smartgrowth
About smartgrowth:
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Downtown |
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April 16, 2010 |
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February 23, 2010 |
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| Citizens for Smart Growth empowers citizens to shape vibrant communities in balance with nature. As a community-based, nonprofit advocacy and education organization, we work on growth and development issues throughout Blaine County. Our core principles include: strengthening and guiding new growth toward existing communities, protecting open space, promoting transportation and housing choices, encouraging regional planning, and getting citizens involved in land use planning. | |
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Dear Friends of Citizens for Smart Growth:
After over 12 years of serving the Wood River Valley, Citizens for Smart Growth will sadly close its doors at the end of this month. Our Board of Directors and Staff have agreed the organization is no longer financially sustainable.
The "smart growth" movement started in the 1990's to prevent the environmental, social, and economic consequences of poorly planned growth, often called sprawl. In 1997, a local group of concerned citizens created Citizens for Smart Growth to promote smart growth principles throughout Blaine County and empower citizens to get more involved in land use planning. Over the years, Smart Growth's core objectives have remained the same:
- Encourage citizen and stakeholder participation in land use decisions
- Strengthen and direct development toward existing communities
- Create walkable, bicycle-friendly, and transit-oriented communities
- Support a range of housing opportunities and choices
- Make development decisions fair, predictable, and transparent
- Foster attractive communities with a strong sense of place
- Protect wildlife habitat, working farms and ranches, and outdoor recreation
- Promote a strong and diverse local economy
One of the greatest challenges we faced as an organization - besides raising funds - was inspiring people to get involved in local land-use planning. Public participation is crucial for shaping vibrant and sustainable communities. Get involved in choosing your future!
We look to the people, nonprofit organizations, local governments, and other groups in Blaine County to continue our vision for vibrant communities, consistent with the elements of smart growth. In past economic downturns, property values in Blaine County have become stagnant only to rebound with a fury. The need for vigilance and strong community advocacy has not diminished.
Please join us for our final event on Thursday, April 22, the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day. We will be showing the film "Tapped" at 6:00 pm at the Liberty Theatre in Hailey. This is a documentary about the bottled water industry and its effects on our health, climate change, pollution, and our reliance on oil. After the film, we'll facilitate a town hall style dialogue about water in the Wood River Valley.
Thank you for all your support over the years!
Nathan & Kristen
Previous
Hailey, Idaho – No longer occupied by a jail, the lot next to the Old County Courthouse has exciting potential as a new community park, including a productive garden and a demonstration area with native and drought-tolerant landscaping.
Recently, the County Commissioners selected The Hunger Coalition to sponsor and manage the space. The Coalition has committed staff and volunteer time to create an attractive and useful space for the community. Hailey-based landscape architecture firm Native Landscapes has offered to provide technical support for the Coalition.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to grow healthy food for those less fortunate and encourage gardening throughout the community, while demonstrating good water conservation practices,” explains Brooke Bonner, Board President of The Hunger Coalition.
On Wednesday, February 24, at 6 pm in the Old County Courthouse, the County and the Coalition will be hosting a community workshop to brainstorm ideas for the space. Members of the community, those with personal and professional interests, are invited to attend.
For more information about the workshop and the park, please contact Brooke Bonner at bbonner@thehungercoalition.org.
Photograph courtesy of Benchmark Associates.
