The Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials State Superfund Focus Group has published a resource document for states, EPA, local officials, and others on state approaches to monitoring and oversight of land use controls (LUCs) as part of risk-based cleanups and closure of contaminated properties. As defined by EPA, LUCs, also known as institutional controls, are legal measures limiting human exposure to contaminants by restricting activity, use, and access to properties with residual contamination. The document, which is a follow-up to a 2007 report, addresses issues such as who is responsible for ensuring compliance, monitoring and oversight approaches, how oversight of LUCs is funded, and lessons learned by states. For more information, link to State Approaches to Monitoring and Oversight of Land Use Controls. (10-27-09)

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A new publication of the Environmental and Energy Study Institute provides a summary of state initiatives to address climate change. The report, which covers the period through July 2009, finds that 37 states have implemented a statewide climate action plan, and that 42 of 50 states have taken some formal action to address climate change, either through a climate action plan or participation in a regional climate change agreement. The report also documents an analysis conducted by EESI of how state climate action plans address land use issues, and particularly how state action plans incorporate transportation, green building, and land use or “smart growth” practices. Among these, transportation practices were found to be the most dominant feature of many state action plans. In addition to summaries of each state’s climate initiatives, the report provides a table of specific aspects of urban planning incorporated into state climate action plans. For more information, link to State Actions on Climate Change: A Focus on How Our Communities Grow. (October 2009)

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Integration of water and land use planning in the Pacific Northwest will be the theme of a regional conference scheduled for Nov. 4-6, 2009, in Stevenson, Wash. The conference, titled “Water and Land Use in the Pacific Northwest: Integrating Communities and Watersheds,” will seek to improve collaboration between scientists, engineers, and planners on sustainable development. The conference agenda includes keynote speakers, panel discussions, presentations, and a poster session. For more information, link to the conference website. (10-14-09)

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Best practices for successful transportation and land-use integration will be presented at a workshop, “Transportation, Land Use, and Green Urbanism,” conducted by the American Planning Association Planners Training Service on Nov. 6-7, 2009, in San Francisco. The first day of the workshop will focus on the latest research and context, such as managing induced growth impact of highways; transit-oriented development; traffic calming and context-sensitive design; and how federal and state policies reshape the practice of transportation and land use planning. Day two will offer steps local communities can take to remove transportation obstacles to sustainability, addressing topics such as transportation performance measures, impact fees, travel demand modeling and transportation demand management, parking, and smaller streets. For more information, link to APA Planners Training Service website. (10-14-09)

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The American Planning Association has announced the 2009 designees under its Great Places in America program, which annually recognizes places “of exemplary character, quality, and planning.” This year’s designations include ten Great Streets, ten Great Neighborhoods, and ten Great Public Spaces in 25 states, chosen based on criteria such as architectural features, accessibility, functionality, community involvement, and other factors including geography and sustainable development. For more information, link to the news release and the Great Places in America website. (10-7-09)

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A new report released by the Environmental Protection Agency's Smart Growth Program identifies barriers in local land development codes and ordinances that can get in the way of communities implementing smart growth. The report describes 11 "Essential Fixes" to the most common barriers facing local governments, addressing topics such as mixing land uses, addressing parking requirements, modernizing street standards, managing stormwater, adopting smart annexation policies, and others. Each of the Essential Fixes describes the problem and actions that communities can take to address smart growth challenges. For more information, link to Essential Smart Growth Fixes for Urban and Suburban Zoning Codes. (9-24-09)

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A new report of the U.S. Government Accountability Office documents a study of efforts to promote affordable housing in transit-oriented development (TOD). The study considered ways that TOD can affect the availability of affordable housing; action by local state, and federal agencies to ensure that affordable housing is available in TOD; and recent federal interagency collaboration to ensure that affordable housing objectives are integrated in TOD. The report offers key recommendations for DOT and HUD to enhance their recent efforts: development of an implementation plan for interagency efforts to promote affordable housing in TODs; ensuring that data collection is sufficient to assess the results of those efforts; and adopting a formal approach to key collaboration practices. For more information, link to Affordable Housing in Transit-Oriented Development: Key Practices Could Enhance Recent Collaboration Efforts Between DOT-FTA and HUD. (9-24-09)

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The Maryland Department of Planning has published a booklet designed to serve as a reference guide to planning and smart growth requirements in the state. The guide includes background on enabling legislation and significant laws governing land use planning in the state, including the “Smart, Green & Growing” planning legislation signed by Gov. Martin O’Malley in May 2009. The guide also explains major land use planning tools used throughout the state, including the comprehensive plan, the zoning ordinance, development capacity analysis, transfer of development rights, and adequate public facility ordinances. In addition, the guide provides a list of state planning publications. For more information, link to the Smart, Green & Growing Planning Guide. (9-22-09)

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, along with the Environmental Protection Agency, the International City/County Management Association, and the Rhode Island Sea Grant, have released a report that offers guidelines for coastal and waterfront communities to implement smart growth principles. The guide, which is intended for planners, local government officials, developers, residents, and other stakeholders, includes an overview of challenges to and opportunities for coastal and waterfront development.  The guide also offers specific approaches to development, including descriptions of the issues, tools and techniques, and case studies. For more information, link to Smart Growth for Coastal and Waterfront Communities and NOAA’s Coastal & Waterfront Smart Growth website. (9-9-09)

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A report funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and produced by the National Research Council examines the relationship between land development patterns and motor vehicle travel in the United States. The report documents a study conducted by the Transportation Research Board and the Board on Energy and Environmental Systems to assess whether petroleum consumption, and by extension greenhouse gas emissions, could be reduced through compact, mixed-use development. The report estimates that reductions in vehicle miles traveled (VMT), fuel use, and carbon dioxide emissions resulting from more compact development would range from less than 1 percent to 11 percent by 2050. However, members of the committee that produced the report disagreed about whether the changes in development patterns and public policy necessary to achieve the higher estimates are plausible. TRB will conduct webinar on the report on Oct. 21, 2009, from 2-3 PM EDT. For more information, link to Driving and the Built Environment: The Effects of Compact Development on Motorized Travel, Energy Use, and CO2 Emissions (TRB Special Report 298). (9-1-09)

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The National Association of Regional Councils has released a report that offers a framework for a federal livability initiative to promote comprehensive regional planning that crosses multiple federal agencies and coordinates planning requirements for transportation, the environment, economic growth, land use, and housing. Recommendations include: reaffirm the federal role in regionalism; coordinate regional assistance programs; conduct federal interagency meetings; determine federal livability goals; establish competitive regional planning grants; ensure that land use requirements do not impede local decisionmaking; incentivize coordination among local and regional activities; improve federal data collection, research, and analysis; providing for transparency and accountability; and conduct a Congressional Research Service study. The report also includes regional examples of NARC members that are leaders in efforts to establish liveable communities. For more information, link to the news release and the Federal Livability Framework: A Central Rule for Regions. (8-24-09)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has published a new guidebook for older adults on resources for smart growth and active aging. The guidebook addresses the basic principles of “age-friendly” community designs that are healthier and more environmentally friendly. The guidebook also includes a chapter on transportation and mobility that provides strategies and project examples for improving walkability, designing “complete streets,” rebuilding along highway corridors, and providing more travel choices. In addition, the guidebook contains a self-assessment tool for communities to rate how well they are following the principles of smart growth. For more information, link to Growing Smarter, Living Healthier: A Guide to Smart Growth and Active Aging. (8-20-09)

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Innovative practices for the integration of transportation and land use planning for transportation corridors are featured in a report on research conducted under the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP 08-36, Task 86). The report includes an inventory of notable practices used successfully by state departments of transportation and other agencies to integrate land use and transportation, such as access management, multimodal operations, transit service improvements, and others. Also included are case studies from six states and a literature review. For more information, link to Corridor Approaches to Integrating Transportation and Land Use (NCHRP Project 08-36, Task 86). (7-14-09)

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NatureServe and the National Geographic Society have collaborated to create a new online conservation and educational resource for the land-protection community and the public, LandScope America. The website offers an interactive map viewer to combine maps, data, photos, and stories about America's natural places and open spaces. The website also provides tools and resources for strategic conservation planning and priority-setting. For more information, link to LandScope America. (6-17-09)

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The American Planning Association has published a report that provides guidance on developing model smart growth regulations. The report offers an overview of land development regulations and includes 21 model codes and ordinances that can be adapted by local governments to implement planning policies for multimodal transportation, infill development, preservation of open space and environmentally-sensitive areas, and other smart growth objectives. For more information, link to Smart Codes: Model Land-Development Regulations. (6-10-09)

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A series of nine demonstration projects on the Ipswich River watershed in Massachusetts demonstrate the use of innovative low-impact development and green infrastructure techniques for water conservation. The demonstration projects, funded by a $1 million grant under the Environmental Protection Agency’s Targeted Watershed Grant Program, implement techniques such as narrower roads, use of permeable paving stones, and open space preservation to control stormwater runoff and conserve water. For more information, link to EPA’s news release and the project website. (6-9-09)

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U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has announced a list of 106 projects in 31 states that received over $228 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for forest roads maintenance, decommissioning, and associated watershed and ecosystem restoration. According to Secretary Vilsack, the projects will help improve water quality by reducing sedimentation in streams and restore natural resources and fish habitats. For more information, link to the list of ARRA funded projects. (6-2-09)

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The Urban Land Institute has issued its second annual report on trends in population growth, urbanization, aging, and migration and their implications for long-term land use. The report considers how demographic trends affect real estate investment and development worldwide, with a special emphasis on Europe and Africa, and focuses on the key topic areas of the labor force, education, and productivity; personal income, purchasing power, and poverty; and retailing. For more information link to Global Demographics 2009. (6-1-09)

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New research conducted by the Center for Neighborhood Technology comparing the transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions of city and suburban households across the United States has found that people living in cities and compact neighborhoods emit nearly 70 percent less than those living in suburbs. CNT has compiled the data into a new interactive map on its Housing + Transportation Affordability Index website, allowing users to compare carbon dioxide emissions from urban and suburban households in 53 metropolitan regions. The data shows that residents of cities and compact neighborhoods – who can travel by car-sharing, transit, biking, or walking - generate less carbon dioxide per household than those in more dispersed communities. The new mapping tool allows users to select a region for greenhouse gas impact comparisons. For more information, link to the Household Auto Greenhouse Gas Emissions tool. (5-29-09)

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The Environmental Energy and Study Institute and Transportation for America will host a briefing on June 5, 2009, in Washington, D.C., to discuss how “complete streets” policies can be incorporated into the next federal transportation authorization legislation. These policies encourage the design of multi-modal street networks that can safely accommodate all users, including transit riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians of all ages. The briefing will consider a recent report by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Planning Complete Streets for an Aging America, which highlights the need for comprehensive complete streets policies as the population ages. The report finds that most transportation planners and engineers currently do not consider the needs of older Americans in their multi-modal planning. For more information, link to Complete Streets: Integrating Safety and Livability into the Next Transportation Bill. (5-28-09)

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A report prepared by Reconnecting America for the Local Initiatives Support Corp. provides case studies of how 10 transit-oriented development (TOD) tools have been applied by local communities across the country. The TOD tools profiled include livable communities; station area planning; community effort; right-sized parking; shared parking; aesthetic zoning; public-private partnerships; joint development; land assembly; and housing trust funds. For more information, link to Case Studies for Transit Oriented Development. (5-19-09)

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The Environmental Protection Agency and the Capital Region Council of Governments of the Hartford, Connecticut, metro area will conduct a two-part workshop May 14 and 16, 2009, on implementing sustainable approaches to housing and mixed-use development. The workshop will consider guidelines for selecting and developing sites for housing and mixed-used development that reduce transportation costs and energy consumption. The workshop also will feature three sites from across the Hartford area as potential locations for application of sustainable housing and mixed-use development approaches. For more information, link to the registration webpage and EPA’s Smart Growth Implementation Assistance Program. (5-5-09)

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Prevention Magazine has published its 2009 list of the 25 Best Walking Cities in the United States, recognizing San Francisco, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago as the top walking cities. The list is based on an annual survey conducted with the American Podiatric Medical Association and Sperling’s Best Places. For more information, link to the 25 Best Walking Cities. (5-5-09)

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