____________________________________________________________

 

Regional Community Development News – 
February 21, 2007  [regions_work] 

 

A weekly compilation of  news links about and for regional communities pursuing local and regional development. 

Published on line since November 11, 2003.

______________________________________________________________

 

1.      Planning for Disaster - LA Weekly - Los Angeles, CA, USA

An obscure group gets millions to make L.A. work,  but "SCAG" is a flop

With widely publicized reports on smog,  congestion,  gangs and housing making Southern California sound more haphazardly unplanned than ever,  a recent ceremony in which the region's über–planning group awarded lumps of coal to cities and counties for their own poor planning fell particularly flat.

Last year,  six counties,  187 cities and the federal government poured $23 million into the obscure Southern California Association of Governments,  mandated by state and federal law to make sure Southern California doesn't devolve into an unplanned and unlivable mess. But these days,  even the think tank's nickname — SCAG,  as it is known to scores of mayors,  council members and other political insiders — sounds like something clinging to you that you might be tempted to brush off.

A stream of recent bad news — of a regional economy that churns out crappy retail jobs while biotech and great blue-collar jobs boom elsewhere in California and the United States,  of permanent damage to the lungs of thousands of children living in homes that the area's city councils permitted to be too close to freeways,  of an exodus of people with college degrees — increasingly calls into question why SCAG can't deliver.

SCAG and its longtime executive director,  Mark Pisano,  still talk in grand terms,  glowingly telling the Weekly that SCAG is "the place where one can get ahold of the big picture,  the place where business,  government and nonprofits can come together. We're the place that can speak to Southern California."

Not many who live inside that big picture would agree. Although the group has its supporters in officialdom — Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine says that without SCAG,  "We would have a planning disaster" — critics point to …

Note: The region includes the Counties of Imperial,  Los Angeles,  Orange,  Riverside,  San Bernardino and Ventura. According to the 2003-04 Local Government Annual Financial Reports,  total revenues for these counties was: $20, 008, 445, 223 There was no way to easily compile revenue of the 187 cities from the PDFs. The comparison of total local government expenditures by region to the resources dedicated to regional coordination through regional councils is an objective of the Regions Work Initiative. A true cost of government for regions would also include all units of local government plus State and Federal expenditures.   Ed.

  2.  Brookings Institution Report Discussed - Area Legislators Weigh Costs of Local Control - Ellsworth American - Ellsworth, ME, USA

Area legislators answered questions about the Brookings Institution's GrowSmart report and Maine's future Saturday at City Hall. Regionalization and the lack thereof in Maine,  as well as regional growth planning,  were two topics covered during the forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters.

The panelists were asked not to focus on Governor John Baldacci's much-maligned school consolidation plan because of the extensive coverage it has received.

Sen. Dennis Damon (D-Mount Desert) and state Reps. Bob Crosthwaite (R-Ellsworth),  Rob Eaton (D-Sullivan),  Ted Koffman (D-Bar Harbor) and Hannah Pingree (D-North Haven) participated.

"We're dealing with hugely complicated problems, " said Pingree.

Regional service delivery is the most challenging question,  she said. The Governor took a "huge political risk" with the consolidation plan but the plan at least has gotten towns talking to each other,  she said.

Incentive funds are a possibility,  the more towns work together the greater the funds received,  she said.

...

  3.  Region 2020 makes impact in first decade - Birmingham News - Birmingham, AL, USA

At the recent Region 2020 annual meeting,  Gov. Bob Riley said that Region 2020 represents "a journey,  not a destination."

As we celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Region 2020,  it seems fair to say there have been a number of accomplishments and certainly more work to be done to maximize the opportunity for cooperation across central Alabama.

During its existence,  Region 2020 has led efforts for regional cooperation and citizen involvement in such areas as education,  housing,  the environment,  transportation and the arts. Since its start,  more than 5, 000 citizens have taken part in numerous meetings including the initial 17 idea-gathering meetings held across central Alabama that enabled citizens to prioritize goals for the area.

With the support of many volunteers and a small professional staff,  plus corporate,  individual and foundation resources,  particularly from the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham,  significant progress has been made. Region 2020 is modeled after other citizen-visioning efforts that have taken place across the country including Portland,  Oregon and Chattanooga.

Region 2020 played a major leadership role in efforts to promote cooperation; in some cases,  Region 2020 played a support role or was in partnership with other sponsoring organizations. Some of the highlights of projects and programs which demonstrate such partnerships include:

Regional Indicators: Region 2020 and the Community Foundation developed a benchmarking process called "Community Counts Measuring Progress in our Region." More than 85 indicators are used to help gauge whether initiatives are producing desired results in various programs under way in central Alabama. The establishment of regional indicators is now seen as a "best practice" nationally.Indicators measure quality-of-life in areas such as: government; environment; economy and jobs; learning; and neighborhoods.

Other partners include United Way of Central Alabama,  the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama and the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham.

...

 4.  Agency impact study measures not clear  - Chronicle-Telegram - Elyria, OH, USA

Last week,  the board of the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency unanimously approved seeking an economic impact study before considering a new interchange at Interstate 90 and Lear Nagle Road in Avon.

The proposed study is supposed to look at how the interchange will affect the economies of nearby cities and quality-of-life issues in the five-county region covered by NOACA. But exactly how those factors will be done,  and when the study will be finished,  remain up in the air.
"I have no idea what they are going to look at for economic impact. How do you even measure that?" Avon Lake Mayor and NOACA board member Rob Berner said.

On Friday,  NOACA's Director of Transportation and Planning,  Ron Eckner,  acknowledged to the group's advisory committee that he didn't have an answer to those questions.

"With economic impact,  we are getting into an area where the NOACA staff does not have much experience,  but we do have Google, " Eckner said,  explaining his staff could look up different types of studies on the Internet.

Eckner told the committee that NOACA likely would have to hire a consultant to help with the study,  but neither he nor NOACA Executive Director Howard Maier could provide a timeline of when that might happen or how much it might cost.

In years past,  NOACA has steered clear of major economic impact studies,  instead sticking to traffic analysis statistics. Several board members have asked whether or not these new standards will be used on future projects or if the study will only be used to single out the Avon interchange.
...

  5.  Look up,  and smile - Corsicana Daily Sun - Corsicana, TX, USA

Airplanes flying low and steady over Navarro County are taking photos for a new joint project to map the area.

The project is being paid for by the cities and the appraisal district to see what's out there on the ground. It's being coordinated by the North Central Texas Council of Governments for the 13 counties in the area,  not just Navarro.

"It's in the air right now. They fly them from January to February because they want as few leaves on the trees as possible, " explained Shelley Broyles,  with NCTCOG's mapping division.

The last aerial mapping project in Navarro County was done in 2003,  and things have changed since then. The photos will be available at city halls,  the county courthouse and the appraisal district in the fall,  with individual property photos available to the public at the beginning of next year,  Broyles said.

Ideally,  the new photos will be used in conjunction with new software being installed at the appraisal district,  which will allow people pulling up reports to simply click on a link to see an accurate overview of the property,  explained Karen Morris,  chief appraiser for the Navarro County Central Appraisal office.

"Our mapping is just on the verge of great technology, " Morris said. "The city,  the ISDs,  and the county allowed money in their budgets to have the COG do aerial flies for new maps."

The cost of the project for the county will be about $100, 000,  shared by all the entities,  a number expected to be finalized at a meeting Feb. 26 here in Navarro County,  said Mick Maguire,  RIS Program manager for NCTCOG.

...

  6.  Kingdom top spot for 'geotourism' - Barre Montpelier Times Argus - Barre, VT, USA

National Geographic has picked the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont to be among the first U.S. travel destinations to join its "geotourism" program.

The magazine said the selection of the Northeast Kingdom reflects its status as one of the world's top tourism spots,  according to Jonathan Tourtellot,  editor of National Geographic Traveler Magazine.

"The Northeast Kingdom was of interest to us for two or three reasons, " Tourtellot explained. "Vermont itself was of interest after having been voted 'highest U.S. destination for destination stewardship' a few years ago by travel experts choosing from among 115 places throughout the world. Vermont placed 11th in the world while the Norwegian Fjords were named the top destination. Charleston,  S.C.,  came in second among U.S. destinations."

"Geotourism" is defined as tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place. National Geographic's geotourism program is designed to help preserve places through the promotion of local craftspeople,  recreation areas and businesses.

He pointed to possible threats to an area like Vermont posed by big box store development,  an explosion of second home building and major resort expansion. Development can change the character of an area if it isn't done right,  he warned. Tourtellot hopes the geotourism program helps keep "development in tune with the nature of Vermont."

The geotourism program has already led to the creation of a Web site,  a guide and a map highlighting points of interest in the Northeast Kingdom.

"The fact Vermont ranked number one in the U.S. is actually pretty amazing, " said Ann Nygard,  executive director for the East Burke-based Northeast Kingdom Travel and Tourism Association.

Vermont as a whole was considered too large for such a specialized map,  so National Geographic created a map in 2005 that showcases the Northeast Kingdom,  ...

RC: Northeastern Vermont Development Association

  7.   Tourism regions lost opportunity - Aberdeen American News, SD 

It's a shame that the Legislature decided against defining tourism regions.

House Bill 1243 was a smart idea that would have officially created tourism regions - formalizing the Northern Route to the Black Hills as an additional state tourism organization. Codifying the existing tourism regions and establishing the process by which tourism associations across the state receive dollars just made sense.

Doing so helps unify tourism efforts.

Currently there are four tourism regions that each receive $55,000 in state money to be used for marketing and promotion. These dollars are not, however, provided for in state law.

HB1243 would have done just that, and it would have also appropriated an additional $55,000 to promote a fifth tourism region: NRTBH.

The efforts to codify tourism regions and funding could have made it easier for tourism regions to market assets and activities in their areas.

The five proposed areas would have been:

…

  8. Prime Minister makes his first visit to the Basque Region since the failing of the ETA cease fire
Typically Spanish - Malaga, Spain

The Prime Minister,  José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero,  has made his first trip to the Basque region since the failing of the ETA cease fire.

He called for respect for the Ley de Partidos,  that's the law under which the political wing of ETA has been declared as an illegal organisation,  and offered five proposals for the future of the region.

He said a political agreement between the parties in the region was needed,  and said that the Socialists would make it their task to find one.

The basis of such an agreement must be the total rejection of violence.

His five principles are:

1. To speak of peace you have to forget violence

2. To stand in the elections you have to respect the Ley de Partidos

3. There has to be a plural agreement between the parties

4. The Socialist party will search for such an agreement,  but will not make a forward step while the violence continues

5. His determination to find peace remains intact

...

  9. U.S. regional communities - sub-State,  State or multi-State - in news articles. Highlighted words are Google search terms. In this and the following section,  links to websites of organizations are added to the news excerpt when this is the first time an organization has been found. A goal of this newsletter is to find every regional council in the U.S. in a news story.  In most cases,  where a full name is present a Google search will quickly get one to that organization. 

     .10  Encourage more local teamwork
Detroit Free Press - Detroit, MI, USA
Many Michigan municipalities have already taken steps; the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments has more than 200 examples of successful joint ventures ...

     .11  IN OUR OPINION: Raise gas tax or face a bumpy future
Detroit Free Press - Detroit, MI, USA
In metro Detroit alone,  the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments has identified $30 billion in unfunded transportation needs over the next 25 years. ...

    .12    NIRPC to survey habits of residents
Gary Post Tribune - Gary, IN, USA
The survey,  which will continue through the end of the year,  is being done in co-operation with the Chicago Metropolitan Area Planning Council. ...

 

    .13  Need for a river authority should span politics
Tulsa World - Tulsa, OK, USA
The city of Tulsa appoints three members to River Parks,  Tulsa County three members and the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission one. ...

    .14  Make the connection on regional planning
Indianapolis Star - Indianapolis, IN, USA
But at the least the proposal brings to light the need for better regional cooperation. It's time for leaders in Central Indiana to accept that their ...

     .15  Regionalism works
Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal - Tupelo, MS, USA
Northeast Mississippi communities,  industries,  businesses and individual ratepayers won a significant pocketbook victory this week when the Three Rivers Regional Solid Waste Management Authority lowered its tipping fee...

     .16  HOW SHALL WE GROW?
Orlando Sentinel - Orlando, FL, USA
Two of the committees are creations of myregion.org: the Central Florida Regional Leadership Council,  comprising top officials of each of the region's seven ...

     .17  Minimum Fastrak fees looming
North County Times - Escondido, CA, USA
The San Diego Association of Governments,  the regional transportation agency that operates eight miles of Fastrak express lanes on I-15 in the Miramar area,  ...

     .18  Troutdale aims for regional cooperation
Gresham Outlook - Gresham, OR, USA
The Troutdale City Council advanced the cause of regional cooperation on Tuesday when it voted to endorse a proposed study for a north-south transportation ...

    .19  Sweet fears that interests of the Valley will be overlooked
Youngstown Vindicator - Youngstown, OH, USA
Dr. David C. Sweet is worried about the representation on a new commission created to study collaboration among five Northeast Ohio universities. He's concerned that the greater Youngstown area might get short shrift by a group that appears to have a Cleveland dominance,  at least among its initial membership. ...

    .20  Generating a buzz about Capital Region
Albany Times Union - Albany, NY, USA
As our region continues to develop,  I hope we do not try to reinvent our community into something it is not and probably shouldn't be. ...

     .21  Food bank leads Harvest to feed region's hungry
Akron Beacon Journal - Akron, OH, USA
... Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank hope will inspire people to give during the annual Harvest for Hunger campaign,  one of the nation's largest food drives.  ... 19-county campaign ...

    .22  Regionalism resurfaces in Giambra address
Bizjournals.com - Charlotte, NC, USA
by James Fink. Erie County Executive Joel Giambra,  in his final "State of the County" address,  renewed his call for more regional and collaborative efforts. ...

     .23  Fairgrounds to become 'regional park'
Vail Daily News - Vail, CO, USA
County officials are exploring ways to make the fairgrounds complex function as a regional park with new features and more entrances. ...

     .24  Vision plan laid out for CMS
Charlotte Observer - Charlotte, NC, USA
That's the vision Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools officials have for their proposed regionalization plan,  which they announced Wednesday. ...

 

    .25  Voters back regionalization
The Citizen's Voice - PA, USA
John Yudichak,  D-Nanticoke,  has been spearheading regionalization efforts in Luzerne County,  and he said he plans to reintroduce legislation that would ...

    .26  Wyoming defends regionalization vote
Wilkes Barre Times-Leader - Wilkes Barre, PA, USA
Paying more for the same service was the primary reason that Wyoming Borough council unanimously voted Monday night not to participate in a regional police ...

 
    .27  West Pittston mayor hopes Wyoming council reconsiders police ...
Wilkes Barre Times-Leader - Wilkes Barre, PA, USA
Borough council's unanimous decision to opt out of a regional police force with neighboring towns has West Pittston Mayor William Goldsworthy on ...

     .28  Colorado Springs Considers its Future According to the Numbers
New West - Missoula, MT, USA
And now,  a new report produced by the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments attempts to foretell the future of growth in Colorado Springs. ...

     .29  Survey: Residents say transportation is a problem
Sacramento Business Journal - Sacramento, CA, USA
The region's transportation planning agency,  Sacramento Area Council of Governments,  on Thursday heard findings from independent research conducted early ...

     .30  Sound Transit begins community meetings on regional proposal
Tacoma Daily News - Tacoma, WA, USA
The region's first comprehensive proposal for reducing freeway congestion and improving mass transit service moved into the home stretch today with the ...

     .31  Internet Site - New Areawide Guide to Services
Washington Post - Washington, DC, USA
Nonprofit leaders have launched a Web site to help residents... Northern Virginia Regional Commission ...  first site to bring together information for the entire Washington area. ...

      .32  New regional task force shows off mobile crime scene unit
Seattle Post Intelligencer - Seattle, WA, USA
The newly formed North Idaho Regional Violent Crime Task Force unveiled its new Crime Scene Unit on Tuesday. The show and tell came as seven officers from ...

     .33  Tough Sell
Port Folio Weekly, VA
Civic leaders have been pushing the concept of regionalism – and the name Hampton Roads – for more than 20 years. Now Dana Dickens is trying to take the campaign to a new level.  …

     .34  The Underhanded Purpose of Unfunded Mandates
OpEdNews - Newtown, PA, USA
That word has been replaced by "regionalization". This is understandable; as legislators know,  the people generally do not want consolidation and they may ...

 10. Other in the news: Highlighted words are Google search terms.

     .10  Councils reject Green criticisms of car fleet
Marlborough Express - Blenheim, New Zealand
Mr Heiford added that as the Marlborough District Council was a regional as well as a district council,  there was a large geographic area to service. ...

    .11  Biodiesel fuel eyed for RDN transit fleet
Nanaimo News Bulletin - Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
Compared to solid waste that is responsible for 14 per cent of CO2 emissions and residential buildings at 11 per cent,  regional transit is by far the ...

    .12  South Asia's intra-regional trade lowest in world
The News - International - Pakistan
He said that restrictions on free movements of goods and people within the region were responsible for intra regional trade being the lowest for South Asia ...

     .13  South Asia the world's least integrated region
Daily Times - Lahore, Pakistan
WASHINGTON: South Asia,  the least integrated region of the world,  is now being propelled through high economic growth rates to draw closer,  according to a ...

     .14  Extra support announced for drought-stricken regions
ABC Online - Australia
The South Australian Government has announced further help to the state's drought-affected regions with an extra $14 million package for farmers and small ...

     .15  16 - Regions competing with Metro Manila for investments
Balita.org - Minsterley, UK
"We are optimistic that more investments will come to the regions. At the same time,  we are working closely with the local governments to improve doing ...

     .16  Health regions calling for mega-investment
The Copenhagen Post - Copenhagen, Sealand, Denmark
The nation's health regions are calling on the government to invest the equivalent of nearly a year's national health budget into the construction of new ...

     .17  Atlantica concept must be put on map for public discussion
ChronicleHerald.ca - Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
"Atlantica: Myths and Reality" concludes that the economic initiative would damage the region's social and economic prospects. ...

     .18  Greater Vancouver has much room to grow
Maple Ridge News - Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada
The report by senior analyst Bob Denboer examined Official Community Plans of municipalities around the region. He determined the existing OCP designations ...

     .19  ARC adopts anti-GMO policy position
Checkbiotech.org (press release) - Basel, Switzerland
The Auckland Regional Council (ARC) today voted to oppose the release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in field and food in the Auckland region. ...

    .20  Behave or else!
Courier Mail - Australia
OF THE three levels of governments in Australia,  only local councils,  despite being directly elected by the people,  can be sacked by another government,  ...

     .21  Regional tourism body eyes $2 billion by 2010
Fiji Times - Suva, Fiji
THE region's tourism marketing and development organisation,  south-pacific. Travel,  hopes to make the industry a USD$2billion (FJ$3.34 billion) per annum revenue earner by 2010.... 

    .22  Digital technology delivers film festival to regional Victoria
ABC Online - Australia
The Australian Film Commission successfully launched its Regional Digital Screen Network in Yarram,  in south-east Victoria,  at the Regent Theatre last night ...

    .23  GIS loosens govt hold on useful info
Times of India - New Delhi, India
... maps and data on forests,  minerals,  town planning,  rainfall,  archaeology for being placed on a proposed Geospatial Information System (GIS) backbone. ...

    .24  THE UNIQUE MODEL OF COOPERATION
Turkmenistan.ru – Turkmenistan
... The international-legal status of permanent neutrality serves as the basis for Turkmenistan in developing equal and mutually respectful relations with leading world powers and regional countries. ...

     .25  WHO emphasizes role of risk communications in response planning for public health crises
People's Daily Online - Beijing, China
... World Health Organization (WHO) has urged countries to integrate risk communications into their response planning for public health crises in order to help reduce the consequences of disasters,  ...

     .26  Benin,  Nigeria,  Togo power connection launched
afrol News - Oslo, Norway
"This is an example of regional development where states unite to tackle the problems of underdevelopment,  especially in the context of globalisation, " ...

    .27  World needs tougher toxic trade rules - UN
Reuters AlertNet - London, England, UK
... spectrum of issues and doesn't really have the teeth to create a strong disincentive for companies and even governments to move waste across boundaries. ...

     .28  First Nations women leaders issue strong statement at conclusion of historic meeting
Canada NewsWire (press release) – Canada
... Solutions can be achieved locally,  regionally,  and nationally by working collectively. First Nations Women Chiefs and Councillors call upon the Government of Canada to work together with First Nations to co-create a new future for all our people. ...

    .29   Should the capital get a special deal?
Scotsman - Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
And how does Mr Aitken's plea for special treatment sit with the modish language of "city-region investment" and collaboration with Glasgow that have ...

     .30  Regional council endorses bill seeking direct election of chairperson
Durham region news - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
DURHAM -- It could mean something or nothing at all but,  Regional council has voted in favor of the direct election of the Region's chairperson. ...

    .31  Region racks up public works awards
Durham region news - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The Region's green bin program launch was named public works project of the year for the environment. The program has allowed the Region to surpass its 50 ...

      .32  Funding cut hits regional agency
Yorkshire Post Today - Leeds, Yorkshire, UK
Yorkshire Forward,  the Government-controlled quango,  was one of England's nine regional development agencies (RDAs) to express dismay last night after an ...

     .33  Belize assumes presidency of Plan Puebla
Channel5Belize.com - Belize City, Belize
... concept of Plan Puebla is to work together with Central America on the big issues that we're all talking about,  which is indeed regional integration. ...

11. Blogs: Highlighted words are Google search terms.

    .10  Meet Miles Maier: London Region ICT Champion
By Beth
I've been working in the non-profit sector for 5 years now and joined Lasa in June 2006,  first on the consultancy side of the business by helping non-profits with their IT projects,  and later as the wonderfully entitled London Regional ICT Champion ...

     .11 The Top Seven Intelligent Communities of 2007
By Panagiotis Tsarchopoulos
The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) announced its list of the Top Seven Intelligent Communities of the Year,  each a model for economic development in the 21st Century. The Top Seven announcement is the second stage of ICF's annual ...

Top Seven Intelligent Communities of the Year - Intelligent Community Forum – 2002-2007

     .12  Open borders expose Mekong's disparities
The challenge in the region -- where the AsDB in 1992 pushed a set of infrastructure projects that contributed to regional integration of the Greater Mekong Sub- Region (GMS) -- is how to manage the ill effects of change. ...

     .13  Competitive Analysis of Daejin University
By Daniel Costello(Daniel Costello)
However it is indicative of a modern day East Asian Regionalism movement which has seen intra-regional trade grow to nearly half of total trade in the last twenty years (Evans,  2003: 4). Thus it is also an example of an early developing ...

    .14  A big deal
By Randy Stapilus
Which makes it of interest regionally. The tribe's stand on it sounds almost nondescript: "This proposed Compact promises to benefit not only our Tribe but the entire region as well,  creating needed jobs and boosting the local economy. ...

    .15  The Third Force
By adillon
Why are DVDs regionalized for playback? Why must I upgrade my software and hardware on a manufacturer's cycle rather than my genuine need? Why are my 10 year old floppy disks gathering dust but my 50 year old vinyl records still ...

     .16  Best & Worst Dating Cities for Singles
By Doc
Based on regionalized surveys in 20 key markets,  a recently released "Dating Index" measures where a single person is most likely to have a good or bad date. Respondents were asked to give their city

    .17  EU founds for rural broadband: The Andalucia example (Spain 2003)
By Wolf
The European Commission recently contributed approximately EUR 2.9 million to Andalucía,  Spain for a regional project involving the creation of a network of centers of public access broadband in small rural towns. ...

     .18  Officials discuss regional BRAC approach
22 to discuss their efforts to develop a regional approach to BRAC growth in the community surrounding Redstone Arsenal. The discussion will include building the defense industry in northern Alabama and the Tennessee Valley. ...

    .19  Manager of Online Organizing and Marketing
By AdamLuna
****We are committed to pass comprehensive immigration reform,  develop powerful regional networks of grassroots organizations,  cultivate the next generation of grassroots leaders,  promote fresh ideas for a progressive America,  ...

     .20  Getting the word out.
By Rural(Shane D Jolley)
... we need an increased dialog between our local and regional governments and our citizens. To be involved one must first be informed. ...

     .21  Traffic Babel -- the tunnel scam
As it stands now,  only about 44 percent of the many needed projects in the Atlanta Regional Commission's current six-year transportation improvement program are moving forward on schedule,  due to bureaucratic delays,  unnecessary scope ...

     .22  Live first,  work second
By Marc
Young talent behave regionally. In focus groups,  young talent routinely report that some of the best assets a community has lie outside the community in which they live. ...

 12. Announcements and Regional Links

     .10 Magnitude 5.2 - NORTHERN MID-ATLANTIC RIDGE – U.S. Geological Survey

     .11    Last 30 earthquakes worldwide - European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre

     .12  Community Exchange -  AARP's Community about Communities  

This web area is "…devoted to housing,  mobility and living well. Here you can meet others and become part of this new online community,  share ideas on how your town and others across America are working on housing and mobility issues to make towns better places to live,  and rate your community to see how it stacks up to other towns."

13 Subscription

    .10   Metro not ready for age boom - Atlanta Journal Constitution (subscription) - Atlanta, GA, USA

The number of metro Atlantans over the age of 55 will more than double by the year 2030,  rapidly increasing needs for transportation,  housing and health care for these people,  the head of the region's planning agency said Saturday.

Sam Olens,  chairman of the Atlanta Region Commission,  said the 10-county metro area is not ready for the senior growth,  and it's time for a major shift in thinking.

"We thought a lot about the baby boom. Now we have to think about the senior boom, " said Olens,  who also is chairman of the Cobb County Commission.

"The speed with which the region is aging is startling, " Olens told a group of seniors at a forum on aging at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta. "It's a time of tremendous challenge."

He pointed to a draft of an ARC study that said by 2030,  the region will see a 127 percent increase in the number of people 55 and over. Some counties will see far more. Henry County will see a 266 percent increase. Cherokee will see a 247 percent jump. He said the graying of Atlanta was not so much because of seniors migrating to Atlanta,  but because the people who've come to Atlanta have decided to stay here.

More than pointing out that metro Atlanta faces a wave of seniors,  the ARC study surveyed 1, 651 people age 55 and over to ascertain some of the characteristics and preferences of the older adults in regard to housing,  transportation and health care.

The report,  which is nearly completed,  surveyed residents of the 10 metro counties in September and October last year,  and will be released within a few weeks,  according to officials of the ARC,  which studies and guides much of the growth in metro Atlanta.

The surveys were performed for the ARC by the University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government.
...

   .11  Florida calling for catastrophe fund - Los Angeles Times - CA, USA

Frustrated by inaction in Washington,  Florida officials this week are asking other states to join them in setting up an insurance catastrophe fund.

If established,  a multi-state fund would bail out regions hit by cataclysmic disasters such as hurricanes,  earthquakes,  flooding and even terrorism.

But unlike a national fund,  which Congress has balked at creating,  it wouldn't rely on the financial backing of the federal government. Only interested states would participate.

"We hear so much about the hurricanes in Florida,  but we know there's potential for a $400-billion loss in California due to an earthquake,  and a $250billion massacre if an earthquake strikes along the New Madrid fault [in the Midwest], " Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin M. McCarty said Tuesday.

McCarty and Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink head to Atlanta this week to host a meeting on multi-state catastrophe funds at a National Assn. of Insurance Commissioners' conference.

Sink said she favored creating a regional fund that would help coastal states.

...

    .12  Local officials,  residents participate in regional town meeting Web conference - Uniontown Herald Standard - Uniontown, PA, USA

Several local officials,  along with about a dozen area residents,   gathered Monday evening to participate in the first-ever regional town meeting Web conference hosted by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC.)

The meeting,  held at Penn State Fayette,  The Eberly Campus,  was convened to discuss and review future economic and community growth in a 10-county region,  including Fayette,  Greene,  Westmoreland and Washington counties,  and was conducted via the Internet.According to SPC officials,  the meeting was held to explore what area communities will look like in the future,  how many people will live in the region and how many jobs will be available to area residents.

Officials said the meeting was just one part of a program called Project Region: The Southwestern Pennsylvania Plan,  which was described as a mechanism for connecting a desire by the SPC to be recognized as one of the best places to live to the region's federally mandated implementation program of projects and actions.

"People say we need a regional plan for Southwestern Pennsylvania,  and that's absolutely true. When we plan as a region,  we create regionally significant opportunities, " Jim Hassinger,  executive director of SPC said. "SPC is very excited to be hosting this first-of-its-kind live Regional Town Meeting where participants can not only talk with their neighbors,  but can also hear from people in other parts of the region. We encourage everyone to participate in developing our new regional plan by giving us their ideas and feedback on different growth and development scenarios for our region's future."

Project Region policy statements include a dedication to the revitalization and re-development of existing communities,  a focus on business development and retention and maintenance of the existing transportation systems and infrastructure. Meeting participants had the opportunity to review three computer-generated scenarios of future growth development patterns. Maps and data for each scenario displayed different ways in which the region could accommodate changes and additions in the next 30 years.

And meeting goers could compare the scenarios with ...

14 Google News for "Regional Community"

Other menu sections available from this

link include: Regional Development; Regional Council;  Regional Commission; Regional America; Regional Asia; Regional Europe; Regional Competition; Regionalism; Intergovernmental and other search terms. They can be sorted by date or relevance. These are among the 50 search terms I use to produce this newsletter.   

__________________________________________________________________________

     My name is Tom Christoffel. I've worked in the field of intergovernmental cooperation since 1973. As a consequence,   "I see regions work." Regional Community Development News is published weekly based on news reports as of Wednesday.

     Making visible analysis and actions at multi-jurisdictional regional scales is its purpose. "Think globally,   act locally" was innovative in its time. Today the local scale is often too small to address today's needs and opportunities. "Think local planet,   act regionally,  " is my candidate paradigm. (No one said we're only allowed one paradigm.)

     We can see that "regional communities" are organized locally and now act both to avoid tragedy in the commons and gain benefits. An effective multi-jurisdictional regional community has DNA: it is geographically Defined; has a common Name and its Alignment is inclusive of smaller communities and participatory in larger communities. So,   by scanning this compilation,   reading articles and checking organizations - you too will be able to see the regional communities that already exist.

     News references are found using the Google News search service. Media article links are "fair use" to transform globally scattered reports to make regional approaches visible. Links go to the publisher and do not compete with it. Such publishers are likely to have related stories and thus be seen by new customers. "Regional" is an emerging news category. There is no charge for this service and no profit is made from its use,   though any user can become more aware of the topic itself. 

     To read and search previous issues go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/regions_work/messages The term "Development" was added to the name in January,   2006.

For a free subscription use this email link – no additional information required:

            regions_work-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Questions,   comments or items to feature in Regional Community Development News? 

Please e-mail the editor: Tom.Christoffel@...

Thomas J. (Tom) Christoffel,  AICP Making regions visible for Leaders and Problem-solvers. www.regionalintelligence.com or www.regions.ws

__________________________________________________________________________