District energy systems coming to Portland.

Cogan Owens Cogan, LLC (COC) is part of the team selected by the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability to develop as strategy to take district energy to the next level in Portland.  The Portland Sustainability institute (http://www.pdxinstitute.org/with), Compass Resources Management, Ltd, (http://www.compassrm.com/w/index.htm) and  COC formed a District Energy Collaborative to work with the City and its partners to:

-          convene stakeholders;

-          research and develop governing and financing options;

-          develop the most promising business models;

-          research code and other barriers and recommend solutions;

-          develop and deliver an outreach campaign; and

-          assess the viability of district energy locations in the City Of Portland.

PSU Forum May 22: Designating Urban & Rural Reserves in the Portland Metro Region

NOTICE OF FORUM ON THE ROLE FOR PLANNING
IN THE FUTURE OF OREGON

MAY 22, 2009—DESIGNATING URBAN & RURAL RESERVES IN THE
PORTLAND METROPOLITAN REGION
ROOM 204, LEARNING CENTER WING OF THE URBAN CENTER BUILDING
10 TO 11:30 AM

Guest Speaker: John Williams, Land Use Planning Manager for Metro.  John will discuss this complex project and the challenges and opportunities involved in long-range regional planning.

Today the Metro region is at a defining moment in which important long term decisions will determine the shape and size of cities, towns and rural landscapes for years to come. Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties and Metro are leading an innovative regional process to identify land for future urban development and protect farms, forests and natural areas for the next half century. Urban reserves will be designated by Metro on lands currently outside the urban growth boundary that are suitable for accommodating urban development over the next 40 to 50 years. Rural reserves will be designated by each county on lands outside the current urban growth boundary that are high value working farms and forests or have important natural features like rivers, wetlands, buttes and floodplains. These areas will be protected from urbanization for the next 40 to 50 years.

To learn more, this website link is available: www.oregonmetro.gov/reserves

The forum  is moderated by Arnold Cogan, FAICP, Planner-in-Residence in the Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning.

This forum will be webcast live and archived for future viewing.  As in past forums, the event will stimulate spirited conversation, focus our expectations on the role of planning in the future and provide students, faculty and others with new insights.

For more information, please contact Arnold Cogan at:  503-225-0192 or at arnold.cogan@coganowens.com.

New Projects for COC

COC is keeping busy!  We have several new projects that we would like to share with you if you haven’t already heard.

• Public Involvement and Writing, Editing & Document Management as part of an Environmental Support Services Roster for the Bonneville Power Administration
• Economic Opportunities Analysis for the Salem-Keizer Region
• Safe Routes to School Workshop for the City of Madras and the Oregon Department of Transportation TGM Program
• Strategic Plan Research for Portland + Oregon Sustainability Institute (P+OSI)
• Grant Writing Support for the Oregon Department of Transportation
• Presentation Skills Training for the Oregon Recreation and Park Association
• Community Coach for Highlands Neighborhood Association
• Public Involvement for City of Corvallis Wastewater Reuse Plan
• Economic Landscape Strategic Advice and Document Production for Clackamas County

PDX Lounge Partner Charrette

COC is excited to be a new PDX Lounge partner! The PDX Lounge is a highly collaborative intersection of local government, businesses and non-profit organizations seeking to help create a profitable new business model for sustainable industries. To kick-start this relationship and help the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability and Portland Development Commission’s goals of establishing a dynamic permanent space and program, COC donated in-kind services to plan and facilitate a partner charrette on January 9, 2009. Kirstin Greene and Ellie Fiore worked closely with City staff and other partners to design this event to be interactive, engaging and productive.  Charrette exercises were designed to generate ideas for the PDX Lounge program and space design. About 30 participants shared their ideas about how PDX Lounge can most effectively support Oregon’s sustainable industries by participating in exercises that included mapping and identifying superhero powers for the future PDX Lounge. These ideas will feed into future Lounge design and development. Photos of this event are available on Flickr.