CNU e-Update
July 2009

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1. Support a New Era of Urbanism -- Become a Sustaining Donor!
2. Act Now to Make Sure the CLEAN TEA Amendment — and Federal Support for Connected Street Networks — Are in the Climate Bill
3. We Need Your Ideas and Papers for the CNU 18 Program! Aug. 14 Deadline
4. CNU Alum Joins HUD
5. CNU Accreditation Deadline August 6
6. What's New @ CNU.org
7. Brownfields 2009, November 16-18 -- Registration Open
8. Your Help Needed: Survey for Urban Infill Research Study
9. Form-Based Codes Institute: Webinar and Upcoming Training
10. National Charrette Institute: Upcoming Trainings

e-Updates on the Web. You can view past e-Updates and have your colleagues sign up for our email list online at www.cnu.org/eupdate.

Stay in Touch! Have you moved or changed your contact information? Email your old and new information to membership@cnu.org. Members can also log in at www.cnu.org to update account information.

Contribute to the Movement! Your membership or donation strengthens our efforts to spread New Urbanism, and your support is more important than ever right now. Members get a subscription to New Urban News, great discounts on events and publications, full access to CNU.org, and opportunities to participate in our initiatives and chapters. Log in at www.cnu.org to check membership status or renew.

If you have questions about CNU activities, please contact our office at cnuinfo@cnu.org or 312-551-7300.

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1. Support a New Era of Urbanism -- Become a Sustaining Donor!

We are witnessing a coming of age of New Urbanism—our ideas are being embraced by the public like never before and we're seeing a new receptiveness in state and federal policy. But we need your help to continue working toward the new urbanist vision described by our Charter. CNU is seeking to raise $20,000 by July 31 to support our efforts to spread New Urbanism. Please contribute to our movement today—your support is more important than ever right now.

Monthly Giving—Sign Up for the Sustaining Donor Program

CNU is launching a new Sustaining Donor Program to make it easier for you to pledge your support for New Urbanism. You can help stregthen CNU's work year-round by turning your gift into a recurring monthly donation. As a Sustaining Donor, you join forces with other dedicated new urbanists to provide CNU with a more secure cash flow. Monthly giving is a convenient way to maintain your support while allowing you to spread your giving into smaller monthly donations. Your recurring donation will be charged automatically every month, and you can contact CNU to cancel at any time. To sign up, click the donate button above and be sure to check the "Recurring monthly donation" box on the submission form.

Help Us Keep Up the Momentum!

Since 1993, we have benefited from robust membership participation, strong partnerships, and valuable grants. Right now, we need your support to help seize new opportunities to accomplish long-sought change. John Norquist's recent appointment by HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan to a committee helping to plan UN World Habitat Day is a sign of the new urbanists' renewed ties with federal policy-making departments, as is Shelley Poticha's recent appointment as Senior Advisor for Sustainable Housing and Communities at HUD (see "CNU Alum Joins HUD" story below). We are in direct contact with federal officials at HUD, USDOT, and the EPA as they begin to build an unprecedented initiative—coordinating housing investments, transportation design, and planning to reduce automobile dependency and support strong, walkable neighborhoods. CNU has been invited to present to a joint meeting of these three agencies in September to discuss how New Urbanism can help them achieve their goals. Our similar experience with the federal HOPE VI housing program proved that to be effective in leading bureaucracies through difficult change, we need to be persistent, tireless, and operating at full strength.

Your gift provides needed funding for our initiatives and helps bridge the gap between other funding sources and our budget. We invite you to be part of the new urbanist solution by donating to CNU today. You can also mail your donation to CNU at the address in the footer below.

2. Act Now to Make Sure the CLEAN TEA Amendment — and Federal Support for Connected Street Networks — Are in the Climate Bill

Special Message from CNU President and CEO John Norquist

Dear CNU supporters:

Last winter, despite CNU's best efforts, the rapidly prepared federal stimulus bill wound up funding a lot of highway expansion projects that perpetuate automobile-dependence. Nevertheless, an argument CNU made — that streets that form highly connected, walkable networks are along with transit the backbones of sustainable neighborhoods and deserve federal funding — made an impression on some key members of the Senate and House.

These members — including Senator Carper of Delaware, Senator Lautenberg of New Jersey and Congressman Blumenauer of Oregon — are the sponsors of legislation known as CLEAN TEA, a proposed amendment to the Climate Bill that will soon become a focus in the Senate. If it becomes law, the amendment will require major metropolitan areas to create plans to reduce carbon emissions associated with transportation and land development. And just as importantly, it will set aside 10 percent of future cap-and-trade proceeds to fund these plans and the low-carbon transportation investments they'll incorporate. Thanks to CNU's efforts, the authors of CLEAN TEA expanded their definition of eligible clean transportation projects to include road construction that “enhances connectivity, increases the efficiency of network performance, and encourages the use of public transportation, pedestrian walkways, or bicycle lanes.”

These are the streets of new urbanist neighborhoods. Unlike the freeways the Feds regularly funds street networks can serve as a great setting for transit service, biking and walking. For the first time ever, the Federal government is on the cusp of distinguishing between good and bad pavement.

But CLEAN TEA will need a big push from CNU members and others in the Transportation for America coalition to become law. Only small portions of CLEAN TEA — and not the connectivity language — were included in the version of the Climate Bill that passed the house. Transportation for America is asking all of its members to urge their Senators to sign-on as CLEAN TEA sponsors and call for the inclusion of of the entire CLEAN TEA amendment in the Senate version of the Climate Bill.

Throughout the year, we get a number of valuable opportunities to join with T4America and take action. This is one of those special times to make sure you follow through. That's why I'm asking you personally to contact your Senators and tell them the importance of signing on as a co-sponsor and insisting the full CLEAN TEA amendment (S. 575) is in the Climate Bill, so that the federal government starts supporting the street infrastructure that reduces carbon emissions and helps create valuable, livable neighborhoods. Please call the Congressional Switchboard at 202-224-3121, ask to be connected to your Senator’s office and leave a message with a staffer. For more information, see this action alert from T4 America.

If your Senator is a member of the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee, getting their support is doubly important. See a list of committee members not yet sponsoring Clean-TEA.

Since the Obama Administration and top Congressional leaders have signaled their intention to extend the current Federal Transporation Authorization and put off serious transportation reform till next year or later, the Climate Cap-and-Trade Bill represents our best near-term opportunity to see our agenda incorporated into major legislation. Please, don't let this opportunity slip away.

Yours,
John Norquist

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3. We Need Your Ideas and Papers for the CNU 18 Program! Aug. 14 Deadline

Call for CNU 18 Sessions Deadline Approaching! The last day to submit session ideas for CNU 18 in Atlanta is August 14, 2009.  Organized with assistance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "New Urbanism: Rx for Healthy Places" will present new research and innovative techniques for incorporating health impacts in correlation to the built environment. We are seeking creative session ideas that incorporate health impacts of the built environment. We look forward to your participation at CNU 18, May 19-22, 2010.

Read the detailed guidelines and full description of session tracks.

Call for Academic Papers Now Open!

We are now calling all academics to submit academic papers to be presented at CNU 18. Submissions are welcome on a range of issues and disciplines related to New Urbanism, and papers related to the CNU 18 topic "New Urbanism: Rx for Healthy Places" will be especially welcomed. All papers will be read and commented upon by at least two reviewers prior to presentation. Deadline for submission is December 1, 2009.

Read the full detailed guidelines and past academic paper submissions.

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4. CNU Alum Joins HUD

Shelley Poticha Will Be Department of Housing and Urban Development Senior Advisor for Sustainable Housing and Communities

New urbanists let out a cheer when the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced late last week that Shelley Poticha has been appointed Senior Advisor for Sustainable Housing and Communities. Poticha was executive director of the Congress for the New Urbanism before joining Transportation for America as President and CEO. Under her leadership Transportation for America led the push for legislation supporting transit, cities, and sustainable urban development.

CNU President John Norquist hailed the selection. "This is another strong sign that the Obama Administration hires really smart, results-oriented people," said Norquist. "But new urbanists should keep in mind that change in Washington takes hard work. Shelley won't be able to wave a wand and make sustainable communities happen. CNU members will need to support her every step of the way." Poticha is familiar with HUD. As CNU executive director she played a major role in accomplishing the HOPE VI reforms during the Clinton administration.

Poticha’s appointment is particularly timely in light of HUD’s announcement last month that it was partnering with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to promote the development of sustainable and livable communities. According to the department’s press release, HUD is also working with Senator Christopher Dodd to draft legislation creating an Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities within HUD, which Poticha would head.

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5. CNU Accreditation Deadline August 6

At CNU 17, CNU announced a new professional accreditation program to recognize the talent within the new urbanist movement for creating walkable, sustainable places. The accreditation program seeks to elevate the practice of the principles of New Urbanism and to develop a premier standard of professional excellence in the design of the built environment. Professionals who meet the requirements of accreditation will be recognized as CNU-Accredited. The accreditation credential can be used for business identification, reference criteria, and optional innovation credits within the LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) rating system.

CNU has partnered with the University of Miami School of Architecture to launch the first phase of this program using an online exam developed by leading new urbanists. The CNU Accreditation program will be frequently updated to reflect the depth of new urbanist knowledge and practice. Participating at this stage will help the program evolve based on lessons learned and feedback from this first phase.

Professionals can take the exam online during three access windows that will be scheduled each year. The next exam access window is Oct. 5 - Nov. 23, 2009.  Registration for this exam window is now open and will close on Aug. 6, 2009. Visit www.cnu.org/accreditation to register now.

The University of Miami also offers a self-paced online course, titled The Principles and Practice of New Urbanism, which provides preparation for the exam but is not required. Registration for the course is separate from CNU Accreditation registration and is available online at http://nuonline.arc.miami.edu.

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6. What's New @ CNU.org

Here's a sample of what's happening at CNU.org:

CNU.org Calendar
@ http://www.cnu.org/event/date
Check out upcoming events, such as the upcoming Sustainability, Green Development and the Law seminar in Kansas City. Log in to add your own events to the listing!

CNU 17 Presentations
@ http://www.cnu.org/presentations
Check out the Presentation Library, updated with new content from CNU 17.

CNU Salons: Sustainble house in sustainable place -- Urban net zero energy home by Farr Associates
@ http://www.cnu.org/node/3015
This morning's Chicago Tribune has a piece on a green-built house that is noteworthy because it is ultra-sustainable both when considered in isolation and in context of its surroundings. The net zero energy house, designed by Jonathan Boyer at Farr Associates, is built to produce as much or more energy than it consumes.

In the News: Urbanism for all stripes -- Evangelical-oriented magazine's take on CNU 17
@ http://www.cnu.org/node/3009
Christian news magazine WORLD examines New Urbanism and the recent congress in Denver from the conservative perspective and includes viewpoints from prominent New Urbanists.

If you haven't experienced CNU.org yet, it's time for you to see what you're missing. Please take a moment to log into our site and learn about the features it has to offer. Please read our Login Instructions to get started.

Visit http://www.cnu.org/features to learn more about the website.

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7. Brownfields 2009, November 16-18 -- Registration Open

Brownfields 2009: Sustainable Communities Start Here
November 16-18
New Orleans
Registration is open at www.brownfields2009.org.

The National Brownfields Conference is the largest, most comprehensive conference focused on cleaning up and redeveloping abandoned, underutilized, and potentially contaminated properties in the nation.  Registration is free and by signing up you gain access to over 150 educational sessions, including lively panel discussions, dynamic roundtables, outstanding plenary sessions, special trainings, film screenings, and more.  The conference has plentiful networking and business development opportunities including the Brownfields Transaction Forum and the Brownfields 2009 Exhibit Hall.  While you are in New Orleans experience the city with mobile workshops and walking tours.  Whether you’re a newcomer to the world of economic and environmental redevelopment, or a seasoned professional looking to make new connections and increase your business, Brownfields 2009 offers something for you. 

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8. Your Help Needed: Survey for Urban Infill Research Study

The link below will direct you to a brief online survey. This survey is part of a National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) study to develop guidance and a methodology for the preparation and review of transportation impact analyses (TIAs) of infill development in urban or urbanizing areas. You can help support this effort by answering a few brief questions.

Why this is important

Higher density, mixed-use redevelopment and infill development are smart growth concepts that are an increasingly common form of development subject to environmental review and often traffic impact studies. However, there is a lack of standardized guidance and trip and parking generation data for preparing these studies.

Why your help is needed

The first phase of this study involves collecting information on current infill development definitions, infill traffic and parking generation data and estimation methods, TIA analysis methods and agency review procedures. Kimley-Horn and Associates, on behalf of NCHRP, would like to survey those involved in various aspects of infill development in order to collect this information. Your responses are completely confidential and will be used to identify valuable information and resources regarding the current state-of-the-practice of analyzing the impacts of infill development.

Thank you for your time. Please click on the link below to complete the survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Lrpd92BY_2fdnhnncV_2bWeYmg_3d_3d

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9. Form-Based Codes Institute: Webinar and Upcoming Trainings

Want to preserve or increase the quality of our communities? Because Form-Based Codes can require rather than recommend the vision elements that make for good urbanism, FBCs are being adopted at an ever increasing rate throughout the U.S. The mission of the Form-Based Codes Institute (FBCI) is "to advance the knowledge and use of, and develop standards for, Form-Based Codes as a method to achieve a community vision based on time-tested forms of urbanism." Perhaps the most important way FBCI advances knowledge and standards for FBCs is through its 3-course series, taught by nationally recognized practitioners.

Learn How Form-Based Codes can Transform Cities and Towns: A Recorded Webinar
This recorded webinar provides the information needed to assess the applicability of a formbased code for different places and conditions. The 90-minute video is an ideal introduction for anyone within municipal government or who serves on a city council or commission. It will also be beneficial to private-sector developers, builders, and consultants interested in creating places of high value. View online anytime.

Upcoming Trainings

Save the date for the following Form-Based Code training. Visit the Form-Based Codes Institute website for more information and a full list of events.

The ABC's of Form-Based Codes: Special One-Day Introduction
Jan. 27, 2010, St. Petersburg, Fla.
March 24, 2010, Kansas City, Mo.

FBC 101: Introduction to Form-Based Coding
Sept. 10-11, Sarasota, Fla. (waiting list only)

FBC 201: Preparing a Form-Based Code – Design Considerations
Feb. 18-19, 2010, Ventura, Calif.

FBC 301: Completing, Adopting and Administering the Code
April 26-27, 2010, either Lowell, Mass., or Portsmouth, N.H.

Registration for these courses is available at www.formbasedcodes.org. Driehaus Charitable Lead Trust Scholarships of $500 each are available for representatives from not-for-profit historic preservation organizations or public organizations with oversight authority for historic preservation as well as students and faculty from schools of architecture.

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10. National Charrette Institute: Upcoming Trainings

Visit the National Charrette Institute (NCI) website for details on upcoming trainings. Current CNU members receive a 10% discount on NCI registration fees for public trainings held in Portland. All NCI trainings in the United States will qualify for AICP credit hours.

NCI Charrette System™ Certificate
October 19-21, Portland, OR
October 21-23, Atlanta, GA

NCI Charrette Management and Facilitation™ Certificate
October 22-23, Portland, OR

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Congress for the New Urbanism
140 S. Dearborn St., Ste. 404
Chicago, IL 60603, USA
TEL 312.551.7300
FAX 312.346.3323
www.cnu.org