Boris Borisov, City of Spokane Planning Department, 509.625.6156, bborisov@spokanecity.org
Tuesday, September 1, 2015 at 12:05 p.m.
Spokane, WA – City of Spokane officials will meet with representatives from Smart Growth America on September 15 and 16, 2015 as part of a free, grant-funded technical assistance program. This workshop aims to provide city officials with tools and techniques to begin crafting a vision for the city’s future development. The workshop will focus on how shifting development patterns towards more compact, walkable development could benefit the local economy and local government finances.
“We’re very excited to take this next step to strengthen how we design our city and plan for city investment,” said Councilmember Jon Snyder. “The workshop will be a big boost for efforts to reinvigorate key areas of Spokane, including the East Sprague district.”
City of Spokane area residents are invited to join the workshop’s first day for an introductory presentation on the relationship between how a community grows and the health of its economy and local finances. The event will be held September 15, 2015 at 4:30p.m. at SCAFCO Steel and Stud Manufacturing located at 2800 E. Main Ave., Spokane, WA 99202.
“Smart Growth America is committed to providing training to help local leaders keep cities and towns livable, vibrant places,” said Roger Millar, Smart Growth America Vice President. “Like many communities, Spokane is looking for ways to increase local revenue without raising taxes or sacrificing the community’s character. We look forward to engaging community members in a discussion of how they can best use sustainable development to benefit the community’s economic bottom line.”
In December 2014, Spokane was one of 14 communities nationwide selected from a pool of over 120 applications by Smart Growth America to participate in the technical assistance program. Stretching from Florida to Washington State, these 14 communities represent major cities, suburban centers, and rural towns alike.
The program, made possible through a five-year Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities grant to Smart Growth America from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Sustainable Communities, seeks to develop local planning solutions that help communities grow in ways that benefit families and businesses, while protecting the environment and preserving a sense of place. Two other nonprofit organizations – Project for Public Spaces and Global Green – currently have active grants under this program to help communities get the kinds of development they want.
As a national leader in the field, Smart Growth America has accumulated extensive experience working with communities to help them use land strategically, make the most of existing resources and invest strategically to catalyze private development.
Smart Growth America is the only national organization dedicated to researching, advocating for and leading coalitions to bring smart growth practices to more communities nationwide. From providing more sidewalks to ensuring more homes are built near public transportation or that productive farms remain a part of our communities, smart growth helps make sure people across the nation can live in great neighborhoods. For additional information visit www.smartgrowthamerica.org.
