“T” in Allegheny Station, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from joseph a’s photostream

Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is development which features mixed-use residential and commercial areas. It values diversity in both the population and land use. It ensures walkability and centers the community around high quality and diverse transportation options. It’s the difference between a Main Street model and a strip mall on a highway. It brings back a pedestrian human scale and gets away from a reliance on cars (and fossil fuels). It’s what makes a city livable — a place where people will chose to live — because they can easily access their residence, workplace, shops and cultural attractions. It also aims to limit urban sprawl. In the following video, Peter Calthorpe of Calthorpe Associates (an urban design firm), explains the concept:

How to achieve the sustainability and smart growth offered by TOD is a subject which has been tackled by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC). They’ve created an interactive website to evaluate a site for TOD potential: “FIT: Future Investment in TOD.” The site gives users the key elements necessary for successfully fostering a TOD (such as connectivity, density, economic drivers, users, etc.) and allows them to rate their project. Additionally, SPC has created a step-by-step workbook which helps in the process of collecting qualitative data for a proposed site.

The FIT website can be accessed here and the workbook is available here.

Bustling Penn Avenue, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from Jeffrey Inscho’s photostream

Installing solar panels, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from OregonDOT’s photostream

I had the opportunity to travel to Philadelphia (this was before the Pens started playing the Flyers, so it was ok) at the beginning of April to speak to the Good Jobs, Green Jobs Conference about Pittsburgh’s stormwater challenges and the work City Council has done to help meet them. My friends, Tom Hoffman of Clean Water Action and Barney Oursler of the Clean Rivers Campaign, asked me to join them for a panel discussion entitled “Sewer Infrastructure — The Biggest Public Investment in History.”

We spoke about the need for a green solution to our combined sewer overflow problem and our many stormwater challenges, rather than the incredibly expensive, disruptive “grey” solutions currently being proposed by the PWSA and ALCOSAN. We also discussed what has been done at the local level by Pittsburgh City Council to require that when public dollars are spent for private development that the developers use the best available environmental technologies to capture stormwater on the site and reduce harmful diesel emissions from their construction equipment.

Cleaning up our rivers, ensuring that we’re using the best available technologies when building new housing or office space, and working with labor unions and nonprofits to train or retrain our workers is creating economic results for our City. With cutting-edge green technology and a healthy and safe environment, we can attract the kind of high-paying jobs we need in this region.

storm sewer, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from midquel’s photostream

Bridge and tunnel, To and fro; We get you there, Wherever you go, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from HerrVebah’s photostream

On Tuesday, April 10th, I convened a Council discussion bringing together Councilmembers, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, State Representative Dan Frankel, Port Authority CEO Steve Bland, ATU President Patrick McMahon, ACCESS Director Karen Hoesch, 10,000 Friends of Southwestern PA Director Grant Ervin, and PCRG Regional Policy Manager Chris Sandvig to discuss the very real crisis facing transportation in our region and throughout the Commonwealth. We spoke with one unified voice about the need to save the Port Authority from the outrageous cuts to service they will be forced to make without intervention by the General Assembly and Governor Corbett.

On Wednesday, April 25th, Council passed a Will of Council resolution asking the General Assembly and the Governor to implement the recommendations of the Transportation Funding Advisory Committee — created by Governor Corbett — to put in place a sustainable solution to our transit funding problems.

Robust, diverse forms of transportation are the lifeblood of any city and we must stand together to save the system we have and use it as a foundation to build a stronger, more accessible system of world class transportation for the 21st Century. Please call your PA General Assembly members and Governor Corbett’s office and tell them to save our transit system!

Mom and Bob. Waiting for the bus at Crafton Station., a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from rxb’s photostream

springville, PA, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from arimoore’s photostream

On May 2nd, there will be the first ever public forum in Allegheny County on the health impacts of hydraulic fracturing Marcellus Shale gas extraction. In January of this year, Christopher Portier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, noted that studies need to be done to examine whether wastewater from shale gas drilling can harm people or animals and the vegetables they eat. From Bloomberg.com:

Some “data of concern” are showing up at fracking sites, Portier said. Fluids used in drilling contain “potentially hazardous chemical classes” including petroleum distillates, volatile organic compounds and glycol ethers. Wastewater may also contain salts and be radioactive, he said.

In December, the EPA said for the first time that it had found chemicals consistent with those used in drilling in groundwater near wells in Wyoming. The driller, Encana Corp. (ECA), has disputed the agency’s findings.

IMG_8646, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from weaverbl’s photostream

There have long been concerns about the health effects of fracking. On December 7, 2010, Pittsburgh became the first major city in the United States to ban natural gas drilling in a unanimous vote by Pittsburgh City Council which cited health and environmental concerns.

Speakers for the May forum will include Dr. Bernard Goldstein, Pitt Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH), and Dr. Jill Kriesky, GSPH Senior Project Coordinator. Both speakers have extensive expertise and experience in this field. Technical information will be discussed, but presented for a general audience. Speakers will also address the recent state law (“Act 13″) which some think may prevent physicians who treat victims of toxic chemicals in the fracking and related processes from keeping their patients fully informed.

The forum is being sponsored by the 14th Ward Democratic Committee, the 7th Ward Democratic Committee and the 14th Ward Independent Democratic Club. It’s free and open to the public. You can see a flier for the forum here.

“The Health Effects of Marcellus Fracking How Safe Is It?”
When: Wednesday May 2, 2012, 7:30 – 9:00 PM
Where: 1st Unitarian Church, 605 Morewood Ave. (Ellsworth & Morewood Avenues), Pittsburgh, PA1 5213 (map)

Hubbard 1, 6-H, 5-H, Springville, PA, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from arimoore’s photostream

I Heard We Got Some Nice Sun This Week, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from eviloars’ photostream

The Stand Up Now (SUN) Network is a group of youth, parents, organizations and professionals who try to make a difference in the community. It seeks to increase youth participation in issues involving Community Service, Environmental Stewardship, Sustainability & Entrepreneurship, Diversity, Violence, Poverty & Hunger, Rights & Justice, Education / Career Development, Family Support, Media Justice, and Arts & Entertainment. Stand Up Now was originally supported by the Heinz Endowment and The Sprout Fund. One project of the Stand Up Now Network is the S.U.N. TV Show. This seasonal, youth-focused series is designed to be educational and informational in the areas of Social Responsibility, Healthy Lifestyles, Youth Development, and Media Literacy.

On Saturday April 21, 2012 the Stand Up Now Network and the Royal Tribe Music arts organization will present a VIP Premiere Screening of the S.U.N. TV Show’s first episode. Youth cast for the series come from the South Side, the Hill District and many other areas in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Cast members will speak about their 2012 media project and their need for mentors in the media and other professions. All adult professionals are welcome to participate as Stand Up Now is actively creating a broad network of mentors. In addition to members of Royal Tribe Music and the Stand Up Now Network, The Soul Pitt Media and Pittsburgh City Councilors will attend the premiere. Councilman Bill Peduto will talk about the importance of young people taking an active role in shaping their communities.

SUN TV Show Studio Production, from Stand Up Now Facebook album

From their press release:

All guests should arrive at 6pm sharp for the “Meet and Greet Reception”. At 7pm the “Film Episode”will be viewed. There will be a “Q & A” around 8pm followed by “Post-Entertainment” at 9pm by local unsigned area artists. Free Food & Desserts will be provided. A CHINESE AUCTION will be held throughout the evening. A Private Cash Bar will be available for the adults ($3 Specials All Evening). Dress code is Smart / Formal or “Sophisticated Funky Hipster”. To RSVP or for more information contact Kent Bey standupnownetwork@gmail.com or by calling 412-596-3785

Also, if you can volunteer at the event (assist with set up, serve food, help with auction, provide monetary/food donations, etc.), please contact Kent Bey.

The event page on Facebook is here.

SUN TV Show Exclusive Premiere Screening
When: Saturday, April 21, 2012, 6:00 PM
Where: “The Hide Out” Banquet Hall & Lounge, 45 Bates Street, Pittsburgh PA 15213 [Oakland: Off of 2nd Avenue and Parkway Exit 73A / Near Hotmetal Street Bridge] (map)
Cost: A $10 minimum “free will offering” would be greatly appreciated
Parking: Free, in the rear of building
RSVP: Kent Bey: standupnownetwork@gmail.com , 412-596-3785

Pittsburgh Skyline, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from aaranya’s photostream

There’s good news on the environmental front for the City of Pittsburgh! First is the passage of the Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan, Version, 2.0. In 2008, Pittsburgh City Council unanimously adopted the Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan Version, 1.0 as a “guiding document” and the Pittsburgh Climate Initiative was founded later that year. The goal was to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Now, City Council has once again unanimously passed a new Green Plan for Pittsburgh.

The Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan, Version, 2.0, sponsored by Councilman Bill Peduto, outlines what has been accomplished in the past four years and what remains to be done to achieve greenhouse gas reduction goals, increase energy efficiency, and save taxpayers money. The comprehensive plan targets the sectors of municipal government, business, community and higher education. The exact goal is to achieve a citywide greenhouse gas reduction goal of 20% below 2003 levels by 2023. And, at the same time, to serve as a tool for Allegheny County to achieve its goal of a 20% reduction in government greenhouse gas emissions below 2008 levels by 2015.

What’s the importance of greenhouse gas reductions? From the plan’s Executive Summary:

Climate change remains a major threat facing both Pittsburgh and the international community with short, medium, and long term consequences for the economy, the environment, and society. Locally, the Pittsburgh region will ultimately experience a variety of climate-related effects including higher prices and shortages of basic goods, higher susceptibility to flooding, increased public expenditures from increased responses to extreme weather events, and higher rates of infectious diseases and heat-related illnesses.

Here are some of the key recommendations for the community sector:

• Encourage ridesharing, telecommuting, and sustainable transportation options
- 2012 blitzes to include transportation component
- Close collaboration with transportation groups around Pittsburgh

• Engage public through education campaign
- Continued work on outreach and climate education

• Create neighborhood climate champions
- 2012 focus neighborhoods will identify strong neighborhood leaders
- Continued work in neighborhoods will bring about strong
- Community partnerships

You can read the entire plan here.

The other news was the Green Building Alliance’s (GBA) unveiling of their new three-year strategic plan. The Green Building Alliance is a nonprofit organization, headquartered in Pittsburgh, which promotes the creation of healthy, high performing buildings and strives to lead the green marketplace. Founded in 1993, it was one of the first U.S. Green Building Council affiliate organizations. The overall goal of their new plan is to prove the value of “going green” to the broadest possible market with a focus on the improvement of existing buildings. GBA remains committed to maintaining their role as the “go-to” resource in Western Pennsylvania for green buildings.

From GBA:

Our programs will include a place-based initiative designed to transform a local community, a Green Schools Academy, and the launch of DASH—a performance measurement, decision-making tool.In addition, we will continue to provide valuable resources via web-based learning products and a robust knowledge network. Collectively, these initiatives will leverage our past successes while repositioning GBA towards the ultimate goal of influencing the mass market.

You can read their plan here.

Untitled, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from markamav’s photostream

On April 25th of last year a new law went into effect in Pennsylvania: The Neighborhood Blight Reclamation and Revitalization Act. The law was created to empower municipalities to combat blight by giving them a host of new tools. In addition to allowing cities and towns to place liens on owner’s assets and deny building and zoning permits, the law allows for the the extradition of out-of-state property owners and the filing of criminal charges against owners who fail to address serious property code violations. Without this law, the worst owners of decaying buildings could rack up violations — treating them as mere parking tickets. On March 8th, a conference was held in Pittsburgh to introduce a series of workshops to address how to use the new law most effectively. From the opening remarks at that conference by Court Gould, Executive Director, Sustainable Pittsburgh:

Once seemingly limited to the stereotypic image of urban decay, blight and abandonment is now a contemporary problem common to all communities. Just as it is a new America where poverty is greater in rural than urban areas, our region is a study of changing socio-economics where pockets of pernicious decline are cropping up in rural, suburban, and urban forms alike. A perspective we partners share is that not only is blight and abandonment ubiquitous across our landscape, but it is recognized to be a marker of larger region-scale concerns.

In step with the Broken Window theory, blight and abandonment is appreciated to be both an outcome as well as precursor to a whole host of social, economic, and environmental concerns. As vacant properties manifest, so begets community withdrawal and the onset of loss of control thus inviting a whole host of ills to take hold. While that decaying property with its broken windows may seem to some to be a low civic priority, it actually stands as is either the neighborhood unraveling by blind-eye neglect or the diamond in the rough asset that cries out to be transformed into productive re-use.

The New Tools in the Blight Fight three-part training series is designed to address the administrative, financial and legal aspects of fighting blight. They are being conducted by the Local Government Academy in partnership with Sustainable Pittsburgh, the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania and the Allegheny Municipal & School Solicitors Section of the Allegheny County Bar Association. They take place in April and May:

Program #1:
Understanding the Tools in the Fight Against Blight: Property Inventory, Property Maintenance Codes, Rental Property Registration & Municipal Prosecution
April 4, 2012 9 AM – Noon Millvale Community Center

Program #2:
Municipal Tools for Getting the Hard to Collect Money
April 27, 2012 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM Penn Hills William Anderson Library

Program #3:
The Magisterial Court System: The Role of the Judiciary in Assuring Community Vitality
May 11, 2012 9 AM – Noon Crafton Volunteer Fire Department

You can find out more detailed information and register to attend individual workshops or the whole series here.

This Owner Don’t Care, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from Editor B’s photostream

Pittsburgh 4-21-2005 10-32-42 AM.JPG, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from Colin McMillen’s photostream

The benefits of trees cannot be underestimated. They remove carbon dioxide from the air, reduce global warming, produce oxygen and help fight runoff and erosion. Additionally, trees increase the value and desirability of a community. TreeVitalize Pittsburgh is a joint project of Allegheny County, the City of Pittsburgh, Tree Pittsburgh, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. They have a goal to plant 20,000 trees throughout the Pittsburgh region to improve our quality of life. TreeVitalize Pittsburgh is now accepting applications for their planting program. Community groups, non-profits, and municipal agencies are encouraged to apply.

TreeVitalize Pittsburgh is seeking groups wanting between 10 and 100 trees to be planted. According to their website, preference will be given for street tree plantings  in neighborhoods that:

have demonstrated the capacity to organize volunteers for planting and stewardship activities;

have a low number of trees per resident;

have a predominance of residents at or below the median income;

are implementing other environmental improvements such as stormwater best management practices; and/or

are implementing other community improvements such as beautification, residential redevelopment or business district reinvestment

More information can be found on eligibility here and on selection criteria here. 

All City of Pittsburgh neighborhoods are eligible to participate and they ask you to contact them (412-586-2396 or email them at trees@paconserve.org ) to discuss your community’s goals and preparedness. You can download an application for the City of Pittsburgh from a link on their website here. City of Pittsburgh Tree Request forms are also required and can be found on that page. (Allegheny County applicants are asked to use a separate application on that page and should call Jeff Bergman, TreeVitalize Director, at 412-586-2396 before they begin the process.)

All applications are due by 4:00 PM on Friday, March 23, 2012.

Funding is limited, so apply soon!

Ghost Cathedral, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from Caitlinefa’s photostream

Screenshot from The Shyne Awards Promo 2012 video

It’s that time of year again — time to nominate a youth for The Shyne Awards! These awards celebrate the positive achievements of young adults between the ages of 13-19. The Shyne Awards are open to young people in Southwestern PA including Allegheny, Westmoreland, Washington, Greene, Fayette, and Butler counties. Awards are given in the categories of The Arts, Academics, Entrepreneurship, Community Service, Service in Ministry, Science and Overcoming Obstacles. The deadline for nomination is May 1, 2012. You can visit TheShyneAwards.org for more information and an official nomination form or call 1-855-55-SHYNE (1-855-557-4963).

The event was created by The Darkins Group to show a more balanced picture of young adults in the media:

“There’s not a balanced representation of young people in the media and statistical reports. So much attention is focused on the negative activity young adults are engaged or impacted by and not enough attention is paid to those individuals who are doing positive things in their communities,” stated Orlana Darkins, President, The Darkins Group, LLC.

If there were more attention given to young adults being positive, I believe we would see a decrease in crimes and unproductive activity. Also, I believe if you promote negativity, you will produce negativity. The SHYNE Awards is a vehicle that will not only promote positive young adults, but motivate young people to want to do well, improve their lives and be a positive example for others.”

Screenshot of Red Carpet Hostess, Miyoshi Anderson, interviewing 2011 participant from The Shyne Awards Promo 2012 video

The awards ceremony will be held this summer (date to be announced later). These ceremonies are gala affairs as can be seen in the following video from the 2011 award show which was held at the August Wilson Center in Pittsburgh:

The Shyne Awards – It’s Not Just An Event. It’s A Movement!

springville pipeline 2, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from arimoore’s photostream

Last month, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed and Governor Tom Corbett signed an historic and sweeping overhaul of gas-drilling regulations for the state (HB 1950). The measure imposes a per-well fee on drillers, updates state environmental regulations and includes restrictions on local zoning laws. From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

The largest ripples from the bill will be felt by local officials, who will be forced to rewrite strict drilling ordinances or find themselves locked in costly legal battles.

Under the new law, municipalities cannot prevent gas drilling in most areas, except for residential areas of a certain density. Rules cannot be more stringent for drilling than for other industrial activities.

Tougher ordinances would be subject to review by the PUC and could cost a town its share of the impact fee dollars.

“Well over 100 municipalities are going to find out that their ordinances have been declared illegal,” predicted Myron Arnowitt, state director of Clean Water Action.

Already, officials in South Fayette, Peters, Robinson and Cecil are considering legal action against House Bill 1950.

On Wednesday, March 14, the League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh, in collaboration with the Local Government Academy and the Post-Gazette’s award-winning PIPELINE shale news website, will present a free informational forum at the Heinz History Center on the preemption of local control of Marcellus Shale drilling titled “Marcellus Shale and the Challenges of Intergovernmental Coordination.” The event will address such issues as next steps for local governments; how local, state and federal entities will coordinate shale production regulation, environmental oversight and revenue collection; how state oversight will be balanced with local zoning rules; and if public safety will be ensured.

The panel will be moderated by WQED Multimedia President and CEO Deborah Acklin and featured panelists will include:

The Honorable Kathleen McGinty – Former Pennsylvania Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection; Appointed to the Federal Energy Subcommittee on Natural Gas dealing with shale gas best practices; Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Strategic Growth at Weston Solutions, Inc.

Jules Lobel- Professor of Law, University of Pittsburgh and the Bessie McKee Wathour Endowed Chair at the School of Law; President of the Center for Constitutional Rights.

Shannon Debes – Legislative Committee Chair, Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association (PA-APA) ; Chaired the League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh’s Marcellus Shale issues study.

Ed Knittel – Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs (PSAB), Senior Director of Education and Sustainability.

Sean Hamill – Reporter for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and its award-winning Pipeline website on shale news.

You can see a flyer for the event here. You can register for the event online here or by calling 800-617-4253. (Pre-registration is encouraged although not necessary.)

Marcellus Shale and the Challenges of Intergovernmental Coordination
When: Wednesday, March 14, 2012 from 7 PM to 9 PM
Where: Heinz History Center, 5th Floor, 1212 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 (map)
Cost:  This event is free and open to the public.

Hubbard 1, 6-H, 5-H, Springville, PA, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from arimoore’s photostream