Sustainable Design and Development

Sustainable Design and Development Workgroup Participants

Laura Adams, Deputy Director, Shelby Farms Park Conservancy
Joshua Bellaire, Intern Architect, Renaissance Group
Terrence Bronson, Design Technologist, The University of Memphis
Ray Brown, Architect, Self Tucker Architects
Alex Farmer, Project Engineer, Tetra Tech, Inc.
Nathan Ferguson, Research Assistant, The University of Memphis
Gregory Love, Planner, Memphis and Shelby County Office of Planning and Development
Tim Moreland, Planner, Sustainable Shelby
Ken Mulvany, Landscape Architect, The University of Memphis
Mia Murray, Environmental Action Club, The University of Memphis
Sarah Newstok, Program Manager, Coalition for Livable Communities / Community Development Council of Greater Memphis
Melanie Ann Rapino, Assistant Professor, Earth Sciences The University of Memphis
Ken Reardon, Professor, City and Regional Planning, The University of Memphis
Zinnia Ron, The University of Memphis
John Tirpak, Science Coordinator, US Fish & Wildlife Service Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture
Andrew Trippel, Coordinator, ULI Memphis District Council (chair)
Jimmie Tucker, Managing Principal, Self Tucker Architects
 
Sustainable Design and Development Top Five Recommendations

1. Require municipalities to develop and implement a comprehensive plan at the local level. Change the state mandated building/technical codes to remove barriers to sustainable development. (State mandate specific minimums/maximums to encourage desired behaviors.

2. Create pedestrian-friendly streets using street design and traffic calming techniques to slow down traffic, to create better sidewalk and intersection design of pedestrian facilities and to educate bicyclist, pedestrians, and drivers on how to safely share the road. Create transportation networks that promote multi-modal transportation.

3. Set goal for equitable urban land use and transportation planning and policies to create compact, ACCESSIBLE mixed-use projects, forming urban villages designed to maximize mixed income housing, Organic recycling, urban and rooftop gardening, and reduced energy use, and also to encourage walking, bicycling and use of existing and future public transit systems. Get models on the ground of sustainable neighborhoods by targeting three neighborhoods that represent the diversity of the county with incentives and focused and collaborative efforts.

4. Develop incentives for all sustainable projects, and expedite permitting for these sustainable projects. Include incentives to preserve undeveloped areas, such as rural.

5. Create incentives that encourage more sustainable neighborhoods by targeting neighborhoods that would be considered “at-risk” including commercial projects.