Sustainable City Network Magazine - Vol. 11 - Apr. 2014

BALANCED INFORMATION & INTELLIGENT SOLUTIONS FOR MUNICIPAL PROFESSIONALS.

SUSTAINABLE CITY NETWORK

VOLUME 11 APRIL 2014

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THE BIG IDEA BEHIND SMALLER HOMES

13 INCREASING COSTS OF SNOW REMOVAL 17 SOCIAL EQUITY AND SUSTAINABILITY 25 FINANCING SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS

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contents

VOLUME 11 APRIL 2014

Universities Lead Effort to Expand Use of Biomass Energy

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Cities Sing the Snow Removal Blues

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Social Equity: The Forgotten Leg of Sustainability

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Is Government Responsible for Sustaining Rural Populations?

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‘Walking School Buses’ Picking Up Speed

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Creative Ways to Finance Sustainability Projects

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Food Hubs Bring Local Food In Reach

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cover story

THE BIG IDEA BEHIND SMALLER HOMES Cover photo courtesy AboutGregJohnson.com

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What to Do with Empty Big Box Stores [1]

Sustainable City Network Magazine

The Best of Sustainable City Network is a quarterly magazine highlighting the most popular articles posted on sCityNetwork.com, an online trade publication that serves municipal professionals and elected officials in all 50 U.S. states and the provinces of Canada. The magazine is available in print or as a digital download at www.sCityNetwork.com/bestof. The opinions expressed in the magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sustainable City Network, Inc. SUBSCRIPTIONS Contact 563.588.4492; bestof@scitynetwork.com www.sCityNetwork.com

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PUBLISHER & EXECUTIVE EDITOR Randy Rodgers ASSOCIATE EDITORS Andrea Hauser Michael Manning BUSINESS MANAGER Linda Flannery CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sara Booth Julianne Couch F. Alan Shirk Jessica Chapman Michelle Volkmann

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from the editor Welcome to Sustainable City Network Magazine – the Best of sCityNetwork.com! This quarterly magazine is a compilation of the most popular articles on our web site and in our weekly e-newsletter, the InBox, which is delivered to more than 40,000 leaders in government, education and healthcare across the U.S. and Canada.

Randy Rodgers Publisher & Executive Editor SUSTAINABLE CITY NETWORK www.sCityNetwork.com 801 Bluff Street Dubuque, IA 52001 563.588.3853 randy@scitynetwork.com

OUR MISSION “To make U.S. cities more sustainable through quality and well-organized information.”

Sustainable City Network, Inc. produces advertiser-supported, non-partisan articles, webinars, trade shows and white papers that provide local institutions with quality, organized and timely information about sustainability projects, plans and best practices. This magazine is another way we fulfill our mission.

In this issue, we explore the many benefits of living in a smaller home. While new homes in America are still near the record size of 2,521 sq. ft., set in 2007, there is a movement afoot that suggests downsizing can save energy, time and money, without compromising comfort.

In our cover story, you’ll meet Marianne Cusato, perhaps best known for her work on the Katrina Cottages, homes as small as 300 sq. ft. that were built to provide housing for those who lost their homes in Hurricane Katrina. She now designs many houses that are in the 1,000 - 1,200 sq. ft. range.

In other top stories: You’ll learn how northern cities are keeping their streets clear during the winter that never seems to end; we’ll offer a few ideas on what to do with those empty big box stores; we’ll show you how educators are using “walking school buses” to fight childhood obesity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions; and we’ll provide a primer on incorporating social equity into urban planning.

Other articles in this issue focus on the effects of declining population in rural America; the latest design guidelines for transit oriented development; creative ways to finance sustainability; high-speed rail; biomass energy; and local food hubs that provide relief to inhabitants of urban food deserts.

The articles in this magazine have been selected by our readers. We’ve packaged them together in this convenient magazine format, available in print or as a digital download at sCityNetwork.com/Bestof.

We hope you find value inside.

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The Big Idea Behind Smaller Homes Tiny Spaces Fit into Larger Vision of Sustainable Communities

BY SARA BOOTH

While the average American homeowner seems bent on living large, an increasing number are discovering the benefits of living in a smaller, more sustainable, home.

In 1973, the average new American house measured 1,660 sq. ft., and it’s been getting M A RIANNE C USAT O bigger ever since. Even the economic slowdown and the housing crisis didn’t slow the growth for long. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average new house built in 2012 was 2,505 sq. ft. – almost to the all-time high of 2,521 sq. ft. in 2007.

But a growing number of homeowners are deciding that less is more.

“What we’ve seen in the last 10 years is an increase in the number of designers and builders who specialize in small homes,” said Gregory Johnson of Iowa City, president of the Small House Society and author

of “Put Your Life On a Diet: Lessons Learned from Living in 140 Square Feet.”

For homeowners, the advantages are clear. * A smaller house requires less fuel to heat and cool, conserving energy and saving money. In the long run, when houses use less fuel, it takes longer for demand to exceed the power utility’s capacity, which means fewer new power plants need to be built. * It takes less time to clean and maintain. * Because it can be built on a smaller plot of land, more locations are available, so smaller houses may mean shorter commutes. * It requires fewer building materials, which means less fuel expended in shipping heavy materials from one location to another. * It may cost less to build. (But then again, it may not; many homeowners choose instead to upgrade their designs and their materials.)

• Lower costs mean less debt, and the mortgage crisis revealed the risks of having too much homerelated debt.

• A house that’s more affordable is usually easier to sell.

• Finally, downsizing can create a sense of peace. “It allows a person to focus when you live simple and small,” Johnson said.

Living in a smaller house can have its challenges.

Gregarious homeowners might miss having large spaces in which to entertain, and solitary ones might have trouble finding a place to be alone. Storage also can be an issue.

But small-house enthusiasts embrace these as

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advantages. Less living space means more family bonding. Less storage space means less temptation to buy things you don’t really need.

Moving from a large house to a small house might be as simple as paring down the cookbook collection and buying a smaller couch.

Living in a tiny house – as small as 100 sq. ft. – is a transformation.

Good design can make a small house more livable, said Marianne Cusato of Miami, Fla., designer and author of “The Just Right Home.”

“There is no throwaway space.”

With so little space to work with, everything has to do double duty. A bathtub by night gets a cover to become a table by day. A bed is raised into a half-loft or folded up into the wall. Storage is

For example, stairs and hallways take up a lot of space. In a smaller house, “you might put bookshelves under the stairs; you might make part of a long hallway wider for a desk niche – finding ways to engage space that would otherwise be lost.”

Likewise, a closet might be outfitted with hanging storage and shelves all the way to the ceiling, she said, rather than simply putting up one shelf and one hanging rod.

Other small-house design techniques are about leading the eye to see more space and fewer constrictions.

“When you’re designing a small space, you might think everything gets small,” Cusato said. “But I try to do the opposite. You put large, tall windows on multiple walls so you can visually borrow outside space. High ceilings – nine, even 10 ft. – make rooms live larger than they are.

“Connection to the outdoors helps, too. A front porch or a garden terrace help activate more of your property so the living space feels larger.”

What do we mean when we say “small?” There’s no industry standard for how to define a small house, but generally speaking, a house is small if the occupants use every room nearly every day. Cusato might be best known for her work on the Katrina Cottages, homes as small as 300 sq. ft. that were built to provide housing for those who lost their homes in Hurricane Katrina, but she designs many houses that are in the 1,000 ft. - 1,200 ft. range.

“Before you make any move, you have to look at the space you’re really living in,” she said. “Many people have 2,500 sq. ft., but they’re only really living in 1,200 ft. of it.” n

Average home sizes in the U.S. are getting bigger than ever, but there is a growing movement promoting smaller, sustainable homes. Here’s an extreme example. Gregory Johnson of Iowa City, Iowa, spent six years living in this 140 sq. ft. home, what he called his “Mobile Hermitage.”(Photos courtesy AboutGregJohnson.com) [5]

Sustainable City Network Magazine

The Small House Society supports the research, development, and use of smaller living spaces that foster sustainable living worldwide. For more information, visit www.smallhousesociety.net shoehorned into every possible place, even inside each individual stair in a staircase. And the homeowner might decide that two kitchen knives is one knife too many.

Johnson can speak from experience. He spent six years living in just 140 sq. ft., what he called his “Mobile Hermitage,” two 10 ft. x 7 ft. stories.

Tiny-house enthusiasts like to compare their interiors to those of ships, where everything is custom-designed to fit the small space available. The lifestyle isn’t for everyone, but it has major advantages: tiny houses can be very inexpensive (in summer 2012, the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society built a solar version with advanced materials for $40,000) and even those with no commitment to low-impact living have to admit that they’re charming.

“I’d been living in an efficiency apartment, and I thought, ‘Why pay rent at all? Why don’t I build myself an efficiency apartment?’ If you tell people your apartment is 140 sq. ft., that seems like a normal size,” he said. “If you tell them your house is 140 sq. ft., they say, ‘That’s amazing.’ But it’s the same size living space.”

The tiny-house trend is driven by two groups, Johnson said: younger people who don’t yet have children or large collections of possessions, and people who have seen their adult children off and begun to shed their belongings.

Whether tiny or merely small, the new-sized house is already contributing to sustainability goals. But it also fits into a larger vision of a sustainable community. “Tiny houses work well in college towns. Students live in a dorm room, and their living space has no theater, no gym – not even laundry,” Johnson said. “You get used to having coffee shops, libraries, bookstores, places to meet. If you don’t have that community to support it, it gets more complicated.”

“If you drive an hour to get home from work,” Cusato said, “and the only things you can get to require a car, then maybe you want that home theater in your house, because getting in the car to go out again after an hour of commuting is miserable. So the smaller home is looped up with people interested in connecting with the Percival Scientific’s community, and that’s really exploding right I-36NL Research Chamber: now, as people try to have lives that are more Removing Variability from integrated with the community. That big house at the end of the cul de sac is a reaction to the Water Testing! failure of the organism.” n

“Most of the time it’s not going to work for people in between those two ranges, where you’ve got the kids, the grandparents, the dog, the cat,” he said.

“The Percival I-36NL chamber has been a reliable product and a very important part of our testing procedure.”

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Universities Lead Effort to Expand Use of Biomass Energy Biorenewable Industry Looks Beyond Corn and Cellulosic Ethanol

BY JULIANNE COUCH

being able to burn coal will ensure the campus remains powered up no matter what. Instead, they plan to develop a diverse renewable fuel portfolio, and not depend on one type or source.

Milster said the UI campus spends $25-$30 million a year on energy sourced almost entirely outside of Iowa.

FERMAN MIL ST ER

J IL L E U K E N

By 2020, the University of Iowa aims to get 40 percent of its energy from renewable sources, including from biomass feedstocks grown locally. To move it toward that goal, the university has developed a set of eight targets ranging from conserving energy to decreasing waste and developing sustainability partnerships.

Meanwhile, Iowa State University is making important discoveries as it investigates the use of biorenewable resources as sustainable feedstocks for producing chemicals, fuels, materials and electric power.

The two universities are in a state that produces virtually no oil or coal, so developing biomass energy provides an economic boon along with a variety of ecologic advantages.

UI is pursuing renewable energy strategy that consider both supply and price, and also keeps the door open to new fuel sources.

The university plans to transition from fossil fuels gradually, by increasing its use of biomass, geothermal, solar, wind, landfill gas, gasification and other emerging energy alternatives.

The university operates and maintains a central power plant, three chilled water plants and a water plant on its main campus and satellite facilities. The plants provide steam, water, high-quality water, chilled water, electricity and sewage treatment to the entire campus, including the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, a 711-bed public teaching hospital and level-1 trauma center.

Currently, the university is transitioning the solid fuel boilers at the main power plant from coal to biomass fuel, said Ferman Milster, principal engineer of renewables at the UI Office of Sustainability, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be able to burn coal when necessary. In the event of an interruption in renewable fuel supplies,

“About half of our energy portfolio in 2010 was coal, and it all comes from out of state,” he said. “Millions of dollars leave Iowa each year. We have no active coal mines or oil and gas. But we grow stuff really well.”

Renewable energy from organic material made from plants and animals is referred to as biomass. Biomass fuels provided about 5 percent of the energy consumed in the United States in 2012. Of that, about 45 percent was from wood and wood-derived biomass, 44 percent from biofuels like ethanol and about 11 percent from municipal waste.

Comparing the properties of fossil fuels and biofuels, Milster pointed out that both are stored sunlight, but while fossil fuels were formed millions of years ago, biofuels were born yesterday, in a manner of speaking.

“Biomass short circuits the process, putting plant matter to use without making it wait quite so long to become a fossil fuel,” he said. “Instead of using only fossil fuels for the carbon we burn, we want to use carbon from plants. The carbon content from biomass is half that of coal, but still plenty for what we need. When we burn a plant, we take the carbon dioxide it held and put it back in the atmosphere where it had been in the recent past. We are recycling carbon dioxide without the long process required to create fossil fuel.”

UI’s Office of Sustainability is sourcing fuels not just based on cost, but based on the balance between economic, social and environmental benefits, Milster said, adding that “we want to balance those three to produce the most sustainable fuel portfolio we can.”

At present they have two solid fuel boilers, designed and built to burn coal. It didn’t make a lot of sense to invest in natural gas boilers when they could use existing boilers for a process called cofiring, Milster said. That means blending coal with a biofuel source and burning them together. This started in 2003, when they began acquiring oat hulls from an Iowa Quaker Oats plant.

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“Millions of dollars leave Iowa each year. We have no active coal mines or oil and gas. But we grow stuff really well.”

“It has been a real winner for us, saving hundreds of thousands in coal costs and displaced emissions,” Milster said. “Now we are expanding the project by a magnitude of four, using not just oat hulls, but wood chips, grasses and other fuels” acquired from other sources.

The trick is making these fuels “look” like coal, at least from the point of view of the fuel boiler, Milster said. They can’t just throw dead trees and grass clippings into a fire. Instead, the fuels have to be blended together. UI’s fuel is blended at the River Trading Company in Muscatine, Iowa. Barges traveling the Mississippi River deliver coal and biofuels to the facility, which then delivers the blended product to the power plant at UI. The university’s current biofuel sources include wood chips left over

from an ecological restoration project, and the remains of ash trees killed by the emerald ash borer epidemic, Milster said. They also are planting their own future fuel sources, including miscanthus grass. This is an invasive species frequently used as energy crop acres, but the species they are planting is sterile, so there are no concerns about the plant taking over desired vegetation, he added.

Corn is a common source of biomass for use in ethanol, but it is not something they use in the power plant, Milster said. In the past they have burned some expired corn seeds, or seed that was “off spec” or left over at the end of the season, but they are not actively pursuing this source. No matter what the biofuel, it must still be blended with coal in Muscatine before it can be used at the power plant.

“This has been a paradigm shift. It takes a lot of work to figure out how to make it work,” he said.

Iowa State University also is focused on reducing its carbon footprint and improving sustainability, with biofuels having an important role in achieving that goal. ISU created the Bioeconomy Institute to bring the full power of numerous academic departments and programs together. Launched in 2002, BEI is charged with investigating the use of biorenewable resources as sustainable feedstocks for producing chemicals, fuels, materials and energy.

As a land grant university, ISU is charged to take part in “extending” research to Iowa citizens, said Jill Euken, the deputy director of BEI and manager for industry collaborations and outreach programs. For example, every county in Iowa has an ISU extension office.

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The Bioeconomy Institute’s pilot pyrolysis unit is located at Iowa State University’s BioCentury Research Farm. The system is being rebuilt to provide researchers with better data for research into conversion of biomass into fuels and chemicals. Fast pyrolysis converts biomass into bio-oil by rapidly heating it to high temperatures in an oxygen-free environment.

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“We work with industry, farmers and communities to figure out problems and come up with answers,” she said. “In most colleges, where people work in disciplines, departments work in siloed fashion. The ISU Bioeconomy Institute is designed to break that mold and work across the disciplines, from plant breeding and agronomy, to engineering, chemists, economic experts, business specialists and agriculture. BEI is the giant water cooler that brings people together to tackle problems.”

The bio-oil is mixed with coal to create a granular mixture, sometimes referred to as “biocoal granola.” This material has irregular granulars, which allows it to move through the power plant much like coal does, so it doesn’t require different handling systems. A co-product of the process, called biochar, also will be used as an oil amendment. The biochars have been shown to increase soil fertility by improving nutrient and water retention, lowering soil acidity and density, and increasing microbial activity, she explained.

BEI faculty and staff see a future in which the “bioeconomy” will use biomass as a renewable resource to sustain economic growth and prosperity.

“This is different from any other power plant retrofit that we know about,” Euken said. “We’re looking forward to demonstrating it in Iowa. This can be a whole new business, using dedicated energy crops and agricultural residues to provide new forms of energy to the state and the world.” n

“Agriculture will supply renewable energy and carbon to the bioeconomy while engineering will transform these resources into transportation fuels, commodity chemicals and electric power,” Euken said, adding that biorenewable feedstocks are “produced from an ecosystem that needs to be conserved and renewed in order to ensure future production capacity. Therefore, the bioeconomy will require tight linkages between plant breeding, soil fertility, sustainable crop production, biomass transportation and logistics, rural communities, bioprocessing, distribution and marketing services.”

The biorenewable industry has significant farmer participation, Euken said. In fact, most first generation biofuels plants are owned by groups of agricultural producers and they are anticipating the next wave of biorenewable processing, after corn and cellulosic ethanol. Nearly every ethanol plant in Iowa was built with community input, she said. Now the Iowa-based Stine Seed Company is working with BEI on a research and development project to provide feedstocks to ISU’s power plant. Euken said BEI has a bench-scale pyrolyzer, but it is not adequate for creating the quantities of bio-oil required for a demonstration project. Stine Seed has equipped them with the pilot-scale pyrolyzer they needed to expand the scale of the research.

Ferman Milster is principal engineer of renewables at the University of Iowa Office of Sustainability.

Jill Euken is deputy director of the Bioeconomy Institute at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, and manager for industry collaborations and outreach programs.

Boiler Solutions The leading manufacturer of “GREEN Project” Wood-Fired and Biomass Boiler Systems.

Euken explained fast pyrolysis, the process involved in this project.

“You take biomass, heat it to 500 degrees centigrade and turn it into vapors. Those vapors are condensed into bio-oil,” she said.

“That oil can be used for a variety of different applications, including biopower, biofuels and biochemicals. But this project will focus on oil for biopower.”

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What to Do with Empty Big Box Stores ‘Ghostboxes’ Can Find New Life - But It Isn’t Easy

BY F. ALAN SHIRK

Look in almost any city in North America, and you’ll find at least one: That empty shell of a building with the paper-wrapped windows and the weed-infested parking lot.

Yep, it’s a vacant big box store.

Maybe the original Wal-mart super-sized on the other side of town, or maybe the once-thriving Blockbuster store fell on hard times. Whatever the reason, it can be tough to find a business, large or small, that’s willing to take a ragged old brick-andmortar and turn it into something shiny and new again.

But take heart: It CAN be done. Even a circa 1980 “ghostbox” store can find new life through adaptive reuse. The city of McAllen, Texas, for example, took an empty big box store and filled it with books.

McAllen’s commissioners bought the former Wal-mart store with its 15 acres and 864 parking spaces for $5 million in 2006, after the retail chain built a larger store nearby.

Now they have the award-winning, 124,000 sq. ft. McAllen Public Library, one of the largest single-floor public libraries in the U.S., and a hub of community activity in the border community.

“In a city like McAllen, with cartel violence across the river (less than 10 miles away from the library), I think it’s amazing that the city is devoting resources to not only saving a large and conspicuous piece of property from decline and vandalism, but also diverting those resources into youth and the public trust,” said Adriana Ramirez, who teaches creative writing at the University of Pittsburgh and grew up in McAllen.

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The award-winning 124,000 square foot McAllen (Texas) Public Library, which occupies a former Wal-mart store, is one of the largest single-floor public libraries in the U.S. (Photo courtesy of McAllen Public Library)

The city is near the southernmost tip of Texas on the Mexico border. “It’s easy to fall into drugs, drinking and violence when you live on the border,” Ramirez said. “It’s not really easy to find a place to hang out when you’re 14 that’s not the mall, the movies or Mexico. And a giant library – a cool-looking open space devoted to entertaining the imagination? Well, I think that’s the best counter-move against violence imaginable.

And you don’t even have to wait for a computer now” since the new public computer lab has 116 stations.

Converting big box retail space into a public facility was a smart financial move too.

“McAllen residents got a lot of library compared with what they would have gotten building new, reduced their impact on the environment and turned a blight into a

flourishing center of community life,” said Leanne Larson, lead interior designer for the project. “It is a desirable location with easy access, ample parking, clear vision of the front door … (and a) floor plate that is wide open, which makes it easier to reconfigure into the library program.”

The city spent $14.2 million to renovate the 124,500 sq. ft. building, and city and library staff visited nine libraries across the U.S. to gather ideas on how to use their new space. The library has won several coveted awards, including the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Honor Award for Interior Architecture.

It also received high praise from Julia Christensen, an associate professor of integrated media at Oberlin College, and Sarah Schindler, an associate professor at the University of Maine School of Law, two

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advocates for dealing with what are called “ghostboxes,” or abandoned big box stores.

Christensen is the author of “Big Box Reuse,” a 2008 book based on her Big Box Reuse interdisciplinary research project from 2003-2010, which also created the BigBoxReuse.com website featuring several examples of adaptive reuse.

Considering herself more of an artist than architect or urban planner, Christensen said she approaches the “ghostbox” problem from a different perspective.

“My research is very much anecdotal,” she said. “I visited between 40 and 50 reuses over seven years. I came to this issue with a voice observing things around me as an artist does. I was able to connect with people in communities affected by ghostboxes. The first step is for any municipality to become engaged.”

Schindler is best known for her article, “The Future of Abandoned Big Box Stores: Legal Solutions to the Legacies of Poor Planning Decisions,” which appeared in the University of Colorado Law Review’s April 2012 issue. Although turnover and short-term vacancy is normal in a retail landscape, she said the vacancy rate for big boxes is unprecedented.

While numerous solutions have been proposed and evaluated, Schindler and Christensen agree that local zoning ordinances can “alleviate the harms imposed by the thousands of existing, vacant big boxes.”

“Because local governments control land use decisions and thus made deliberate determinations allowing big box development, those same local governments now have both an economic incentive and civic responsibility to find alternative uses for ghostboxes,” Schindler said. “Big box abandonment is a nationwide problem that should be addressed at the local level.”

They also both agree that downsizing the physical dimensions of retail stores and the number of retail stores is a significant trend in U.S. retailing, and it will undoubtedly continue through 2014 and well into the future.

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) reported Wal-mart, which now has more than 4,800 retail units in the U.S., and

Target, which has about 1,800 U.S. stores, continue to build “supercenters” that combine their usual array of merchandise with a full supermarket and numerous specialty services from cut flowers to eye glasses. Supercenters typically range from 180,000 to 250,000 sq. ft., or between 4.15.7 acres. The parking lots that surround these stores are several times the size of the store itself.

Many other big box retail stores – including earlier-generation Wal-mart outlets, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Office Depot, Bed, Bath & Beyond, etc., are in the 60,000-140,000 sq. ft. range. Barnes & Noble stores range from 25,000-45,000 sq. ft., or about the size of a very large supermarket. Freestanding chain drugstores operated by Walgreens, Rite Aid and CVS are generally 11,000-15,000 sq. ft.

Last year, 12 retailers alone closed nearly 2,500 stores in the U.S., including 438 Fashion Bugs and 300 Blockbusters, according to the website RetailIndustry.

About.com.

“One source estimated the national retail shopping center vacancy rate to be 11 percent after the first quarter of 2010,” she said. “This rate has increased since 2008, when the national retail vacancy average was 8.4 percent.”

Not only are these stores going dark, she said, but they are staying that way. She cited a 2005 Texas study, which found that 30 former Wal-marts remained unoccupied for about three years on average, while a few stayed empty for 10 years and one for 17 years.

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While the roundup of retailers that closed underperforming locations or went bankrupt in 2014 is considered small compared to the past, it is not insignificant to the future of U.S. retailing, the website reported, concluding that the “era of ifyou-build-it-they-will-come retailing seems to have ended.”

U.S. consumers are, in a sense, in charge of physical store closings. With increased online and mobile shopping behaviors, consumers are casting their vote for which retail store experiences have value and which can be easily replaced by their own Internet and mobile counterparts.

In response to these strong consumer preference shifts, many large, medium and small retail chains will be closing physical retail store locations because they can’t justify the dwindling sales per square foot they produce.

But repurposing a big box store space is not an easy task. The buildings are designed specifically for the retailer who built it, and sometimes saddled with non-compete clauses that prohibit who can reoccupy them, even non-retailers. Rehabbing them also can be very expensive. Larger stores are harder to repurpose than smaller ones since they aren’t really designed to be split up into, for example, four smaller stores.

And, depending on the economy, they might not work for retail anymore.

People have to think outside the box too, Christensen added.

With the goal of sustainable development, Schindler developed a special matrix (attached) that provides local governments with a number of potential solutions to alleviate problems caused by vacant and abandoned ghostboxes choosing, 1) retail reuse, 2) adaptive reuse, 3) demolition and redevelopment and 4) demolition and regreening.

“Some designers have implemented reuses in phases. For example, a new school can build its classrooms around the outside perimeter, then wait a few years to build an auditorium in the center. We could require retailers to install multiple entrances so it would be easier to divide large stores later,” she said.

“Not every building can be reused; some have to be demolished. Each case can be evaluated based on the community’s economic state, ecological goals such as sustainable development, examining the existing retail landscape and evaluating existing land development patterns,” she said.

All of her solutions further sustainable development goals, Schindler said, because, “they provide for existing building or infill development and redevelopment at a higher density and in a more urban fashion than traditional suburban sprawl development. The ‘green’ characterization is important because there are a number of new funding opportunities being made available to cities moving toward sustainable development.”

Finally, Christensen stressed, local governments need to take action to prevent the further proliferation of abandoned stores.

“Reuse begins with the design,” she said.

“Communities have to limit the sizes of retail stores and make sure they will help and not hinder the quality of life. They have to think about access other than by automobile. What about more mixed zoning? Having retail, residential and offices in the same space or area? Perhaps some light industrial like a brewery? Retail on the ground floor and apartments above?

“We got so focused on the suburbs because we thought our cities were dirty and unhealthy. That’s why people moved out.

So now we have suburban sprawl. We’re seeing how that really hasn’t worked out for us.” n

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Cities Sing the Snow Removal Blues Plowing Raises Economic/Ecologic Concerns

BY F. ALAN SHIRK

8 hours, and then return to plowing if road conditions dictate.

“December was a difficult month, with crews working around the clock,” he said.

“Yet things got done and morale remains high.”

K E L L Y F L ISSNER

Described by some as the coldest winter in 30 years, and with one storm after another keeping snow plows on the road, the winter of 2013-14 is already putting a strain on public works departments in many parts of the country.

More winter storms and colder temperatures bring increased costs and environmental concerns that have some communities testing new products and procedures that make coping with winter weather more sustainable.

“Seasons like this one, with large snowfalls early in the year and repeated snow events every couple of days after that, leave our employees working with little or no breaks,” said Kelly Flissner, director of Public Administration in Duluth, Minn., which budgeted $3.3 million for this year’s snow removal. “Early and significant snowfall also means increased plowing and grading to widen driving lanes, and for us to haul snow away in some areas.”

When it snows, Flissner said plow operators typically work a 12- to 16-hour shift, rest for

Duluth is 87.43 square miles with 1,200 lane miles to plow. Challenges include steep hills, aging infrastructure and lake effect weather conditions from Lake Superior.

Flissner’s budget has increased slightly through the years to reflect increasing annual snowfalls.

“Our projection this year was extremely close, but the last, historic snow in December put us slightly over budget. We are able to shift funds and remain in good shape,” he said.

Each of the city’s plows has a route, but the plan changes with each snow depending on employee schedules and available equipment. Things also can change based on weather conditions and timing of snow.

Snow is hauled to two locations from business districts and arterial streets if the snowfall is deep.

What about sustainability practices?

Duluth has an active salt reduction program, Flissner said.

“Employees and management make the most intelligent use of salt and sand to control snow and ice,” he said. “For example, mixing brine with salt reduces salt

consumption. We calibrate our plow routes so they can be completed as efficiently as possible, reducing fuel consumption.”

Like all cities, some citizens are very happy and some are very frustrated with snow removal, Flissner said, adding that “Duluth is a tight-knit community; we continue to look out for each other. We advise residents to help each other shovel and to not blow snow on neighbors’ property or public spaces like alleys and roads.

“We are all in this together and by working together, we can enjoy the beauty of the snow without some of the frustrations,” he said.

Joliet, Ill., developed a plan for reducing the use of salt during the winter of 2007-2008.

It began using a mixture of 75 percent salt and 25 percent grit for all streets in January 2008 and the same mixture for all neighborhood streets in 2008-2009. For the winter season of 2009-2010, the city went to a 50/50 mixture of salt and grit on neighborhood streets and began mixing beet juice with its salt piles.

The environmentally friendly mixture of sugar beet juice and traditional rock salt enabled Joliet’s Roadways Division to reduce its use of salt by another 10 percent. The mixture has lowered the corrosiveness of the salt, resulting in less damage to streets, parkways, vehicles and receiving waterways.

Joliet also pre-wets pavements before snow and ice storms, which reduces the amount of salt that needs to be applied during a

The Snow & Ice Management Association is a North American trade association for snow & ice industry professionals. SIMA is the resource that raises awareness through networking and education. [ 13 ]

Sustainable City Network Magazine

expectation by drivers and pedestrians to be able to travel as if conditions were normal,” Bobinsky said. “But I think for the most part people understand our strategies to minimize snow disruption to homes and businesses.”

Bobinsky’s team begins preparing for snow about a month before the first snowfall, which includes training operators, hosting a winter briefing and updating arrangements with their weather forecasting service and preparing equipment. Portland has 40 trucks, 10 sidewalk tractors, two graders, five loaders and five blowers. Each year it uses 8,000 tons of salt, 3,500 tons of sand and 20,000 gallons of calcium chloride.

Snow is hauled to two sites for disposal.

Sustainability is important.

“For plowing and snow removal, sustainability and cost effectiveness go hand-in-hand. We are very conscious about minimizing the use of de-icing products and fuel. Of course, this is balanced with keeping our traveling public safe,” Bobinsky said. n

Plow operators typically work a 12- to 16-hour shift, rest for 8 hours, and then return to plowing if road conditions dictate.

storm.

Pre-wetting also prevents snow and ice from freezing to the pavement, allowing much more effective snow removal, even after heavy compaction by traffic.

Joliet bought its salt brine making equipment in 2011 and began mixing its own anti-icing/de-icing “cocktail” of salt brine and beet juice, said Roadways Division Engineer Mike Eulitz. It is a 75-15-10 ratio of brine, beet juice and calcium chloride.

“The past five years have resulted in a 23 percent reduction in salt usage per inch of snowfall by using anti- and de-icing techniques,” Eulitz said. “Also, these techniques have decreased our overtime costs by 35 percent for snow related call outs. Those costs dropped from $481,000 in [ 14 ]

2008-2009 to $217,668 for the 2012-2013 winter season.”

In Portland, Maine, Public Services Director Mike Bobinsky said the snow removal team operates 24/7 from November-April and has a budget of about $1 million. Territory includes 566 lane miles and 95 miles of sidewalks and trails. His department also clears and treats 20 school parking lots, eight fire department lots and drives, police lots and drives, 13 other parking lots and drives as well as the multi-use path on Veterans Bridge and the Fore River Parkway.

It also manages snow operations on three islands.

“This season we have had to deal with several icing events that required more time ... Our primary goal is to keep the public safe, however, there is an increasing

Across the continent in Anchorage, Alaska, the city’s snow removal budget is nearly $13 million for labor, equipment, fuel and overhead. Public Works Director Ron Thompson and his staff clear 1,300 road lane miles, 229 miles of sidewalks and trails, and nearly 1,400 cul-de-sacs.

Their fleet has 30 motor graders, 10 sanders, three self-propelled blowers, seven loader-mount blowers, 10 front-end loaders and 14 sidewalk blowers.

Annual snowfall in Anchorage is about 115 inches.

“With that amount of snow, we are continuously updating our industry-leading practices. For example, all snow in our Central Business District (120 square city blocks) must be plowed and disposed of after each substantial snow due to parking and our limited storage,” Thompson said.

“Another unique aspect of our program is that all motor graders have been modified

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Access the SIMA Best Practices Checklist at: http://tiny.cc/b220cx with a mechanical gate that prevents plows from leaving snow berms at the end of driveways.”

Anchorage plows arterials and residential collector streets on a priority basis, depending on the amount of snow. Once those are finished, all other streets are plowed with a goal of completing all plowing in 72 hours.

“Between snows, disposal is scheduled systematically, prioritizing main thoroughfares, high-density residential areas and cul-de-sacs,” Thompson said.

“Snow is dumped on seven sites we own throughout Anchorage. It melts during the summer and hopefully in time for the next snow season.”

The biggest challenge, Thompson said, is dealing with the city’s population growth, which has created more traffic and denser property development.

“Fortunately, our residents know how to cope with snow and appreciate our efforts,” he said. “We also value their feedback.”

Farther south in Billings, Mont., Public Works Director David Mumford said his biggest challenge is dealing with more

miles to plow, but with no increase in staffing, budget or equipment.

“Also, the addition of bike lanes and multiuse trails has added significantly to the miles to be cleared,” he said. “These add to the community’s quality of life, but are expensive to maintain.”

Billings budgeted $825,000 for 2014 snow and ice removal, which is a line item in the total street maintenance budget and based on previous costs. The city has adopted a 2.5 percent annual increase in the street maintenance budget. If snow removal costs exceed the budget, those costs must be absorbed in other areas.

“Street maintenance work is funded through a property assessment fee and has no general tax base funding,” Mumford added.

Public Works clears 631 lane miles of arterial and collector streets and hauls snow from 60 miles of roads. The city does not plow residential streets. The fleet includes 115-yard plow/sanders, nine 10-yard plows, three 2,000-gallon liquid de-icer trucks, four one-ton pickups with plows, three motor patrols and three snow blowers.

“We plow major arterials, hospital entrances

and fire stations first, then move to collector streets and schools. Crews work two 12-hour shifts until plowing is complete. It usually takes us 24 hours to clear. When the plow out is done, we begin hauling snow from downtown streets first and then from major roadways. Streets where snow is initially plowed onto sidewalks are cleared next,” he said. “For management, our tasks during and after a storm are to work with the media, mayor and city council to provide details about snow removal and address citizen concerns.”

While Billings’ residents are impatient for the roads to be cleared after snow, Mumford said he believes they do appreciate Public Works’ efforts.

“Our community has become more concerned with clearing sidewalks and trails after a storm,” he said. “There is significant frustration over snow and ice remaining on city streets. When we have back-to-back storms and the temperature remains cold, Billings streets are difficult to travel.”

Mumford said staying sustainable is important since “we are very concerned about the effects of de-icers and other snow and ice removal products that enter

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Cities need to create a standard strategy for managing snow and ice from season to season, according to “Taming Winter Weather with Snow and Ice Management,” a posting on facilities.net by Brian Birch and Phill Sexton. our storm drain system because all of our storm water goes directly to the Yellowstone River.”

Cities need to create a standard strategy for managing snow and ice from season to season, according to “Taming Winter Weather with Snow and Ice Management,” a posting on facilities.net by Brian Birch and Phill Sexton.

Birch is the chief operating officer of the Snow and Ice Management Association (SIMA), in Milwaukee, Wis. He joined SIMA in 2004 and focuses on marketing, sales, technology and educational initiatives.

Sexton has more than 20 years of experience in the snow and ice and green industries at the local, regional and national levels. He has been a business owner and operator, landscape supervisor, arborist, branch and regional manager, and national director in both areas.

According to their post, “Many variables get in the way, including inconsistency in resources, inconsistency in weather patterns, and general challenges tied to the business and organizational environment.

The sheer random nature of winter weather can cause major headaches for facilities affected and become a burden on budgets and time. To address these challenges, managers can implement a layer of best practices as part of annually reviewing, managing and evaluating their department’s snow and ice procedures.”

An essential first step is to develop a snow site-engineering plan that can help identify snow-removal priorities.

“For example, this plan defines areas of parking lots that operators of snow-removal equipment should clear first. The plan can be particularly helpful when responding to heavier storms or blizzards. When identifying these areas, managers need to be sure to include items such as the location of fire hydrants, emergency exits, emergency egresses and utility access points,” wrote the two authors.

A snow-site engineering plan also should identify locations where operators can pile plowed snow, taking into consideration sight lines, handicap parking areas and drainage locations.

Any snow site-engineering plan also should identify:

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• Bulk salt loading and storage areas. If the facility stores bulk salt, it should be located in a covered area on an impervious layer to prevent salt waste and runoff.

• On-site snow-relocation areas. Facility managers need to avoid locating snow piles where they will create parking lot drifting or visibility issues and, instead, find designated areas where piles of snow will not create melting and re-freezing issues. Managers also must be certain the areas have been approved by the necessary local or state agencies, being careful to avoid relocating the snow near sensitive waterways or water systems where increased salinity levels from salt could be an environmental concern.

• No-snow areas. Planning also should ensure that equipment operators avoid blocking catch basins and manhole covers when moving snow, and they should pay particular attention to parking-deck drains where flooding can create extreme ice and load conditions.

Birch and Sexton also recommend creating a more proactive system for managing the legal challenges associated with snow and ice management that will give snow removal managers a more well-rounded approach to winter weather.

“Aside from actually servicing the sites, it is a manager’s responsibility to make sure the facility is not exposed to litigation stemming from service failure or accidents tied to snow removal,” they wrote. “Best practices tied to liability include not only a site engineering plan, but also insurance, documenting service and quality contracts with outside contractors.” n

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Social Equity: The Forgotten Leg of Sustainability ‘Equity Planning’ Helps Communities Bring Everyone Along

BY JESSICA CHAPMAN

Sustainability is commonly described as a “three legged stool.”

There’s economic prosperity, ecological integrity, and then there’s that third leg….

Hmmm… it’s sometimes the hardest to remember, and it can certainly be difficult to define, but the sustainability stool just doesn’t stand without social equity. The concept is that everyone in a community – not just those on the “A List” – need the opportunity to participate and thrive in order for that community to sustain itself indefinitely.

In cities like Burlington, Vt., Portland, Ore., Cleveland, Seattle and many others, social equity is woven into the fabric of urban planning and design.

provide for concessions to poor communities as compensation for the adverse effects of development projects. Federal laws and other government initiatives may also further social equity aims, Krumholz said.

“Portland, Ore. is about as close as we’ve yet come to a model for equity planning,” Krumholz said. Yin agreed, saying, “[T]he city of Portland's recent comprehensive plan (‘The Portland Plan’) strikes a clear focus on issues of both equity planning and sustainability with their simple plan motto of ‘Prosperous. Educated. Healthy.

Equitable’ – and, while Portland is best known as a green city that has long-followed sustainable development practices, their connection to Cleveland-style equity planning is unmistakable.”

Norman Krumholz, who served as planning director for the city of Cleveland from 1969 – 1979 under three different mayors, was one of the earliest practitioners of equity planning. Whereas traditional planning practices tend to focus on land use issues and development of a city’s downtown area, Krumholz has described the primary goal of equity planning in quite different terms, as “to provide a wider range of choices for those… residents who have few, if any, choices.”

Yin, who recently published a book titled “Urban Planning for Dummies,” identified a comprehensive plan as one of the most important elements of a city’s ability to serve residents equitably.

Yin has published a useful “On-line Guide to Big City Plans,” with links to existing plans for the largest 100 cities in the United States. (Surprisingly, not all cities have formally adopted them – Yin pointed out Houston, Chicago and Boston as examples.) He believes that achieving progressive plans for all 100 cities is an attainable goal.

Jordan Yin, a professor of Urban Studies at Cleveland State University – where Krumholz is currently a professor emeritus – added context to Krumholz’s definition: “[T]he Cleveland plan [developed by Krumholz and others in the 1960s and 1970s] focused on generating city policies and community partnerships intended to address concerns related to housing, poverty, neighborhood revitalization, and racial discrimination … [I]t marked a major turn in thinking for the urban planning profession.”

Of those that do have formalized plans, “My general observation,” Yin said, “is that relatively few cities have comprehensive plans that focus on long-standing urban concerns, such as poverty, discrimination and neighborhood decline. Most local comprehensive plans address a standard list of items - such as land use, transportation, housing, etc. - in ways that often address narrow, technical problems, but often ignore (perhaps inadvertently) the needs of the entire community.”

In an article slated to be published in the “Journal of Planning Education and Research” in 2015, Krumholz presents a number of examples of U.S. cities currently making gains in social equity.

For example, he said Montgomery County, Md. requires private developers to build mixed-income housing. Minneapolis-St. Paul has a fiscal disparities plan that gives back to poor communities more than they contribute into a tax-sharing fund. Los Angeles and other cities have “community benefits agreements” that

Yet even a plan doesn’t go far enough. In addition to a comprehensive plan, Krumholz and others said equity requires responsive leadership, citizen engagement and reliable data.

Burlington, Vt., gets mentioned on a lot of Top 10 lists - Most Livable Cities, Best Downtowns, Lowest Unemployment Rates, Best New Jobs – and the city of 40,000 is home to some of the biggest names in business – Ben & Jerry’s, Seventh Generation, Burton Snowboards and Bruegger’s Bagels, for example.

Access Jordan Yin’s “On-line Guide to Big City Plans” at www.ask-a-planner.com/top_100_largest_cities [ 17 ]

Sustainable City Network Magazine

But Burlington’s accomplishments are the product of decades of careful strategy and intent by leaders and residents alike.

Many say the turning point for Burlington came in 1981, with the election of Mayor – now U.S. Senator – Bernie Sanders, a self-identified democratic socialist who literally knocked on doors seeking input from constituents. He and other city leaders swiftly set about establishing a comprehensive strategic plan for Burlington. They prioritized, among other things, establishment of a community development division responsible for reaching out to and including all residents in the planning process and execution.

“We always stuck with a set of principles,” said Bruce Seifer, who led Burlington’s economic development efforts for over three decades and is now an author and consultant.

“Our goal was to ensure full participation by everyone in the community,” he said. “We had organizations of the community, by the community and for the community, and we provided staff

support for that.” More than 20 nonprofit community groups were created to address citizen concerns and give everyone an opportunity to provide input.

Seifer, who recently co-authored a book called “Sustainable Communities: Creating a Durable Local Economy,” said the achievements Burlington has made in zoning, city services, infrastructure and other areas, can be boiled down to one simple idea: “Ask people what they want. Help them get it.”

While Seifer said there is “no cookie-cutter approach” to fostering an engaging and equitable relationship between citizens and local government, Burlington has four key components: a comprehensive city plan that has been adhered to over time, leaders with a genuine desire to serve residents, residents who recognize and act on their ability to make their city more livable and equitable, and the data to back it all up.

Krumholz has hope for the future of equity planning. “The United States is fast-becoming a minoritymajority nation,” he observed in his JPER piece. “In fact, many cities already have that distinction. I believe this increased diversity will produce political conditions making a more liberal response possible not only in planning but in all the institutions of American society.”

In the video below, Krumholz says he thinks Cleveland can be a prototype for how equity planning can turn rust-belt cities around.

Seifer, too, is optimistic. “People really want the best for their community,” he said. “What they’re looking for is support, direction, advice … There are good bones in our cities and towns.

They need direction.” n

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Is Government Responsible for Sustaining Rural Populations?

Rural Counties See Historic Population Loss

BY JULIANNE COUCH

Municipal governments invest time, talent, and money into sustainable infrastructure projects, from water treatment to transportation to greenways, all in an attempt to sustain or grow their existing population.

But, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one sector of America - rural areas and small towns - are losing ground.

Between April 2010 and July 2012, nonmetropolitan counties as a whole declined in population, most likely for the first time in U.S. history, the USDA noted in a recent report.

The population figures are irrefutable, but reasons for the migration from farms and small towns to big cities - and what can or should be done about it - remain debatable.

Iowa is a prime example of a state that has seen its rural population shrink rapidly. This was especially true during the farm crisis of the 1980s, when many long-time farm families, unable to keep up with rising interest rates, lost their properties to mortgage holders. When those farms failed, the families that ran them struggled, too. Eventually, many people left those farms, rural areas and small towns, and headed for the cities.

But that doesn’t mean Iowa’s overall population shrank. According to U.S. Census figures, Iowa maintained a fairly stable population after the farm crisis period, even growing modestly in recent years. But today, approximately 65 percent of Iowans live in metropolitan areas, bearing almost no resemblance to population distribution during most of the twentieth century.

Trevor Toft, a businessman in the Sioux City, Iowa, area, believes state elected officials are partly to blame for the shrinking of rural Iowa.

“Elected members of the Iowa House do not see Iowa as a dying state, as urban populations continue to rise in numbers year over year,” Toft said. “What they fail to realize however, is aging out counties – a nice way to say dying counties – cost the state more than counties rising in population.” Toft suspects the people who remain behind in rural areas are more likely to need government support for living expenses such as food stamps, Medicaid, and residential assistance, as there are fewer job opportunities.

“When more rural areas experience layoffs, there is little to replace these jobs, leaving many on unemployment,” Toft said. “Also, the same infrastructure work must be done in these rural areas (either by city, county, state, or federal workers) as in more urban areas; however, tax income and resources are scarce in less populated areas.”

Toft explained that in his area of northwestern Iowa, there were once programs that provided money to communities and counties that helped low-income families afford home repairs. “There were programs that would provide ‘free’ monies to those looking to put up new homes in lower population communities. If the person or family maintained that residence for 10 years, those monies were forgiven,” he said. But now this practice has been “all but abandoned.”

Some communities have then taken it upon

themselves to provide programs once established by the state, Toft said. “There are a couple smaller communities around us offering city tax forgiveness to small businesses that may move into town and employ five or more people. Some of those communities even offer no-cost utilities, if managed by the city, as a greater incentive.”

Toft argues that another impediment to rural growth is that Iowa is rarely pitched as an environmental or outdoor state, the sort of amenities that might attract someone who wishes to live in a rural area. Instead, he said, most “come-to-Iowa” ads promote opportunities in urban areas.

According to Jeff Schott, director of the University of Iowa Institute of Public Affairs, even though populations in some areas are shrinking, they should not be allowed to wither away or be ignored when a state considers its overall economic development program. He said the movement of rural people to urban areas is evident in almost every part of the state. The eight Iowa counties with a population of more than 50,000 people had a combined population increase of 10.9 percent between 2000 and 2010. In contrast, population in the other 91 counties dropped by 1.8 percent.

“There is clearly a role for state and national governments to be sure rural areas remain vibrant and viable. There is also a role the market plays in terms of jobs and opportunities,” he said. Whether a business wants to locate in the capital city of Des Moines, or Guttenburg (a Mississippi River town of 2,000), or Sac City (a farming community of

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Sustainable City Network Magazine

“Between April 2010 and July 2012, nonmetro counties as a whole declined in population, most likely for the first time. Even if temporary, this small but historic shift highlights a growing demographic challenge facing many regions across rural and small-town America, as population growth from natural change (births minus deaths) is no longer large enough to counter net migration losses when they occur.” – USDA, Economic Research Service (http://tiny.cc/qqmadx) about that size), they look at availability of infrastructure, such as sewer, water, roads and high-capacity broadband.

“The government has a role to play in the economic development programs that help places be competitive” Schott said.

He also noted it is important to consider the reasons people move from very small towns and unincorporated areas into larger cities or county seats. “The move to larger communities is probably associated with aging demographics. As people get older, they may be moving from farmsteads, acreages, or very small towns.” They may not move to large metropolitan areas like Des Moines, but they might select a mid-sized urban area like Decorah, Iowa, Schott said.

A county seat, Decorah has a small college, a good health care system, shopping and other amenities. These are things that people of all ages find appealing, not just retirees. However, young people tend to move for economic reasons, Schott said. They go where the jobs are, and that is often the urban areas.

The Institute of Public Affairs provides an outreach service for the university, Schott said. They work with local governments on goal setting, strategic planning, economic development planning, community-based strategic planning, and staff and organizational development, to try to bolster local capacity. Part of their funding comes from the university’s general fund; however, Schott said that portion keeps getting smaller. That is why the university now charges for this service, based on the population of a community or organization.

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Schott hears a similar refrain wherever he works in towns across Iowa: We want people to move here and have jobs. But many locations do not have available affordable housing for people entering the workforce. Schott said towns need to ask themselves, ‘is our housing suitable? Are there rental units available?’ Besides housing, employers will want to know if there is a skilled workforce to meet their needs.

“Even in areas with high unemployment rates, we still have great difficulty finding a skilled workforce that we need to fill our jobs,” Schott said. “Workforce training is increasingly coming from community colleges, which is a step to meeting the needs of employers who might want to locate in a small town,” he said.

Rural communities once could receive economic development help from the USDA. “That money is getting harder to find, and block grant funding is harder to get, which affects infrastructure, sewer and water, and downtown development,” Schott said. A state agency, the Iowa Economic Development Authority is mostly focused on economic development, marketing and grant administration, but the planning component it once had has disappeared, according to Schott.

As a result, a number of cities and counties have taken it upon themselves to develop an economic development strategy to lure in baby boomer retirees. That is probably a good strategy, he said, “but some small towns have minimal or no public transit, not even cab service. Public transportation is important if you can’t drive,” he noted, referring to elderly residents.

A research team at Iowa’s other major state university, Iowa State, has developed an interactive website to help people “say yes to small towns.” The Rural Renaissance Community Index (RRCI) is a tool to entice former residents or college alumni to return to rural Iowa.

A visitor to the website can find information on towns that have the features that matter most to them. There are 128 communities listed on the site, selected on factors thought to indicate community vibrancy and growth.

These include a positive level of economic activity, whether they are county seats, whether they have good access to resources and services, along with social, leisure, and civic activities. They also include locales that have “unique features to offer, such as a college or university, art and cultural events, scenic areas and natural amenities, shopping and dining venues, and community festivals and activities,” according to the web site. Iowa communities included in the RRCI range in population from 727 to 27,740.

The RRCI pitches the idea of rural living to an audience of urbanites, whether born that way or not. “It’s not uncommon to be drawn to a location by a larger salary, only to find it’s not worth the cost to your quality of life. Housing is exceedingly expensive; the daily commute is costly, stressful, and time consuming; school systems are poor; crime is a concern; there is little green space for recreation; and the air may be cut with a knife,” the web site notes before detailing opportunities for an “enhanced quality of life” in a small Iowa community.

RRCI researchers said they were partly in-

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spired to create this tool because in 2008, Iowa was named fifth in Morgan and Morgan’s Most Livable State ranking. Although the RRCI does not cite this fact, a 2012 Gallup poll ranked Iowa the seventh most livable state.

“A large part of why Iowa is a great place to live is the state’s relatively strong economy,” the pollsters explained. “The unemployment rate is the seventh lowest in the country at 5.2%, while the national rate is 8.2%.

Iowa ranks third for job creation in the nation. Manufacturing added the most jobs of any nonfarm sector in Iowa in 2011.

Meanwhile, the housing sector also seems to be rebounding in the state.” In spite of this encouraging summary, it was also noted that Iowa was the fifth worst in the category of “Outlook on Life in Five Years.”

Kevin Clark is an Iowa entrepreneur who

said he’s watched the state’s population redistribute even before the farm crisis hit.

He has a sense of inevitability about smalltown Iowa.

“I grew up in northwest Iowa and I lived rural population loss,” he recounted. “The veterans had returned to their dads’ farms after WWII. But they were slowly coming to the realization that the 80 acres or 160 acres would no longer support a family. My original and thriving school shrank to the edge of survival, then consolidated with another. The loss continued and that school has since consolidated again... and is still smaller than my original country school. It saddens me to think about it,” Clark said.

“The cultural effects have been devastating,” Clark continued. “As much of the talent leaves small communities, it is replaced by people attracted merely to low priced hous-

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ing. It is a poor exchange for the community.

Yet, it feels to me, fighting this trend is like spitting into the wind. Almost all growth, progress and improvement for humanity has come from cities. People haven’t been driven to the cities; they’ve chosen to go there. That is because in spite of risks and difficulties, the cities have almost always offered them great improvements in their lives. That appears to continue to be the case today.”

Clark considers whether various incentives and marketing tactics by government entities are really worth it. “Rather than fighting an expensive and ultimately un-winnable war, we might be better off to encourage growth wherever we find it naturally occurring in Iowa,” he said. n

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Sustainable City Network Magazine

‘Walking School Buses’ Picking Up Speed Programs Help Fight Obesity and Reduce Emissions

BY MICHELLE VOLKMANN

More U.S. children are getting to school the old school way – by walking.

Requiring only two volunteers and a neighborhood of children willing to dress for the weather, the “walking school bus” is part of a growing national trend to combat childhood obesity, traffic congestion and auto emission pollution in urban areas.

According to the “Trends in Walking and Bicycling to School” report released October 2013 by the National Center for Safe Routes to School, a greater percentage of children between the grades of kindergarten and eighth grade are choosing active school travel. Parent surveys showed the percentage of children walking to and from school increased from 12.4 percent in 2007 to 15.7 percent in 2012 in the morning and 15.8 percent in 2007 to 19.7 percent in 2012 in the afternoon. The data was compiled from parent surveys submitted by 8,119 schools representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

“It documents we are stepping in a positive direction for active school travel programs,” said Seth LaJeunesse, project coordinator for the National Center for Safe Routes to School.

The National Center for Safe Routes to School is a product of the U.S. Federal Transportation Reauthorization Bill — The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act — that was approved in 2005. The federal program’s purpose is to “enable and encourage children, including those with disabilities, to walk and bicycle to school; to make walking and bicycling to school safe and more

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appealing; and to facilitate the planning, development and implementation of projects that will improve safety, and reduce traffic, fuel consumption, and air pollution in the vicinity of schools.” One of the outcomes has been the implementation of walking school buses at schools across the country.

The concept of a walking bus was first mentioned in Australian David Engwicht’s 1992 book “Reclaiming our Cities and Towns.” After being introduced, the concept was adopted in the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe. The first American walking bus was organized by two parents in Marin County, Calif., in 1999 and it showed positive results.

The best description of a walking school bus is a carpool without the car.

But while walking school bus enthusiasts say that walking to school is an “old school” method of transportation, these schoolsponsored programs are a far cry from the independent child walking to school that was the norm in the 1950s.

Today, a committee of volunteers tests walking bus routes prior to the first day of school. Attendance is taken at each meeting point and students are registered to participate. The state of Virginia is in development with a consultant for a smartphone application to use for attendance in the near future. Students may earn prizes as incentives to walk to school.

Volunteers attend training on pedestrian safety and go through a background check.

“From fall 2000 to spring 2002, there was a 64 percent increase in the number of

children walking, a 114 percent increase in the number of students biking, a 91 percent increase in the number of students carpooling, and a 39 percent decrease in the number of children arriving by private car carrying only one student,” according to the article “Promoting Safe Walking and Biking to School: The Marin County Success Story” published in American Journal of Public Health in September 2003.

In 2007, only 1,833 schools were participating in the National Safe Routes to School program. By September 2013, 13,863 schools were actively involved.

But while the percentage of children walking to school increased; there also were a growing percentage of children who were dropped off by their parents. It increased from 51.4 percent (2007) to 54.7 percent (2012) in the morning and from 42 (2007) to 45.3 percent (2012) in the afternoon.

Students in medium-income schools and younger students, between kindergarten and second grade, are most likely to be driven to school. The Safe Routes to School study found that students whose parents had higher levels of education and who attended high-income city schools also were the most likely to ride in a car to school.

In contrast, students attending low-income schools were the most likely to walk to schools. The Safe Routes to School study found that walking increased from 21.8 percent to 27.6 percent in the morning and from 24.6 percent to 31.5 percent in the afternoon.

But is the decision to walk to school a

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movement toward healthier lifestyles or merely the result of reductions in school transportation budgets?

In the same time period examined (20072012), the Safe Routes of School study found bus riders decreased from 32.9 percent to 27 percent in the morning and from 38.4 percent to 31.9 percent in the afternoon.

“We have several completed infrastructure projects that have noninfrastructure funding to spend as well, but there is no one with the city or school who will take the funding and put even a small program in place,” Ridnour said in an email interview. “Everyone is too busy and the (federal) rules and regulations to spend the money are too time-consuming and cumbersome, I guess.”

According to a survey conducted by the American Association of School Administrators in 2012, the percentage of school districts that implemented bus transportation cuts grew from 10 percent in the 2008-2009 school years to 20 percent in 2010-2011 and 29.2 percent in 2011-2012.

These funding reductions also might explain why a higher percentage of parents are driving their children to school.

Rural schools also are unrepresented in the school report, LaJeunesse said, noting that students living more than two miles from school did not see an increase in walking or bicycling to school from 2007-2012.

The proportion walking to and from school remained steady at 0.6 percent in the morning and 1.7 percent in the afternoon, according to the National Center for Safe Routes to School study.

Budget cuts are one more reason school administrators are embracing the Safe Routes to School program. Between 20072012, the percentage of parents who stated that their child’s school supported walking and bicycling from home and school increased from 24.9 percent to 33 percent, according to the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) study.

Another hurdle is identifying pedestrianfriendly school routes. There need to be sidewalks and paths, as well as crosswalks where children can safely cross the street.

That’s where city officials can offer their

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support for walking school bus programs and gain the rewards of healthy children and lower auto emissions.

In the 2008 study, “Youth Travel to School: Community Design Relationships with Mode Choice, Vehicle Emissions, and Healthy Body Weight,” the consultant with Lawrence Frank and Company, Inc. reported to the United States Environmental Protection Agency that, “An increase in sidewalk coverage along the route to school from the median value (26.4 percent sidewalk coverage) to the 60th percentile (36.5 percent coverage) improves the final likelihood that a child will choose to walk to school by a factor of 18.44 percent.

That same change also reduces school trip distance by 4.97 percent, carbon dioxide emissions by 5.49 percent, hydrocarbon emissions by 3.08 percent, and oxides of nitrogen by 3.97 percent, per student, per trip.”

Walking school buses also might lead to safer inner city neighborhoods.

In Chicago, city officials report that its

In the study, “Shifting Modes: A Comparative Analysis of SRTS Program Elements and Travel Mode Outcomes,” four components were identified as necessary for a successful SRTS program: an in-school leader to champion the program, activities that reinforced walking and bicycling, parent support of the program, and polices that support the program.

“The principal legitimizing it is a key component to success in the program,” LaJeunesse said.

Iowa’s Safe Routes to School Program Manager Kathy Ridnour agreed that an active school travel leader or champion is vital to a program’s sustainability.

n

Children participate in Walk to School Day at Cerritos Elementary School in Phoenix.

(Reprinted with permission by the National Center for Safe Routes to School. [ 23 ]

Sustainable City Network Magazine

Improving children’s safety while walking and bicycling is a central mission of Safe Routes to School.

And program benefits stretch beyond the school day. Learn more at www.saferoutesinfo.org/ Safe Passage program, which encourages children to use a highly organized walking school bus, led to a 20 percent decline in criminal incidents around participating schools, a 27 percent drop in incidents among students, and a 7 percent increase in attendance during the past two years in high schools that have the program.

But this type of lifestyle shift isn’t easy, said Amy Thompson, Heatherwood Elementary School SRTS Coordinator in Boulder, Colo.

“In three short years, Heatherwood Elementary was transformed from a typical, suburban, car-centric school to a role model and leader in making ‘alternative’ transportation not just the norm but enthusiastically embraced by our community,” Thompson said in a Safe

Routes to School press release. “We have more than tripled the number of kids using human-powered transportation to school, and there are far fewer cars (and their subsequent pollution) arriving at our doorstep each day. Walking and cycling is now accepted as a fun, safe and healthy mode of transportation, and it extends beyond just the trips to and from school.

“My advice is to be patient with infrastructure improvements; they take a lot of time to implement,” Thompson added in the release. “Biking and walking to school is fun and community building.

Once you get everyone’s enthusiasm level up, they can help you take the education and infrastructure improvements even further and give great feedback and ideas.”

For schools and parents who haven’t yet participated in a walking school bus, LaJeunesse offered this advice.

“I think it’s worth a try. If it’s not something your school normally does, start with a Walk to School event,” LaJeunesse said. “There has been a significant shift to walking. You are not alone. A lot of others are doing it too.” n

Prior to becoming a freelance writer, Michelle Volkmann worked as a reporter for newspapers and magazines in Texas, Arizona, California and Japan. She has a journalism degree from Iowa State University. She currently lives in Monterey, Calif. You may contact her by emailing info@scitynetwork.com.

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Creative Ways to Finance Sustainability Projects Crowdfunding Lets Citizens Invest a Little to Get a Lot

BY JESSICA CHAPMAN

DENVER, Colo. – City budget deficits are far from rare. Chicago, Phoenix and Newark are just a few examples of cities confronting likely shortfalls in the upcoming fiscal year. And on the extreme end of the spectrum there’s Detroit, which filed for bankruptcy in the summer of 2013 citing a staggering $18-20 billion in debt.

So how can cities find room in their budgets for sustainability initiatives?

Well, in Colorado the recent legalization of recreational marijuana use means cities like Denver could begin seeing millions in new revenue starting this year. Such a distinctive way of generating new money makes it perhaps fitting that this year’s annual New Partners for Smart Growth conference took place in the “Mile High City.”

through online donations, toward a larger goal. Ryan Stover, co-founder and chief creative officer for a Fort Collins, Colo.-based crowdfunding site called Community Funded, described the fundraising tool as “a big shift in the way things are being funded.”

Scrolling through Community Funded’s website, Stover pointed out inspiring examples of crowdfunding: a family raising money to pay for a child’s exorbitant hospital bills, Fort Collins residents coming together to maintain a bike lending library, a young man with little money but a lot of entrepreneurial spirit launching a new brand of energy bar.

“Crowdfunding is storytelling with this funding process built in,” Stover explained.

Add to it the power of technology, he said, and the possibilities soar.

“The multiplicative effect of communication takes these concepts to a whole new level,” he said. “Technology allows incredible connectivity.”

But, most municipalities represented at the conference couldn’t bank on taxation and regulation of a controlled substance to pay for smart-growth projects. Two conference sessions in particular offered attendees a number of other compelling ideas and options for funding projects.

One session, “Follow the Crowd: New Funding and Civic Engagement Tools for Equitable Development,” addressed how funding models are shifting and new avenues are opening up to basically anyone with an internet connection, assisted by recent legislation and an increasingly civic-minded public seeking to connect with each other and support their communities.

One model discussed – crowdfunding – has become a buzzword in recent years.

Popularized by platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo, crowdfunding provides a way for many people to pool resources, typically [ 25 ]

Sustainable City Network Magazine

Scot Spencer, associate director of advocacy and influence for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, emphasized the powerful role that philanthropy can play. He cited as an example the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy in 2012, when the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was limited in the ways it could offer assistance to affected communities.

Crowdfunding could be modified and used for many different purposes, Stover said, including use by government entities.

“We’ve had conversations with governments of all sizes,” he said.

“There’s the idea of taking these tools and you can put them on any website and open up any platform. It works great for government programs aimed at revitalizing and creating startups and business incubators. Things are being created already. It’s a set of tools that can be adapted and fit to any niche.”

According to both Stover and Dan Miller, co-founder of the Washington, D.C.-based real estate startup Fundrise (and its companion crowdfunding site, Popularise), the momentum around crowdfunding will be boosted by enactment of the 2012 Jumpstart our Business Startups (JOBS) Act. Though not yet fully in effect, the legislation, among other things, deregulates securities rules on raising capital, including lifting a ban on public solicitation of, and marketing to, investors.

The changes will have powerful effects not only on crowdfunding ventures, but business startups like Miller’s as well.

“It’s going to create a revolution in capital and how the entire system works,” said Fundrise’s Miller, whose business eliminates middlemen in real estate transactions and allows individuals to invest in their communities for as little as $100. “The JOBS Act will allow people to raise capital with really little to no upfront cost. It will be a few thousand in legal fees instead of nine months of filings and hundreds of thousands [spent] preparing.”

Meanwhile, philanthropic foundations also remain a stable option for cities and organizations in need of supplemental funding to support programming. A session called “Where’s the Money: 2014 Smart Growth Funding Report” brought together representatives from several wellknown philanthropic foundations to relate trends and offer advice on funding opportunities.

Panelists returned to themes of resilience and adaptability in their recommendations. Funding appeals related to climate change mitigation also are particularly appealing to foundations right now, they reported.

Panelist Francesca Vietor, program director with the San Francisco Foundation, emphasized the need for grant applicants to also be cognizant of the country’s shifting demographics.

That doesn’t mean organizations should feel limited though, said John Nordgren, a senior program officer with the Kresge Foundation. [ 26 ]

“You can start with where you are,” he reassured. “You can start with water if that’s what your community is wrestling with and use that as a door through which you can work on other agendas. But have a broad conversation. Engage across sectors. Do multi-sectoral, multijurisdictional engagement on your own as a matter of course.”

Scot Spencer, associate director of advocacy and influence for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, emphasized the powerful role that philanthropy can play. He cited as an example the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy in 2012, when the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was limited in the ways it could offer assistance to affected communities.

According to Spencer, about 20 early childhood centers were devastated by the storm, but FEMA was able to offer assistance only to federallyfunded Head Start-affiliated centers. This not only created the burden of leaving a number of childcare centers closed for an extended period of time, but also caused some parents to be unable to work as a result of the absence of childcare.

“But a bunch of philanthropies came together to give money upfront to get some things taken care of,” Spencer said. “In times of emergency, philanthropy can come to a pretty hefty rescue and in a pretty good way that government cannot at all times.”

Thomas Gougeon, president of the Gates Family Foundation in Denver, cautioned that philanthropies should not be viewed as a panacea.

“The real resources are in the public sector and the private economy,” he said, “not in philanthropy. While philanthropy can be additive, you have to harness the other two to do the things you want. Just trying to work off philanthropy isn’t going to get it done.”

The future might well lie in the innovations unfolding at Stover’s Community Funded and Miller’s Fundrise. Reflecting on his aspirations for Fundrise, Miller said, “The real vision is you give people a tool to build their own city. They’re using this as a vehicle to organize, invest and manage and be a part of development around them. … It’s going to create better cities that are more connected and relevant to local community.”

Philanthropists agree.

“We’re going to be very vulnerable if we do things the way we’ve always done,” Gougeon said. n

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Food Hubs Bring Local Food In Reach Co-ops Stress Economic and Environmental Benefits

BY SARA BOOTH

Demand for local food is growing. Yet city dwellers often find it easier to buy a cabbage that has traveled 500 miles than one that was grown in the next county over. And farmers might find it easier to grow corn for a national market than table vegetables and fruits for a local one.

Who benefits when food is eaten closer to where it’s grown? “Everyone!” said Jason Grimm, food system planner with Iowa Valley Resource Conservation & Development and a member of the Iowa Valley Food Co-op. “It’s better for the environment. Better for the community. There are economic impacts on businesses and farmers.

It’s even better for schools, because local tax dollars can go back into the local economy.”

The food hub was born to bridge the gap between growers in rural areas and the stores, restaurants, schools, and hospitals in cities.

In other words, conventional agriculture serves customers by working at a large scale; a food hub serves customers by helping a large number of producers work together.

How, exactly, do they do that? The two basic tasks of a food hub are to help combine food from multiple producers and to help distribute it to individual buyers, retail outlets, and institutions. But the services take many forms. Some food hubs connect farmers with resources for processing and storing produce (from simple storage space to freezers and greenhouses); others help with licensing, insurance, and inspections. Some provide volunteer crews to help with planting and other tasks. Others offer financing.

Nick McCann, food system value chain coordinator with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, has seen the progress that can

The National Good Food Network defines a food hub as “a business or organization that actively manages the aggregation, distribution, and marketing of source-identified food products primarily from local and regional producers to strengthen their ability to satisfy wholesale, retail, and institutional demand.”

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Sustainable City Network Magazine

The National Good Food Network defines a food hub as “a business or organization that actively manages the aggregation, distribution, and marketing of sourceidentified food products primarily from local and regional producers to strengthen their ability to satisfy wholesale, retail, and institutional demand.” be gained when a food hub offers something as simple as a refrigerated truck, providing custom hauling so that farmers can focus on growing rather than transportation.

McCann has also overseen a pilot study placing locally produced yogurt in rural grocery stores. “We’ve been studying the effect of increased frequency of delivery to grocery stores, and there is substantial improvement” when food is delivered more frequently, both in the quantities sold and in the margins that producers can get.

Local food has the reputation for costing more. “We’ve found that it’s not always price, though that’s a perceived barrier for some consumers,” Grimm said. “The larger issue is access.”

Another innovation from McCann’s office is workplace CSAs. In a traditional Community Supported Agriculture system, buyers go to a central location each week to pick up a box of the items in season that week on the participating farms. This attracts highly motivated buyers, but for the rest of the market, having a box delivered to their place of work may be the factor that makes a CSA convenient enough to be worth considering.

“But 90 percent of us get our produce from the grocery store,” Grimm said. Some local or regional grocery chains are stocking more local produce in response to customer demand, but warehouse stores continue to prefer the larger-scale possibilities of conventional agriculture.

“For local vegetables to happen more often, we need farmers growing more quantity, cooperating together,” Grimm said.

It isn’t just the demand side that faces challenges; helping producers cooperate isn’t always easy, either. “All your growers have to have a common understanding of what size a box should be, so you’re not having to re-pack,” Grimm said. “And farmers have to learn ways of grading and packing” that work for combining with other producers.

To non-farmers, some of the barriers to the growing of produce are unexpected. Crop insurance programs might not be available; farmers might then choose to diversify their crops in order to reduce their risk, but this means a smaller harvest of any particular fruit or vegetable, making it more difficult to satisfy larger buyers such as restaurants, schools, or hospitals. [ 28 ]

Sometimes the law is a barrier, too. “The law is set up for conventional agriculture,” Grimm said. For example, some counties ban on-farm processing of poultry. Others, whose laws are written for single-planting, single-harvest crops such as corn, might consider the more frequent harvesting, packing, and shipping cycles associated with produce to be commercial activity and ban them under zoning regulations.

All these point to things that municipal leaders can do to support local food: • Form groups of citizens and officials to discuss issues and recommend changes. In some counties, such councils can be government-appointed, but simply having officials present and knowing they’re listening might be enough.

• Help fund the research stage of food hub formation. Good feasibility studies beforehand can help food hubs choose the appropriate level of staffing, locate producers and consumers, and learn from successful food hubs in other parts of the country. McCann offers consulting services, and producers come to him to learn sales strategies, the effects of more frequent deliveries, and other information that can help them succeed.

• Help with space -- for aggregating and storing, of course, but also for processing crops into value-added, multi-season items such as jellies and pickles that can expand the market for local produce. “Rural Iowa has a lot of vacant buildings,” McCann said, and many cities also have valuable real estate standing empty due to changes in patterns of population and industry.

• Generate community support. “A lot of people don’t know what’s out there right in their own backyard,” McCann said, “and they’d be surprised at the quality of local food during the growing season. And it’s beneficial for people to have relationships with the people who grow their food and what goes into making it.”

“I think of food as a necessary service that cities should be working on,” Grimm said, “not just for low-income people, but for everyone.” n

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