Cascade Collaborative: A Planners Conference

For the next three days, the Washington and Oregon Chapters of the American Planning Association are meeting in Portland, Oregon for their annual conferences. But, rather than operate separate events, they are working together on one which will serve the needs of both organization's members.

Today's events include mobile workshops, discussions about topics while traveling to sites to show planners how the topic affects what happens on the ground, in the world. While there are several mobile workshops underway, this blog will address two: Portland's Food Carts, and the Beaverton's EcoDistrict. Entries will be linked from here when they become available.

Over the next couple days, there will be numerous other entries, and they will be linked from here as well.

Ishmael

TEACHER SEEKS PUPIL. Must have an earnest desire to save the world. Apply in person.

I originally scheduled, for today, an "Optional Reading List" for Winter 2011, just as I had for Fall 2010. However, I've preempted it because, due to the kindness of a friend, I actually got the chance to read one of the books contained in the Winter list.

"Ishmael," by Daniel Quinn, consists almost exclusively of a dialogue between a human and a telepathic gorilla named Ishmael. The discussion posits an ongoing conflict between two groups of people, the takers and the leavers. Today's society is cast as the ever-expanding culture of the takers, so-called because we take more than is necessary to survive. This is not just American culture or European culture, but all cultures who participate in the agricultural revolution. Quinn makes an excellent point: the agricultural revolution was a seminal even in human history, and we're taught when it started, but did you ever think about when it ended?

The gorilla's name comes from Genesis, wherein the first son of Abraham, Ishmael, was cast out and remained wild and always in conflict with the people. This is apt, as our gorilla is a representative of the leavers, never taking more than is necessary to live. Taker culture casts leavers as wild and in need of education to raise them out of their wretched state, that is, the culture needs to be destroyed.

As the self-appointed judges of what should live and what should die, the takers have transformed the world into a massive food production processor. But at what cost? "Ishmael" explores the dangers of our present course. While I personally find dialogues difficult, this was a relatively easy read, its 260-some pages going down in just a couple hours. And it has hand-drawn maps. How could you go wrong with that? I recommend it, and I'm looking forward to discussing it with you!

Four the Future - October 28

Foodies, rejoice! Home grown chickens, new local restaurants, community gardens, and, sadly, more diabetes to come?

• Council broods over looser chicken regulations for Valley
  Source: Spokesman-Review; September 25, 2010
  Summary: A citizen requested that the Spokane Valley City Council expand the number of places where chickens can be raised. Currently, it is restricted to lots of at least 40,000 square feet (almost an acre). There are currently 1,300 single-family lots of that size, and code enforcement receives one or two complaints a month.
  Opinion: First, city dwellers, you do not need a rooster for eggs. You only need hens for that. If you want more chickens, then, that is when you need roosters...and a lot more distance between you and your neighbors. Odor can be a problem, so the city should be prepared to enforce strict hygiene standards. Second, city dwellers, it is crazy that there are 1,300 single-family residences of one acre or larger in a city. But, the history is that they were in existence prior to the Growth Management Act, so there are few things that can be done about it now except prevent the creation of more. But, I'm not sure that Spokane Valley is committed to that concept.
  
• Tripling of diabetics possible
  Source: Spokesman-Review; October 23, 2010
  Summary: If current trends continue, there may be a tripling of the number of diabetics in America by 2050, up to one third of all adults. While part of the increase is due to diabetics living longer, much of it is due to obesity rates.
  Opinion: Hey, what if there were an alternative to all the fatty, sugary foods we eat? Hmmm....
• Shared farming program harvests food, community
  Source: Spokesman-Review; October 24, 2010
  Summary: An acre of surplus land that was doing nothing but being mowed was converted to gardens this year to benefit the Dalton Gardens community. A group recruited 30 "shareholders," half paying $200 up front, the income-qualifying other half paying nothing. Then, all participants received a box of produce every other week all summer. The income-qualifying families paid just $10 per box of food. First-graders from Dalton Elementary participated by planting the pumpkins and came back as second-graders to harvest them.
  Opinion: Educational, local, organic urban farming which supports the efforts of local food banks. Seriously, how do you beat that? And, the waiting list is long. I know of several acres owned by Vera Power and Water at 16th and Sullivan. All it is doing is being irrigated and mowed. Where is the local underutilized lot in your neighborhood? Is it yours? (Hey, Angie Foltz: I know you have something to say about this!)
  
• Despite slow economy, new eateries are springing up all over
  Source: Spokesman-Review; October 24, 2010
  Summary: There are a large number of new restaurants opening in the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene region. People are beginning to go out again, especially to neighborhood locations. Banks are supplying funds to people who are attempting to get jobs by creating them, provided they have management experience.
  Opinion: A weak economy with people looking for paradigm-changing food choices will mean many restaurant failures. That, in itself, is nothing new. But, humbly, I recommend that these new restaurateurs attempt to leverage the local, organic movement just in case. It will capture those people who want it, but have not found the way to achieve it just yet. Better yet, make sure you have a garden, and show people how you connect to it! Show me the money freshly grown vegetables!
  

Four the Future - October 25

This week, you have several public participation opportunities.

• STA seeking public input on budget cut proposals
  Source: Spokesman-Review; October 4, 2010
  Summary: Spokane Transit is preparing for service cuts next September. Planning for the cuts is already underway. The cuts affect a number of areas and STA projects they will to reduce ridership by 6 percent. You can read the proposed plan and share your opinion right now.
  Opinion: The board was preparing to cut service by 40% back in 2004 when the voters of the region forced them to put a revenue enhancement on the ballot. Transit will become a more and more important part of our transportation mix in the future. It is important for us all to make sure it is there when we need it.
  
• Help shape Spokane's transportation future!
  Source: Spokane Central City Transportation Alternative Analysis
  Summary: Focusing on the needs of downtown Spokane, this effort needs input to help guide the future of transit for the region. The Open House is on Tuesday, October 26 from 3:30 to 7 p.m. at Riverpoint's South Campus Facility at 412 E Spokane Falls Blvd.
  Opinion: Lots of studies have been done. This is intended to pull them together, and your input should be provided to ensure that the transit options are made available and are integrated into everyone’s planning.
  
• Is The Suspense Killing You?
  Source: SRTC Transportation Blog; October 22, 2010
  Summary: The whole region is waiting with twitchy mouse fingers to play Spokane's transportation planning game. It should be available on Wednesday, October 27 at the Spokane Transportation Vision web site.
  Opinion: *twitch, twitch*
  
• Change in greenhouse size limits proposed
  Source: Spokesman-Review; October 15, 2010
  Summary: Spokane County has been petitioned to allow larger commercial greenhouses on rural lands. The current limit is 20 percent of the least dense rural zones, 25 percent on Rural-5 zones, and 50 percent on rural activity center zones. The public hearing is at 9 a.m., Thursday, October 28, in the basement of the Spokane County Public Works Building at 1026 W Broadway, Spokane.
  Opinion: Really? They want rural conservation lands, the ones specifically held aside for important wildlife habitats, to be completely covered by buildings? Irrational. I don’t even understand why 20% is permitted in those areas currently. Unless the farm is actually using the ground as the growing medium, greenhouses shouldn’t be in rural areas, anyway. In that case, put them in the marginal lands currently designated for industrial purposes. After all, we have a serious oversupply of that.
  

Four the Future - September 15

No food shortage (yet), more grass-waste-to-energy, preserving habitat, and southern new urbanism.

• Not a Food Crisis
  Source: New York Times; September 12, 2010
  Summary: In this editorial, the New York Times worries about the effects of a Russian ban on wheat exports. They argue that countries should not overreact and cause food crises by preventing the free flow of foodstuff across borders. India has had a ban in place, and it has resulted in rotting food stores. Large exporters should all agree to not impose controls.
  Opinion: Expect more of this. This year, one quarter of the sown wheat in Russia has been destroyed by fires fueled by drought. As climate change alters the food crops which can be grown in their traditional places, there will be upheavals. This is beginning to impose itself upon the consciousness of strategic thinkers. Source Integral has advised middle eastern nations that they should stop their strategy of outsourcing food (Part One) (Part Two) because there will be no place which will sell them food without a close, supportive relationship. We do not do food planning well in this nation. We depend, primarily, on abundance. But with our current reliance on international food trade, food prices intimately linked to oil prices, and regional responses to climate change, depending on hopes of abundance will not be a safe strategy in the future.
  
• Ban on field burning prompts plan to convert straw to energy
  Source: The Oregonian; September 12, 2010
  Summary: Oregon had the same kind of grass smoke problems that other grass-burning areas have had. The problem got so bad that in 1988, intentional grass fires caused a 21-vehicle pileup on Interstate 5 killing seven and injuring a number of others. In 2007, Eugene-area legislators proposed to ban all burning. Consequently, several sites are now being considered to turn grass straw into "electricity, compost, fertilizer and compacted wood products."
  Opinion: This is a different approach to the grass-waste-to-energy concept presented before. Whereas the other project is being funded to make generators which operate on each farm, this concept brings it all together onto a larger site. While the previous concept has the benefit of providing distributed energy to independent farmers, the latter uses more of the plant for beneficial use, and could be base load bearing. It will be interesting to see which concept wins out, or if they can coexist side-by-side.
  
• Bonneville Power Administration releases plan to protect 16,880 acres of Willamette Valley habitat
  Source: The Oregonian; September 11, 2010
  Summary: The Bonneville Power Administration is dedicating $125 million over the course of 15 years to preserve habitats due to the construction of dams in the Willamette Valley. The total area to be preserved is 16,880 acres. The State of Oregon, tribes, and nonprofits will be able to purchase conservation easements to protect diminished habitats. 9657 acres were preserved earlier. Rates will not rise, as it has already been taken into account. The draft is open to public comment until October 12.
  Opinion: The area to be preserved is about 2/3rds the side of the City of Spokane Valley. From these links, you can read the agreement and comment (scroll down to the “Willamette Mitigation Settlement Agreement” section). Not only do you live on this same earth as the fish that were affected by these dams, local power companies are BPA customers so you’re paying for these lands to be purchased and rehabilitated. If you have a comment to make, you certainly have a right to do so. I wonder...has anything like this happened in Washington?
  
• Waco, Texas embraces growth and 'new urbanism'
  Source: USA Today; September 13, 2010
  Summary: Waco, Texas, used to be deserted when people went home from work. Now, there are people and cars and activity downtown because the city has embraced a mixed use plan for downtown. The market is moving toward walkability. They’re developing along the banks of the Brazos River. They’re leaving behind the sprawl and the high cost of "roads, utility lines, and services to remote areas." Tulsa and Baton Rouge are also focusing on this kind of development.
  Opinion: Light rail in Salt Lake City, new urbanism in Waco. Clearly, resisting these movements is not conservative, so what's the new excuse going to be?
  

Four the Future - August 31

Today: signage blight, Intel-ligent vegetables, food carts, and parking lot tax proposal.

• Britain being "overrun" by street signs
  Source: Reuters; Aug 26, 2010
  Summary: There are so many signs, including traffic signs and advertising boards, that English cities are looking like "scrapyards." Money quote: "When busy Kensington High Street in central London was stripped of excess [signage], for example, it helped reduce accidents by 47 percent."
  
  
  
  Opinion: This is a public safety issue, complicated by the fact that signage is nothing more than an arms race. Each sign is competing for your attention. If it becomes hidden behind another sign, it is expanded to take up more of your view. Eventually the community looks like a college dorm room. The only solution is to limit the size and number of signs to something that prevents anyone from attempting to gain an advantage over everyone else.
• When geeks garden, radish technology advances
  Source: News Tribune; July 12, 2010
  Summary: Intel’s offices in DuPont, Washington, are sprouting gardens. They’re learning about the various vegetables they can grow, and are experimenting with soils amendments. They designed a hexagonal planting method. Their café produces compost from the four buckets of prep waste each day. “In late June they harvested 70 pounds of radishes from a 5-by-6-foot section of a raised bed.” Peas were coplanted with the radishes, so, even more produce will be coming from that same small amount of space. Intel encourages the activity because it saves time for the employees.
  Opinion: Getting the cubical denizens some time outside in the garden is also going to increase the employees’ productivity and morale. And food banks in Pierce and Thurston Counties are benefiting from the oversupply of fresh vegetables.
• Street renaissance under way in Vancouver
  Source: Globe and Mail; July 9, 2010
  
  
  
  Summary: Vancouver, British Columbia, is experimenting with creating an on-street food cart culture. When they offered 17 locations, about 800 vendors signed up. The city was looking to be more like Portland, Oregon, which has over 450 street food vendors. The locations will be subject to the health department. The CEO of the food services association was pleased with the enthusiasm. He expects that the carts would appeal to the “brown bag” crowd who don't visit the restaurants anyway.
  Opinion: I was thinking about this topic in mid-June due the Spovangelist mentioning it and doing a lovely job of encouraging an expansion. I agree with her: Spokane could stand to have more of this kind of activity as well. (And now I'm thinking—wow! We were ahead of Vancouver, BC?! Not anymore.) At the time, I humbly suggested that we could kill two birds with one stone: license fees for surface parking lots, with a rebate for food carts on the lot. Well, imagine what I felt when I read the next story....
• Parking tax debate turns to growth
  Source: Spokesman-Review; August 21, 2010
  Summary: The City of Spokane is now considering an annual parking lot tax of $10 to more than $100 per space per year. The tax would go to street maintenance. This tax, however, would not generate much revenue. Mayor Verner is interested, but is more interested if it exempts structured parking. The owner of Diamond Parking agrees that parking is not the best use of land downtown, but the owners of the parking lots are merely holding the land, and making a few dollars, until such time as the economy supports building.
  Opinion: There is an immense amount of parking available in downtown Spokane. And, hey, if they don’t want to pay the tax, they can make a food cart stall, perhaps! Or they can do any of these other things, ideas kindly supplied by the Spovangelist and friends.