RenewLV has also experienced some major changes over the past year.  A new executive director, Pam Colton, and a new campaign coordinator and community fellow, Rachel Bradshaw, joined the team in the latter half of 2011 after previous staff members left to pursue other opportunities.  It has been a tumultuous year, but we are ready for the opportunities and challenges 2012 has for us.

Both Pam and Rachel have hit the ground running pursuing smart growth and smart development initiatives across the Lehigh Valley.  The bi-county health bureau initiative was tabled in October, but with the newly elected Northampton County council members and Lehigh County commissioners sworn in, we look forward to greater success as the issue is revisited at the annual Health Commission meeting on Monday, January 9.  We continue to push for regional governance and shared services, particularly in the Slate Belt region of the Lehigh Valley.  With so much redundancy of governance and in light of ever-shrinking budgets, it is a good time for municipalities to explore opportunities to work together in some areas.  RenewLV will be moving forward with its plans for community forums and public participation with the HUD grant awarded in November in partnership with the other members of the Lehigh Valley Sustainability Consortium.  The progress of our community will be highlighted at the second-annual State of the Lehigh Valley report release event to be held February 15, 2012, which we hope will be even more successful than last year’s event.

Yes, 2012 holds a great deal of promise for RenewLV and the whole Lehigh Valley.  There are many on-going iniatives being executed throughout our community this year.  Get involved and have your voice heard.  For more information on any of our upcoming events or for how you can get involved in any of our initiatives, visit our website or call us!  Here’s to a better and brighter Lehigh Valley in 2012!  Cheers!

This year’s report focuses on the economy and employment, housing affordability, median household income, quality of life, and transportation.  A special section has been added to highlight community health and health indicators.  This year’s report also compares the Lehigh Valley to similarly sized metropolitan areas to get a sense of how our community measures up to others in the Northeast.

The event will feature a review of the report’s findings, a luncheon buffet, and discussion among community members and experts in the particular focus areas to encourage dialogue toward developing community solutions.   Join us to work as a community toward a healthier, more successful, and more vibrant Lehigh Valley!

Last year’s event sold out and we have a 250-seat capacity, so register quickly!  The registration fee of $25 includes your luncheon buffet.  Details for registration and sponsorship opportunities can be found by clicking this link to our registration page.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Presenting sponsors:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Smart Growth Network have compiled a list of 10 basic principles of smart growth that are proven approaches in creating successful communities:

1. Mix land uses
2. Take advantage of compact building design
3. Create a range of housing opportunities and choices
4. Create walkable neighborhoods
5. Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place
6. Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas
7. Strengthen and direct development toward existing communities
8. Provide a variety of transportation choices
9. Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost-effective
10. Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in development decisions

Numerous organizations throughout the Lehigh Valley hold these principles as main focuses of their activities.  Through Renew’s partnerships with organizations like the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, LANta, the Wildlands Conservancy, and many others, RenewLV is trying to knit these principles into the culture of the Lehigh Valley.  That is why we have partnered with the Lehigh Valley Sustainability Consortium to ensure these ideals are part of any development project here.

As residents of this great area, you know how unique and resilient the Lehigh Valley is.  But there is always room for improvement.  Through the recently awarded $3.4 million HUD grant, this area will be getting a major boost through projects and partnerships over the next three years.  As part of the Lehigh Valley Sustainability Consortium overseeing this grant, RenewLV wants to hear from you, the residents of the Lehigh Valley.  In the upcoming months we will be hosting events and opportunities to enable your voice and opinions to be heard in order to guide these projects.  Visit our website and click the “Join Us” button to stay up-to-date on the grant projects and opportunities for the community to speak out.  Bring these smart growth principles to the Lehigh Valley to make it an even better place to live.

PennEnvironment, a state-wide citizen-based environmental advocacy organization will be in Bethlehem on December 6th for a Marcellus Shale Citizen Organizer Training Session.  Their goal: “to train 1,000 Pennsylvanians with the skills they need to protect their communities from gas drilling. Whether you’re new to activism or been [sic] on the front lines of the Marcellus Shale, this training will help you take the fight to the next level.”  Below are the details of the training:

WHAT: Lehigh Valley Marcellus Shale Citizen Organizer Training
WHERE: Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley, 424 Center St, Bethlehem, PA
WHEN: Tuesday, December 6, 6-9 p.m.

RenewLV is not a sponsor of this event, but strongly encourages citizens to become educated to participate in their local communities.  If you are interested in this event or want more information regarding PennEnvironment, visit: https://secure3.convio.net/engage/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=3865.

Make no mistake about it… this is not a Republican or Democrat issue; this is your issue. While the schools have been given more state testing requirements (a way to hold them accountable to the taxpayers and to the state for money spent), there has not been any meaningful review of how the schools have been funded through all these changes. The state has ordered a “costing out” study and a “school consolidation study,” neither of which have led to more streamlined or efficient school governance. It is time that we get serious about a statewide funding formula that is “aligned to learning standards, fiscally responsible, fair, and both Constitutional and ethical” according to “Education Voters.”

You have that opportunity to be heard on Monday, December 5^th. Education Voters is calling on you to speak up. Go to the website (http://www.educationvoterspa.org/) and follow the easy prompts that will get you to your legislator so you can voice your opinion on public education in Pennsylvania. We must let them know what is important. Get involved in your community. After all, it is YOUR community.

According to HUD’s press release: “The Regional Planning Grant program encourages grantees to support regional planning efforts that integrate housing, land-use, economic and workforce development, transportation, and infrastructure developments in a manner that empowers regions to consider how all of these factors work together to create more jobs and economic opportunities. The program will place a priority on partnerships, including the collaboration of arts and culture, philanthropy, and innovative ideas to the regional planning process.” (To read the full release, click here: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2011/HUDNo.11-274 ).

The article contains a chart listing every award in the country.  There were only two awards granted in Pennsylvania: one in Erie and one in the Lehigh Valley. Another noteworthy fact is that only five of the 56 awards were greater than the $3.4 million granted to the LehighValley. Obviously HUD took notice of the impact our regional cooperation is already having and is encouraging us to continue to improve on the good things that are happening here.

Now, here’s where you come in. It is time to have your voice heard! Speak up and let us know what you want to see in the plan for YOUR communities.  Renew Lehigh Valley is responsible for the “public participation” or community engagement piece. Start thinking as a participant in this process. More to come as the plan unfolds…

In the meantime, relax, enjoy your turkey, and give thanks.

Pam Colton comes to Renew Lehigh Valley after 24 years of service in the US   Government’s Open Source Center where she spent time as a document analyst, an editor, a “Daily Report” manager, and an overseas chief editor, working in places like Nicosia, Cyprus, Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Reston, Virginia, and her home in Washington Township, PA. Before taking her position in the federal employee ranks, Pam graduated with a degree in Political Science and Russian/East European Studies from the University of Pittsburgh.

Upon returning to the Slate Belt where she grew up, Pam made a successful run for the Bangor School Board, where she was just re-elected for her fourth term. As school board vice president, she has negotiated two successful five-year teacher contracts and numerous other Act 93 contracts. She represents the board as its legislative liaison and is also its representative on the board of the Colonial Intermediate Unit #20.

Pam was also instrumental in starting the Slater Family Network Foundation, Inc (SFN), a family center based in the Bangor Area School District. SFN is a joint venture with the school district, the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, Two Rivers Health and Wellness Foundation, Northampton County Children & Youth, the 21^st Century Community Learning Center, and other donors and is currently beginning its 12th year of assisting families in the Bangor School District with resources, referrals to programs throughout the Lehigh Valley, and advocacy on an as needed basis. Pam served as the organization’s president for 11 years before stepping down to pursue the position at RenewLV.

Rachel Bradshaw is a Community Fellow from Lehigh University. She will be serving as the Community Coordinator for the next year as she pursues her M.A. in Political Science. Rachel graduated from Western New England College with a B.A. in History.

While attending Western New England, Rachel was extremely active in the First Year Students & Students in Transition Program. She mentored a cohort of 20 first year students for three years as a Peer Advisor and led the Peer Advisor group her senior year as a member of the Steering Committee. Rachel also assisted in reinstating the Sexual Misconduct Advocate Response Team (SMART) at Western New England, while serving as the Community Coordinator of the peer education and support group. She facilitated peer educational events and workshops in partnership with the Springfield YWCA. While at Western New England College, Rachel was also a member of the Historical Society, Class Council, Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society, Mortarboard Honor Society, and Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society.

Rachel has worked at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as the Education Assistant for the past three summers planning and executing educator workshops and week-long institutes. Her previous work experience at the National Constitution Center and her thesis work at Western New England encouraged her interest in both the nonprofit sector and public policy. The fellowship at RenewLV offers a unique opportunity to combine her two interests while she gains practical experience coordinating events and collaborating on initiatives. Rachel resides in her hometown of Perkasie, Pennsylvania.

Although high-speed rail was completely de-funded in the last budget battle, the president’s bill still provides $53 billion over six years to the program, with $37.6 billion of it for network development and the rest for system preservation and renewal.

RenewLV is a partner in the Transportation for America coalition and supports investing in public transit, high-speed trains, places to bike and walk, and green innovation.

But all too often, the overwhelming evidence of local and nonpartisan support for smart growth feels a bit…lacking. Sure, a survey of 2,071 people from the United States shows that 77% of them support smart design programs. Yeah, an analysis of how local transportation money has been spent proves that complete streets are spreading both in major cities like New York and San Francisco and in small towns in Idaho. But what does that mean for us? These are local efforts, and while they demonstrate a trend, we have yet to feel that “woah…Smart Growth is awesome” moment for ourselves in the Lehigh Valley.

But let’s say that this is your first visit to Crossroads. Have you ever heard of “smart growth” before?

Even if you do not know the term, chances are pretty good that you are familiar with the principles it represents. You wish it was easier to use mass transit, you’ve heard of “urban revitalization,” and you’ve noticed at some point in your life that it feels safer to walk on a sidewalk than on a poorly lit street on which cars routinely try to shatter the sound barrier. You want to feel safe letting your kids ride their bikes to friends’ houses, and you wish you could walk around the corner when you need one or two things for dinner, instead of having to jump in the car.

The guiding phrase itself is far less important than the practices it stands for. While the common word is a useful way to connect with like-minded groups and succinctly refer to a varying collection of thoughts, to the average person “smart growth” changes nothing — but the installation of sidewalks does.

Using and spreading the obscure phrase will not help us promote “smart growth” among the average people (all of us) who stand to benefit from it. Only two things that can do that. One, as I mentioned before, is the “woah” moment. Imagine, after having lived in Allentown for the past 10, 20, or 30 years, leaving. Imagine returning five years later. Imagine coming back to find a thriving downtown. Fantastic, affordable, safe places to live, just blocks from restaurants, bars, and your office. Drastically less traffic on the streets. Unobtrusive bike racks on curbs, for you, your neighbors, and your coworkers. A healthy, vibrant, safe, happy community.

If we continue to move forward, that’s coming. But it might take a bit of time, and it will definitely take a bit of work.

Until that moment, we rely on the second thing to promote the movement: the making mainstream of principles included in “smart growth.” While we try to work towards that through Crossroads, Facebook, and Twitter, we are clearly biased. What we need is institutional acknowledgment of Smart Growth.

Fortunately, we have lately begun to see this on the federal level. The EPA supports sustainable development. The President and the Department of Transportation and the continue to push for mass transit and alternative transportation, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development sponsors many programs consistent with Smart Growth.

There’s also the Centers for Disease Control.

While economic and environmental benefits are frequently touted by the smart growth community, public health benefits are sometimes mentioned as an afterthought. They’re just as important, just as easy to prove, but somehow, they tend to take a backseat. RenewLV has made an effort over the past year or so to bring public health to the forefront of our push for smart growth in the Valley, both through the inevitable health benefits that come from other policies (such as walkability and mass transit), and through the establishment of a Regional Health Department (see here for more information about this campaign).

The federal government appears to see the health benefits of smart growth, as well. The CDC has a page dedicated to “community design.” It echos the public health arguments that RenewLV has made:

Community design refers to all the elements of a community that are human-made and form the physical characteristics of that community. It includes:

• buildings, such as schools, workplaces, and homes,
• roads,
• parks and recreation areas,
• transportation systems, and
• places to buy food.

Well-designed communities can improve public health. The design and maintenance of our communities may be related to:

• chronic diseases,
• obesity,
• injury rates,
• mental health, and
• the effects of climate change.

Through design, communities can attempt to offer residents:

• opportunities to incorporate routine physical activity into our everyday lives,
• cleaner air,
• lower risk of injury from vehicle accidents, and
• decreased effects of climate change.

According to the page, the CDC actively tracks data on community design as it relates to public health concerns including “types of transportation to work, air quality (ozone and PM 2.5), childhood lead poisoning, and motor vehicle-related fatalities.”

The page is not promoting anything specific, nor does it represent the transformation of the CDC into a leading “smart growth” advocacy group. It simply represents an acknowledgment that Smart Growth has real effects: this is not some crazy scheme based on theory and fantasy. Smart Growth is real, it benefits everyone in many different ways, and it can be successful in any urban community.

Like what you see? Join the effort to make Smart Growth work for us! Sign up for e-mail updates and visit our homepage to learn how you can get involved!