Atlanta Regional Commission Adds Arts & Culture to Planning Scope

 

ARC Press Release

(Atlanta, GA – May 24)  This week, the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) voted to incorporate arts and culture as a part of its regional planning efforts on behalf of the 10-county Atlanta region. In doing so, ARC assumes the role of the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts and Culture Coalition (MAACC), to promote the Atlanta region as a premier center for the arts and culture.

“It is an exciting time for ARC to join hands with the leadership of MAACC and the work they’ve done to nurture arts and cultural assets throughout the Atlanta region,” said Tad Leithead, ARC chairman. “Metro areas that recognize and plan for vibrant arts and cultural offerings are positioned to attract more jobs and knowledge workers. We plan to remain on that cutting edge.”

During the past year, ARC has undertaken work with MAACC to conduct a regional arts inventory and to assess the role of arts and culture in economic development, quality of life, workforce development and regional cooperation. Based on this foundational work, ARC will now undertake development of a Regional Cultural Master Plan and other initiatives around arts, culture and the creative industries.

“On behalf of the Executive Committee of MAACC, we are delighted by ARC’s action, which reaffirms its commitment to furthering arts and culture as necessary and critical components of the continued growth and strengthening of our communities throughout the metro region,” said Mara Holley, MAACC Chair and Senior Vice President and Regional Director, Government and Institutional Banking  Wells Fargo. “MAACC’s efforts will now continue as part of ARC’s team and will be strengthened by becoming part of the broader planning agenda of the ARC.”

ARC’s Metro Atlanta Cultural Assessment identified key findings about the value of arts and culture to the region, including:

• In 2011, the 10-county region was home to 15,236 arts-related businesses that employ 62,310 people.
• There are 1,740 cultural non-profit organizations in metro Atlanta, generating $502,192,525 in revenues and with $1,877,866,314 in assets.
• A sampling of originating zip codes for ticket sales taken from the eleven largest cultural institutions in the region shows more than 1.7 million transactions, representing visitors from all 50 states.

“A healthy arts and culture community is vital to the economic stability of our region,” said Mr. Leithead. “It is a true economic driver and quality of life measure for our residents.”

For more information, contact Grace Trimble at (404) 463-3192 or gtrimble@atlantaregional.com.

 

2012 Metro Atlanta Solid Waste Managers & Planners Meeting: June 19

 

Solid Waste Managers, Planners, and Other Interested Parties:

Mark your calendars for the 2012 Metro Atlanta Solid Waste Managers & Planners Meeting on Tuesday, June 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Amphitheater on C-Level at the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), 40 Courtland St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30303.

Hosted by ARC’s Land Use Division, the meeting will focus on solid waste planning legislation and rules changes in Georgia, as well as programs, policies, education and best practices in solid waste management and operations, recycling, waste reduction and other areas of sustainability in Metro Atlanta and the state.

Participants can look forward to discussion and informative presentations from organizations working closely with local communities on these important issues. Speakers will include:

• Joe Dunlop, Solid Waste Program Director at the Georgia Department of Community Affairs
• Kim Portmess, Program Director at the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation
• Amber Greer, Executive Director of Keep DeKalb Beautiful

 Attendance is free.

If attending, please RSVP via email to Andrew Smith at ARC with your name and the organization with which you are affiliated.

 

REMINDER: Register for a “Wireside Chat” To Learn About the Transportation Referendum

On July 31, you have the opportunity to vote on a referendum that will fund $8.5 billion in transportation improvements through a regional one percent sales tax. The Atlanta Regional Commission will host a series of 12 Wireside Chats over six evenings in June to help you understand what projects are on the list and how the penny tax would impact your community. Local officials will be on the phone to answer questions during each chat. In order to participate, simply register your name and phone number at www.wiresidechats.com and be available at the designated time on the number you provide. With more than 150 projects on the list, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to learn the facts and make an educated decision on July 31.

1942: Seventy years ago, Franklin Roosevelt gave what has become known as the “Map Speech” at one of his fireside chats. In anticipation of his radio address he asked all Americans to buy world maps. The response was overwhelming and actually created a shortage of maps across the United States. More than 80% of citizens listened to the President’s address on February 23, 1942, in which he detailed the progress of the wars both in Europe and in the Pacific, while citizens used their maps to follow along at home.

Cut to 2012, and the Atlanta Regional Commission is taking a page out of history by organizing a series of Wireside Chats. It faces significant communication challenges in advance of several hundred thousand residents going to the polls this summer to consider an additional sales tax to support transportation investments. Whatever decision voters make, it is critical that an individual’s choice is based on the facts about how the tax works and the projects supported through this additional revenue. The regional project list is diverse, improving both the existing network and expanding options for the future. But with 157 projects (and many others on the local project list), it is difficult even for highly engaged voters to understand the impact on their lives.

2012: ARC will host 12 hour-long telephone conversations, featuring a brief overview of the transportation projects, and a Q&A forum. Advertised in advance, citizens will be asked to sign up for any of the 12 chats. Several days ahead of the chat, they will receive email reminders with a project map attached. The night of the scheduled chat, citizens will be called at the number they registered and have the opportunity to ask questions. Everyone who asks a question will receive an answer, even if it wasn’t answered live during the call.

Regional Housing Forum: June 6 at 9:30 a.m.

Mark your calendars for the next Atlanta Regional Housing Forum, set for Wednesday, June 6, 9:30-11:45 a.m.

Focusing on the theme “This is NOT Your Parent’s Housing Market,” the event will take place at the Loudermilk Center for the Regional Community, 40 Courtland St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30303-2538.

Dr. Arthur C. Nelson, Presidential Professor of City and Metropolitan Planning at the University of Utah, will deliver the keynote presentation. A panel discussion will follow, featuring experts Eugene James , Director of Metrostudy Atlanta; Egbert Perry, Owner, Chairman and CEO of The Integral Group; and Dan Reuter, Land Use Division Chief at the Atlanta Regional Commission.

Visit the Atlanta Regional Housing Forum website for more information and online registration.

America became a “suburban” nation after World War II, principally by meeting the needs of the Baby Boomers. The “American Dream” was to own a home on a large lot in the suburbs. That was then, and this is now. The American dream is now plural; people want more out of their neighborhoods and communities than in the past.

Our next Housing Forum will feature a presentation by Dr. Arthur C. Nelson and will review how changing demographics, economics, and financing are changing Americans’ preferences for housing, neighborhoods and communities. It will also synthesize several national housing preference surveys to show that what Americans want now is very different from what they wanted just a generation ago. The presentation will show the mismatch between what Americans want and what they have, and summarize options to close the gap.

ABOUT OUR PRESENTER

Dr. Arthur C. Nelson, FAICP, is Presidential Professor of City & Metropolitan Planning in the College of Architecture + Planning at the University of Utah, where he is also Director of the Metropolitan Research Center, Adjunct Professor of Finance in the School of Business, and Co-Director of the Master of Real Estate Development Program.

Previously, Dr. Nelson served on the faculty in planning and public policy at Georgia Tech, and was adjunct professor of law at Georgia State University.

Dr. Nelson has conducted pioneering research on smart growth, public facility finance, economic development, and metropolitan development patterns. He is the author of more than 20 books and 300 other scholarly and professional publications.

Dr. Nelson’s current work focuses on how demographic economic forces along with shifts in housing preferences will reshape America’s metropolitan areas for the rest of this century.

AGENDA

9:00 a.m. Registration

9:30 a.m. Welcome – Bill Bolling, Context for Forum

9:45 a.m. Presentation by Dr. Arthur C. Nelson

10:45 a.m. Panel Discussion

• Eugene James | Director, Metrostudy Atlanta
• Egbert Perry | Owner, Chairman & CEO, Integral Group
• Dan Reuter | Land Use Division Chief, Atlanta Regional Commission

11:45 a.m. Adjourn

Please note that there is NO FEE to attend the Atlanta Regional Housing Forum, but we do ask that you register AND that you bring nonperishable food items for donation to the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

ARC Staff Presenting at May 22 FHWA-FTA Webinar

Attention transportation planning professionals:

Mark your calendars for an upcoming joint FHWA/FTA webinar on Tuesday, May 22.

The Atlanta Regional Commission’s own Land Use Division Chief Dan Reuter will be presenting on ARC’s August 2010 Peer Exchange (middle of page), sponsored by FHWA and FTA through their Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) program.

Read below for further information as advertised in a recent e-blast.

———-

Connect with the transportation planning community at the first in a series of Transportation Planning Information Exchange Webinars, known as The Planning Exchange, on Tuesday, May 22, 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. EDT.

This FREE kick-off event will introduce participants to the Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program. Learn how to access Federal resources such as peer exchanges, scenario planning workshops, innovative public involvement strategies, and more!

Click here to register now!

The Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program supports this webinar series that provides ideas and state-of-the-practice information to local, regional, State, and Tribal governments; transit operators; and community leaders in support of effective transportation decision-making in addressing the needs of their communities.

The program also supports the development of a high-performing workforce, enabling transportation professionals to make more informed decisions through training and technical assistance.

For more information about the overall Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program, visit: http://www.planning.dot.gov

Transportation Referendum Wireside Chats: June 2012

You are invited to talk to local officials about the upcoming transportation referendum. During 12 Wireside Chats over six evenings in June, local officials will provide a brief overview of and answer your questions about the July 31st referendum and the project list it would fund. These evening phone conversations are organized by jurisdiction, and you are invited to participate in as many as you’d like.

Register at www.wiresidechats.com or by calling 404.463.3227.

How it works:

• Several days in advance of your wireside chat you will receive an email reminder and background documents for your review.
• On the night of any wireside chat for which you have registered, you will receive a call on the number you provide. After a brief overview of the referendum and the projects it will support, you will have the opportunity to ask questions. Everyone who asks a question will get an answer either live that night or in writing afterward.

Worst to First: Transportation Access for Older Adults, People with Disabilities and Non-Drivers

June 7, 2012 | 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Loudermilk Center for the Regional Community | 40 Courtland Street, NE | Atlanta, GA 30303

Last year the Atlanta region ranked worst among large metro areas for access to transit for older adults, persons with disabilities and non-drivers. But regional leaders have worked hard to create transportation alternatives. There are more options today than ever before and more are on the way.

Join us for a day-long summit to discuss what works and what else will increase transportation options to move Atlanta from worst to first. Presenters include:

• David Goldberg, Transportation for America
• Dan Dirks and Joanne Hutchinson, Community Transportation Association of America
• Virginia Dize, National Center on Senior Transportation, National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
• Panel of local experts

Be a part of the discussion on innovative strategies and mobility management, followed by an in-depth workshop on the Regional Transportation Referendum.

Registration online is required. Deadline: May 31, 2012.

Register at www.atlantaregional.com/worst2first

Call 404-463-3243 with questions or comments.

$25 registration includes continental breakfast, lunch and parking.

FHWA Complete Streets Workshop in Macon on Monday, May 30

From a recent Federal Highway Administration e-blast:

The FHWA Georgia Division is sponsoring a Complete Streets Workshop in Macon at the GDOT Area Office, 4499 Riverside Drive, on Wednesday, May 30^th.  The workshop will focus on how to advance complete street concepts through stakeholder engagement, case studies, analysis techniques with application of learned principles.  The workshop should be of great value to planners, engineers and other transportation project implementers.

Reserve your attendance by emailing Andrew Edwards, FHWA Planning Team Leader, at andrew.edwards@fhwa.dot.gov.

The draft agenda is as follows:

Georgia Complete Streets Seminar, 5-30-2012

Macon, Georgia

8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT

Introductions

• General Introductions
• Interest in Complete Streets

Complete Streets: A Context-Sensitive Approach

• Link to CSS and Livability
• Walkable Thoroughfares

BREAK: 10:00 – 10:15

The Stakeholder Engagement Process

• Planning/CSS/NEPA Linkages

Complete Streets Case Studies

• Examples of Complete Streets deployments
  • European experience: “Shared space”
  • Domestic experience: Overcoming barriers to implementation
• FHWA’s Local Bottleneck Reduction initiative

BREAK: 11:30 – 12:30

Analytical Techniques for Complete Streets

• Introduction to Multi-modal level of service techniques
• Data collection and assembly: MPO examples
• Modeling and scenario planning methods

Applying Context-Sensitive Solutions: A Hands-on Workshop

• Further defining Context
• System and Project Level exercises

Discussion & Questions

Metro Atlanta Arts & Culture Assessment Now Available Online

Report examines investments in — and value of — regional creative economy

The Atlanta Regional Commission’s Atlanta Fifty Forward and PLAN 2040 documents underscored the value of arts and culture to the Metro Atlanta region.  In response, the ARC Board emphasized the importance of implementing plan directives that include “systematic annual data collection and analysis regarding the development of the creative economy in Georgia” and the development of a regional cultural master plan.  However, few precedents exist that demonstrate comprehensive regional cooperation to foster arts and culture.

To that end, the Atlanta Regional Commission contracted with the Metro Atlanta Arts & Culture Coalition from July to December of 2011 to conduct research and prepare a report related to arts and culture in our region.

Research activities included:

• Cultural forums in each of the 10 metro counties
• Inventories of non-profit cultural groups and cultural facilities
• An overview of for-profit “creative industries” in the region
• An overview of cultural plans, agencies, policies and ordinances in the region
• Samples of “regional” cultural agencies and cultural plans
• Potential funding sources for a future regional cultural master plan

Each cultural forum explored the role of arts and culture in economic development, quality of life, education and regional cooperation.  Participants were also asked to identify the infrastructure and resources needed to support a thriving cultural community for the region.

This report provides ARC with a clear snapshot of the cultural industry in the region and allows for a comparative analysis between the Metro Atlanta region and competing regions.  The data gathered provides a benchmark that can be updated on an annual basis and lays the groundwork for a future regional cultural master plan.  Input obtained in the cultural forums also helps to identify opportunities where the role of arts and culture could interface with ARC policies and areas of focus.

To view the report and other supporting information, visit ARC’s Metro Atlanta Cultural Assessment web page.

Southface to Host LEED for Homes “Lunch & Learn” on April 25

From a recent Southface Energy Institute e-blast:

LEED for Homes: Residential Certification Options
Lunch & Learn
April 25, 2012

Interested in learning how residential projects can certify under the LEED for Homes program? This Lunch & Learn session is a great place to get started!

Learning objectives:

• Explore LEED certification options for residential projects
• Identify LEED program eligibility requirements
• Explore roles and responsibilities of the process participants
• Explain the LEED for Homes certification process

Lunch is included in the ticket price. This session is eligible for one AIA CEU and one GBCI learning unit.

Visit http://www.southface.org/learning-center/trainings/LEED for more information and http://www.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=438199 to register.