Category: Resources

Testimony: Support for D.C.’s 15th Street NW revised concept/nine story apartment building

We would like to express our support for this project and are eager to see this new construction and senior housing preservation project advance. We believe that this new building is respectful of its neighbors and historic context. Most importantly, the new building will respect the St. Augustine church.  At the same time, the project will contribute to preserving and adding affordable housing in this popular neighborhood.  This is a valuable contribution to our neighborhood and city. We also welcome the market-rate units as part of meeting housing demand across a spectrum of prices.

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Testimony: Charles County Comprehensive Plan Update – draft scenarios

Having been contacted by local community members, the Coalition for Smarter Growth has reviewed the proposed scenarios, the Land Use Market Analysis, and the Comprehensive Plan Scenario Evaluations. To summarize, we share the concern about the comparative evaluation of the two scenarios and believe that the scoring of a number of the factors fails to account for countervailing research and potential benefits that would support Scenario 1.

Building Better Neighborhoods with Transit-Oriented Development: Community Design & Process

Building Better Neighborhoods with Transit-Oriented Development: Community Design & Process

On October 19, 2011, new Chair of the Prince George’s Planning Board, Betty Hewlett, and urban design celebrity David Dixon joined us in collaboration with the Envision Prince George’s Community Action Team for Transit-Oriented Development to discuss designing vibrant communities in Prince George’s County. View presentations from the event.

Letter to Secretary Ray LaHood and Secretary Sean Connaughton

The Environmental Assessment for the I-95 HOT Lanes Project is inadequate and should be redone to evaluate the full range of alternatives and impacts for the I-95 corridor and consider the full range of costs and benefits for alternative approaches. A decision involving $1 billion or more in publicly subsidized spending and the transfer of public right of way to a private company to collect tolls for up to 75 years merits far more thorough analysis. We urge you to reject this Environmental Assessment.

Fairfax: Testimony to the Planning Commission Tysons Corner Committee on Financing Transportation Improvements

First let me note that transit-oriented development can generate significant tax benefits for Fairfax as demonstrated by the Arlington experience. Arlington’s two Metro corridors occupy just 11 percent of their land and generate something like 50% of their property tax base, generating revenues that have supported improvements in neighborhoods across Arlington — recreation centers, traffic calming, parks and schools.

Get the Scoop! Polls, Demographics, and Demand for Smart Growth

Get the Scoop! Polls, Demographics, and Demand for Smart Growth

Our region has seen strong revialization and increased demand to live in walkable, transit-accessible communities. This forum on August 17, 2011, featured two national experts speaking on a wealth of valuable and intriguing data on the potential demand for smart growth communities: Joe Molinaro of the National Association of Realtors and Shyam Kannan of the RCLCO.

Testimony: before the D.C. Historic Preservation Review Board in support of the Hine Junior High School project

We wish to express our support for the proposed project for the Hine Junior High School site and urge the HPRB to complete its review so that the project can move on to a Planned Unit Development review with the Zoning Commission. The proposed scale and overall design conform to the Capitol Hill Historic District and enhance key historic assets such as L’Enfant square on Pennsylvania Avenue and the market house.