April 13, 2005
G U L F  C O A S T  G R O W T H  N E W S
A publication of the Gulf Coast Institute

NOTABLE QUOTES
"Fossil fuel is a finite commodity driven by market demand, not a gift from heaven guaranteed by divine right to flow forever at a cheap rate."
- Bill Schadewald, writing in Houston Business Journal. http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2005/03/14/editorial1.html

"It turns out it doesn't matter who's right about peak oil because we ought to do the same thing whether it's true or not."
- Physicist Amory Lovins, speaking at a Baker Institute Energy Forum. http://www.oilendgame.org/

LIVABLE HOUSTON INITIATIVE
Vision process for 2030 Regional Transportation Plan to be discussed
H-GAC, Blueprint Houston will collaborate
Representatives from the Houston-Galveston Area Council and Blueprint Houston will explain the new visioning process that H-GAC will use for the 2030 Regional Transportation Plan. The next meeting is Wednesday, April 27, noon-1:30 pm, Houston-Galveston Area Council, 3555 Timmons, second floor. Bring your lunch. For more information call 713-523-5757. The Gulf Coast Institute and the Houston-Galveston Area Council host Livable Houston/Smart Growth bring-your-own-lunch meetings that are open to the public on the fourth Wednesday of every month. http://www.gulfcoastinstitute.org

REGIONAL NOTES
Transit corridor plan floated
Urban design official touts means to produce urban development
An idea to enable the creation of urban places around transit stations was presented to the Livable Houston Initiative meeting recently, as well as to the American Institute of Architects/Houston and the Houston chapter of the American Planning Association. Presented by Guy Hagstette, the Mayor's Special Assistant for Urban Design, the concept was called the "next step for planning and development policy in Houston." Based on an initiative of the Urban Land Institute and the Main Street Coalition, the plan would create a means to encourage high-quality urban development in the central city, Hagstette said. The plan would only apply to high-capacity transit corridors being implemented by Metro. Hagstette earlier presented the idea to the Houston Planning Commission. The full text is available at http://www.gulfcoastinsitute.org.

US doesn't need oil, Lovins says
New book proposes business solutions to energy issues
The US could eliminate oil usage in a few decades with business-based strategies, according the physicist Amory Lovins, who spoke recently at Rice University's Baker Institute. Speaking about his book "Winning the Oil Endgame," Lovins, who is CEO of the Rocky Mountain Institute, said  "Unlike previous proposals to force oil savings through government policy, our proposed transition beyond oil is led by business for profit. Our recommendations are market-based, innovation-driven without mandates, and designed to support, not distort, business logic. They're self-financing and would cause the federal deficit to go down, not up." Lovins said he wrote the book, which is partly funded by the Pentagon, for business and military leaders, not for political leaders. "They can find out about it from their constituents," he said, noting that some 200,000 people have downloaded the book from his website. Lovins' solution is largely about radical efficiencies growing out of new approaches to transportation. "It's cheaper to save fuel than to buy fuel," Lovins said. http://www.oilendgame.org.

Red light camera study released
Mixed crash results shown, but clear economic benefit
As the Texas legislature works on legislation to prevent Houston's proposed use of red light cameras at certain intersections, the Federal Highway Administration has released a new report on the effectiveness of these cameras. The report, called "Safety Evaluation of Red-Light Cameras," found that right angle crashes were reduced while rear-end crashes were increased, and that overall there is an "important" economic benefit to use of the cameras in reducing the overall costs of crashes in intersections. http://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/pubs/05049/index.htm.

Houston ranked 93rd most walkable
National podiatrist organization ranks top cities
The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) ranked 200 American cities in terms of how much their citizens walk, according to the APMA website. The organization notes that walking is on the rise in the US, and says that every minute spent walking can increase the walker's life by an average of 2 minutes. The APMA explored 14 categories, divided into Active Lifestyle, Work-related Walking, and Fitness and Sports. The top 10 cities were Arlington, VA; San Francisco; Seattle; Portland, OR; Boston; Washington; New York; Eugene, OR; Jersey City, and Denver. At 29, Austin was the highest ranked Texas city. Suburbs of Dallas such as Arlington and Plano all ranked ahead of Houston, at 93. Dallas came in at 94. http://www.apma.org/s_apma/doc.asp?CID=18&DID=17913

Cities rated for global connectivity
Houston in 4th tier, New York alone in 1st tier
In a recent report, the Brookings Institution rated cities in terms of their global connectivity. Of US cities, only New York rated in the first worldwide tier. Chicago and LA were tier 2, Miami, Atlanta, and Washington DC were tier 3, while Houston and Dallas were among the tier 4 cities. US cities generally were found to have less connectivity than their European or Pacific Rim counterparts. http://www.brookings.edu/metro/pubs/20050222_worldcities.htm

Houston housing said to be below market value
Economist rates housing markets
Richard DeKaser, chief economist for National City Corporation, rated 99 cities in terms of housing costs, and determined which cost more than fair market value (FMV), and which cost less, according to CNN. Houston and Dallas both rated 11 percent below FMV. FMV was determined in part based on what percentage of their incomes residents spend on housing. Not surprisingly, the 7 cities that were rated most expensive were in California, with Chico the highest, with homes 43 percent over FMV. Texas cities were much cheaper. Only San Antonio had a positive percentage, being 3 percent over FMV. http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/home_valuations/

LEED facility planned for Pearland
Doctors want healthy environment for practice
Ground has broken on the first LEED-registered pediatrics facility in Pearland.  LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and is a rating program of the US Green Building Council. According to a press release from the project architects, Browne Penland McGregor Stephens, Drs. Deborah & Virgil Gant contracted with the architects after reading about the LEED building program. Environmentally friendly features will include natural day-lighting, low-emitting finish materials, and reduced water consumption through water-wise landscaping, and low-flow plumbing fixtures. The building will have pervious paving and a reflective roof to reduce storm water run-off and heat gain. For more on LEED, http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to inaugurate Progressive Forum
Mayor White will join him in the Hobby Center to discuss environment
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Houston Mayor Bill White will appear in Sarofim Hall June 13 at 7:30 pm. In his best-selling Crimes Against Nature, he devoted a chapter to "The Mess in Texas," but in his talk here he will concentrate on "how good environmental policy is good business and good economic policy," according to Morton Randall R. Morton, President and founder of the Progressive Forum. Kennedy was named one of Time's "Heroes of the Planet" for his leadership role in the cleanup of the Hudson River. Tickets will go on sale April 25th at The Hobby Center. 713-315-2525 or http://www.thehobbycenter.org <http://www.thehobbycenter.org> .  

Journalist to address smart growth
Preservation Month luncheon to feature Hylton
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Thomas Hylton will be the keynote speaker for the Greater Houston Preservation Association's National Preservation Month Luncheon at noon, on Thursday, May 19. Hylton will discuss the need to rediscover and rebuild traditional cities and towns to house people of all ages, races, and incomes. He has communicated the principles of smart growth to more than 300 organizations in 30 states and was keynote speaker for the National Governors Association Conference. This will be his first speaking engagement in Texas. The event will be at the Magnolia Hotel, 1100 Texas Avenue. http://ghpa.org/pw/

WaterSmart Conference
Presentations on low-maintenance, environmentally friendly gardening
The Texas Cooperative Extension and Texas Sea Grant present the 6th annual WaterSmart conference, which will offer presentations on topics such as composting, pest control, landscaping, and others. April 30 from 8 am–5 pm at the Pasadena Convention Center, 7902 Fairmont Parkway. Registration is $30 until April 15, and then $40. For more information, or to register, call 281-218-0721, or go to http://www.watersmart.cc

Urban Forestry Summit
Encouraging trees in the urban environment
An Urban Forestry Summit will be held at the Houston-Galveston Area Council on Tuesday, April 26. The topics will include planting trees in an urban environment, understanding the benefits of the urban forest, and developing and implementing tree ordinances. The event, which has a $10 fee that includes lunch, will be from 9 am–3 pm in room A at 3555 Timmons. For more info, contact Chuck Wemple, cwemple@h-gac.com or 713-993-4514. RSVP to Kristin Gerstley, kgerstley@h-gac.com or 7131-993-2461.

Downtown park workshops
Opportunity to learn about it, provide feedback
The Houston Downtown Park Conservancy will host two public meetings with the Project for Public Spaces on April 21 and May 7 at the George R. Brown Convention Center.  On April 21 from 6-8 pm participants will hear a presentation on the recently announced Downtown Houston Park and learn more about the possibilities for the park. On May 7 from 8 am to 12:30 pm the public can provide feedback on potential park activities and amenities. For info, Peggy Menchaca, 713-333-1161

Houston Wilderness at MFAH
Photography event will show natural Houston
Houston Wilderness will host a photography event at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston on April 21. In a preview of a 2007 show, photography curator Anne Tucker will present photos from the museum collection that depict nature in Houston. The event will be in the print room of the Audrey Jones Beck building from 7-9 pm. Wine/cheese reception. RSVPs requested. Contact Rosie Zamora at rozamora@houstonwilderness.org, or 713-524-7330.

TEXAS NOTES
House bill targets environmental laws
Could cost cities billions
The Texas House is considering a bill that could cost some cities billions of dollars or force them to abandon some environmental laws, according to a story in the Austin American-Statesman. The legislation, written by state Rep. Robby Cook (D) and passed last week by the House Land and Resource Management Committee, would require cities to pay landowners when regulations decrease property values. Analysts cite ordinances such as an Austin requirement that only 15 to 25 percent of land be covered with pavement or buildings to preserve a watershed as the driving force behind the bill. Opponents said the bill would effectively end many municipal land-use regulations designed to protect water quality or check suburban growth. "Cities are going to have a hard time affording this," said Laura Huffman, Austin assistant city manager. "The basic choice will be to buy compliance with the regulation or abandon the regulation itself." http://www.statesman.com/news/content/shared/tx/legislature/stories/04/8takings.html April 8).

Concerns about Trans-Texas Corridor
Project could harm communities and farms
A story in the Christian Science Monitor raises concerns about the contract to build the first leg of the Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC), which has already been awarded to a Spanish firm, Cintra, who will build a $7.2 billion tollway between Dallas and San Antonio. According to the Christian Science Monitor, Governor Rick Perry says the project, which calls for 4000 miles of new toll roads of up to a quarter-mile wide, will bring the state billions of dollars in revenue and much needed relief for overcrowded freeways - all with no taxpayer money. But the story says many voice concerns. Roadside communities could suffer.  Private developers would have exclusive rights to build service stations, hotels, and other amenities. This could cut deeply into the revenues of towns like Columbus, where through traffic on Interstate 10 brings in twice as much revenue as property taxes.  The Texas State Farm Bureau fears that too much farm land could be lost to TTC's 146-acre-per-mile requirements. http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0323/p03s01-usgn.html

NOTES FROM OTHER PLACES
URBANISM
There's no free parking
Parking subsidies equal defense spending
"Wrong-headed parking policies" are "devastating" US cities, according to a book by UCLA professor Dr. Donald Shoup. As reported in an American Planning Association press release, the subsidy that free curb parking represents costs the US between $127 and $374 billion annually, equal to Medicare subsidies or even the Defense budget. Shoup recommends that cities begin charging market rates for parking, and plowing the proceeds back into urban improvements. Dr. Shoup also finds that parking regulations have led to a surplus of off-street parking spaces, which amount to between three and four parking spaces for every car in the US. Shoup writes that parking policies do not take into account numerous unintended consequences, such as higher housing prices, extreme automobile dependence, and extravagant energy use. http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/050321/215364_1.html

Density increasing in Denver suburbs
Buyers choosing town homes and 'Main Streets'
Metro Denver appears ready to shed its reputation as a spread-out, "gas-guzzling" town, according to a story in the Rocky Mountain News.  Spurred by high land costs, a booming light rail system, and congested freeways, even the suburbs are achieving urban levels of density. Suburban towns such as Aurora now have shops and restaurants in two- and three-story buildings along streets designed for pedestrians, with housing on the top floors. Residents voted to change the way the region develops last November when they passed the $4.7 billion FasTracks light-rail project. Plans are already under way to encourage urban villages around dozens of new light-rail stations, enabling residents to go about their daily lives without driving. Because of this growing density, officials planning regional growth boundaries for 2025 were able to stick to the 750 square mile limit set in 1997.  http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_3578443,00.html

Charlotte helps fund some sustainable projects
Development that will help city given boost by city, county
The city of Charlotte NC has taken an active role in promoting sustainable development in the city's core and along transit corridors, according to The Charlotte Business Journal. The city uses the property taxes a sustainable project will pay to fund related infrastructure improvements, such as parking decks and sidewalks. The process was initiated by a developer, Grubb Properties, that couldn't "make the numbers work" on a large mixed-use urban development. The city agreed to pay 10 years of debt service on parking decks for the project, and the owners will cover the second decade. Grubb can't qualify for any assistance until it has built developments valued at 110% of the debt service.  The details of any future deals will be specific to that deal, and city officials insist they will fund only projects that will both make money for the city and which otherwise simply wouldn't get built. http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2005/02/21/focus4.html

Atlanta communities receive planning grants
$800,000 will help with transit-oriented development
As part of its Livable Cities Initiative (LCI), the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) awarded $800,000 to Atlanta-area communities to spur transit-oriented development (TOD) in 6 town centers and 3 corridors connecting the centers, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Some communities have already created special zoning districts to implement the studies, and many communities have changed zoning ordinances to encourage TOD. A DeKalb official said he wants to see more housing, restaurants, shops, and offices around the local station. He said housing will be more attractive around transit hubs as people want to drive less because of traffic. "Having a home near the public transportation system will be a key feature people will look for when they buy houses," he said. http://www.ajc.com/monday/content/epaper/editions/monday/horizon_24f0ff49923331b500ba.html

PLANNING
Planning for growth in South Carolina
Officials want to be ahead of 'massive growth'
Jasper County, on the South Carolina coast, has begun preparing a county-wide land-use and transportation plan, in anticipation of booming growth in the Hilton Head area. According to the Hilton Head Packet, three local corporations have agreed to pick up 90 percent of the plan's $300,000 tab. An electric company spokesman said, ''We all benefit from growth and density. It's important to us that growth be done in the proper manner.'' A contractor in charge of preparing the plan said his firm will consider scenic, historic and cultural resources, as well as "how to blend the automobile" into future developments. The plan is expected to recommend zoning that will encourage people to walk or bicycle, while minimizing their dependence on cars. http://www.beaufortgazette.com/local_news/story/4493442p-4225350c.html

HOUSING
Affordable housing in San Diego
Ambitious plan will be difficult to fully fund
The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) has adopted a housing plan that directs San Diego County and its 18 municipalities to create zoning for the construction of 107,301 units over five years, including 42,491 - 39.6 percent - for low-income residents, according to the North County Times.  SANDAG reached these numbers by following its comprehensive land-use and transportation plan, which calls for transit-oriented development. The plan took longer to finalize than expected because of the project's high costs. Affordable housing typically needs subsidies of up to $150,000 per unit, which means $600 million total. No state or federal subsidies are expected. The plan includes two categories, for ''low'' and ''very low'' income four-person households of no more than $54,800 and $34,250, respectively. A Greater San Diego Chamber of Commerce official noted that only 12 percent of county residents can afford a median-price home. ''We aren't building houses for the average family. This is a regional crisis that has to be addressed.''   http://www.smartgrowth.org/news/article.asp?art=4594&state=5

Urban growth boundary didn't make Portland unaffordable after all
Earlier studies based on inaccurate numbers, false premises, report says
Reports that Portland's self-imposed Urban Growth Edge caused housing prices to skyrocket were somewhat misleading, according to a report by the New Urban News. The Smart Growth critics who trumpeted those findings were using numbers from the National Association of Home Builders' "Housing Affordability Index," which calculates housing affordability based on median house prices, median income, and other factors, the article says. In housing affordability, Portland was near the national average in 1992, but in the following six years its ranking fell from 94th to 190th. But the 2000 Census revealed that Portland incomes had been under estimated. Updated calculations show Portland 78th, or in the upper half of affordability. And much of the rise in home values came as residents spent thousands improving and renovating their homes. Home ownership rates have gone up among every group except the 55-64 year olds.  A professor of urban planning at Portland State says, "Portland used to have 'affordable housing' because people did not want to live in the cityÉThe city, however, has reinvented itself as a vibrant place where people want to live, and they continue to move here even in a depressed economy." City officials come in for praise from the professor. "Portland has seized numerous opportunities to proactively facilitate the development of affordable housing." http://www.newurbannews.com/PortlandMar05.html

ENERGY
Oil prices may hit $105 per barrel
Pre-emptive measures urged for oil-importing countries
The International Energy Agency (IEA) warns that a drop in the international oil supply of only 1 million barrels per day (bpd) (the equivalent of oil production lost during the Venezuela oil strike of 2002) could send already high oil prices soaring, according to the Financial Times.  Goldman Sachs reports that oil prices "may have entered the early stages of a super-spike period," which could lead to prices of $105. IEA urges oil-importing countries to take preventive measures. This represents a change in IEA thinking, as the agency had previously urged preventive action if supplies dropped by 6 million bpd.  IEA encourages governments to cut speed limits by 25 mph, restrict driving on certain days, offer free public transportation, and encourage car pooling. IEA says following these steps could save 1 million bpd.  "There appear to be opportunities to achieve substantial reductions in transportation oil demand quickly and cheaply if countries are prepared," says the IEA executive director.  http://news.ft.com/cms/s/d5213f46-a21a-11d9-8483-00000e2511c8.html

EVENTS
Advancing Regional Equity: The Second National Summit on Equitable Development, Social Justice, and Smart Growth, May 23-25, Philadelphia. Sponsored by Policy Link and the Funder's Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities. http://policylink.org/Summit2005/

Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) XIII∏ June 9-12, Pasadena, CA. The participants in the 13th Congress for the New Urbanism will show that the trends of the last 50 years—placeless sprawl, environmental deterioration, increasing separation by income and race—are not our destiny. http://www.cnu.org/

Rail~Volution 11, Salt Lake City, Sept 8-11. This year's conference will focus on the importance of partnerships across multiple fronts in shaping livable communities. http://www.railvolution.com.

Prepared by David Theis

Gulf Coast Growth News is a publication of the Gulf Coast Institute. The Gulf Coast Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in Houston. To support the Institute, go to http://www.gulfcoastinstitute.org. To join the Institute's 1000 Friends of Houston, go to http://www.1000friendsofhouston.org