Featured Projects:
Past Smart Growth Projects
The Treasure Valley Futures Project
This innovative federally funded project studied the links between transportation and land use. Idaho Smart Growth played a pivotal leadership role increasing the projects vision, diverse reach, and public awareness with our involvement, and building strong relationships with area communities, policymakers, and leaders. We were a major player in the portion of the project that documented, projected, and visually represented current growth and transportation trends in the region. ISG will continue to work with TVF partners and consultants to complete the evaluation of the transportation and growth trends that have been uncovered, and to report on recommendations.
Learn more about: TFV local forums, toolkits, and how you can help TVF!
Pace Car
Traffic problems in your neighborhood? Become a Pace Car Driver and learn how to make positive traffic changes! Learn more about: Pace Car
North Meridian Specific Area Plan
Idaho Smart Growth collaborated on this effort with city, county, highway districts and COMPASS staff as well as developers representatives, to create a Specific Area Plan for the 12 square miles on Meridian’s north side. Meetings of the policy makers involved have been held once a month, with technical level workshops occurring every week. Land-use, demographics, infrastructure and transportation issues will be examined in detail at the technical workshops. The plan will establish guidelines for a different mix of land uses and patterns within this area than recent Meridian development has followed. The hope is to reduce the long term costs of infrastructure improvements and to increase the housing and transportation choices available at buildout.
Farm-City Forum
Idaho Smart Growth partnered with the Treasure Valley Partnership, COMPASS, and the American Farmland Trust to plan a farmland preservation forum in the Fall of 2002. The purpose of the forum was to have a focused, frank conversation involving a relatively small group of people with both urban and rural interests to talk about the seemingly conflicting issues of agriculture and urban growth.
Workshops with CNU and Treasure Valley Partnerships
Idaho Smart Growth co-sponsored three workshops with the Congress for the New Urbanism and the Treasure Valley Partnership. The workshops covered three specific smart growth topics; transit oriented development, revitalization of aging commercial centers, and traditional neighborhood design. The line up of speakers was very powerful with keynote presentations by; Hank Dittmar, President of the Great American Station Foundation, Victor Dover, principle in Dover-Kohl Architects, and Rich Killingsworth, a health scientist in the Active Community Environments Initiative at the Centers for Disease Control. The workshops attracted more than 400 participants overall.
Grow Smart, Idaho! – Practical Tools You Can Use
People from all corners of the state attended this two-day statewide conference sponsored by Idaho Smart Growth and the Treasure Valley Partnership - a non-profit consortium of mayors and county commissioners from the Treasure Valley. The conference featured speakers with expertise on a variety of subjects including: Idaho mayors Brent Coles and Garret Nancolas, nationally recognized consultants Dena Belzer Phil Erickson, and Bill Morrish, Senior Research Associate with the American Planning Association Marya Morris, former Bonneville Power Administrator Peter Johnson, and Vice President and Manager of the Boise Metro Economic Development Council Shirl Boyce. Media coverage was excellent and comments from attendees were very positive and praised the practicality of the information.
Smart Growth Forum in Coeur d’Alene
Idaho Smart Growth organized a regional forum on smart growth in the rapidly growing Post Falls-Coeur d’Alene area in October of 2000 featuring the documentary film "Subdivide and Conquer" and discussion with filmmaker Jeff Gersh. A diverse group of 70 attended – folks who don’t usually find each other in the same room. ISG brainstormed with community leaders and interested citizens the next night on ways to further smart growth in the area. The forum opened the door for future ISG activities in North Idaho. Two more forums are planned. ISG staff and Gersh were also featured speakers at the annual conference of the Idaho Planning Association while in Coeur d’Alene.
Coypright © 2005 Idaho Smart Growth