In this Issue:
Publication of Interest
Hot off the press, Review of Best Practices in Affordable Housing prepared by Tim Wake for Smart Growth BC. The purpose of this report is to review the range of affordable housing approaches used by local governments in select jurisdictions in Canada and the U.S. and to provide some preliminary comments about the effectiveness of
these tools. This review will provide the backdrop for Smart Growth B.C. to work with other organizations, the development sector and local governments to develop an affordable housing strategy. This report suggests the need for more robust affordable housing initiatives that reflect the learning from approaches undertaken in the U.S. since the 1980's.
To view the full report (PDF) please click here.  |
E-Newsletter - December 2007
Save the Date!
Our 2008 Conference will be held on Friday April 18th at the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver. The theme is: Making it Happen: Strategies for Implementing Smart Growth.
The keynote speaker will be Parris Glendening, former Governor of Maryland and current President of the Smart Growth Leadership Institute. More details will follow soon - for now please save the date!
Salmon Arm - a CAP Plus Community
Salmon Arm citizens are building momentum towards strengthening smart growth planning and action in their community with CAP Plus!
The Committee for a Strong and Sustainable Salmon Arm (CASSSA) and Smart Growth BC held a series of 6 neighbourhood workshops in October 2007
that were attended by over 250 community members. Participants discussed local neighbourhood issues and how smart growth solutions might address
them.
Following those workshops, a Downtown Issues, Ideas and Opportunities Workshop was held in November. Local community leaders and experts along
with planners from other communities shared their knowledge of the history of Salmon Arm's downtown, current policies, and ideas for the
future of this vibrant community town centre. Participants identified the most important issues facing downtown Salmon Arm and discussed next
steps for the CAP Plus Project.
A summary report, copies of the workshop presentations, and information on the process will be available on Smart Growth BC's website in the New Year. For further information contact Jason Emmert, Community Assistance Program Coordinator.
Smart Planning in the Central Kootenays
Smart Growth BC and Smart Growth Advisory Services have been involved in several planning projects throughout the Central Kootenays:
- Smart Growth Advisory Services has been working on Official Community Plan updates for the Village of Silverton and the Village of Kaslo. The OCPs have focused on preserving the character and special heritage of the communities; encouraging mixed use development in town centres; and preserving and enhancing community parks, greenspace and pedestrian or trail networks.
- CAP Coordinator Jason Emmert has been assisting Central Kootenay communities through Smart Growth BC's Community Assistance Program (CAP) in partnership with the Regional District of Central Kootenay. The project has involved consultation with the residents in Electoral Area D communities: Ainsworth, Argenta, rural Kaslo, and Meadow Creek. The project aims to enhance the collaboration and information sharing between communities in the region.
Sea-to-Sky Greenbelt is Launched
The Sea-to-Sky Greenbelt initiative was officially launched at the Brackendale Art Gallery on November 15th. Over 40 people from a variety of backgrounds attended the event.
Highlights of the launch include:
- The Vision was refined and shortened;
- Barriers and opportunities were identified;
- Great new questions and discussion points emerged;
- Next steps were identified.
Since the event, the Sea-to-Sky Greenbelt website has been launched and will provide a one-stop-shop for all information regarding the Greenbelt iniative.
You can also join the Sea-to-Sky Greenbelt listserv to get updates on local planning and development issues. Email Ione Smith to join!
Next steps include developing maps of what the corridor will look like in the future with and without a greenbelt and hosting a follow-up workshop in the spring of 2008 with invited speakers from Ontario and Vancouver Island greenbelt initiatives. In the meantime, be sure to keep an eye on the Tyee for a story on the Sea-to-Sky Greenbelt to be published in the next couple of weeks.
Tidbits: SGBC News Briefs
Smart Growth BC News Briefs:
- The 4th Smart Growth on the Ground community has been selected - the City of Prince George! Smart Growth BC is thrilled - this is the first time we've worked with a northern community, as well as a community that serves as a regional centre.
- Smart Growth BC undertook a Review of Best Practices in Market and Non-market Affordable Housing Strategies in North America. From those best practices, we are now developing a toolkit on how to implement and scale up these tools and strategies in BC communities.
- We will be releasing our new report "Innovative Infrastructure Financing Mechanisms" in January and our new position paper on effective regional planning and governance for smart growth soon. Stay tuned!
- Smart Growth Advisory Services is completing work on two OCP revisions in Silverton and Kaslo, as well as the downtown area plan for the District of Squamish.
Staff Changes at Smart Growth BC
We are pleased to welcome five new staff this year:
Michael Alexander - an urban planning and national parks advocate, and former photojournalist for publications including Time, Life and the New York Times, Michael joined Smart Growth BC as a research analyst, focusing on transportation and land use issues
Dave Hohenschau - holding a Masters degreen in landscape architecture, Dave joined us in April and brings his design, GIS, research and planning skills to Smart Growth Advisory Services and Smart Growth on the Ground.
Shana Johnstone - a landscape architect, Shana joined us in October and brings project management, research and design skills as our new Smart Growth on the Ground Manager.
Hilary Mandel - newly moved to Vancouver from Los Angeles, Hilary brings business and fund development expertise as our new Director of Development.
Erin Welk - an urban geographer, Erin joined us in August and brings research and planning skills to Smart Growth BC's numerous projects.
We are excited to be adding such great expertise to our team!
Smart Growth BC is a provincial non-governmental organization devoted to fiscally, socially and environmentally responsible land use and development. Working with community groups, businesses, municipalities and the public, we support the creation of more livable communities in British Columbia. |