Hello Sierrans,

Apologies for cross-posting if any of you have already
received this invitation.

Best wishes,

Laurie Belin


Invitation to Smart Growth Open House
 From 1000 Friends of Iowa

*You are invited to attend an open house on Wednesday,
January 31 from 
6:00-8:00 pm *at the Des Moines Botanical Center
Willow Room, 909 
Robert 
D. Ray Drive. Education and discussion will focus on a
recently 
completed report, the Des Moines Metropolitan Area
Smart Growth Audit.

The open house from 6:00-8:00 pm will include time to
socialize, eat a 
light supper, and hear brief presentations on smart
growth and the 
report, followed by questions and discussion.

Gary Taylor from the Department of Community and
Regional Planning at 
Iowa State University will facilitate the
presentations and 
discussions. 
1000 Friends of Iowa will host the event and the U.S.
Environmental 
Protection Agency Region 7 funded the project.

Questions and RSVPs can be directed to Stephanie
Weisenbach at 1000 
Friends of Iowa by calling (515)-288-5364 or emailing 
[log in to unmask]
<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
The event is free of charge.

Background:

A smart growth audit is similar to a financial audit,
except that the 
subject matter investigated and the principles applied
are different. A 
smart growth audit uses generally and locally accepted
principles of 
smart growth to determine how existing practices match
up to these 
principles. The ultimate goal of a smart growth audit
is to provide 
communities with a baseline of information about
regulatory provisions 
and practices that advance smart growth principles.
The study should 
not 
be interpreted as an assessment of whether an
individual community, or 
the Des Moines metro area generally is growing
“smart.” Instead, it 
provides a comprehensive examination that is useful
for weighing the 
options of advancing smart growth principles.

The project involved gathering and analyzing the core
development 
regulations of fifteen communities, utilizing the
expertise of numerous 
individuals and organizations. The audit for the Des
Moines 
metropolitan 
area used the following principles: mixed land use,
walkable 
neighborhoods, compact building design, range of
housing opportunities, 
distinctive communities with a strong sense of place,
provide a variety 
of transportation choices, preserve open space,
farmland, and critical 
environmental areas, and fair and predictable
development decisions.

Each smart growth principle is explained as a concept
in conjunction 
with the benefits it provides, the challenges faced in
achieving it, 
the 
indicators of smart growth that were used, and
comments on findings of 
the study.

Polk and Dallas counties and thirteen cities in the
metro area were a 
part of this study; however, the information in the
report is useful 
and 
applicable for any community. Just as everyone in a
community is 
affected by how a community grows, the report and
upcoming event can be 
useful for anyone.

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