China learns from Portland…Portland learns from China

Bob Wise and Cogan Owens Cogan helped host a high level delegation from Langfang China led by the Langfang regional Party Secretary Shihong Zhou in a day-long visit to Portland to explore planning and development relationships between the two cities.  Bob is part of an international team that completed the award-winning Eco Smart Master Plan for Langfang (see previous post: http://bit.ly/kzylXk).  Langfang is a city of 700,000 that is expected to grow to over 2.3 million in the next few years.

During the April 20 visit, identified opportunities areas included:

1. Further planning for the central core where the high speed rail station is to be located.
2. Mass transit planning for light rail and streetcar and possible car(s) purchase.
3. Redevelopment of an existing sports complex as a green sports/entertainment project.
4. A sustainability center may be possible in the future.

Cogan Owens Cogan also will be discussing with the Mayor’s office and Party Secretary whether more formal relationship between the two cities is possible.  Mayor Adams endorsed COC’s work and said:  “It is in large part thanks to Bob Wise and Cogan Owens Cogan that the City is where it is with regard to sustainability today”.

Langfang leaders were struck by Portland’s mass transit system, integration of open space, tree canopy, small blocks, the variety of street-level building textures and urban design. They said parts of the city almost feel like a college campus.  They are inspired to make their city more functional, textured, and sustainable.

For more information email Bob at bob.wise@coganowens.com.

COC in the Oregonian: Planner to present Portland’s green policies in Taiwan

Following is the write-up on Bob Wise’s sustainability efforts in Taiwan taken from the Oregonian‘s Web site. Enjoy!

Planner to present Portland’s green policies in Taiwan
by Dylan Rivera, The Oregonian
Thursday June 04, 2009, 10:37 AM

A leader of Portland planning firm Cogan Owens Cogan is traveling to a national conference in Taiwan to present the latest Oregon and Portland-area sustainability efforts.

Bob Wise, senior project manager for the firm, is helping draft the Taipei 2050 EcoCity Vision, a long-range planning document for Taiwan’s largest city. He’s been asked to make a presentation about Oregon sustainability efforts to the Taiwan National Council for Sustainable Development’s annual conference.

“We’ve worked in Taiwan off and on for 10 years,” Wise said. “They’re always interested in what Portland and Oregon are doing.”

The sustainable development conference includes business leaders and cabinet-level members of Taiwan’s federal government. Wise said he plans to explain how Portland became the No.1 city in the nation for sustainability in rankings by SustainLane. He also will discuss the Living Building Challenge, which is a new green building standard, and the eco-district concept, which would have buildings share water and energy infrastructure to achieve greater efficiencies.

Wise was chairman of the Portland/Multnomah County Sustainable Development Commission when green building policies and climate change plans were developed.

Cogan Owens Cogan’s Taiwan work is performed through Team Oregon, a joint venture with SERA Architects and Century West Engineering of Portland.

– Dylan Rivera; dylanrivera@news.oregonian.com

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/06/portland_planner_to_present_gr.html

Calling All Communities: US EPA Smart Growth/Infill Applications

Due April 23, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a great call for funding out for community application.

EPA is soliciting applications from communities, regions, and state governments that want assistance with either policy analysis or public participatory processes. The type of work may incorporate policy analysis and review, planning and visioning processes, scorecard/ranking criteria development and assessment, and/or other elements pertinent to the role of the applicant. The type of work, however, should enable the community to better implement smart growth development practices.

EPA has identified some key areas in which communities are likely to benefit from technical assistance:

• Climate change (both mitigation of and adaptation to)
• Green job development
• Corridor redevelopment
• Green building development
• Suburban retrofitting
• Disaster resiliency

Proposals are not limited to requests for technical assistance in only these thematic areas; other topics for assistance are welcome and encouraged, provided they demonstrate cutting-edge challenges and the possibility of replicable solutions.

http://epa.gov/smartgrowth/2009_sgia_rfa.htm

City of Palm Springs Sustainability Master Plan

COC recently assisted the City of Palm Springs to develop a Sustainability Master Plan, which is currently under review by the Resource Conservation Commission and the City Council.  The plan, initiated by the Mayor and City Council, addresses sustainability from a comprehensive community perspective. It includes goals, actions and metrics for the following critical areas: city management, economic vitality, urban development and mobility, climate change, energy, ecosystems, waste and water. The team used multiple types of outreach to neighborhoods, school, businesses and other stakeholder groups as well as an online questionnaire.  The Master Plan includes a working definition of sustainability for Palm Springs including a vision and guiding principles.  It summarizes past and current sustainability initiatives, major trends and state policy, and elements of the City’s General Plan.  To support development of the Master Plan and mobilize local organizations to address sustainability challenges, the Mayor formed a city-wide Leadership Council composed of government, academic, business, institutional and nonprofit organization leaders.