(3:45 to 5:00pm, 1.25 hours)
The Building Sustainable Communities Initiative (BSCI) brings together an interdisciplinary team of faculty from 8 UI colleges and 9 academic departments, and UI Extension to deliver state-of-the art programs in graduate planning education, community outreach, and in-service professional training.

The entire initiative is linked together by a “bioregional” approach to planning that considers the ecological functions and human settlement patterns of a region, builds more inclusive civic constituency, and emphasizes regional resources and energy sources to inform community and economic development policy and design.

This session will highlight the work BSCI faculty and students are currently doing with Idaho communities.

Steve Hollenhorst will present an overview of the interdisciplinary bioregional approach embodied in the initiative.

Steve Drown will discuss the current Learning and Practice Collaborative (LPC) happening in Cascade, Idaho. In partnership with the Cascade community, the project explores the boundaries of bioregional thought and practice while transforming university outreach through cross-disciplinary student and faculty service learning.

Laura Laumatia will discuss how design and planning on the Coeur d’Alene Reservation can support efforts by the Tribe and community to break down
generations of social divides, and provide a means for the reinhabitation of place.

Sandra Pinel will highlight how students in a local and regional
planning class worked with the Latah County Planning and Zoning Commission to complete a Smart Growth assessment of its land use plan.
The students also researched the viability of various rural transportation and agricultural preservation alternatives.

David Paul will discuss the role community design may play in obesity and the development of preventable disease in the United States.

(2:15 to 3:30, 1.25 hour session)

Jonathan Oppenheimer

The roadless panel will be providing three agency/organization perspectives on the newly released roadless rule along with comments on how the new rule will affect the management and utilization of roadless areas within the state of Idaho.

Gregg Servheen, Idaho Department of Fish and Game facilitates a discussion about BioRegional Planning.

A New PUD Ordinance for Teton County.
Jeff Klausmann, Intermountain Aquatics, Driggs, Idaho

Implementing Comp Plan 2025: Using Mountain Overlay Districts, Transfer Development Rights, and other Tools.
Jeff Adams, Blaine County

Daylighting Indian Creek: Reversing Bad Past Decisions.
Dennis Cannon, City of Caldwell.

Jeff Klausmann volunteered to assist the county with drafting a Planned Unit Development ordinance because of his interest in wildlife corridor preservation. He will share the experience, including gaining an appreciation for a collaborative process of governance.

Jeff Adams, a regional planner, is busy implementing goals of the Blaine 2025 plan. He will explain the benefits of making TDRs an option in your community and how the new TDR process will work in Blaine County.

Mr. Cannon will take us on a virtual tour of the “before and after” Indian Creek.

Before: waste discharges into Indian Creek in the early 1900’s badly polluted the creek, leading to the entombment of the stream for ½ mile through the center of downtown Caldwell.

After: water quality improvements in the creek, resulting from the Clean Water Act implementation, inspired the community to daylight, reroute, and restore the stream to create six acres of new greenbelt in the heart of the downtown, to serve as the nucleus of the city center revitalization.

(1.25 hour panel; 2:45-4:00)

1. A Strategy that Works, Mike Whitfield, Heart of the Rockies
2. Partnering with Municipalities and Creative Funding for Land Acquisition, Kathryn Goldman, Wood River Land Trust
3. Setting up Open Space to Work for You, Frank Martin, Martin Community Development and Hidden Springs
4. Exploring the tool box for conservation strategies: Encouraging, requiring and buying your way to vibrant communities and healthy lands, Tim Breuer, Land Trust of Treasure Valley

Ms. Goldman will explain how partnerships with municipalities to protect their open spaces can be mutually beneficial, leading to easy-care maintenance and even unforeseen restoration opportunties. And, she’ll provide how-to steps to successful passage of a levy to fund land acquisition.

The Heart of the Rockies Initiative to preserve large landscapes will be explained by Mike Whitfield.
He will share his experience in funding and preserving lands important to all of us.

Mr. Breuer will discuss tools for conservation of lands regardless of economic circumstances. He will touch on regulatory, incentive-based and funding mechanisms that help communities conserve natural areas and quality of life.

These presenters will be available to brainstorm other approaches to ensure growth in Idaho is compatible with one of Idaho’s most treasured assets: wildlife.

1. Practicing Smart Growth in Idaho: Who is doing it; How is it working?
Elaine Clegg, Idaho Smart Growth (www.idahosmartgrowth.org).
2. Getting Smart Growth Assistance from EPA – The Victor/Driggs and McCall Projects –Matt Dalbey, US EPA, DC office
(see final report at: http://www.tetonvalleyadvocates.org/uploads/EPA_Report.PDF)

Idaho Smart Growth helps communities implement growth and development strategies that support improved economic, environmental, and public health goals. Staff member, Elaine Clegg, will provide results of her recent study of which communities are implementing various principles of smart growth: why they chose this route and how it is working for them.
EPA provides funds to communities implementing Smart Growth approaches. Find out from Matt Dalbey how to apply for these funds and how three communities in Idaho used their funds to direct growth to their town core. http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/sgia.htm

Tuesday Nov 18th, Northstar Room (1 hour panel, 10:30-11:30)

Understanding the Costs of Development
Matt Dalbey, US EPA, Washington DC Office

Reducing development costs by using smart growth principles,
Sherry McKibben, University of Idaho, Dept of Architecture.

Developers and production builders across the country are recognizing a business opportunity in the smart growth market. In this talk, hear about this overall opportunity, with particular emphasis on the efficiencies developers can achieve on infrastructure costs in smart growth developments when compared to conventional developments.
www.epa.gov/smartgrowth