REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR THE 2013 AHWAHNEE CONFERENCE FOR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS!
It's time to register and reserve your room for the 22nd Annual Ahwahnee Conference for Local Elected Officials. This year's conference has been carefully designed to answer the year's most burning question, "How do we help our communities become more vital and economically successful when it seems we have fewer financial resources than ever before?" Your answers might come from partnering with local businesses, developers, or local nonprofits - perhaps even your local residents can help. The answers might come from modifying your land use patterns so that they are designed to accommodate the workers of the New Economy. Or help might come in the form of surprising new revenue sources.
Our speakers will provide you with ideas and answers and lots of good discussion. Among those confirmed and/or invited are: Assemblyman John Perez, Speaker of the Assembly; Kim Walesh, San Jose's innovative Economic Development Director; Michael Freedman, the urban planner and architect of downtown Mt. View and other highly successful cities; Cisco DeVries, the man behind the new version of the PACE energy financing tool; Glenda Humiston, Director of the CA State Department of Agriculture; Commissioner Mark Ferron of the Public Utilities Commission; and Ilaria Salvadori, Director of San Francisco's Parklet Program.
You can also join us the evening before the conference, on March 14, to discuss steps that our communities can take to prepare for and adapt to climate change and extreme weather events. Our session leaders will provide their experiences with cutting-edge local and regional efforts and let you know where to find the resources and information you will need to begin addressing this serious topic.
Register on line and find more information and the conference agenda here.
We hope to see you soon in the beautiful Yosemite Valley!
 ENVISION YOUR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY: LET THE IDEAS BEGIN!
More sustainable communities can become a reality, but that can't happen without your help.
 That's why the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference invites you to join EnvisionSustainableCommunities.com, a new engagement website created by MindMixer, and powered by the ideas of engaged people like you. Your ideas and the ideas of your colleagues will guide the goals of the annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference series and provide a forum for communities to share their success stories of overcoming challenges, implementing smart growth practices and creating more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous communities, now and into the future.
It's easy to get in on the conversation. Enter the online forum at EnvisionSustainableCommunities.com any time, anywhere. Contribute new ideas, second or expand on ideas you like, and vote in instant polls; all while earning rewards for your participation. The Local Government Commission and U.S. EPA leaders will be tuned in to what you and your colleagues are saying and keep track of what you want to see, hear and know more about at the next conference and beyond.
Join the discussion on topics like:
* What is your vision for a sustainable future?
* How have you overcome obstacles in your community in order to create and maintain parks, trails and open spaces?
* How have you addressed the transit needs of small cities and rural communities?
* How has your community evolved in order to withstand more frequent natural disasters?
* And much, much more!!!
More sustainable communities can become a reality, but the process will fall short without your ideas and experiences. The conversation will fall flat without the vision of your colleagues. Spread the word! Visit EnvisionSustainableCommunities.com to help shape the future of your community, and communities everywhere. Together, we can make America more sustainable!
 IN-DEPTH COVERAGE OF EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT AT NEW PARTNERS CONFERENCE IN KANSAS CITY
In addition to the many sessions devoted to equitable development and environmental justice issues in the New Partners conference program, the LGC and EPA have put together a dynamic half-day workshop titled Sustainable Neighborhoods, Thriving Residents: Strategies for Building Equitable Communities, Wednesday, February 6.
Come a day early to Kansas City, MO to explore how low-income, minority, tribal, and other overburdened communities are integrating land use and economic development strategies to renew their neighborhoods and build residents' skills and wealth. This workshop will include cross-sector representatives from the local level to federal organizations and interactive training sessions that address health and environmental concerns, provide more housing and transportation options, promote wellness, increase access to opportunities, train workers, support local businesses, build on community assets, and develop strategies for growth that uplifts all residents. It will conclude with reflections by federal and other leaders on how their organizations will support equitable development in the year ahead. Afternoon coffee will be provided. Pre-registration and a nominal fee of $18 are required.
To learn more about this dynamic workshop and the more than 90 other sessions on the program, and to REGISTER, visit www.newpartners.org. The registration deadline is January 18th so don't delay!
 CALL-FOR-SESSION PROPOSALS FOR THE 4TH ANNUAL SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL CONFERENCE
Planning is underway for the 4th Annual Safe Routes to School National Conference, to be held August 13-15, 2013 in Sacramento, CA. The event is hosted by the LGC and cosponsored by the National Center for Safe Routes to Schools and the Safe Routes to Schools National Partnership.
The LGC will be conducting a formal Call for Session Proposals process for this important event from January 7th through February 15th. Visit the conference web site at www.saferoutesconference.org on January 7th, to access the online submittal form and detailed instructions on how to submit proposals. Please share this information with anyone you think would have an interest in submitting a session or presentation proposal.
 LGC CONDUCTS WEEK-LONG DESIGN CHARRETTE IN ALBANY, CA FOR SAFER WALKING, BIKING CORRIDORS
LGC conducted a weeklong charrette in Albany on December 6-12 with residents to create a plan to make it easier and safer to walk, bike, ride the bus, and drive along San Pablo Avenue and Buchanan Street, the two busiest corridors in the City. LGC was joined by Dan Burden of the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute, who led the public input. Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates and Wallace Roberts & Todd is preparing the plan. About 50 people participated in the Thursday evening kick off meeting and Saturday walk and design workshop. The consultant team worked for 3 days on site the following week translating the input into proposed design solutions. 70 people viewed the closing presentation, which included community gateways on San Pablo Avenue where the road crosses creeks at both ends, green "supersharrow" shared lanes for cars and bicycles, tree-planted medians, and high visibility crosswalks and pedestrian crossing islands, among other things. This planning effort is supported by a Community-Based Transportation Planning Grant received by the City of Albany in partnership with LGC. The draft plan will be ready in February or March. For more information, contact Josh Meyer at jmeyer@lgc.org.
|
