the Convention Center. This area is currently filled with graffiti and litter and does not represent the image Columbus would like to portray.
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studio work
In this document we explored ways to help Columbus create an identity for itself amongst its visitors as well as ways to try to garner more visitors to Columbus each year. We also looked at how profitable these ideas would be for the city by conducting a cost/benefit analysis of each idea and determining the return on investment after five years. We were able to use research already in existence about the value of public art, safety, and aesthetics. Some of our ideas had incredible returns on investment, such as unique cross walk signals seen in the picture to the left. These cross walk signs are unique in design in Columbus, but have had amazing returns in other cities who have instituted such signs. Berlin, Germany was able to market their unique crosswalk signs on T-shirts, hats and more. We looked at what other cities were doing across the globe for inspiration, but then adapted these techniques to represent Columbus. My role in this project was to brainstorm ideas and then develop my ideas further as they were accepted by the group. We each researched ideas and conducted cost/benefit analysis’ on each idea. We also looked at how the ideas would be implemented and where the funding would come from. I then worked on the design team to assemble all of the ideas into a book using InDesign.
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Brittany M. Kubinski
Ecotourism plan
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City & Regional planning portfolio
studio work
Ecotourism plan for benque viejo, belize Where: Benque viejo Del carmen, cayo, belize when: March 18, 2012 - March 25, 2012 For spring break in 2012 I traveled to Benque Viejo Del Carmen in Belize to develop an ecotourism plan that would provide the town a development strategy to help attract more tourists and help create the infrastructure needed to support tourism. Benque Viejo lies on the Western border of Belize only a mile from the Guatemalan border. This border serves as the second largest entrance point for tourists into Belize. Benque Viejo currently has lots to offer tourists, but it remains overlooked. Benque is in close proximity to one of the most recognizable Mayan Ruins, Xunantunich. The town also lies on the Mopan River and is in walking distance to many incredible caves. The goal of our project was to create a plan that would help preserve the culture and character of Benque’s historic downtown, while also creating attractions that would bring in visitors and residents alike. We were also tasked to create a riverwalk boardwalk that could also serve to show off one of Benque’s unique resources and serve as destination for tourists. These plans together would help to spur economic development in Benque. 53
City & Regional planning portfolio
Brittany M. Kubinski
BELIZE
BENQUE VIEJO DEL CARMEN
Our document was broken down in to two plans, one for the Historic Downtown, and another for the Riverwalk. Both of these plans contain extensive text and graphics to help convey to the residents of Benque what the town could look like and how it could be implemented.
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Plans for historic downtown & riverwalk March, 2012
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For the Historic Downtown we created a commercial overlay district that would be created along a new one-way street in Benque. This street would be lined with trees and sidewalks would be constructed to allow for better pedestrian traffic. The commercial district would help to drive residents and tourists into the heart of Benque where they can enjoy the old world charm and also hang out at a proposed community center, new restaurants, bars and shops.
studio work
The Historic Downtown and Riverwalk plans proposed many new attractions for tourists and residents alike to enjoy. Benque must compete with nearby San Ignacio for tourists and a new farmers market would help to make Benque an attractive location to stay while visiting the Mayan ruins. We proposed that the vacant theater be renovated and restored to its historic appearance. This would give the residents of Benque somewhere to go and hang out and enjoy movies or shows. We also proposed a community center and an outdoor entertainment venue as places that people could also gather.
Picnic area
Roundabout old Slaughter House Bus Station terminal Bus Station terminal Outdoor cultural arts complex Access Point from Guerra St.
cultural & entertainment district
Access Point from Coronatiovn Park
theater
Edison Coleman Park farmers’ market
Benque would like to attract tourists who are interested in their culture and would like to be immersed in the community by staying in homestays rather than an all inclusive resort. We proposed an idea of “P-Pods� that would be prefabricated manufactured homes that could be installed in residents backyards and serve as a way to provide additional lodging and generate income for the residents of Benque. The Riverwalk plan proposes new parks and entrance points to the river as well as a boardwalk and new embankments to help combat erosion. My role in this project was to help develop ideas for the Historic Downtown as well as create visuals like the map to the left and the commercial overlay zoning map. I also created the layout and design of the book that we presented to the town council of Benque. 55
Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
social media strategy
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studio work
social media strategy for the American planning association Where: The ohio state university, columbus, oh when: March, 2012 - april, 2012 Social media is rapidly changing the way cities, organizations and individual planners interact with the public. Tapping into social media platforms effectively is now an essential part of the public participation process, allowing planners to gage support and opinion for projects. Successful utilization of these platforms can increase interaction and create strong bonds between members and organizations. Due to social media’s rise as a viable method for communication to large audiences, in the fall of 2011, the American Planning Association’s (APA) President, Mitchell Silver, asked Professor Jennifer Evans-Cowley to serve in an advisory role on how APA should most effectively use social media. As a result of initial conversations, Cowley proposed that students at The Ohio State University help APA in determining best practices to successfully interact with all of its members and the general public. Our class was tasked with creating a social media strategy that the APA would be able to use to steer public engagement efforts. We surveyed members and planning students to determine their preferences for receiving news and information and developed strategies to help APA further its outreach.
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City & Regional planning portfolio
Brittany M. Kubinski
In order to develop our strategy we looked at best practices of other similar professional organizations, assessed APA’s current outreach on numerous social media platforms, talked with stakeholders, and surveyed APA members and planning students.
current outreach
percent of members engaged with on platform
100%
60%
40% 59% 20% 18% Facebook
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As part of our analysis of APA’s outreach on social media platforms we looked at the percentage of members engaged with on social media platforms that APA has a presence on. We found that the majority of members are engaging with APA on LinkedIn, correlating with where APA focuses its outreach. Our survey results indicated that there is an interest amongst members to engage more on Twitter and Facebook.
80%
<1%
1%
7% Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Youtube social media platform (top five)
studio work
The social media strategy we created provides recommendations for APA to better engage with students and professionals. It also includes a strategy for the President of the APA to better utilize social media platforms in order to build and maintain a more personal connection with professional planners and those interested in the planning field.
American Planning Association Making Great Communities Happen Membership
Events
Education
Blogs
Outreach
Resources
Jobs & Practice
Planning Magazine
REIMAGINE
Los Angeles
This month's Planning magazine profiles the winners of APA's 2012 National Planning Excellence Awards, from outstanding plans to planning advocates to landmarks in planning history. Also: four economic development success stories and the fate of a hotel project in Madison, Wisconsin. Members may read the entire issue online. Everyone is invited to read this month's featured article on fracking.
Transit spurs revitalization in Once-Blighted Neighborhoods 2012-04-10 Policy News
For Planners
Successes of choice Neighborhoods highlighted in Senate Hearing 2012-03-29 Sustaining
Places
Farm chemicals, integrated pest management, and water 2012-04-09
Multimedia
Videos
Award Videos
Podcasts
Award Videos 2011 Award Winners 2010 Award Winners 2009 Award Winners
kids’ Planning
Toolbox
APA’s ‘great place/lousy place’ Goes Global: Partners Wanted 2012-04-10 0:25
Contact us Privacy Statement Legal
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Follow us:
As a class we worked to research and develop recommendations based on best practices of other professional organizations and our survey results of student and professional members social media interaction preferences. Our suggestions for APA to improve it’s social media campaign include holding Youtube video competitions, increasing APA’s Twitter and Facebook activity, and strengthening APA’s partnerships with university planning programs. We also suggested creating mobile versions of the APA website as seen to the left. In our strategy for President Mitchell Silver, we focused on the need for President Silver to be able to share his thoughts and experiences in more detail than a 140 character tweet can allow. We suggested that he create a blog that can document his travels and experiences and President Silver has been successfully using his blog to connect with members since. My role in this project was to research best practices, develop strategies and create graphics for the report. I also was one of three students to present the final project in Los Angeles at the APA National Planning Conference in April of 2012 presented the final project to APA President Mitchell Silver and APA staff.
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Brittany M. Kubinski
City & Regional planning portfolio
OSU STEP Program Housing Studio
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studio work
OSU Second-Year Transformational Experience Program (STEP) Housing Studio Where: The ohio state university, columbus, oh when: March, 2012 - june, 2012 For spring quarter of 2012, I was involved in a city and regional planning studio about The Ohio State Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s initiative to require all sophomores to live in dorms an additional year. This initiative was create by OSU President, Gordon E. Gee and will be fully implemented by 2015. Studies have shown that students who remain in the dorms for their sophomore year of college have better retention rates and higher GPAs. Our class was tasked by the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office of Student Life to create a report that they could use to guide the University in itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pursuit of providing on-campus housing to students for their freshmen and sophomore years. The goal of our studio was to determine why students choose to live where they live, identify the changes that might need to take place to encourage students to live close to campus and improve the housing conditions of OSU students. Our class held several focus groups in order to discover what students feel are the most important issues regarding housing. We developed recommendations for the University and a survey that will be sent out to students in order to gather more information on housing preferences.
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City & Regional planning portfolio
Brittany M. Kubinski
We created a report for the Office of Student Life to use to guide the University in it’s decisions about second-year housing. Our class created graphics to help explain the complicated factors students take into consideration when choosing where to live. We found that students value privacy and freedom but also wish to feel safe and have a tight knit community.
INDOOR AMENITIES
“I wouldn’t even consider living in a place that doesn’t have laundry.”
“Some of the positives is definitely having more privacy being off campus.”
“Students were excited about being able to cook their own food in a kitchen,which is something they lacked in a dorm.”
“ To make it affordable you had to have the rooms all filled and that impacted how well you got along with people.”
“Having your own bathroom I mean that makes a really big difference.”
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“I need air-conditioning; I would die without it.”
“I don’t know for a fact but I feel like in the dorms, meal plans are very expensive compared to buying groceries but you can’t buy groceries in the dorms because you have no where to cook.”
Our class created infographics to help better explain the amenities students look for when choosing housing off-campus. Students preferences for certain features can help OSU work to bring students who live off-campus closer to the center of campus. This information can also help guide decisions about new dorms being built if OSU knows what students would prefer to have in their housing.
studio work
The report our class created details the methodology used to conduct the focus groups and gather information, details the locations of where students live using GIS maps created with student address data given to us by the Office of Student Life and numerous factors that affect students housing choices. We found that students housing choices relate to five factors. Students are concerned with safety, proximity to friends and community, access to neighborhood amenities like transit and grocery stores, living expenses and indoor amenities like private bedrooms and kitchens. We came up with four recommendations to help OSU achieve itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goals by improving offcampus housing, making sophomore housing more accommodating, implementing a special improvement district for campus and making campus safer for students.
ALL CLASSES DENSITY MAP 10,000 - 11,000
4,000 - 5,000
9,000 - 10,000
3,000 - 4,000
8,000 - 9,000
2,000 - 3,000
7,000 - 8,000
1,000 - 2,000
6,000 - 7,000
ACADEMIC CORE
5,000 - 6,000
RIVER
My role in this project was to assist in conducting focus groups with OSU students, transcribe and analyze focus group data, brainstorm and develop recommendations that address the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goals for campus and take into consideration students preferences on housing at OSU. I was also responsible for designing the presentation we would deliver to the Office of Student Life and delivering the presentation along with two other students to our clients.
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Contact: kubinski.6@buckeyemail.osu.edu www.brittanymkubinski.com