The Citizens’ Role in Creating Sustainable Communities in Oregon

Robert Liberty, Sustainable Cities Initiative, University of Oregon June 2011

Public Involvement

The problem, as initially defined.

• Goal 1 - Citizen Involvement• Goal 2 - Land Use Planning• Goal 3 - Agriculture Lands• Goal 4 - Forest Lands• Goal 5 - Open Spaces, Scenic

and Historic Area, and Natural Resources

• Goal 6 - Air, Water and Land Resources Quality

• Goal 7 - Areas Subject to Natural Disasters and

Hazards • Goal 8 - Recreation Needs

• Goal 9 - Economy of the State• Goal 10 - Housing• Goal 11 - Public Facilities and

Services• Goal 12 - Transportation • Goal 13 - Energy• Goal 14 - Urbanization• Goal 15 - Willamette Greenway• Goal 16 - Estuarine Resources• Goal 17 - Coastal Shorelands• Goal 18 - Beaches and Dunes• Goal 19 - Ocean Resources

• Goal 1 - Citizen Involvement• Goal 2 - Land Use Planning• Goal 3 - Agriculture Lands• Goal 4 - Forest Lands• Goal 5 - Open Spaces, Scenic

and Historic Area, and Natural Resources

• Goal 6 - Air, Water and Land Resources Quality

• Goal 7 - Areas Subject to Natural Disasters and

Hazards • Goal 8 - Recreation Needs

• Goal 15 - Willamette Greenway• Goal 16 - Estuarine Resources• Goal 17 - Coastal Shorelands• Goal 18 - Beaches and Dunes• Goal 19 - Ocean Resources

• Goal 9 - Economy of the State• Goal 10 - Housing• Goal 11 - Public Facilities and

Services• Goal 12 - Transportation • Goal 13 - Energy• Goal 14 - Urbanization

• Goal 1 - Citizen Involvement• Goal 2 - Land Use Planning

Oregon’s Development & Conservation Goals

Goal 14 Urbanization

Urban Growth Boundaries

Urban growth boundaries shall be established and maintained by cities, counties and regional governments to provide land for urban development needs and to identify and separate urban and urbanizable land from rural land.

Goal 12 Transportation

To provide and encourage a safe, convenient and economic transportation system.

A transportation plan shall (1) consider all modes of transportation including mass transit, air, water, pipeline, rail, highway, bicycle and pedestrian; (2) be based upon an inventory of local, regional and state transportation needs; (3) consider the differences in social consequences that would result from utilizing differing combinations of

transportation modes; (4) avoid principal reliance upon any one mode of transportation; (5) minimize adverse social, economic and environmental impacts and costs; (6) conserve energy; (7) meet the needs of the transportation disadvantaged by improving transportation services; (8) facilitate the flow of goods and services so as to strengthen the local and regional economy; and (9) conform with local and regional comprehensive land use plans.

Professor, Urban Planning and Policy Development Program Research Associate, Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center

Urban travel behavior as the outcome of public policy: The example of modal-split in Western Europe and North America

JAPA 1988

Prof. John Pucher Rutgers University

Land Use Transportation Air Quality (LUTRAQ) Alternatives

• No build• New connector highway*• New connector highway with demand

management including road pricing• Changing land use patterns*• Changing land use patterns plus TDM and

road pricing** Included extending light rail line

Table 2-6: Vehicle Hours of Delay (P.M. Peak Hour)

Hours of Delay

No Build Hwy

only

Hwy + TDM

LUTRAQ LUTRAQ +TDM

200

430

370

1000

Freeway 1140 470 370 390

Major Arterials

960 660 470 520

Minor Arterials

830 540 370 460

Total 2930 1670 1210 1370

No build

Highway only

Highway + TDM

LUTRAQ

LUTRAQ TODs

LUTRAQ + TDM

LUTRAQ + TDMS TODs

Figure 2-1: Percentage of Work Trips by Mode

The LUTRAQ Project ResultsLUTRAQ vs. Highways Only Option

22.5% fewer works trips made by SOV

27% more trips made by walking and transit

21% greater access to jobs (30 minutes to 1/2 million jobs)

7.9% less emissions of greenhouse gases

6.0 - 8.7% less air pollutants (NOx, hydrocarbons, CO)

7.9% less energy consumed

Implementing LUTRAQ

The Round at Beaverton Central

Transit Oriented Development

Implementing LUTRAQ

Monitoring Enforcement

New Ideas

Clarifying the Meaning of the Goals

Sustainable City Year

The Sustainable Cities Initiative is perhaps the most comprehensive effort by a U.S. university to infuse sustainability into its curricula and community outreach.

• 27 Faculty

Sustainable City Year 2010-11

• 30 Courses

• 10 Disciplines / 2 Universities

• 500+ students

• 80,000 hours of student time

• 16 Projects

Elements of Success

• Political leadership in adoption• Clear, simple regulations• Long-term commitment to

implementation• Adjustments to improve• And one more critical element…

The Citizens’ Role in Creating Sustainable Communities in Oregon

Robert Liberty, Sustainable Cities Initiative, University of Oregon June 2011