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e-NEWS and NOTES: A Biweekly
Bulletin |
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May 23, 2003
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STATE AND FEDERAL HIGHLIGHTS
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GRANTS, FUNDING, & RFPS
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NEWS, REPORTS, AND PUBLICATIONS
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OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
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FAPA/AICP NEWS, INFORMATION &
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FAPA MEETINGS, EVENTS, AND SECTION
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The State of Florida is
developing a STATEWIDE ENERGY PLAN. The Department
of Community Affairs invites your participation in
this process. Further information about the Plan
and the participation process appears on a new
website for this initiative, at
www.floridaenergyplan.net. Please stay tuned to
this Web site for updates as the planning process
moves forward, including the scheduling of public
workshops and stakeholder forums.
JUDGE
UPHOLDS FLORIDA'S WATER RESTORATION RULE: After
more than two years of litigation, the Florida
First District Court of Appeal issued an order
upholding DEP’s science-based methodology for
identifying polluted lakes and rivers, which is
the basis of Florida's plan to clean up state
waters. In May 2002, Administrative Law Judge
Stuart Lerner issued a 468-page ruling rejecting a
complaint by a handful of litigants. The ruling
supported the validity of the agency's "Impaired
Waters Rule," which established scientific
criteria for identifying polluted waterbodies and
prioritizing them for clean up. The most recent
order by the appellate court affirms Judge
Lerner's approval of the Department's methodology.
To read more, go to
www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/comm/2003/may/0521_judge.htm.
NOTICE
OF APPROVAL FOR FLORIDA FOREVER FUNDS: The Florida
Communities Trust (“Trust”) reviewed and approved
project plans for land acquisition projects
submitted under the Florida Forever Program,
Series FF1 and FF2 funding cycles. The Executive
Director under authority delegated from the
governing body approved the project plans listed
below.
Project: 01-047-FF1/Plantation Central
Open Space
Grantee: City of
Plantation
Amount of Approved Funds: the lesser
of 50.00% of the final total project costs or
$4,402,000.00
Project: 01-033-FF1/North Jupiter
Flatwoods
Grantee: Palm Beach County and Town
of Jupiter
Amount of Approved Funds: the lesser
of 40.00% of the final total project costs or
$857,876.92
Project: 01-093-FF1/Hollywood North
Beach Addition
Grantee: Broward County and City
of Hollywood
Amount of Approved Funds: the
lesser of 40.00% of the final total project costs
or $1,574,000.00
Project:
01-119-FF1/Boystown/Camp Matecumbe
Grantee:
Miami-Dade County
Amount of Approved Funds: the
lesser of 50.00% of the final total project costs
or $1,668,000.00
Project:
01-137-FF1/Tanglewylde Center Project
Grantee:
Putnam County
Amount of Approved Funds: the
lesser of 100.00% of the final total project costs
or $544,000.00
The Bush Administration's
proposal for renewing the nation's surface
transportation law was unveiled May 14, 2003 by
Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta. The
Safe and Flexible Transportation Efficiency Act of
2003, or "SAFETEA," received mixed reviews among
many transportation interests. SAFETEA calls for
reforms and changes to the current ISTEA/TEA-21
framework, and proposes a total spending level of
$247 billion for highway and transit programs. A
number of transportation providers took aim at the
Administration's proposed funding levels, which
are substantially below what House and Senate
authorizers are seeking in legislation renewing
the 1998 TEA-21 law, which is set to expire
September 30, 2003. House Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee Chairman Don Young
pointed out that if the plan is adjusted to
constant 2003 dollars, the SAFETEA proposal
provides "less funding than TEA-21 did." The plan
was also criticized for its proposals that weaken
protections for clean air, historic preservation,
parks and wildlife habitat and funding commitments
to public transit. However, it was praised for
charting new directions on cost accountability,
performance standards, intermodal freight, system
operations and research. The 378-page bill and a
section-by-section analysis are available online
at www.fhwa.dot.gov/reauthorization/safetea.htm.
Source: Surface Transportation Policy Project
(STPP)
The fourteen states that make up the
States' Highway Alliance for Real Equity (SHARE)
are pushing for an adjustment of the way in which
the federal government divides up Highway Trust
Fund revenues. The current structure guarantees
all states a 90.5% annual return on the highway
money they receive as a share of their
contribution to the trust fund. Congressional
supporters of the SHARE plan, which was developed
by this group of "DONOR STATES," are expected to
introduce legislation in the House and the Senate
that increases the level of return to 95%. Source:
STPP
Call for Entries: NATIONAL AWARD FOR
SMART GROWTH ACHIEVEMENT--The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency is now accepting applications
for the 2003 National Award for Smart Growth
Achievement. This competition is open to local or
state governments and other public sector entities
that have successfully created smart growth. For
more information, visit
www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/awards_2003.htm.
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With car-ownership costs in
most American households identified as their
largest expense after rent or mortgage and
accounting for almost one-third of spending by
many low-income families, Delaware's new
public-private SMART COMMUTE INITIATIVE will boost
both home ownership and transit use, by giving
prospective buyers additional qualifying points
for mortgages on homes near bus or rail stops and
extending this financial incentive to state
employees who participate in van pools. For more
information, go to
www.smartgrowth.org/news/article.asp?art=3362&state=8.
Two separate surveys released this month
demonstrate STRONG SUPPORT FOR IMPROVED PEDESTRIAN
AND BICYCLE FACILITIES. The first poll, conducted
by the Gallup Organization for the National
Highway Safety Administration and the Bureau of
Transportation Statistics, found that 73% of
respondents believed that communities should
provide bicycle-specific facilities such as
trails, paths and traffic signals, and that 75%
believed that changes were necessary to improve
and expand pedestrian facilities such as
sidewalks, signals, and crosswalks. The second
survey, conducted by Beldon Russonello and Stewart
for America Bikes, found that a majority of
Americans want to bicycle more and are willing to
invest tax dollars in creating better places to
bike. According to the poll, 53% of those surveyed
supported increased federal spending on bicycle
facilities, even if it meant less gas taxes for
construction of new roads. Additionally, 50%
supported requiring roads to include bicycle lanes
or paths, even if it meant less space for cars and
trucks. Both surveys follow a recent STPP poll
that found that the American public wants to walk
more places more often, and is willing to invest
in making it possible. That survey, also conducted
by Beldon Russonello and Stewart, found that a
majority (68%) favors putting more federal dollars
toward improving walkability, even within a
constrained budget. For more information on the
America Bikes poll, visit
americabikes.org/resources_media_pollrelease.asp.
For more information on STPP's pedestrian poll,
visit www.transact.org/report.asp?id=205. Source:
STPP
A new study found that INCLUSIONARY
ZONING did not have a negative impact on housing
production in California cities. For more
information, visit
www.livableplaces.org/policy/inclusionary.html.
CREATING
SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITIES: A NEW HOUSING
PARADIGM—This16-page brochure from the National
Multi Housing Council takes on the conventional
wisdom about housing preferences and is
recommended for use with local planning and zoning
boards or to support state and local advocacy
efforts. It provides evidence about: Who actually
lives in apartments; how apartments impact local
school systems; how apartments reduce traffic
congestion; whether apartments cause crime rates
to increase; whether homes located near apartments
maintain their property values; to what degree
apartment residents ''pay'' for the local services
they use; whether homeowners really are better
citizens than renters; and whether Americans
really oppose higher density housing. Go to
www.nmhc.org/Content/ServeContent.cfm?IssueID=77&ContentItemID=2242
for more detail.
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The American Planning
Association’s website includes links to requests
for proposals and requests for qualifications. You
may access this information at
www.planning.org/rfp-rfq/.
Funding is
available for PLANNING AND DESIGNING TRAILS from a
collaboration of the Conservation Fund, the
Eastman Kodak Company, and the National Geographic
Society. Grants from $500 to $2500 are available
to community-based organizations, including
non-profit groups and government entities. For
further information, visit
www.conservationfund.org/?article=2701&back=true.
Applications are due by June 1, 2003.
The
FLORIDA COMMUNITIES TRUST announces the opening of
the third Florida Forever application cycle on
March 27, 2003. Approximately $66,000,000 (unless
otherwise allocated by the Legislature) will be
available this funding cycle for grants to local
governments and nonprofit environmental
organizations to acquire land for conservation,
open space and outdoor recreation purposes. The
deadline for submitting applications to FCT is
6:00 p.m. (EST), June 10, 2003. For a copy of the
grant application form (FCT/FF-2) or more
information about the grant program, please visit
the FCT website at
www.dca.state.fl.us/ffct.
The U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
has announced the availability of FY 2003 funding
opportunities, through the Brownfields Economic
Development Initiative (BEDI). For more
information, go to
www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/nofa/grpecond.cfm.
Application deadlines are July 16,
2003.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE: The Bureau of
Historic Preservation of the Florida Department of
State announces the availability of forms for
application for designation as a 2003 Florida Main
Street Community. A maximum of three communities
will receive Florida Main Street Designation in
2003. Complete applications must be delivered to
the Florida Main Street Program, R. A. Gray
Building, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee,
Florida 32399-0250, no later than 5:00 p.m. or
postmarked and mailed or submitted (with evidence)
to an express mail service on or before 12:00
midnight, July 25, 2003. Applications are
available by contacting Miss Laura Lee Corbett,
Florida Main Street Coordinator, at the above
address or by calling
1(800)847-7278.
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Most roadways are designed
to produce a specific Level of Service (LOS), and
the typical LOS standard measures only how fast
and free-flowing motor vehicles can move. However,
new LEVEL OF QUALITY (LOQ) GUIDELINES, developed
by Dan Burden of Walkable Communities, are meant
to show graphically why some streets work better
than others for access, safety and mobility of all
modes. The sheets developed to date measure
walking, bicycling, traffic calming, transit
access, crossings, and links, with others under
development. These posters may be useful in
communities to explain and illustrate good - and
bad - pedestrian and bicycle design practices. You
may download the graphics at
www.tjpdc.org/transportation/walkability.asp.
In partnership with the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 and Purdue
University, the Local Government Environmental
Assistance Network (LGEAN) recently launched an
online tool to help local government planners
MEASURE THE WATER QUALITY IMPACTS OF LAND USE
CHANGES. Based on community-specific climate data,
the online tool estimates changes in recharge,
runoff, and nonpoint source pollution resulting
from proposed development. This new tool is
available for free on the LGEAN Web site. A
downloadable GIS extension is also available for
local government officials with ArcView software.
Visit LGEAN's Tools and Resources page at
www.lgean.org/html/exchange.cfm and select the
"Land Use Impacts on Water Quality Model." Source:
LGEAN
*JOB MARTS Posted since May 9, 2003:
Assistant Community Development Director (City
of Largo)
Planner (City of Largo)
Operations
Specialist/Zoning Permit Specialist (Brevard
County)
Senior Planner-Transportation (Clay
County)
Senior Planner-Comprehensive Planning
(Clay County)
Planner (City of Port St.
Lucie)
Planning Manager (TEI Engineers &
Planners)
Project Engineer/Planners (TEI
Engineers & Planners)
Parks/Trail Planner
(TEI Engineers & Planners)
Planner I (City
of Stuart)
Planner (City of North
Miami)
Assistant Community Planning and
Development Director (City of North
Miami)
Planner (Coastal Georgia Regional
Development Center)
Senior Planner (Putnam
County)
Visit www.floridaplanning.org/jobs2.asp
for salaries, descriptions, minimum requirements,
and application deadlines.
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June 13, 2003: Historic
Preservation: A Tool for Economic Development
& Revitalization; 9:30 a.m. – noon; Tampa Bay
Regional Planning Council; 9455 Koger Boulevard,
Suite 219; St. Petersburg. Sponsored by the FAPA
Sun Coast Section, this workshop will cover the
nuts and bolts of historic preservation, including
identifying and classifying buildings and
districts. Attendees will learn about recent
projects that are helping to revive the core of
several Tampa Bay area communities. Speakers
include Rick Smith from the City of St.
Petersburg, Randy Mathews from the City of
Lakeland, and Stephanie Ferrell, a local architect
from Tampa. The workshop is free for APA members;
$10 fee for non-members. Register with Wiatt
Bowers at wfbowers@pbsj.com or (813)
282-7275.
June 19, 2003: (1) FAPA
Legislative Policy Committee meeting to develop
2004 legislative platform from 1:00 p.m. until
4:00 p.m.; DoubleTree Hotel and Conference Center;
(2) FAPA’s Communications, Outreach, Marketing,
and Membership Committees will meet in the evening
at the same location. Contact
fapa@floridaplanning.org for further information.
June 20, 2003: (1) FAPA Executive
Committee meeting to adopt budget, strategic plan,
and legislative platform; DoubleTree Hotel and
Conference Center; Gainesville. (2) FAPA Student
Council and Student Advisory Committee will meet
at various times/locations throughout the day.
Contact fapa@floridaplanning.org for further
information.
September 3, 2003: Executive
Committee Meeting (Palm Beach) in conjunction with
the FAPA Annual Conference.
September 3-6,
2003: FAPA Annual Conference at the Breakers Hotel
in Palm Beach. Go to
www.floridaplanning.org/conference/index.asp for
conference information.
OTHER SCHEDULED
EVENTS:
May 29, 2003: BLUEPRINT FOR
ECONOMIC SUCCESS; the Florida Economic Development
Council, Inc., DCA, and the Tampa Bay RPC are
partnering to present this informative and
education workshop. The intention of the workshop
is to stress the importance of an effective
economic development program at the local level.
This complimentary seminar will begin at 9:00 a.m.
and conclude at 11:30 a.m., at the Tampa Bay RPC,
9455 Koger Boulevard, Suite 219, St. Petersburg;
RSVP to Bobbi Jaroy at (727) 570-5151 x. 235 or
bobbi@tbrpc.org.
May 29-30, 2003: DCA’s
2003 GROWTH MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP “Building
Community Partnerships;” FSU Center for
Professional Development, Tallahassee; cosponsored
by the Florida Regional Councils Association and
FAPA. Continuing Professional Development Credits
will be available. For additional details or to
download the registration brochure, go to
www.dca.state.fl.us/fdcp/DCP/2003workshop/index.htm.
June
4, 2003: LIVING WITH THE LAND--Focusing on the
dynamic growth of Southwest Florida and the
methods which have been used to protect the land;
Florida Gulf Coast University Campus, Estero,
Florida, 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Presented by ULI
Southwest Florida; sponsors include Johnson
Engineering, FPZA, and FAPA Promised Lands
Section. Keynote speakers, Grant Jones and Randall
Arendt, will demonstrate successful examples of
inspiration from the landscape for planning,
design, construction and daily life. For more
detail, registration form , and fees, go to
swflorida.uli.org/events.html or call (800)
321-5011, event code 8113-0314.
June 9-13,
2003: GOVERNOR’S HURRICANE CONFERENCE, Tampa
Convention Center. For Conference Information
please call: (727) 944-2724, (800) 544-5678 or
visit the conference website at: www.flghc.org.
June 11-13, 2003: FLORIDA ASSOCIATION FOR
WATER QUALITY CONTROL 2003 ANNUAL CONFERENCE; The
Registry Resort, Naples. For more information,
visit their web site at www.fawqc.com.
June
19-22, 2003: CNU CONGRESS—combining the most
informative and inspiring speakers, including
author James H. Kunstler, United Kingdom Deputy
Prime Minister John Prescott, Epidemiologist
Richard Jackson, and long-time New Urbanism
leaders; Washington, D.C.; register today at
www.cnu.org or by phone at (800) 788-7077;
registration discount ends May 16; for more
information contact Sandrine Milanello (415)
495-4472 or sandrinem@cnu.org.
July 9-11,
2003: FLORIDA LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE
AGENCIES, INC., 2003 ANNUAL CONFERENCE; Tampa, FL.
For more information call 1-800-544-5678 or log
onto www.flghc.org/.
July 15-16, 2003:
PRE-SCHOOL FOR FLORIDA CHAMBER’S ENVIRONMENTAL
PERMITTING SUMMER SCHOOL—In depth look at the
federal and state wetland permitting programs and
prospects for consolidating programs; Marco Island
Marriott; $235/members and $265 non-members; to
register or for further information, go to
www.flenvironmentalnetwork.com/frameset2.html.
July
16-18, 2003: FLORIDA CHAMBER’S ENVIRONMENTAL
PERMITTING SUMMER SCHOOL—Provides basic and
advanced instruction on federal, state, and local
environmental regulations; Marco Island Marriott;
$485/members and $525 non-members; to register or
for further information, go to
www.flenvironmentalnetwork.com/frameset2.html.
October
9, 2003: Save the Date--National Smart Growth
Conference: State of the States on Smart Growth;
Radisson Hotel, Burlington, Vermont.
October 15-18, 2003: FPZA STATE
CONFERENCE; The Inn of Fifth (www.naplesinn.com);
$125/night; mention “FPZA” to get the discounted
price; call 239-403-8777 for reservations;
conference schedule and registration information
coming soon.
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