News

The 2011 Coalition Meeting took place in Washington, DC on April 15, 2011. The brief notes on activities of various coalition members are posted below and you can download them here (doc). You can also download the PowerPoint presentation on recent polling and message results.

Coalition Meeting Notes: April 15, 2011

Member Updates

• Lacy, Rachel (CPEX) – Working on CONNECT coalition, a group of stakeholders between Baton Rouge and New Orleans focused on land use, transportation, planning, zoning, dealing with the tea party, and more.
• Greg (Good Jobs First) – Studying how location of company relates to where the boss lives, subsidized corporate relocations, review of smart growth and labor research and creating a transit rider organizing manual.
• Christine (Complete Streets) – Have a policy analysis tool coming out in April, followed by an implementation tool.
• Kim (NTHP) – Working on a Main Streets program, as well as other policy work on federal and state level.
• Jeremy (Greenbelt Alliance) – Working on the SB 375 implementation strategy in the San Francisco Bay area. The vision strategy is out and it constricts 97% of growth to developed areas. Trying to answer the question: how do you take a great plan and in an era of constrained funding, actually make it happen?
• Carrie (Transportation Choices Coalition) – Passed a Complete Streets program that still needs to be signed by the Governor. Continuing to work on increasing funding for transit.
• Brock (Futurewise) – Biggest priority is protecting the Growth Management Act. Also working on the Transportation for Washington campaign. Working to answer the question: can they overcome the 15 to 45% service reductions for transit and pass a transportation bill in 2012?
• Jay (New Jersey Future) – NJ has a transit village grant program available to localities. The most recent budget cut funding and they are now working to restore it
• Dru (1000 Friends of MD) – Trying to pass a statewide septic system ban. The gas tax increase and redistricting are also issues in Maryland.
• Bridget (Cumberland Region Tomorrow) – The area is growing rapidly, so they are working on regional scenario planning project, creating regional communications strategy, and preparing to resubmit for a HUD grant that received preferred sustainability status.
• Ray (LCC) – Working on a major transit campaign, TOD work, and land banking legislation
• Adam (Conservation Alabama) – Working with Complete Streets legislation, health grant recipients, transit issues, and transportation funding issues.
• Alison Van Gorp (Cascade Land Conservancy) – Partnered with Puget Sound Regional Council on HUD grant. Also, passed a bill to link transit oriented development with tax increment financing.
• Jen (CCP) – The Center for Community Progress was launched a little over a year ago to work nationwide on advocacy and policy on abandoned properties issues.
• David (Houston Tomorrow) – Houston Tomorrow received a sustainable communities partnership grant. Also working on a food assessment project and regional transit framework that they are hoping will be adopted into the regional transportation plan. The complete streets bill will probably be vetoed by the governor.
• Lee (CBF) – Involved in legislative activities in several states. The good news is that CBF has been fighting for 40 years to get an enforceable plan to clean up the Bay and the EPA is behind them. The bad news is that Congress changed hands.
• Jack (10,000 Friends of PA) – Working on natural gas drilling in Marcelles Shale, need land use regulation. Also focusing on finding a way to raise money for robust environmental legislation, regulation, etc.
• John (1000 Friends of MN) – Changing name of organization. Continuing to work on transit funding.

SGA’s Federal Policy Priorities are available here.

State Update Links

• www.youchoosebayarea.org
• Queen Anne’s conservation association – www.qaca.org