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only One Week left!Nominations wanted for the 2009 Smart Growth Awards!Deadline:
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2009 Smart Growth Awards. If you have a project that you would like to nominate, whether it be our own or one you are excited about, please submit it to us no later than Friday, February 28th. To read about past winners or to find out more about the Awards, visit our website here. Registration forms and rules for nominations are available here, along with a flyer here. Call our office at 631-261-0242 with any questions. SAVE THE DATE! |
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Bishop lobbies for local stimulus funds
The press conference noted the need for these funds to improve a project that has been pushed to the side for years--the widening of Route 112. The project recently lost its funding when the state froze spending. Vision Long Island considers it a success that this project has yet to be funded. Road widening in this instance will create immediate construction-related jobs, but it will limit the economic future of the surrounding communities, not to mention destroy the opportunity for livable downtowns. It is important moving forward to advocate for the Smart Growth projects: lawmakers are listening. Also at the press conference were State Senator Brian Foley, State Senator Kenneth LaValle, Assemblyman Marc Alessi, Suffolk County Legislator Brian Beedenbender, and Marc Herbst of the Long Island Contractors Association. Fleischer relates infrastructure to national political inequities
However, the way the U.S. Senate is structured, representatives from the many transit-unfriendly states in the midwest have just as much say as places like New York, where transit more or less runs the economy. This year, the Democratic majority is increasingly diverse and rural in its composition, which will pose serious challenges for a transit-heavy bill. Fleischer concluded, "Urban transportation advocates will need to spend a bit less time speaking to each other. We will instead need to reach out, learn a new language (rural set-asides, roads in National Parks, pick-up trucks, agricultural infrastructure, small places in big spaces where there is no other option but driving!), while politely explaining how one 12-mile-long island accounts for more transit trips in a day than the total population of the country's smallest eight states combined." Read more in Fleischer's article. To read more, see Newsday and the Times Beacon Record.
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On Monday, 2/16, U.S. Congressman Tim Bishop (D-Southampton) stood with local elected officials at an old DOT Maintenance Yard on Route 112 in Coram to remind the federal government that Long Island needs stimulus money for infrastructure projects. With current estimates of $2.775 billion in stimulus funds slated to go to New York State for infrastructure, there is a grim reality that Long Island is not strategically positioned to receive adequate funding. Earlier estimates showed Long Island receiving 11% of the total state transportation stimulus funds, while it typically gets 23%. Bishop said he hopes for Long Island to receive $200 million for transportation over two years from this bill, and that it is a reasonably optimistic estimate. Bishop said, "we need to get as great a share of that as we possibly can." 
Earlier this week, Executive Director of Empire State Future Peter Fleischer wrote a piece for Regional Plan Association's bi-weekly newsletter, Spotlight on the Region. "Shovels in the Ground, What's Next?" asked Fleischer: "Gratitude being the most short-lived human emotion, it is now almost time to ask what our country can do for us next. That's where the Transportation Bill Reauthorization comes in." This 2009 bill is considered by transportation advocates to be a landmark piece of legislation, with enormous opportunities for mass transit. Fleischer continued, "transportation is such an important part of our landscapes that this bill is actually one of the biggest and best opportunities we have to reinvent our communities, help us meet climate change and energy-independence goals, address social equity concerns - all while improving our mobility, safety and economy."|
LIBN Hosts Green Strategies Symposium On Thursday, February 19th from 8-10am at Bethpage's Carlyle on the Green, Long Island Business News (LIBN) hosted their second annual Green Strategies Symposium. The breakfast and panel discussion focused on ways to become sustainable with current economic conditions. (The event was sub-titled How do you go Green when everything's in the Red? The economic reality of saving our planet). With over 300 attendees, the event also proved to be a great themed networking event. People were enthusiastically discussing green technologies and the challenges faced in "going green." With almost 30 display tables, the morning also became a trade show, with free green products such as shopping bags. LIBN also released their Green Guide 09, a publication about sustainable practices on Long Island--printed on recyclable paper. Vision Long Island's Eric Alexander was given the honor of moderating the event, and with the help of microphone mogul John Kominicki of LIBN, the panel discussion flowed smoothly and successfully. Panelists included Councilman John H. Edwards of Islip; Neal Lewis, Executive Director of Neighborhood Network; Lisanne Altmann, Director of Residential Programs at LIPA; Vince Capogna, Vice Chair of the U.S. Green Building Council, Long Island Chapter; and Russell Albanese, President of The Albanese Group. All the panelists agreed how exciting things are for the green movement, seemingly moving beyond a fad and toward quality standards. A few years ago no one could fill such a large room with business leaders excited about greening their practices, and now going green is seen as keeping up with the times. Green means a concern for the triple bottom line: equity, environment, and economy (or "people, planet, and profit"). Several themes arose from audience questions, including the merits of regulation for green standards versus market-driven incentives. Several questions arose over regional green issues, such as the potential to build a high-speed rail line. It was deemed that this project would be great for efficiency, but is no where near shovel-ready. Alternatively, the audience wanted to see more Island-wide working together of the local municipalities. People wanted to see more bank support for green projects. Several audience members also mentioned that for every $1,000 invested in a green home, home value will increase by $20,000. One major take-away from the meeting was that everyone must do an energy audit on homes and businesses, for both electric and heating sources. By doing this, you will find basic, quick, and cheap ways to make huge efficiency improvements. A crowning moment that really defined the economics versus environment issue came when the panelists argued over the merits of building an offshore wind farm for Long Island. Though everyone in the room agreed that wind power would benefit Long Island, there were technical issues that needed to be worked through in order to move forward, primarily on the funding and tax end. The proposal was originally shot down primarily due to community concerns and funding issues. In fact, if the project had gone through environmental review, it would now be shovel ready. A major problem in this and in other projects is that town codes can limit certain design features such as structure height, which limits the amount of power a wind turbine can supply. Councilman Edwards adequately defended the rationale for town codes (based somewhat on aesthetics). The idea was also mentioned of moving the wind farm further out from the coastline, which would supply more power (the winds are stronger there) and be less of an "eyesore," but would also cost much more (the cost of piping, construction, maintenance, etc). A huge Catch-22 emerged. However, when moderator Alexander polled the crowd, a good 95 percent wanted to see LIPA work together with organizations like the Neighborhood Network to create new wind power sources. The event was a big success, with a great exchanging of ideas and high energy. It's time to go green! Fiteni writes about energy audits
Long Islanders begin to think "Smaller and Cheaper"
In Port Jefferson Station, developer Island Estates recently created "Sweet Homes" to be a 10-unit community of McMansions located on a cul-de-sac, sized at at 2,600 to 3,350 square feet. According to managing partner Len Axinn, "shoppers were so scarce 'we had cobwebs growing over our model doors.'" Axinn realized that the number one market consideration today is price, and consequently designed new models at a leaner 2,100 square feet. The models have three bedrooms instead of four, and have replaced fancy finishes with plastic laminate countertops and vinyl flooring in the kitchens, and ceramic floors in the bathrooms. The new models will cost in the low to mid $500,000s, while the four remaining original models are set in the mid to upper $600,000s. Fischler notes a new survey that suggests 88 percent of developers are now building and planning smaller homes, and 89 percent are planning on emphasizing lower-priced models. Furthermore, a three-decade long trend is beginning to reverse itself: in 1973, the average house size was 1,660 square feet, and in the second quarter of 2008 it was 2,629 square feet. In the third quarter of last year, it had dropped about 7 percent to 2,438 square feet. Vision Long Island was cited extensively in the article. A 2007 survey by Vision found that 50 percent of residents in Nassau County and 44 percent in Suffolk County preferred to live in denser downtown centers. Eric Alexander was quoted as saying "by default, that means smaller living spaces." The rest of the coverage said: The expense of maintaining a large home is "forcing folks to seek smaller homes, apartments and condominiums, once a stepchild of the Long Island market...It costs a lot to have four to five bedrooms, three bathrooms." Beyond energy bills, all that space incurs "a massive amount of taxes." ... Demographics are also playing a role. "The aging baby-boomer population is looking at options as to where they want to live post the 'big house'...and the Gen X market wants to live near activity centers." While cost plays a major role, Long Islanders (and Americans in general) are adapting to the realities of climate change and the related costs of living in a large home. Older demographics seek smaller and more manageable living spaces, while younger people seek affordable housing in bustling communities. This new trend is very exciting for Smart Growth advocates! Read the article from the NY Times here. Save the MTA, Save the World: Ravitch Hearings Begin
The MTA will move forward with its doomsday plan if Albany does not take action by March 25th. See "Action Items" in Smart Talk for information on contacting your state lawmakers to tell them to pass the Ravitch recommendations! For more information, see the New York 1 News article with a video and articles from the New York TImes and The New York Post. Retrofitting Suburbia Vision wants to alert you to a new book by Ellen Dunham-Jones and June Williamson, entitled Retrofitting Suburbia: Urban Design Solutions for Redesigning Suburbs. The book uses case studies to demonstrate strategies and advantages to both urbanizing and re-greening the suburbs. Here is the official book description: "While there has been considerable attention by practitioners and academics to development in urban cores and new neighborhoods on the periphery of cities, there has been little attention to the redesign and redevelopment of existing suburbs. Here is a comprehensive guidebook for architects, planners, urban designers, developers and anyone interested in the subject that illustrates how existing suburbs can be redesigned and redeveloped. The authors, both architects and noted experts on the subject, show how development in existing suburbs can absorb new growth and evolve in relation to changed demographic, technological, and economic conditions." The book was also cited in a recent New York Times article, "Saving the Suburbs, Part 2." Dunham-Jones and Williamson "see suburbia itself as flawed (which die-hard suburbanites may not appreciate) and...they recommend urban strategies to solve suburban problems. The book's numerous case studies show that this strategy has its merits. Increasing density, transit and walkability often (though not always) can help to revitalize struggling communities like MetroWest in Vienna, Va., which shifted from 69 houses to 2,250 transit-oriented residences (suburban renewal seems impossible by the way without a serious acknowledgment of the need for density), and Mashpee Commons in Mashpee, Mass., once a shopping mall but now a New Urbanist-style development with varied housing and open-air retail." For more, check out the book's Facebook page, read the table of contents, or read this review and order a copy. British PSA tells motorists to slow down
"Of course, PSAs and "raising awareness," by themselves, for all the good intentions, have been shown in the field of road safety, and various other public health campaigns, to be vastly ineffective. You need enforcement (not continued slaps on the wrist...), negative financial incentives, the changing of social norms, etc. etc." On many Long Island roads, it is safe to say that driving the speed limit means getting honked at and passed by aggressively impatient people. It doesn't have to be this way. Let's all slow down! |
While left and right we hear we must do a home energy audit to save both energy and money, there is not much information out there on what that means and how to move forward with one. Enter Beth Fiteni of Neighborhood Network, whose recent piece "Give Your Home an Energy Audit: Small steps towards energy efficiency can add up to big savings" was published in canvas Magazine. The article demonstrates many of the benefits of energy audits, including successful pilot programs such as Babylon's Long Island Green Homes. It also serves as a how-to guide for doing a home audit. Fiteni explores what priorities you should look at for your home, including sealing up uninsulated walls and sealing cracks, as well as performing routine maintenance and cleaning on heating and cooling systems. Also consider buying Energy Star products and LED light bulbs--small changes to produce huge savings. Fiteni reminds you to be careful: make sure to ask for a prompt return on your audit response, ask the auditor to explain the technical language in the report, and ask for realistic cost estimates. Also make sure that after you make major changes to your home you have it tested for carbon monoxide. Read the piece here.
On Wednesday, the first legislative hearing took place in Brooklyn Borough Hall to review the Ravitch Commission recommendations to bail out the financiallyapped MTA. The state legislature must act quickly to pass the recommendations, which include a payroll tax of one-third of one percent on commuting counties and tolls on the East River and Harlem bridges. Surprisingly, a majority of legislators at the meeting opposed the Ravitch recommendations, without which there could be "draconian" fare hikes and service cuts. OF course, legislators do not advocate for higher fares and service cuts, so their logic becomes a bit fuzzy. MTA's Executive Director and CEO Elliot "Lee" Sander said, "This package is a robust package and would enable us to carry the MTA, both on the operating and the capital side, for the next five years." Another hearing will take place next week in Harlem.
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Brookhaven Lab slated to receive $30 million from Federal Stimulus Package
For more, see Newsday. |
The Brookhaven National Laboratory announced that it will receive $30 million in federal stimulus funds, which will likely be used to construct a new Interdisciplinary Sciences Building which would conduct energy research. The funds could also be used to renovate or replace old facilities at the Upton science center. The Lab received word of the funding from the federal Department of Energy. Lab Director Sam Aaronson said the funds, "will enable us to build new capabilities," and create new jobs for Long Islanders. Construction of the new building could begin this year and be completed by 2013.
Act Now to Stop LI Transit Cuts
Please call your Senator or Assembly Member now: State Senators: Assembly Members: Call to Volunteer: Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk
If you are looking to answer President Obama's call to service, volunteering for Habitat is a very rewarding experience. You will get your hands dirty and see tangible results. Volunteers are needed to help build, especially in the Women Build program, as well as to help prepare lunches for volunteers. Groups and individuals of all ages are encouraged to help out. To learn more about volunteering, see the Habitat Suffolk website or call (631) 924-4966. |
Take action to stop the proposed transit cuts! Vision Long Island, in coordination with Tri-State Transportation Campaign, ACORN, Long Island Progressive Coalition, and other advocacy organizations, are calling on Long Islanders to oppose the massive budget cuts and fare increases proposed by the MTA. Call your State Senators and Assemblypersons to seek alternative funding mechanisms to fund needed transit services. The recommendations proposed in the Ravitch Commission report spell out necessary funding offsets such as payroll taxes and tolling of East River and Harlem bridges.
Habitat for Humanity is a group that is often heard of in association with an alternative college spring break trip to New Orleans or a high school extra curricular activity. But this great grassroots organization has roots right here on Long Island: Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk uses volunteers to build homes for low-income families, with the belief that everyone deserves a simple, decent, and affordable place to live. The Suffolk chapter is proud of its 
Governor announces Round 3 of Restore New York grant
Governor Paterson said of the program, "During difficult and challenging economic times, the innovative Restore New York program will be crucial to rebuilding our economy and launching New York on a path towards full economic recovery. This program will revitalize New York's cities, towns and villages by leveraging both public and private funds. Municipalities across the State can improve their businesses and community climates to attract industry, commercial enterprises and families to some of our most economically distressed areas. I look forward to announcing Round 3 recipients and witnessing the positive transformations that these projects will stimulate." A statewide Information Workshop will be held by Empire State Development on February 27th to answer questions that applicants may have. It will take place at 1:00pm in room 6 of the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany. Applications are due by May 4th and awards will be announced in the spring. For more, see the Governor's press release. Home Energy Assistance Program expanded
For more information about HEAP, including how to apply, please call OTDA's toll-free hotline at 1-800-342-3009 or visit www.otda.state.ny.us/main/heap/. To determine potentially eligibility for HEAP assistance visit: www.myBenefits.ny.gov. Money Available for Commercial Development
Banks such as Citibank, Capital One, Banco Popular, Suffolk County National, Bridgehampton, Empire, and Madison are still out in the community working with businesses and nonprofits. True- borrowers have to have their paperwork in order. The process may be a bit more detailed and rigorous. Banks may not lend as easily as in the past. At the end of the day, however, banks are lending to commercial customers. In particular, banks are lending more and more with support from government programs such as the SBA 504 and the New Market Loan Fund. These programs supplement the bank’s offering and mitigate the bank’s risk. If you are involved in a commercial transaction in a downtown or other area being revitalized, keep these programs in mind. They are available for acquisition, construction, renovation and refinancing of capital projects (owner user with the New Market Fund permitting a minimum 35% occupancy). They are available for mixed use projects- perhaps a retailer in basement and first floor; accountant and software developer on the second floor; and affordable apartments on the upper floors. The SBA 504 loan program and the New Market loan fund provide up to 40% of the project cost in a second mortgage position behind a bank or other lending partner. The buyer puts in just 10% of total project cost. In some cases the New Market Fund can provide 100% of the financing need. Both programs can be leveraged with programs such as the NY Job Development Authority, Industrial Revenue Bonds and straight lease backs and other government programs. For working capital needs, there are programs such as the SBA 7A (where a lender gets a guarantee from SBA), the LI Targeted Industry Revolving Loan Fund, targeted loans in the Town and Village of Hempstead, the SBA micro loan program and other government related funds. For information about these financing sources which are ready, willing and able to lend to small businesses and not-for-profit entities seeking to revitalize their communities, contact the LI Development Corp. at 866 433 5432 or see them on the web at www.lidc.org. |
Beginning this week, municipalities are able to apply for a piece of a $150 million grant for economic revitalization. Round 3 of Restore New York's Communities Initiative encourages economic development and neighborhood growth by providing municipalities with financial assistance for revitalization of commercial and residential properties. There is a strong emphasis on economically distressed communities. Towns, villages, and cities can apply for the grants to aid with the demolition, deconstruction, rehabilitation, and/or reconstruction of vacant, abandoned, condemned, and surplus properties. 
Governor Paterson has announced the expansion of the emergency Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), as administered under the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA). The program supplies emergency help to families who are unable to adequately heat their homes during the winter months. Starting on January 1st, 2009, the income level for eligible families will increase from 60% of the State's median household income ($45,312) to 75% ($56,635). There will also be a new $100 supplemental HEAP benefit automatically issued to HEAP recipients who pay directly for heat, meaning that the maximum regular HEAP benefit will increase from $800 to $900. 
With banks tightening credit, merging, downsizing and being just plain picky, many think there is a lack of capital available for commercial development. In fact, there is plenty of money available for development-including downtown revitalization- for businesses and nonprofits. 
Free seminar on home foreclosures on February 23rd
Topics will include counseling services and workouts, the bankruptcy option, the foreclosure process, and investigating and prosecuting real estate crimes. Speakers will include M. Yvette Pacheco, Esq., Deputy Director, Homeownership Center, Nassau County, Office of Housing and Homeless Services; Ronald M. Terenzi, Esq., Berkman, Henoch, Peterson & Peddy, P.C., Garden City; Adam Browser, Esq., Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C., Uniondale; and the Nassau County District Attorney's Office, Economic Crimes Bureau Crimes Against Real Estate (CARE) Unit. The event will take place at the Nassau County Bar Association, 15th Street and West Street in Mineola. Reservations are recommended: (516) 747-4070 or ckatz@nassaubar.org. Organic Turf Trade Show February 24th
Full registration including workshops with DEC credits, access to the exhibit floor, and lunch is $65. It is $50 for the exhibit floor, lunch, and to audit the workshops but not receive credits, $20 for only the exhibit floor and lunch, and $10 for only the exhibit floor. For more info or to register, see the Neighborhood Network's website. CNU-NY event: New Urbanism for New Yorkers on February 25th
The talk will take place at the Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street. Cost is $5 for Museum members, RPA, CNU, APA, seniors, and students; $9 for anyone else. For more information on the speakers, visit RPA.org, CNU.org, CNU-NY.org, and NYPlanning.org. New Jersey Future Redevelopment Forum: Feb 27
Registration opens at 8am, program begins at 8:30am, lunch and keynote address at 12:30pm, and reception at 3:30pm. The conference is $115 for nonmembers and $75 for members, but those prices will go up after February 15th. For more information, visit their website or email njfuture@njfuture.org. To register, send a check payable to New Jersey Future and mail to: New Jersey Future, 137 West Hanover Street, Trenton, NJ 08618. You many also pay via credit card online. The Hyatt Hotel is located at 2 Albany Street, New Brunswick, NJ. Nassau County Master Plan Plans March 2nd Kickoff Workshop
County Executive Tom Suozzi is hosting a 2009 Master Plan Kick Off Workshop on Monday, March 2nd from 7-10pm. It will take place at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive & Legislative Building/Legislative Chamber, 1550 Franklin Avenue, Mineola. The workshop will include a brief summary of the master plan process and how it will relate to the County's 10-Point Exonomic Development Plan and County & Local Priority Initiatives. It will also include an opportunity for public comment and suggestions. For more information, see Nassau County Planning's website. No Child Left Inside on March 12th
For more information, call (516) 304-5480 or visit the website. Asian American Cultural Festival of Long Island To Be Held March 21st
From 1:00-6:00, enjoy free admission to the Multipurpose Room for multicultural booths, arts and crafts, live performances, an Asian market (including food!), lectures and films from Asian countries, a tea ceremony, workshops, and more. From 6:00-9:00, a $30 ticket will let you into the Little Theater at Knapp Hall for classical stage performances by Asian Artists, "Exotic Taste of Asia" VIP reception, a raffle drawing, and a presentation of awards. For 4 or more people, tickets are discounted to $25 each. The festival is organized by Chinese Cultural Programs. For tickets to the evening portion of the event, send a check payable to the AACFLI (include your name, phone number and email address) to 23 Fernwood Drive, Commack, NY 11725. To volunteer, become a Corporate Sponsor, or for more information, call (631) 543-5768 or visit their website. 1st New York Women's Conference for Sustainability March 27th-29th
Conference activities will include speakers and conversations, music and dance performances, an information fair, community focus dialogues, networking opportunities, yoga, hikes, meditation, tea tasting, and meals provided. Speakers thus far include Margaret Wheatley of Berkana Institute, Harriet Fulbright of J. William & Harriet Fulbright Center, Wendy Gordon Rockefeller of Mothers & Others for a Livable Planet and The Green Guide, Richard Leakey of Wildlife Direct and the Turkana Basin Institute in Kenya; Sara Gordon of The Climate Project and Greener Days, Patti Wood of Grassroots Environmental Education, Sarah Newkirk of the Coastal Resilience Project and The Nature Conservancy, and Beth Fiteni of Neighborhood Network and LI-Climate Action Network. Themes from the keynote addresses will be integrated into a series of participatory conversations and focus groups: attendees will actively engage in developing tools for grassroots leadership, action plans, and post-conference networking. The conference organizers are looking for partners to join in outreach for the event. See their website for details. Costs are as follows: There is a discount until Feb 15, making tickets $145. Registration from Feb 15- March 15 is $165 and registration taking place after March 15 is $225. Tickets to attend Saturday's dinner are $22. WISE, based out of Southampton, is on a mission to assist one another to lead communities and the world toward social, economic, and environmental health by focusing on climate stabilization. Women hold keys to change – the power to create a sustainable future for the planet. For more on WISE and on the conference (and to register), visit their website. Reducing your home energy costs seminar from LI Sierra Club - April 18th
Presenters at the event will include a tour guide from the Heritage Center at North Shore Heritage Park, Chuck Schwarz from L.I. Green, Leah Sontag from Sun Power Systems, and Anita from Majestic Son and Sons. |
On Monday, February 23rd at 7pm, the Nassau County Bar Association's Community Relations and Public Education Committee will be hosting a free seminar called "Home Foreclosure: Where to Turn for Help When Things Start Coming Apart." As so many Long Islanders are suffering the consequences of the economic crisis and are in danger of foreclosure, this will a great opportunity to learn about next steps. 
On Tuesday, February 24th from 8am-3:30pm, the Neighborhood Network will host its 10th annual Organic Turf Trade Show at Farmingdale State College. This will be a great event for any professional in a "green" industry or anyone who handles turf care at a business or home. The show will feature vendors who sell 100% organic turf care products, as well as workshops on how to care for turf without using harmful chemical pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. Workshops will cover topics dealing with soil compaction, organic weed control, soil biology, legal issues for organic turf care, natural pest control, and more. Scheduled speakers include Paul Sachs of North Country Organics, Dr. Gary Brown of Farmingdale State College, a representative from the New York State DEC, Chip Osborne of Osborne Organics, and Master Gardener Nancy Peters. A special lunchtime workshop will be led in Spanish on the basics of organic turf care, presented by Beth Fiteni of Neighborhood Network and Fabian Sanin of Marders'. 
On Wednesday, February 25th from 6:30-8:30, the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU)'s New York Chapter will partner with Regional Plan Association (RPA) and the APA New York Chapter for an exciting event entitled, "New Urbanism for New Yorkers." This event will be a timely discussion about urban design theories and their effects on climate change, quality of life, and the economy. 
RPA President Bob Yaro will discuss the effects New Urbanism, Transit-Oriented Development, LEED-ND and Smart Growth in the New York metropolitan region and offer his suggestions for moving forward in this tough economic time. CNU President John Norquist will comment on how New York's urbanism positions it for future success and how the nation as a whole can benefit from the techniques of New Urbanism. The event will include case study examples of New Urbanism in the region. After the event, there will be a 30-minute informal discussion and networking opportunity. Refreshments will be served.
Register now for the New Jersey Future Redevelopment Forum 2009. On Friday, February 27 at the Hyatt Hotel and Conference Center, come join experienced professionals as they explain how to achieve innovative, community-minded redevelopment in light of current economic and environmental constraints. Workshops will include Redevelopment and Current Economic Realities, Using Redevelopment to Go Green, Affordable Housing and Redevelopment, Getting Jobs Near Transit, Getting Your Community Organized for Redevelopment, and many more. Lunchtime keynote speaker will be Robert Liberty, an attorney with 27 years of planning experience in rural conservation and compact cities and towns. 
Nassau County has announced its new master plan for future growth, development, and preservation, "Drawing on the Past. Planning for the Future." The plan will address County needs for the next twenty years and provide guidelines on how to address them. 
On Thursday March 12th, Long Island Nature Collaborative for Kids (LINCK) will host their "No Child Left Inside: Connecting Kids with Nature" conference. From 8:30am-6pm at the Islandia Marriott, the day will address the vital role that nature plays in childhood development. As so many kids today default to video games and the internet, children are deprived of basic outdoor skills and important creative experiences that guide development, not to mention the obesity epidemic and the high rate of allergies among children. Speakers at the conference will include Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, Nancy Rosenow of Dimensions Educational Research Foundation, John Rosenow of National Arbor Day Foundation, and Dana Friedman of The Early Years Institute. Panels will discuss exciting new ways to use parks, schools, early childhood programs, after-school and youth programs, neighborhoods, and backyards to get children back outside. The conference will be filled with interactive events and looks to be a very exciting and important event for Long Islanders. 
Save the date for Saturday, March 21st, when the 3rd Annual Asian American Cultural Festival returns to promote awareness and appreciation for cultural diversity on Long Island. The event will be at Farmingdale State College, Roosevelt Hall, 2350 Broadhollow Road in Farmingdale. 
The newly formed non-profit, Women's Initiatives for a Sustainable Earth (WISE), presents The 1st NY Women's Conference in Sustainability: "Mobilizing for Climate Stability One Conversation at a Time." From Friday, March 27th through Sunday, March 29th at SUNY Stony Brook- Southampton campus, women and men of all ages and backgrounds are invited to participate in this great event. Learn innovative techniques to build a dynamic movement through grassroots leadership; strengthen networking strategies and passion for protecting life on Earth; move from ideas to crystallized action strategies for green mobilization; and help build a sustainable future where the climate is steady, the environment is hearty, and the economy is humming. The conference will increase awareness of predictable, potential outcomes from global warming; suggest personal and community actions to achieve carbon footprint reduction; enliven a network of people with shared concerns about the Earth's future; and provide a safe, supportive space for exploration of these concerns and possible outcome. 
The Long Island Sierra Club will be hosting an upcoming presentation called “Reducing your Home Energy Costs.” On April 18th at 1:30pm at the Heritage Center in Mt. Sinai, come to this free, 2-hour community meeting to learn how to save money on your energy bills. The educational program will give you a tour of a very efficient public building and provide ways for you to reduce energy consumption while making your home more comfortable. The meeting will also explain how to become free from paying LIPA for all the electricity you use with no upfront costs, with monthly payments less than or equal to your current ones. You will also learn about energy audits and how to get one for little or no cost, as well as home-ready solar systems that are no more than what you currently pay. 
Cash For Guns: No Questions Asked
The Queens South Cash For Guns program is sponsored by the City of New York and is designed to "get as many guns as possible off the streets of Queens County in order to reduce firearm violence and bring about safer neighborhoods for all residents," according to Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown. The program is in response to a rise in homicides in this area in 2008 from 43 to 71. An article from the Queens Courier is available here. |
One Day Only! On Saturday, February 21st from 10am-4pm, get a $200 bank card for any operable gun, no questions asked! Bring whatever you have: legal, illegal, handgun, rifle, shotgun, BB gun ($20), Air Pistol ($20), and more. The gun must be in a plastic bag, wrapped in paper, or in a shoe box. You will only be paid for the first 3 guns you surrender, and only after the gun is screened and deemed operable. No active or retired law enforcement personnel or licensed gun dealers. See the flyer for drop-off points in Southeastern Queens/The Rockaways. Remember, no questions asked. 
"DOT what will it be, traffic light or dead like me"
Streetsblog has suspected it to be the work of SoHo Alliance, protesting the DOT's failure to install a traffic light at what residents say is a dangerous intersection.
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In late January, this image was found on the corner of Manhattan's Duane and Greenwich Streets. SMART GROWTH NEWS Newsletter Editor: Michelle Dutchen, Communications Director We strive to provide continued quality publications such as this each week. If you are interested in becoming a newsletter or news blast sponsor, please call the office at 631-261-0242 for rates and opportunities. If you have any news or events that you would like to add to our newsletter, submit them to info@visionlongisland.org for consideration.
For more information about Vision Long Island, visit http://www.visionlongisland.org or contact us at: |
