Urban Landscapes

My involvement with CNU Colorado (Congress for the New Urbanism, Colorado) over the past five years has allowed me the opportunity to assemble and coordinate many events.  This winter/spring, I am coordinating together the biggest and best of the events that I have been a part of to date.  With the persuasion of colleague Paul Crabtree, of The Crabtree Group, Inc., I am coordinating the Smart Growth  in Small Towns and Rural Communities Workshop in Salida, Colorado on April 8.  The following is a summary of the presentations that will be discussed during the April 8th workshop.  The descriptions were assembled by the presenters associated with each presentation.

What Really is Smart Growth? (Paul Crabtree & Joe De Luca)

The Ten Principles of Smart Growth, the differences between Smart Growth and New Urbanism, the past and future of Smart Growth.

Form-based Codes and the Rural-to-Urban Transect (Paul Crabtree & Joe De Luca)

A brief history of zoning codes and form-based codes.  Why the pedestrian shed and Rural-to-Urban Transect are key tools for form-based codes. What’s so special about the SmartCode?

Architecture of Place  (Hoyt Cousins)

The presentation shall identify design contributions to social and economic resilience, at the local scale, of small towns at the edge of metropolitan areas.  An array of techniques for diminished resources in planning and development can be organized in a hierarchy:  from region and sector to conditions of settlement types, neighborhood and transect zone, block and street, building and lot.  The primary focus will be on building types and architectural configuration – in response to current challenges of lower incomes, changing employment opportunity, unpredictable market demand, restricted financing, the loss of personal and public equity, and shrinking municipal budgets and services.

Transportation Planning for Rural and Small Towns (Jim Charlier)

This session will provide baseline information about transportation and energy trends as they affect rural Colorado and Chaffee County.  If rural places far from major cities are to thrive and be sustainable over the next two decades, significant innovation and strategic investments will be required.  Given limited financial resources and an ongoing recession, what can small cities and towns do to prepare for the post-petroleum era?  Jim will summarize findings and results from recent national studies of the mobility and access needs of rural America.

LEED-ND: Group Discussion (Stella Hodgkins and John Olson)

As a group, or potentially as multiple groups, we will analyze the applicability of LEED-ND (or LEED for Neighborhood Development) as it relates to a small town or neighborhoods within the small town. Case study towns of Salida, Buena Vista and/or Poncha Springs are potential towns to be analyzed.

Agricultural Urbanism (Korkut Onaran)

The Agricultural Urbanism session will review some of the recent form-based coding practices the presenter has participated and discuss the challenges and opportunities in integrating food production in urban areas without compromising walkability. The presentation will particularly focus on Transect 3, usually called “suburban,” or “garden district,” a name the author likes better.

Context-Sensitive Landscapes (John Olson)

Presentation will be based on the dynamics of landscape as they relate to the urban-to-rural transect. Topics regarding landscape will include productive or edible landscapes, streetscape design and specific landscape issues and opportunities in the Mountain West region.

Panel Discussion with Presenters

Our Presenters will Discuss and Respond to Questions and Comments from the audience regarding the presentations and that the state of urbanism today.