Digital Commons Network^™

Bridging The Green Divide: Sustainable Community Development And Climate Resilience In Altadena, Ca, Katie Brosnan

Pitzer Senior Theses

Sustainable Community Development (SCD) is widely debated as a climate mitigation strategy, with recognized benefits such as reducing carbon footprints, enhancing public health, and fostering economic resilience. However, a major critique is its limited accessibility to marginalized communities. In particular, the resilience embedded in rebuilding plans does not necessarily translate to real access for those whose insurance coverage may not be sufficient to afford conventional design services or reconstruction costs. This thesis argues that while SCD is an effective tool for climate mitigation, its success depends on equitable access—not just in principle, but in the material capacity to participate in …

The New Urbanism In New York City: A Case Study Comparing Battery Park City And Alphabet City, Lena Farley

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis examines two Manhattan neighborhoods, Battery Park City and Alphabet City, through the lens of New Urbanism—an urban planning approach developed in the 1990s. New Urbanist principles prioritize walkability, connectivity, mixed-use development, diversity, varied housing options, architectural quality, green transportation, sustainability, and accessible green spaces. While Battery Park City represents a top-down, master-planned New Urbanist neighborhood based on a 1979 plan, Alphabet City emerged from the 1811 Manhattan grid with significant community-driven design, notably through community gardens and grassroots initiatives. Using a mixed-methods approach including residential surveys, qualitative, and quantitative analyses, this research investigates how these neighborhoods embody New …

A Critical Review Of The Theory And Practice Of Local And Community Development As It Relates To South Dublin County, Paula Donovan

Masters

This research was undertaken in the context of the Local Government Reform Act 2014, which established new governance and management structures for local and community development in Ireland. The reforms included the establishment of Public Participation Networks (PPNs) and Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs), that were designed to work with Local Volunteer Centres, Local Development Companies, and the Local Authority, to bring about a more coherent and integrated approach to community development at local level. This research interrogates the evolution of the new framework, using South Dublin County as a case study. Linking theory, policy, and practice, it critically evaluates …

Are California’S Local Jurisdictions Disproportionately Directing Growth Toward Existing Disadvantaged Communities? Evidence From The Southern California And San Francisco Bay Area Regions, Shishir Mathur, Christopher Ferrell

Mineta Transportation Institute

Communities across the United States are striving to promote smart urban growth through compact urban infill residential development. They are doing so to mitigate sprawl's negative fiscal, environmental, social, and physical impacts, strengthen land use-housing-transportation linkages, and develop at densities needed for well-functioning public transit. Some states, such as California, have gone a step further by linking compact urban infill development as critical to meeting greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets. Anecdotal evidence suggests some California local jurisdictions are planning disproportionately large amounts of new urban development in disadvantaged communities (DACs). However, empirical evidence is lacking. This study aims to fill …

Filipino Citizen Planners In Stockton & San Francisco, California: Little Manila Rising (Lmr) & South Of Market Community Action Network (Somcan), Natalie Pauline Delos Santos

City and Regional Planning

Citizen planners are direct representatives of their communities, “often working without formal position, a title, or support from the state” (Beard, 2012, p. 708). The purpose of this project is to enrich the existing literature of planning history, by including stories of citizen planners. And acknowledging them as key actors in building equitable communities. This project asserts the importance of local knowledge and citizen empowerment when it comes to successfully developing community.

This project follows the story of two Filipino citizen planner organizations. One is in Stockton, named Little Manila Rising (LMR) which is located in South Downtown Stockton. The …

Role Of Partial Requirement Tariffs And Standby Charges In Microgrid Adoption In Ohio, Matthew R. Fulton, Andrew R. Thomas

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

Utility partial load tariffs can be used to enable microgrids to be connected to distributions systems. While partial load tariffs can be avoided by connecting the microgrid directly to the transmission grid, this strategy is likely to be more effective for larger microgrids (e.g. 10 MW). But partial load tariffs – if suitably designed -- can be very useful to enabling smaller microgrid development.

Comprehensive Planning In Small Communities, Peter B. Lamont Jr.

Certified Public Manager® Applied Research

The comprehensive plan is a vital tool in any city’s toolbox. It serves first and foremost as the general guide for a city’s development. Consisting of multiple parts, history, demographics, land use planning, transportation planning, and goals and objectives, it is the plan that all other plans should relate back to. Any growth and development decisions should be reviewed through the lens of the comprehensive plan. Proper planning has many benefits, especially in small, developing communities. These benefits include promoting sustainability, fostering a sense of community, enhancing quality of life, promoting economic development and managing new growth and infill. However, …

Equivision Habitat: The Collective Dreamworks, Shixuan Zhou

Masters Theses

近年来，武汉这座充满活力的城市在经济快速增长的同时，也经历了重大的社会变革。城市的天际线不断扩大，新的商业和住宅区正在迅速涌现，吸引了更多的中产阶级家庭。作为武汉的长期居民和观察者，我看到了这种向中产阶级社会转变的诱惑力，但我也敏锐地意识到随之而来的社会成本。武汉向中产阶级社会的转变不仅体现在消费水平的提高和生活方式的转变上，更重要的是，体现在城市空间和社区角色的重新配置上。曾经为低收入居民提供住房的旧社区正在被改造成高端公寓和商业空间。虽然这种转变改善了城市的整体形象，但也导致了原住民的流离失所。这种深刻的变化凸显了中产阶级化的双刃剑性质。在这种背景下，我开始关注那些被这一进程边缘化的人的声音和需求。老年居民失去了熟悉的社区环境，年轻人尽管渴望加入新兴的中产阶级，但仍在为高昂的生活成本而苦苦挣扎。这种日益加剧的社会分层，让我深刻反思了城市更新的公平性和可持续性。本文提出了一种基于集体所有权和通过社区土地信托进行管理的社区模式。这种模式将土地所有权从个人转移到社区集体，确保开发活动优先考虑社区的长期福利，而不是短期的商业收益。其目的不仅是提供经济适用房，还旨在培养一个具有共同愿景的社区，探索在城市发展的同时维持社会多样性和包容性的方法。

Suburban Sustainability Lessons From History And Environment, Innovations For Tomorrow, Joan Barlongo

Hospitality Design Graduate Student Capstones

This study explores the re-imagining of outdoor spaces in suburban homes within the context of Las Vegas, utilizing vernacular architecture principles and climate-responsive sustainable solutions to enhance residents’ quality of life. Las Vegas, situated in a desert climate, presents unique challenges in terms of sustainable living and outdoor comfort due to extreme temperatures and limited water resources.

By incorporating vernacular architectural elements and adopting climate-responsive strategies, this study aims to propose innovative approaches to outdoor space design that promote environmental sustainability, cultural identity, and improved well-being for suburban residents. Through an analysis of vernacular architecture, climate data, and sustainable design …

City Of Winona Comprehensive Plan 2045: Winona, Minnesota, City Of Winona-Minnesota

City of Winona Planning Documents

This is the City of Winona, Minnesota's Comprehensive Plan through 2045. This plan surveying and drafting began in 2021 and the final plan was completed and approved by the Winona City Council in 2024. The comprehensive plan sections are:

• Introduction
• Vision
• Community Engagement
• Land Use & Development
• Homes & Neighborhoods
• Economic Development
• Accessible Government
• Heritage Preservation
• Downtown and River Front
• Parks, Open Space, and Recreation System Plan
• Transportation
• Arts & Culture
• Environment & Sustainability
• Community Services & Institutions
• Influential Projects
• Implementation
• Appendices

This is a City of Winona, Minnesota document.

Reclaiming Tremé: A Design Research Thesis, Tori Dunston

Masters in Architecture Program: Theses

Reclaiming Tremé explores the potential for design to support the well-being of the oldest African American neighborhood divided by urban highway projects in the US. This comprehensive thesis that seeks to improve the well-being the neighborhood using precedents, historical context, and the quantifiable architectural goals of WELL v2, to present a design solution for Tremé. Through understanding the current communities needs and having historical context of the area, the design strategy focuses on creating a vibrant cultural core that enhances the community's well-being. By integrating new structures and amenities, preserving cultural heritage, and enhancing physical and social infrastructure, the project …

Assessing Equitable Distribution Of The Urban Tree Canopy At The Neighborhood Scale In Greenville, South Carolina., April Riehm

All Theses

We are living in an era that necessitates adaptation and resilience. The Earth is warming. Our climate has changed (EPA, 2016). Our planet is also rapidly urbanizing. It is predicted that 68% of people will live in cities by 2050. The City of Greenville is a rapidly growing city in South Carolina that has been losing its tree canopy to development(City of Greenville, 2023). The Urban Tree Canopy (UTC) is a community asset that provides many quality-of-life benefits including improved air quality, stormwater management, carbon sequestration, mental and physical well-being, increased mobility and access, aesthetics, a reduction in energy costs, …

Reclaiming Housing For Sustainable And Equitable Development, Ethan Harner, Gabrielle Fraizer, Bradley Wilson

Undergraduate Scholarship

Across West Virginia, Appalachia, the South, and other regions which have borne the historic brunt of extraction, capital flight, and systemic lack of opportunity, cooperative and community-based solutions to economic challenges have historically and presently been found in and amongst marginalized communities. As a critical component of community wellbeing, development, and prosperity, we situate housing as a necessary component to the understanding of cooperative, grassroots, and solidarity forms of economic organization. In this we explore the ways community-based housing solutions contribute to senses of community and solidarity both within housing structures and the broader community. We place these findings in …

Designed For Life: Unearthing Just And Sustainable Urban Design Through The Daylighting Of Phalen Creek, Corgan R. Archuleta

Geography Honors Projects

This thesis conceptualizes a relational approach to urban design. Often separated from justice, I argue urban design can shape spaces to enable respectful and reciprocal human and more-than- human relationships. Focusing on Phalen Creek in Saint Paul, Minnesota, I illuminate just and sustainable possibilities between ecologically sustainable and socially inclusive design. Phalen Creek was a natural waterway buried in a pipe during 20th century urbanization to be partially reconstructed through daylighting. The Indigenous and Immigrant stories driving restoration expand urban design’s liberatory potential. Combining just sustainabilities with infrastructure theory and Indigenous Knowledges, I contend urban design offers a relational approach …

The Impact Of Regional Tourism Development On The Food Tourism Industry: Case Study Of Tourism Village Assistance Policy In Indonesia And The Influence Of Regional Disparity On Its Effectiveness, Uliannisa Rozdianda, Yohanna M. L. Gultom

International Review of Humanities Studies

This study aims to identify the impact of the development of tourist areas on culinary businesses by taking the case of the program for the construction of facilities and infrastructure supporting tourism villages which was implemented starting in 2017 and looking at the influence of regional disparities on the effectiveness of assistance which is then compared between the regions of Java-Bali and outside Java-Bali. Using the Difference-In-Differences (DID), the study analyzed the impact of the support program on 115 tourism villages, comparing them to other tourism villages in the same sub-district that did not receive support. The results show that, …

Riverview Community Park Commoning Plan, Haley B. Keene

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Riverview Community Park began as an illegal DIY skatepark in the Maymont neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia. Now, although it is a city park, it is still entirely managed by volunteer community groups (skateboarders, the neighborhood Civic League, and a community garden) who view the park as a creative, experimental community-led spatial project. Due to a dearth of communication between the three groups, the park has suffered political strife between the groups and a chaotic physical atmosphere. This plan utilizes a commons governance framework and participatory, asset-based community design to usher in a new era of enhanced collaboration, common narratives, and …

Health-Based Urban Design And Planning Interventions; Maximizing Harmony, Vitality, And Wellness In Hopewell, Virginia, Suzanne K. Yeats

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Urban planners as practitioners work to create a more progressive future while simultaneously redressing the past. This tension is found in many cities, including the City of Hopewell, Virginia where city planners, managers, economic developers work passionately for positive change. In Hopewell, there has been almost no population growth since 1970 and existing health outcomes are alarming. In every determinant of health category (medical, psychological, or social), this city falls below the state and national average. This health-based urban design and planning intervention capstone challenges the status quo by flipping the paradigm and placing the health of all residents first …

An Analysis Of The Public Participation Processes Employed For An Urban Greenway Project, Maeve O'Connell

Articles

The purpose of this study is to examine the public participation mechanisms employed for a proposed new infrastructure project. Public participation is a core characteristic of a contemporary democratic society as policy makers are increasingly encouraged to engage with citizens for learning and legitimacy. Participation is a loose concept with many forms and interpretations. This study explores the key characteristics of public participation formats, challenges to and the criteria for success. This analysis is then applied to the proposed local infrastructure consultation process. An additional survey is designed and its role in the public participation process is assessed. The processes …

Identifying The Disproportionate Impacts Of Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Katrina, And Covid-19 On African Americans: A Pandemic Within A Pandemic, Daniella Plaza

Dissertations (2016-Present)

African Americans have endured a disproportionately high amount of exposure to natural and man-made calamities. The racial inequities against African Americans following the hurricanes Katrina, Harvey, and the Coronavirus were examined in this study. Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Harvey took place in two different states, but the low-income vulnerable populations encountered the same outcome which manifested as deteriorating health, lack of rapid assistance from the government, and, the exacerbation of pre-existing conditions. Literature reviews have uncovered political apathy and systemic racism. These people have lost faith in the government as evidenced by Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Harvey, and COVID-19. The results …

Shades Of Housing: Real Estate Urbanism And State Planning In Egypt, Zeinab Nadeem

Theses and Dissertations

The housing crisis is a global dilemma, especially in the context of urban cities in developing countries. Housing affordability has become more challenging in the recent global and national turbulent economic conditions of rising inflation rates and construction costs, where Egypt is witnessing a surplus of vacant housing units that are either unsold or unoccupied with citizens involuntarily relocating to remote new cities. The government has also significantly engaged in real estate market speculation by offering public land for profits to private investors in the market since the 1990s. The shades of housing found in Egypt are the works of …

Metropolitan Transportation Commission Discretionary Transit Funding Methods Evaluation, Christopher E. Ferrell, John M. Eells, David Reinke, Richard Lee

Mineta Transportation Institute

In 2021, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) approached the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) with a proposal to have MTI provide an evaluation of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s (MTC’s) operational discretionary funding allocation policies and methods for Bay Area transit operators. The research was done in two parts. Part 1 investigated MTC’s past and current allocation methods for discretionary operational transit funding programs; Part 2 involved the evaluation of outcomes if MTC employed alternative allocation methods. After the Part 1 review of MTC’s various transit funding programs, the federal pandemic relief funds and the Transportation Development Act/State Transit Assistance …

Defining And Measuring Equity In Public Transportation, Christopher E. Ferrell, David Reinke, John M. Eels, Matthew M. Schroeder

Mineta Transportation Institute

Transit should serve all users, regardless of age, race, ability, or any other identity. Policies and planning must be conscious of inequities when defining and measuring equity in public transportation. This study was done to aid the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the state’s transit agencies in assessing transit service equity and assisting with evaluating past, existing, and future inequities. This report identifies and evaluates policies and practices associated with equity measurement in public transit from extant academic and professional literature sources. These include the Federal laws and regulations addressing Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and …

Resilience Through Urban Green Spaces: Collaborations And Collective Action Toward Equitable Access And Creation Of Green Space In Albany, New York, Frederick Bentley

Capstone Collection

The crisis of climate change-driven disaster and instability is affecting humans all over the world, especially vulnerable populations in urban settings. This crisis exacerbates social inequalities in cities that exist from a legacy of discriminatory policies. This research centers local perspectives and policies on access and utilization of green spaces as a vital social and green infrastructure within the city of Albany, NY. Building off literature establishing green space as a means to build climate resilience and foster community wellbeing, this paper uses a socio-ecological lens to explore efforts being made by government and community organizations to foster equity, social …

A Healthier Community For Generations To Come: Creating Resilient And Equitable Development On Lower 9th Ward Corridors, Sarah Bechdel, Dov Block, Bailey Bullock, Ellis Combes, Laura Harris, Samuel Mercier, Maya Struhar

Planning and Urban Studies Reports and Presentations

The Healthier Community for Generations to Come report provides Sankofa Community Development Corporation with programmatic recommendations to assist in the revitalization of the Lower Ninth Ward (LNW). This report draws on extensive research in urban planning best practices to propose strategies that promote economic revitalization, housing sustainability, community health, and environmental resilience. The research was guided by an Urban Land Institute (ULI) Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) which engaged the LNW community to inform recommendations. Sustainability analysis, equity planning, resilience planning, market analysis, and GIS analysis methodologies were employed to create the report. The final report recommendations included a site SWOT, …

Historic Downtown Streetscape Plan Price City, Utah, Patricia Beckert

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The idea of a small-town Main Street has profound meaning within the American culture that has prevailed for the past two centuries. Historically, Main Street serves as the beating heart of a community, a place where economic, social, cultural, and civic activities are centered (Francaviglia, 1996; Main Street America, n.d.). Since the beginning of the 19th century, many factors have led to the decline of Main Streets, and despite a variety of efforts from different stakeholders, that decline has only intensified in recent decades (Isenberg, 2008; Orvell, 2014 Howard, 2015). In 1980, after a three-year project conducted by the National …

The Use And Influence Of Health Indicators In Municipal Transportation Plans​​, Kelly Rodgers

PSU Transportation Seminars

As a social determinant of health, transportation significantly contributes to well-being through several pathways. Researchers and practitioners have called for health indicators as one way to integrate public health concerns into transportation decision-making. However, it is unclear how indicators are used and what their impact is on policy. This case study of five cities explored how health-related indicators are being used in municipal transportation plans, whether they are institutionalized into transportation agency decision-making processes, and what influence they have on administrative decision-making. In addition, this research also explored the conceptual use of indicators as it relates to social learning and …

Defining Dementia-Friendly Communities From The Perspective Of Those Affected, Iris Alexandra Wernher

Dissertations and Theses

More and more communities across the globe are pledging to become more "dementia friendly," yet many initiatives lack direction as to what this pledge might entail. The intent of this qualitative study, conducted in the metropolitan area of Portland and several other cities in Oregon, was to better understand how communities can increase their dementia friendliness – from the perspective of people living with dementia and their care partners. The study further aimed to clarify if and how age- and dementia-friendly efforts can be integrated.

Twenty-five community-dwelling individuals living with dementia and their 25 informal carers participated separately in semi-structured …

Perspectives From Frontline Organizations In The Portland Metro Region On Addressing Food Insecurity During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Megan Horst, Meg Grzybowski, Huijun Tan

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

See video of related event: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/metropolitianstudies/155/

The main goal of this project was to contribute to an understanding of how frontline-serving food security organizations in the Portland region adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic and other emergencies in 2020-2022 and how they addressed increased rates of food insecurity among the region’s residents. We discuss the experiences of these organizations in serving the region’s food insecure residents, the many adaptations they made in the past few years, barriers experienced, and positive and critical reflections on local government. We identify lessons learned and promising ideas for how to better prepare our region, in …

Economic Impact Of Land Use Planning (Transit-Oriented Development): A Comparative Analysis, Sam M

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

The problem explored in this mixed-method research is that many cities are unprepared for urban growth, which can only increase poverty and crime. The traditional transportation system is inadequate to support the increase of urbanism; it is responsible for polluting the air, increasing greenhouse gases, and losing thousands of lives annually due to car crashes and road-related accidents. The transportation sector is responsible for 28% of the overall greenhouse gas emissions (Environmental Protection Agency, 2018), and the economic costs of vehicle crashes in the United States totaled $340 billion (Department of Transportation, 2019).

This study aimed to measure how Transit …

Completing Streets: Improving America's "Complete Streets", William J. Zurborg

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

Part I of this Note discusses the history of city planning in the United States, starting in the early twentieth century, as well as the rise of auto-centric cities. Part II examines how states and local governments across the United States are adopting policies called Complete Streets initiatives in order to create safer streets that accommodate pedestrians, cyclists, and public transportation users, as well as cars. Finally, Part III discusses the shortcomings of Complete Streets policies and argues that unless broader measures are taken to address failures in city and road design from a systems perspective, Complete Streets initiatives cannot …