Blue Springs, MO — Blue Springs officials and local residents will meet with representatives from Smart Growth America on September 19 and 20, 2013 as part of a free, grant-funded technical assistance program. The workshop aims to provide a “code audit”—a review of development regulations—that will help Blue Springs leaders understand the various smart growth development options available to them, specifically with regard to the Unified Development Code. The City is in the process of updating both the Unified Development Code and Comprehensive Plan.
“The City of Blue Springs is a very fortunate recipient of a Smart Growth America technical assistance grant,” said Blue Springs Director of Community Development Scott Allen. “This code audit will focus on community health, alternative energy codes, and sustainable stormwater infrastructure, and will help Blue Springs move forward with sustainable development alternatives. This technical assistance from Smart Growth America and Cision Associates has come at a most opportune moment for Blue Springs. We are currently updating both the Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Code, and the knowledge gained from this assistance can be incorporated into both the Plan and Code to move Blue Springs towards a more sustainable development type.”
Blue Springs residents are invited to an introductory presentation and conversation about the benefits of a development regulations sustainability review. The event will be held Thursday, September 19, 2013 at 5:30 PM at the Central Jackson County Fire District training facility (4715 W US 40 Highway, Blue Springs, MO 64015).
“Smart Growth America is committed to providing training to help local leaders keep their communities livable, sustainable and vital places,” said Roger Millar, Smart Growth America Vice President. “Land use codes are an important way that communities make their vision of the future a reality. This workshop will be especially useful to the City of Blue Springs at this time as they seek to adjust their Unified Development Code and Comprehensive Plan to encourage sustainable development.”
In November 2012, Blue Springs was one of 22 communities selected by Smart Growth America to participate in the free technical assistance program. Stretching from Maine to Washington State, these communities represent major cities, suburban centers, and rural towns alike.
The program, made possible through a five-year Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Sustainable Communities, seeks to develop local planning solutions that help communities grow in ways that benefit families and businesses, while protecting the environment and preserving a sense of place. Three other nonprofit organizations—Forterra, Global Green USA and Project for Public Spaces—also received competitively awarded grants under this program to help communities get the kinds of development they want.
As a national leader in the field, Smart Growth America has accumulated extensive experience working with communities to help them use land strategically, make the most of existing resources and invest purposefully to catalyze private development.
Smart Growth America is the only national organization dedicated to researching, advocating for and leading coalitions to bring smart growth practices to more communities nationwide. From providing more sidewalks to ensuring more homes are built near public transportation or that productive farms remain a part of our communities, smart growth helps make sure people across the nation can live in great neighborhoods. For additional information visit www.smartgrowthamerica.org.
For more information contact Craig Chester, 202-207-3355 x122, cchester@smartgrowthamerica.org or Jim Holley, 816-228-0124, jholley@bluespringsgov.com.