Metro areas get chunk of rural stimulus aid

By Brad Heath from the USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — More than $2.7 billion of stimulus aid for struggling parts of rural America has gone to the nation's biggest metropolitan areas.

That's nearly a quarter of the $12 billion in rural assistance the government has paid out so far under President Obama's economic stimulus package, a USA TODAY review shows. It went to small, far-flung suburbs in metropolitan areas with more than a million residents, including growing towns around Atlanta and Phoenix. . . . [click here to continue reading]

Community Scholars Event - Friday!

Fellow MUPPs,

On behalf of the UPPSA Board and the Community Scholars team, I would like to extend this gesture of encouragement for you to attend the fundraising event for the Community Scholars program. This initiative is not just about MUPP master's projects. It is about starting a new approach to applying our learning and unique expertise in an effort to address real community problems. Our hope is that this program will continue on and develop further in future years.

We have high hopes for this initiative, but in order for it to succeed the team needs your support. UPPSA has expressed its support for the Community Scholars team's endeavours in pledging funds to assist with putting on this event. Please express yours by attending on Friday. Meet new fellow MUPPs, learn more about what is to come, hear some music, and enjoy the Pilsen Art Walk!

Details:
When?: Friday, December 11th, 6 - 10pm
Where?: Per Populus Gallery in Pilsen, 626 W. 18th Street (at Des Plaines)
What else?: $10 suggested donation, raffle with some great prizes (one month unlimited yoga, free bike maintenance, more), Pilsen Art Walk!

Link to event invite on Facebook: http://bit.ly/7gnMXN

Hope to see you there,

Jason Saavedra
Candidate, Master of Urban Planning and Policy '10
President, Urban Planning and Policy Student Association

P.S. - if I have not yet met you, please find me at the event and introduce yourself!

Regional Planning and Sustainability: Chicago’s Future

Date: Monday, November 30
Time: 6 - 7 pm
Place: Northeastern Univ., in the CBM (College of Business and Management), Room 111

Speaker: Hala Ahmed, AICP
www.cmap.illinois.gov
Hala Ahmed holds a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Tech and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). Since 1994, she has worked as an architect and urban designer in many parts of the world including Sudan, the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia as well as an urban and regional planner in Decatur and Peoria, IL. Ms. Ahmed joined the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) in 2007 where she worked on a variety of projects including the Regional Water Supply and Demand Study (to be released in February 2010) the Regional Comprehensive Plan- GO TO 2040- (to be released on October 2010) as well as watershed and other natural resource plans.

GIS ArcView Workshops

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) throughout the year offers two-day workshops in the GIS software ArcView 9.3. This is a great way to get an introduction to GIS if you don't have room for the course in your schedule. Each workshop has room for 5 students and costs $350.

The workshop is held from 9:30am to 4:30pm both days with a 1 hour break for lunch on your own. Scheduled dates for future workshops thus far are:

Wed-Thu, Dec 2-3, 2009 (this date is flexible if anyone wants to attend in December, but needs that time to study, etc.)

Wed-Thu, Jan 27-28, 2010

Wed-Thu, Mar 10-11, 2010

Wed-Thu, May 26-27, 2010

Wed-Thu, June 23-24, 2010

If you would like to reserve a seat or have any questions, contact Jan Drennan(jdrennan@cmap.illinois.gov, 312-386-8686)

Thursday 11/19: Mixer with MBA, Real Estate and Public Administration

This Thursday (November 19th) at 8:45PM, come schmooze and chat with your friends and colleagues from the MBA, Real Estate and Public Administration programs over drinks at Jaks Tap (901 W. Jackson).

TOD and Meeting Friday, November 19th

On Friday November 19th, UPPSA will be holding its next General Assembly meeting and TOD. The meeting will begin at 6pm in the CUPPAH basement lounge followed by a taste of Polish cuisine at very affordable yet highly rated Czerwone Jabluskzo/Red Apple at 3121 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Please plan on joining us at both events!

Images of Northeastern Illinois Photo Contest

Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) has launched their 2009 Images of Northeastern Illinois Photo Contest, which will continue throughout the month of November. MUPPs are encouraged to submit photos for consideration, and two winners will be selected in each of the following categories:

• Diversity (people, places, art, culture, food)
• Community Vitality (walkable, vibrant places; retail; neighborhood pride)
• Natural Environment (lakes, rivers, preserves, parks, sky, wildlife)
• Architecture/Urban Design (plazas, buildings, neighborhoods, boulevards)
• Transportation (pedestrians, bikes, cars, boats, trains, planes, etc.)

Prizes currently include:

• 1 Bootcamp from Richard Stromberg's Chicago Photography Classes
• $30 off coupons to Richard Stromberg's Chicago Photography Classes
• Copies of "Sidewalks: Portraits of Chicago" from the Illinois Humanities Council
• Certificates for a Fresh Picks Double Box of seasonal vegetables from Irv & Shelly's Local Organic Delivery
• Tickets to Chicago Architecture Foundation's Walking Tours
• and MORE!

Not to mention, it will be another item to add to your resume and/or portfolio. Visit CMAP's website for additional information here.

[Photo Courtesy of CMAP]

MPC Placemaking Roundtable, October 28th

*What Makes Your Place Great? Roundtable*

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Noon – 1:30 p.m. **

Metropolitan Planning Council Conference Center

140 S. Dearborn St., Suite 1400, Chicago, Ill. 60603



Cost for MPC donors: $15.00
Cost for non-donors: $30.00

(The above prices apply to students as well.)

Sept.22 -Chicagoland Car-Free Day

Here is an excuse to explore other ways of getting around.

On Tuesday Sept. 22, Active Trans will partner with RTA, Pace, Metra, CTA and communities around the region for Chicagoland Car-free Day. The event is part of World Car-free Day, the one moment when people around the world pledge to go sans auto.

The day will only work if we get everyone involved. The more people we get to pledge to go car-free, the more fun the day will be! Plus, when you take the pledge on our website, you get a coupon for $1 off a large drink at Caribou Coffee on Sept. 22 (We’re not that crazy to ask you to go caffeine-free). Find a Caribou Coffee location near you.

http://www.activetrans.org/carfree

Chicago Tops USGBC's List of U.S. Cities with Most Green Buildings

According to the Chicago Tribune, the Windy City has won top honors in a recent ranking of U.S. cities with the most LEED Certified buildings. According to the Tribune, "88 projects in Chicago have earned [LEED] certification. Portland, Ore., was next, with 73 LEED buildings, and Seattle was third, with 63. New York was seventh with 46, and Los Angeles ninth with 40."

Read more...

Image source: Chicago Tribune

Bicycling for College Students

The following is selected text from MUPP student Steve Vance's article titled "Bicycling for College Students"

Introduction

If you haven’t yet chosen to bike to campus, don’t read this – I’ve got another article in the works for you. Essentially, I gained my advice and education from information I found in multiple documents published by the Chicago Bicycle Program. But you can read my post in less than 10 minutes. I give my friends the same spiel, and now I’ve finally published it for everyone’s benefit.

My credentials: I’ve been commuting safely and effectively to the University of Illinois at Chicago campus for four years, attending undergraduate and graduate class. I’ve been bicycling all around Chicago (I can prove it with these maps) for the same period.

I divide my advice into three sections: Safety, Getting There, and The Right Equipment. You should have a copy of the Chicago Bike Map at your side (download as PDF; tambien disponible en espanol; request one to be mailed) . . . . [click here to read more]

Public Meeting Regarding Albany Whipple Park

Public Meeting Regarding Albany Whipple Park

This may be considered the first step towards the realization of the Bloomingdale Trail!


The Chicago Park District is holding a meeting for the public to learn more about the development of the Albany Whipple Park.

The meeting will be held at Simons Park field house, 1640 N. Drake, at 6pm on Tuesday, September 1, 2009. 

The Trust for Public Land and Friends of the Bloomingdale Trail would greatly appreciate your presence and input at this important meeting. 

Please join us and bring your questions, concerns and ideas! 

Please Contact The Trust for Public Land with any questions.
Andrew Vesselinovitch
120 S. LaSalle Street, 2000
Chicago, Illinois 60603
Direct line: 312-750-9821

Friends of the Bloomingdale Trail  - http://www.bloomingdaletrail.org/

Welcome New MUPPs!

Fellow MUPPs,

Please join me in welcoming the new cohort of MUPP students as they begin the next exciting phase of their lives! I had the pleasure of meeting our new colleagues on Thursday, and I can say with absolute certainty that our CUPPA Community is now brighter, more spirited, and stronger with their presence. We're glad you're here!

To our new colleagues: you are now part of an awesome community of engaged scholars and intelligent professionals, and you have joined the largest, strongest Planning network in the country. Please take full advantage of the resources and opportunities that are being made available to you.

To aid in your last-minute preparations for classes next week, I offer a brief to-do list:

• Double-check your schedule in the self-service application and make sure your finances are in order
• Log in to Blackboard, make sure the courses you've registered for show up under "My Courses"
• Browse around each course's Blackboard site and check for a syllabus - particularly check whether or not there is a reading assignment due before the first class
• If you have not already, get any textbooks that are assigned to your classes either at the UIC Bookstore or online at a site like BigWords.com
• While you're at it, get a good planner/organizer or invest in a good calendar app for your phone ...trust me on this one
• Fill out your UPPSA Membership Form (email the UPPSA Board if you need one) and either turn it in along with a check or money order made out to 'UPPSA' for (a measly) $15 to Ann Barnds (CUPPA room 225) OR bring it to the first UPPSA General Assembly meeting on August 28 (6pm, basement lounge)
• Join UPPSA on Facebook and LinkedIn, and befriend all of your UPPSA Board members! (see names below)
• Visit the NEW UPPSA website, designed by Mike Sobczak, UPPSA Treasurer, at www.uppsa.org (please note that this is a work in progress and we would like to hear any comments you have about it), as well as the UPPSA Blog

Phew! After you've completed these activities, you'll be as ready as you'll ever be.

Please also keep your eyes peeled for your UPPSA Board members:

Jennessa Berg: Secretary
Katie Bowman: Vice-President
Valbona Kokoshi: APA Representative
Jason Saavedra: President
Annie Shim: Chief Activities Officer
Mike Sobczak: Treasurer
Andy Waggoner: Professional Development Officer

Look for them in class and don't be shy - just introduce yourself! Soon we will have photos and bios up on the website so you can get to know us better.

On a final note, I would like to express my sincere thanks to all of my fellow Board members, but particularly Annie Shim, for the hard work put in toward making the First Annual CUPPA Block Party an absolute, irrefutable success! The event was not only a lot of fun, but also exemplified our level of commitment to you as our colleague and as part of our greater Community. This year, UPPSA's official motto is "Make It Happen!" I hope you'll consider joining us in our efforts to Make It Happen for you and your Community.

Regards,

Jason Saavedra
Candidate, Master of Urban Planning and Policy
President, Urban Planning and Policy Student Association
University of Illinois at Chicago

CMAP has issued a press release to update us on the progress of their Invent the Future Workshops (one of which will be hosted soon here at UIC!). With one month left of "inventing the future," CMAP has offered some preliminary statistics showing the up-to-date results of public input gathered from web tools, workshops, kiosks and booths at community festivals about preferred future scenarios. A snapshot of those results follows:

• Fifty-eight percent of participants advocate moderately dense development. Another 24 percent prefer high density, with 18 percent calling for low density or continuation of current growth patterns.
• Sixty-nine percent say they'd prefer development in a combination of existing communities and larger metropolitan areas. Another 25 percent chose to emphasize only metropolitan development, and six percent said they prefer unfocused growth.
• Seventy percent of participants want the region to maximize policies to protect the environment and natural resources. Twenty-three percent want such programs to be increased somewhat. Just five percent said current levels should be maintained, and two percent want a reduction.
• Eighty-two percent of participants would like to see maximum investment in transit. Twenty-five percent want maximum investment in roads, and 54 percent want to maximize transportation options, including biking and walking.

Click here to get the full scoop. UPPSA is working with CMAP staff to schedule a workshop that will be hosted at UIC - stay tuned for more info!

Open Streets: Saturday August 1st

Source: Active Transportation Alliance

See what it’s like when streets are filled with people and the street becomes your playground.

From 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug 1, Open Streets will give friends and families the chance to enjoy the streets the way they want: biking, dancing, playing, walking and more!

The free event combines last year’s two Sunday Parkways event into one huge eight-mile event. Like last year, Open Streets will span from Logan Square to Little Village, passing through Humboldt Park, North Lawndale and Garfield Park along the way.

There is no event registration, and participants can join in at any point along the route.

Click for more details

Flint, Mich.: Growing Stronger By Growing Smaller?

Source: NPR

Dan Kildee wants to save the city where he was raised by shrinking it. The city is Flint, Mich., in Genesee County, where Kildee is treasurer.

"There's an obsession with growth and expansion," Kildee says. "I'm not against growth, but what we really have to recognize is that we have already shrunk. And because we are not growing does not mean we can't be a good city."

The concept of "shrinking cities" is not new. The idea is to bulldoze entire neighborhoods. The smaller city would then be cheaper to run and help pave the way for better times ahead, advocates say.

Today, Kildee says, his hometown "looks like the Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans — a sort of a slow-motion [Hurricane] Katrina."

Empty houses and vacant lots can be seen on block after block. The numbers tell the story of a dying city. At its peak, Flint was home to General Motors, with a growing population of some 200,000 people. It was a GM factory town with some 80,000 auto industry jobs. Today, the population is about half what it once was, and only a few thousand auto jobs remain. More than one-third of the homes in Flint have been abandoned. (read more...)

RLUIPA related decision in Lake Bluff, IL

A recent article in the Chicago tribune highlights a reversal of a decision allowing a Lake Bluff resident to ignore his property taxes on the argument that his $3 million dollar home was a church.

What do you think? Does he have basis for a RLUIPA violation argument? The states Department of Revenue doesn't think so.

Anyone interested in land use law should read this article and read about RLUIPA or The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.

Mansions 'Cross' didn't help banker's tax argument.
Source @ Chicago Tribune

Additional Resources on RLUIPA:
RLUIPA.com - Internet Resource from the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty
RLUIPA - The Act as it appears from the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division

Comments Needed: CUPPA Diversity Mission Statement

MUPPs,

As you may know, UIC is embarking on a university-wide diversity strategic thinking and planning (DSTP) process that will result in diversity strategic plans for both the university and each of its colleges in January of 2010. As part of the "diversity thinking" process, CUPPA's DSTP Committee has developed a draft mission statement for consideration as a basis for future diversity planning. I would like to offer this draft for your review and comment. Please refer to the following link for a copy of this draft statement.

https://share.acrobat.com/adc/document.do?docid=b59fbbcf-25fd-4835-9748-b596da93f017

Please note that it is early in the process, and that students will have ample opportunity for feedback. In addition, it is important to note that within our discussions, the CUPPA DSTP Committee has recognized that defining diversity is a difficult task, and also that a narrow definition of diversity may be overly restrictive. On the other hand, we understand that the nature of strategic planning necessitates some definition of common terms in order to facilitate evaluation of alternative courses of action and the gauging of progress. Therefore, this statement attempts to set the stage for planning by expressing a common understanding of diversity while including language that intends to leave room for broader interpretations.

Please review the draft statement and provide feedback by replying to this email by Sunday, July 26. Your voice is important. Thank you!

Regards,

Jason Saavedra
Chair, CUPPA Diversity Strategic Thinking and Planning Committee
President, Urban Planning and Policy Student Association

What Makes Your Place Great?

"Great places define our lives. They inspire us, relax us, encourage us to sit and talk awhile with our neighbors. From plazas to beaches, street corners to playgrounds, Chicagoland is a patchwork of thousands of great neighborhood places. Now is your chance to nominate your favorite neighborhood place as Chicagoland’s best." (PlacemakingChicago.com)

Chicago's Metropolitan Planning Council and New York's Project for Public Places have teamed up for this year's "What Makes Your Place Great?" contest. From June 3 to July 27, 2009, enter the contest by sending MPC original photographs or videos of your favorite public space in Chicagoland. Together with a 250-word-or-less description, your photos or videos should describe why this place is special to you and how it adds to your community.







Placemaking Chicago’s Review Panel will then select Photo Finalists and Video Finalists to move onto the final judging. Two winners will be chosen in each category: A panel of judges will choose one Grand Prize winner from each category, and the public will vote on PlacemakingChicago.com from Aug. 10 to Sept. 14, 2009, to select the People’s Choice winner in each category. Winners will receive prizes and the chance to tell the story of their favorite place at a Metropolitan Planning Council event in Chicago in October.

{Images courtesy of Mark Gallagher - used with permission}

The CTA Becomes More Green

The Chicago Transit Authority Monday put its first stimulus-funded bus on the road. The accordion-style hybrid bus will provide service along LaSalle street. CTA's president Richard Rodriguez says the hybrid is the first of many.
RODRIGUEZ: We estimated the hybrid technology on these 208 buses can help to save over $7 million annually in parts, labor and fuel.Rodriguez says the CTA already had 150 articulated hybrids in service that were purchased before stimulus money became available. He says he expects all 58 of the new hybrid buses to be on the road by Labor Day. The CTA received a total of $241 million in stimulus funding.

Rodriguez says the CTA already had 150 articulated hybrids in service that were purchased before stimulus money became available. He says he expects all 58 of the new hybrid buses to be on the road by Labor Day. The CTA received a total of $241 million in stimulus funding.

Source: WBEZ, Chicago Public Radio
http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/Content.aspx?audioID=35328

APA-CMS Event: Greening Your Zoning Code

AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION – CHICAGO METRO SECTION
Presents:
"Greening Your Zoning Code"
July 14, 2009 at CMAP, Sears Tower

*RSVP by July 9*
Student Price: Only $5 if you RSVP by July 9

Many cities throughout the region are using their zoning codes to stimulate greener development, or in some cases, mandate the widespread use of sustainable design techniques. As cities move from concepts to action, there is the recognition that the zoning code is one of the most powerful levers that municipalities can utilize to implement green initiatives. However, the limits of zoning authority require taking appropriate actions in creating ordinances that result in more sustainable outcomes.

The APA-CMS July program is designed to facilitate discussion and exchange ideas on local zoning initiatives related to sustainability. Discussion will focus on both the methods to infuse an existing zoning ordinance with green ideas as well as a re-write of the entire ordinance. A panel of private consulting professionals will share their experiences and lessons in drafting zoning ordinances that focus on sustainability. Specific ordinance improvements will be discussed that you can take back to your communities.

SPEAKERS:
Jon Grosshans – Kendig Keast Collaborative
David Silverman – AncelGlink
Arista Strungys – Camiros, Ltd.
Leslie Oberholtzer – Farr Associates

WHEN:
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Registration: 8:30 a.m.
Program: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.

WHERE:
CMAP (Cook County Room)
233 South Wacker, Suite 800, Sears Tower
Chicago Illinois 60606
Phone (312) 454-0400
For directions, go to http://www.searstower.com/directions.html

COST:
$15.00 paid at the door, $5 fee for students who RSVP by July 9th, 2009. Fee includes breakfast. Checks should be made payable to APA-CMS.

RSVP:
Please RSVP to apachicagometrosection@yahoo.com no later than Thursday, July 9th. If you need to cancel your reservation, please do so no later than three days prior to the program.

QUESTIONS:
Please contact Jon Grosshans at 312.986.9600 or jon@kendigkeast.com with any questions regarding the program.

Burnham- "Chicago planner found solace in Evanston"

"At the height of his career, architect and visionary Daniel H. Burnham made no small plans, achieving accomplishments that seem almost fictional in their scope.
The renowned architect designed buildings throughout the country, directed the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 and consulted on plans for cities ranging from Chicago to Manila. Yet even in the midst of all the activity, Burnham had a special fondness for his chosen home.

Evanston served "as a place of rest and really a retreat from his busy professional life," said Lori Osborne, archivist at the Evanston History Center, located in the Charles Gates Dawes House, at 225 Greenwood St.

"Home in Evanston," Burnham said in a letter he wrote during one of his travels, "fills my longing." Burnham's relationship to Evanston as well as his work is examined in a new exhibit at the center, "Daniel Burnham's Evanston," now open to the public."

Read More:
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/evanston/news/1627330,evanston-burnham-061809-s1.article

Source: EvanstonReview.com

Most Amsterdammers favor bicycles over cars

Tomorrow UPPSA members will meet up with students from the University of Amsterdam to tour some eco-initiatives within Chicago. Amsterdam is known for its progressive politics as well as its innovative environmental initiatives, and while Chicago is known as a "green" city, we don't quite match up with Amsterdam's eco-muscle. But how well does our beloved Portland, Oregon stack up?

In Amsterdam, the bicycle is the favored mode of transportation, even over cars. The Oregonian reports that "between 2005 and 2007 people in the city used their bikes on average 0.87 times a day, compared to 0.84 for their cars. This is the first time that bicycle use exceeds car use."

Compare Amsterdam to Portland, one of three U.S. cities to achieve the League of American Bicyclists's Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Community Award, and Amsterdam still seems to win by a longshot. The Oregonian notes that in Portland, "only 8 percent of respondents in a recent transportation audit said [bike] was their primary mode of transportation..." and "nearly 40 percent of Amsterdam residents use their bicycles as their primary mode."

By the way, what about Chicagoland? CMAP's Travel Tracker Survey, conducted in 2007, estimates that bikes made up 1.6% of all trips taken in Cook County. While this share is sure to be greater in denser neighborhoods, it is unlikely to reach 8 percent, let alone 40.

{The Oregonian via Planetizen}

Date Change for this weekends Brownfield Tour!

MUPPS,

If you are planning on joining Jim Van der Kloot's tour of various brownfield sites this weekend, please note that the date has changed. The tour will now be departing at 1:00 PM out front CUPPA Hall on Sunday, June 28th (not Sat. 6/27 as originally planned). The tour route has also changed, now highlighting the Chicago Center for Green Technology with an approximate 3 mile walk thereafter through the near west side, so wear a comfy pair of walking shoes.

Additionally, if you plan on joining in on this fun and educational urban hike, please reply to this email so that the UPPSA board can get an estimate as to the number of people interested.

This Saturday: Tour of Brownfields on the South Side of Chicago!

MUPPS,

Come join UPPSA on Saturday, June 27th at 1:00 P.M. in the afternoon as we are led by Jim Van der Kloot, Land Revitalization Coordinator for the EPA, Region 5, through various brownfield sites on the south side of Chicago. This event will be hosted in conjunction with planning students visiting from the University of Amsterdam. A meeting location has yet to be determined, but expect to use public transit to get to and from the brownfield sites. Afterwards, we plan on going to a local bar or restaurant to mingle with our Dutch counterparts. Keep your eyes peeled for more details to come!

Date/Time: Saturday, June 27th at 1:00 PM

Location: TBD, but a tentative idea is to meet somewhere in/around the Lake Calumet area.

Cost: Nothing. Just the cost of public transport to/from/around the brownfield sites. Plan on bringing some extra cash if you'd like to join us at an area bar or restaurant thereafter with the students from the University of Amsterdam.

Event: APA-CMS June Program: Transportation and the Environment

AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION – CHICAGO METRO SECTION
Invites you to attend the
APA-CMS JUNE 2009 PROGRAM

Transportation and the Environment: New Initiatives

The Yin and Yang of transportation infrastructure and environmental systems can and should be balanced. As the environmental, planning, and engineering professions evolve, there are fewer and fewer technical or financial needs requiring the sacrifice of one for the other. Indeed, there are more and more benefits to balance being discovered. This program offers planners a series of local examples of current efforts to strike this balance.

SPEAKERS:
Rocco Zucchero and Angela LaPorte, Illinois State Toll Highway Authority—
Will provide an overview of the North Tri-State Bioswales Project, the Hines Emerald Dragonfly Habitat Restoration Project and other environmental efforts.

Mark DeVries, McHenry County Division of Transportation—Will provide an overview of roadway salt monitoring programs in the region.

Tunde Balvanyos, PhD., Pace BRT Coordinator, Pace Suburban Bus—Will provide an overview of the Pace Arterial Rapid Transit (ART) program.

WHEN:
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Registration & Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Program: 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m.

WHERE:
Illinois Tollway Central Administration Building
2700 Ogden Avenue
Downers Grove, IL 60515
NOTE: Photo ID required. Enter at east entrance. Park in north parking lot. Building is directly east of I-355/Ogden Avenue interchange.

• From southbound 355 or eastbound 88, exit at Ogden Avenue. Turn left at end of ramp. Turn left on Authority Dr. to north parking lot.
• From northbound 355, exit at Ogden Avenue. Turn right at end of ramp. Turn left on Authority Dr. to north parking lot.
• From westbound 88, exit to 355 South, Then take first exit at Ogden Avenue. Turn left at end of ramp. Turn left on Authority Dr. to north parking lot.

COST:
$15 paid at the door, $5 fee for students who RSVP by June 18, 2009. The session fee is payable at registration and checks should be made payable to “APA-CMS”. Lunch will be provided.

RSVP:
Please email apachicagometrosection@yahoo.com by Thursday, June 18, 2009. If you need to cancel your reservation, please do so no later than three days prior to the program.

QUESTIONS:
For questions regarding the program agenda, please contact Greg Dreyer from ISTHA at (630) 241-6800 x3839 or gdreyer@getipass.com. AICP Certification Maintenance (CM) Credits (2) are pending.

Event: Bike Tour of Chicago's Near South Side

Bike Tour of Chicago's Near South Side
Saturday June 13, 2009

Starting at 10 am at UIC

Take a bike tour of Chicago's near south side! Professor Curt Winkle from UIC's Urban Planning & Policy program will lead a tour of Little Italy, Pilsen, Little Village and Chinatown by bike for those interested in Chicago history, biking and stopping for ice cream.

When: Saturday, June 13, 2009 10:00 AM
Where: Starting and ending at UIC. We are limited to a group of 25 & will advise the exact start location when you RSVP.

Please RSVP to Kmonahan@uic.edu

Length: Moderately Easy 20 mile ride in 4 hours with a few stops for lecture & ice cream.
Rain: No Rain Date. We go unless it's really pouring.

Questions: contact Beth Sholtis bsholt2@uic.edu
Organized by Beth Sholtis, Curt Winkle, Kevin Monahan
Sponsored by the Office of Sustainability and the College of Cycling

Please wear a helmet.
Please bring your lock.

Welcome New UPPSA Board!

Please join me in welcoming the new UPPSA Board for 2009-10!

Jennessa Berg: Secretary
Katie Bowman: Vice-President
Valbona Kokoshi: APA Representative
Jason Saavedra: President
Annie Shim: Chief Activities Officer (New Position)
Mike Sobczak: Treasurer
Andy Waggoner: Professional Development Officer (New Position)

Officers begin their one-year term on June 1. The positions of Secretary, Treasurer, Professional Development Officer, and Chief Activities Officer will not officially be filled until the elected board members vote on their nomination during the first Board Meeting, which will take place within the next few weeks. However, there are no obstacles foreseen in their approval. An additional position (1st Year APA Representative) will be filled through appointment from the new students in the Fall.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to the previous Board and all of those who volunteered on working groups over the past year. They really laid the groundwork for a lot of the things we are planning for next year, and they have been extremely supportive during the transition. I trust that they will all continue to be involved, so don't worry - this is not a good-bye!

Please stay tuned for information about some fun activities to celebrate the warm weather! Also, in case you haven't visited the UPPSA blog in a while (http://uppsa.blogspot.com/), please do so! We are making an effort to include lots of interesting and meaningful postings and events to take up your time throughout the summer. If you are interested in being a contributor to the blog, please contact us to express your interest.

The entire UPPSA Board looks forward to representing you and serving your needs. Please contact any of us with your thoughts, concerns, ideas, complaints, and even compliments!

Regards,

Jason Saavedra

Event: Partners in Change 2009 - Delta Institute

Please join the Delta Institute where the Economy and the Environment meet at Partners in Change 2009. Come hear special guest speakers Governor Pat Quinn on how government can help businesses thrive in the green economy and Joel Makower on the emerging green economy in the Great Lakes region.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PARTNERS IN CHANGE 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza
Sauganash Grand Ballroom
350 West Mart Center Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60654

Post Event Cocktails at 8:30
Cityscape Bar, 15th floor Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza

PURCHASE TICKETS

Tickets are $125 each
As a Special Offer, purchase Delta Carbon Offsets for $5 a ton (regular price $8)

BECOME A SPONSOR
Opportunities range from $2,500-$15,000

Contributions are tax deductible to the extent the law will allow.

For more information:
Victor Couto
vcouto@delta-institute.org

(312) 554-0900 ext. 10

For sponsorship information:
Joe Skvara

jskvara@delta-institute.org
(312) 554-0900 ext. 22

Where are they now?: Marlana Brown

Marlana Brown has a fascinating job in the California desert as an Encroachment Planner with an environmental consulting company called Marstel-Day LLC. (http://www.marstel-day.com/) based out of Fredericksburg, VA but with offices at several locations. She works at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC, http://www.29palms.usmc.mil/) in Twentynine Palms, CA which is about three hours drive from Los Angeles and focuses on compatible land use developments, community relations, and economic development analysis. MCAGCC is a 24/7 live-fire military base for Marines training for Afghanistan and Iraq. Her job is to work with the surrounding communities to ensure that any subsequent developments do not conflict with the Marines' ability to "train as they fight." She has used almost every aspect of her Urban Planning Degree including Land Use Planning, Economics, Development Finance and Physical Planning. In Marlana's words, "Through my experience as the Treasurer of UPPSA (2007-2008), I gained strength in budget management, leadership and organization. I truly believe that this experience added to my ability to secure gainful employment within months after obtaining my MUPP."

UPPSA elections for the 2009-2010 academic year are around the corner! Remember to take a look at the UPPSA Constitution for position descriptions. Watch your email for more details or ask an UPPSA board member.

Highways To Boulevards

America's twentieth century highway building era included elevated freeways which cut huge swaths across our cities, decimating neighborhoods and reducing quality of life for city residents. This massive concrete infrastructure had devastating effects on urban economies. It blighted adjacent property and pushed access to basic amenities further out. With the Federal and State Departments of Transportation confronting shrinking budgets and cities looking for ways to increase their revenues, it is an ideal time to offer less expensive, urban alternatives to the reconstruction of urban expressways. New York City, Portland, San Francisco, Milwaukee and Seoul, South Korea have confronted this problem by replacing elevated highways with boulevards, saving billions of dollars and increasing real estate values on adjacent land.


Website: http://www.cnu.org/highways
Source: Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU)

Traffic: How We Drive

Balancing the flow of traffic, the desire for people to move great distances quickly and the need maintain an urban fabric that serves all people, pedestrians, skateboarders, bicyclists, and the like, is an important part of planning. Author Tom Vanderbilt keeps a blog of interesting tidbits relating to the psychology of driving and how it affects the human experience in cities.

Most posts relate to his book Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us), though many relate to the urban planning. It's worth a look if the mesh between traffic flow and physical environment interests you.

To read more: http://www.howwedrive.com/

Chicago Tonight talks with author of new book, "Chicago Neighborhoods and Suburbs: A Historical Guide"

"Chicago Neighborhoods and Suburbs: A Historical Guide" via Chicago Tonight

Chicago Tonight takes a historical ride through local neighborhoods with Chicago expert, Ann Durkin Keating as she talks about some of the areas featured in her newest book "Chicago Neighborhoods and Suburbs: A Historical Guide."

For those in UPP505/506, they talk briefly about the history of Blue Island.

Watch the clip at WTTW Chicago Tonight

For more on Ann Durkin Keating's book check out the University of Chicago Press

Urban Renewal Redux in Bronzeville

As the city of Chicago continues its quest to land the 2016 Olympics, many who’ve worked hard to rejuvenate the Bronzeville community into a hub of African-American history and commerce now fear the city’s Olympics plans will push them out. And some say it’s an ugly déjà vu.

To read more:
http://www.wbez.org/Content.aspx?audioID=31434


Sidenote: UPPSA's next TOD (Feb. 20th) will be in Bronzevilee.

Planning Rwanda

Just before nine one morning in May, I arrived at the Alpha Palace Hotel, not far from the center of Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. A team of American architects waited nervously outside, dressed in blue suits and holding battered travel tubes of drawings. In them was the conceptual master plan for the future of Kigali: a sweeping vision to turn today’s red-dirt ad-hoc city into a verdant capital with tree-lined boulevards, mixed-use neighborhoods, a new university, parks, and a network of wetlands to mitigate storm-water runoff. OZ Architecture, from Denver, along with EDAW, a landscape-architecture and urban-planning firm, had been quietly working on the scheme for three years. This morning, 13 years after Rwanda’s genocide, they would present it to an audience of local planning officials, foreign consultants, and politicians. I had come to watch, to see what American-style urban planning looked like in Rwanda, and what it could possibly do to help transform a place of poverty and struggle into one of prosperity and peace.

Read more:
http://www.metropolismag.com/story/20071121/planning-rwanda

Source: metropolismag.com

What will happen to the globe when oil production, human population and the food supply all reach their peak?

Author Richard Heinberg <http://www.richardheinberg.com/> forecasts whatwill happen to the globe when oil production, human population and the foodsupply all reach their peak.

Hint: It's not pretty.

Richard Heinberg podcast http://www.wbez.org/Program_WV.aspx?episode=30484

The Long View -- By embracing the city’s industrial past

METROPOLISMAG.COM - November 2008

The Long View
By embracing the city’s industrial past—reclaiming landfills, remediating brownfields, developing neglected waterfronts—James Corner has helped reinvent the field of landscape architecture.
By Andrew Blum

"As a 20-year-old intern in the London office of Richard Rogers, James Corner could barely contain his frustration. It was the early 1980s, and they were working on the first pieces of the transformation of the London docklands from derelict industrial port to stylish commercial district. But at that scale, on so complex a site, Corner saw only limitations. “All the architects knew how to do was put awnings on existing buildings,” he recalls. “All the landscape architects knew how to do was put trees everywhere. And all the traffic engineer knew how to do was to optimize getting cars in and out of the development.” Over pints at the pub, Rogers and his partners “would complain that they didn’t have the conceptual or imaginative tools or techniques to do the whole thing synthetically.” Corner, who grew up outside of Manchester, left soon afterward to study at the University of Pennsylvania—where he is now head of the landscape-architecture ­department—but he never let go of the lesson: “There is a desperate need for a different kind of professional who isn’t so Balkan­ized, who is capable of seeing a bigger picture and choreographing a bigger team.”

To Read More:

http://www.metropolismag.com/story/20081119/the-long-view

UIC SPH Global Health Interest Group

If you are interested in Public Health issues and would like to get involved with an on campus organization. Check out the UIC School of Public Health's Global Health online interest group. Participate in the conversation surrounding global health issues and get involved.

Click the link for more

UPPSA News: Transit Oriented Dining, Dues, and Leadership Opportunities

MUPPS,

Hello everyone, hope you all had a great holiday! Whether you are a
returning member or it is your first semester, now is the time to get
involved with UPPSA. See below on how to participate.

Here is how you can get involved:

1) Fill out an UPPSA Registration Form and pay your dues(CHECKS/MONEY ORDERS ONLY) by FEB 1.

Registration is good for 1 year. Drop off your registration form and your dues (CHECKS/MONEY ORDERS ONLY) at the reception desk (on the 2nd floor, you will see the sign). The deadline for submitting your registration forms and dues is FEB 1.


2) Sign up to take on a leadership role at the next UPPSA general assembly meeting (Jan 23 6-7).

In order to participate in these leadership opportunities you must be a registered UPPSA member. These events will allow you to take on a leadership role, interact with professionals in the planning field, and provide a boost to your resume. Some examples of leadership opportunities include (but are not limited to):

a) organize CMAP Community Conversations around the 2040 Regional Plan,
b) coordinate student participation with the Alumni Association regarding
Charrette scheduled in the Spring,
c) coordinate volunteers to participate in CMAP's FLIP (Future Leaders in
Planning) program (see attached),
d) coordinate with APA and UPP administrators to organize a mentorship mixer,
e) coordinate with APA and other professionals to organize a dinner and
panel presentation ($1000.00 budget),
f) organize a spring break trip and activities to Milwaukee,
g) design and create a marketing pamphlet for UPPSA,
h) coordinate and advocate for student participation with CMAP's Community
Design Workshops (see attachment)

3) Important dates:

a) Friday Jan 16, 6-9 - TOD (Transit Oriented Dinning) - Friday Jan 16 from 6-9 - Come meet, eat, and drink at the closest place for a beer and a burger to Cuppa Hall, Jak's Tap!

Jaks Tap is Chicago’s premier multi-tap restaurant and bar featuring forty (40) draught beers, great food, award winning ribs and friendly neighborhood atmosphere.

Located at 901 W. Jackson Blvd

b) Friday Jan 23, 6-7 - General Assembly Meeting. Location is the lounge in the basement of CUPPA. Pizza and beverages provided.

Hope to see you all at the next UPPSA event!

Best,

UPPSA Board

News: Burnham's gift; today's Chicago was born of the century-old plan that still has the magic to stir men's blood

Burnham's gift; today's Chicago was born of the century-old plan that still has the magic to stir men's blood

Source: Chicago Tribune

Stand in Grant Park near the Art Institute of Chicago and look up to the top of the Michigan Avenue building capped with a huge sign saying "Santa Fe." Just to the right of the "e" in Fe is a squat, unremarkable white structure that, in a way, is Chicago's most important building.

Click to read more...

News: Planning for Chicago's future requires Burnham-style vision--and a big pair of green-tinted glasses

Planning for Chicago's future requires Burnham-style vision--and a big pair of green-tinted glasses




Source: Chicago Tribune

This could be a smashing year for Chicago, but not only for the reasons -- including Barack Obama's inauguration -- that probably come to mind. Specifically, 2009 could make a historic mark because it will give the residents of Chicago and its vast metropolitan area a chance to start a civic conversation about how we live, how we grow and whether the mass suburban sprawl of the last few decades still makes sense in the era of declining fossil fuel supplies and global warming. There's a marvelous excuse to have this conversation. The region will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of one of the greatest city plans in history.

Click to read more

Transit-Oriented Development & the Region's Economy: Crisis and Opportunity

Transit-Oriented Development & the Region's Economy:
Crisis and Opportunity

Please join us!
Monday, January 12, 2009
9:00am to 2:00pm
ComEd Commercial Center
1919 Swift Dr.
Oak Brook, IL 60523



CMAP in partnership with IDC, RTA, APA, and ILCMA invite you to a seminar designed
to offer practical advice to planners, economic developers, and municipal managers
on transit-oriented development, with insights on the current state of our region's
economy.

The panel of experts will offer best practices on assessing and executing successful
transit-oriented developments. Another panel of economists will discuss obstacles
and opportunities for economic development in today's financial climate. The event,
co-hosted by Commonwealth Edison, will offer municipal managers, economic and
community development practitioners the opportunity for a lively discussion and
networking.

REGISTRATION
$50 includes lunch ($65 after January 7)
To register fill out the attached registration form, print it, and then fax to IDC
at (217) 241-4683 or phone at (217) 528-5230 x4 with any questions.