BOISE, Idaho –The Urban Land Institute and Idaho Smart Growth today released findings and recommendations from a newly completed “infill development” study. Boise Mayor Dave Bieter and the Boise City Council will be scheduling a workshop on the study’s recommendations and other Idaho community leaders will soon have that opportunity.
The study recommends ten priorities to ensure that new construction in existing neighborhoods wins the support of neighbors and contributes to a healthier, more functional community.
“This working group has produced a toolkit of smart approaches and on-the-ground understanding that will be useful to Idaho leaders as they identify good ideas that have been refined over time in larger cities where urbanization has already advanced, ” said Urban Land Institute Idaho District Council Chairman Bob Taunton.
“People get too focused on density numbers. The goal needs to be great design that creates great places to live, with great outdoor places nearby – great places where you’d want to spend time,” said working group contributor and architect Sherry McKibben, director of the Idaho Urban Research and Design Center.
In 2008, the Urban Land Institute and Idaho Smart Growth completed a study of infill projects in the Boise area to determine if feared consequences, such as increased traffic and decreased property values, were substantiated. While most feared consequences were found unsubstantiated, the partners in that study concluded that a critical next step was to develop policy recommendations promoting quality infill.
Idaho Smart Growth and the Urban Land Institute convened a diverse committee to complete an extensive literature review, hold a series of public workshops, and developing a list of recommendations to encourage quality infill projects that complement existing neighborhoods and are successful developments. By comparing the experiences of other places with the experiences in Idaho, the committee that was convened identified key steps that Idaho communities can take to encourage infill that will reduce infrastructure demands and revitalize existing neighborhoods while avoiding the negative impacts so often feared.
The full report is available at www.idahosmartgrowth.org.
Recommendations for Quality Infill
1. Reform zoning and regulations to support building forms, densities, and dimensional standards consistent with infill projects
2. Make infill compatible to be respectful of existing neighbors and neighborhood character.
3. Create priority infill areas to concentrate incentives and remove barriers in these areas.
4. Educate about infill to include all stakeholders and utilize innovative technologies such as visualizations.
5. Employ design guidelines to develop a set of principles and goals and allow flexibility.
6. Require collaborative methods to ensure participation that includes all stakeholders.
7. Streamline infill processes to coordinate and make activities transparent between disciplines and agencies.
8. Improve Transportation Choices to enhance pedestrian/bike facilities, transit service and mix of uses, and connect local destinations in infill areas.
9. Enhance the public realm to improve and create better public spaces and infrastructure near infill.
10. Prepare sites for infill through clean-up, land assembly, and other approaches.
The Urban Land Institute-Idaho Smart Growth working group includes:
-Tom Barry, City of Meridian – Public Works Director
-Teri Bath, Eagle Chamber of Commerce – President
-Clay Carley, Downtown Boise Association – Developer/Building Manager, ULI member
-Bruce Chatterton, City of Boise – Planning and Development Services Director, ULI member
-Elaine Clegg, Idaho Smart Growth, Project Sponsor – Special Projects Manager
-Doug Cooper, McKibben + Cooper Architects – Architect, Planning & Zoning Commissioner
-Fred Fritchman, Southeast Neighborhood Association – SENA Board Member
-Susan Mason, ULI Idaho District Council, Project Sponsor – Executive Committee Member
-Molly O'Leary, North End Neighborhood Association – NENA Board member
-Jay Story, VP Development LLC – Developer/Real Estate, ULI member
-Pam Sheldon, Capital City Development Corporation (CCDC) – Planning Director
-Jenah Thornborrow, City of Garden City – Planning and Zoning Administrator
-David Turnbull, Brighton Corporation – Developer, Building Manager
-Mindy Wallace, Ada County Highway District (ACHD) – Planning Review Supervisor
About Urban Land Institute: The Urban Land Institute (ULI) is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit research and education organization supported by its members. Founded in 1936, the institute now has more than 35,000 members worldwide representing the entire spectrum of land use and real estate development disciplines, working in private enterprise and public service. As the preeminent, multidisciplinary real estate forum, ULI facilitates the open exchange of ideas, information and experience among local, national and international industry leaders and policy makers dedicated to creating better places. The mission of the Urban Land Institute is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Members say that ULI is a trusted idea place where leaders come to grow professionally and personally through sharing, mentoring, and problem solving. With pride, ULI members commit to the best in land use policy and practice.
About Idaho Smart Growth: As more people call Idaho home, Idaho Smart Growth brings Idahoans together to keep our communities vibrant and our lands healthy.
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