Urban Studies and Planning Commons^™

Do Special Districts Act Alone?: Exploring The Relationship Between Flexible Boundaries And Intergovernmental Cooperation, Megan Mullin

Working Group on Interlocal Services Cooperation

Special districts have been seen as a formalized institution for promoting regional cooperation. They allow boundary design to the scale of public problems and may produce greater efficiency in the marketplace for local public goods. Many scholars also have highlighted the flexibility of special district boundaries once established, arguing that this flexibility allows for governance that is more adaptable to changing resource constraints and patterns of demand. While flexible boundaries might promote special districts’ ability to internalize spillovers while acting alone, it might impede more ad hoc forms of cooperation among localities. This paper presents evidence that boundary change is …

Merging Gps Data With High Spatial Resolution Multispectral Imagery: An Urban Recreation Case Study, Daniel Unger, David Kulhavy, Jerome E. Benson Ii

Faculty Publications

In 1992 a disc golf course was created by Alpha Phi Omega, Nu Sigma Chapter of Stephen F. Austin State University within Pecan Park in the c ity of Nacogdoches, Texas. Using constructs from Landscape Ecology, in cluding structure, function and change within a land mosaic provided the basis for establishment of the course. The addition of the disc golf cour se modified the use of the park promoting cultural cohesion among the disc golf enthusiasts. To aid the recreational enjoyment of golf participants, vector m aps of each fairway were created when the disc course was developed and loca …

Selected Lid Projects In New England, New England Environmental Finance Center

Planning

Examples of low impact development (LID) projects in each state in New England.

The Landscape: Urban Agriculture, Elizabeth Mylott

Metroscape

Article discusses the growth of urban agriculture in the Portland Urban Growth Boundary.

Indicators Of The Metroscape: Critical Issues, Craig Wollner

Metroscape

Every two years, the Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies (IMS) conducts two surveys to identify the critical issues in the six-county region that is its service area. A scientific telephone survey of the general public is conducted by the Portland State University Survey Research Laboratory. A second mail survey of opinion leaders is done by the Institute staff asking the same questions as in the phone poll. The comparative results are published in the IMS Briefing Book.

Housing Silicon Valley: A 20 Year Plan To End The Affordable Housing Crisis, Shishir Mathur, Alicia Parker

Faculty Publications, Urban and Regional Planning

No abstract provided.

High-Speed Rail Projects In The United States: Identifying The Elements Of Success Part 2, Allison Decerreno, Shishir Mathur

Faculty Publications, Urban and Regional Planning

No abstract provided.

Ua3/9/2 Gordon Ford College Of Business, Wku President's Office

WKU Administration Documents

Promotional piece showing proposed new Gordon Ford College of Business building.

Canby School District: Enrollment Forecasts 2007-08 To 2011-12, Portland State University. Population Research Center, Charles Rynerson, Vivian Siu

School District Enrollment Forecast Reports

The Canby School District (CSD) enrolled 5,075 students in Fall 2006, a decrease of 171 students (3.3 percent) from Fall 2005. Much of the K-12 decrease was due to a relatively small kindergarten class entering and a record large 12th grade class graduating. Also, unlike most previous years, the District did not have a net gain of students due to migration of families with children. This report presents the results of a demographic study conducted by the Portland State University Population Research Center (PRC). The study includes analysis of population, housing and enrollment trends affecting the District in recent years …

The Influence Of Scientific Claims On An Emerging Environmental Issue, Beth Ann Schaberg

ETD Archive

The environmental movement relies on scientific claims to justify its calls for protectionist policies. These claims can be followed in the scientific literature using bibliometric methods such as citation analysis. Citation analysis was used to deconstruct the literature of endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) sciences as it emerged and developed time from 1980 through 2004. This study explored how the attributes of scientific papers such as topic, journal, experimental model, document type, and support or negation of hypotheses impacted their influence (quantified as times cited) within the field over time. To accomplish this, unique bibliographic data were acquired for each attribute …

Translating Research Into Action: Moving Evaluations Beyond The Report, Center For Urban Research And Learning, Amy Kerr, Michael Maranda

Center for Urban Research and Learning: Publications and Other Works

A PowerPoint presentation about moving participatory evaluations beyond basic reporting.

Public Finance : Differences, Similarities, And No Quick Fixes, Steve Novick

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

Candidates for office, in every place and at every level of government, often talk as if they think they will be able to revolutionize both government services and the local (or state, or national) economy by, in some way, changing the structure of public finance. They’ll improve funding for basic services by prioritizing government spending. They’ll boost the economy by cutting taxes. They’ll replace an outdated, irrational structure by reforming taxes. They’ll make corporations and the rich pay their fair share. Et cetera. A review of the structure of public finance in the Portland metropolitan region suggests that any and …

Five Questions For The Future, Ethan Seltzer, Sheila A. Martin

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

We suspect that every generation views its times and challenges as tougher and more challenging than any preceding time. Sometimes the issue is money, others it’s that elusive sense of leadership, or even “the vision thing.” Nonetheless, it’s less about what times used to be like that matters, and more about what we’ll do with the hand we’ve been dealt. Fundamentally, it’s about the future. As we reviewed the materials now in your hands, we identified a number of issues, five to be precise, that will distinguish or diminish the prospects for this region in the future. Certainly, other readers …

Critical Issues 2007: Our Region Speaks Its Mind, Sheila A. Martin, Craig Wollner

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

The great historian Richard Hofstadter remarked that the United States was the only country born in perfection and aspiring to progress. Locally, what issues facing the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan region (Clackamas, Clark, Washington, Columbia, Multnomah, Washington, and Yamhill counties) must we deal with immediately to preserve the vaunted quality of life in one of the most livable regions in the nation? The Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies (IMS) at Portland State University (PSU) in partnership with the PSU Survey Research Laboratory regularly conducts a biennial Critical Issues survey. Consisting of a telephone canvass of regional residents as well as a mail-back …

Mitigating The Impacts Of Measure 37 : Implementing A Statewide Transferable Development Rights Program In Oregon, Mary L. Grothaus

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

Nonregulatory land use planning tools can be effective for achieving statewide planning goals, but only in a regulatory context. Measure 37 makes that regulatory context problematic, with planners’ flexibility in making regulatory changes stymied. To conserve wildlife habitat after Measure 37, Oregon’s planners need to turn to these non-regulatory tools. One such tool is transferable development rights (TDRs). TDRs equitably preserve the ecosystem services of rural lands and promote efficient land use patterns. A rural property owner “transfers” her development rights to an urban developer by placing a conservation easement on her property and accepting payment from the developer, who …

Getting From Here To There In The Region, Jennifer Dill

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

This paper examines personal travel by area residents.

Periodic Atlas Of The Metroscape: Geography Of Opportunity: Maps From The Regional Atlas, Meg Merrick, Vivek Shandas

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

Of the three pillars of sustainability (ecology, economy, and equality), equality has been largely absent from regional development discussions in part because policy makers lack a shared understanding of what equality means.

This edition of the Periodic Atlas features several maps from the Regional Equality Atlas that begin to tell a story of existing challenges and the highly dynamic nature of the relationships among people, place, and opportunities in the metroscape.

What Is Driving Measure 37 Claims In Oregon?, Sheila A. Martin, Meg Merrick, Erik Rundell, Katie Shriver

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

With over 7,500 claims covering 750,000 acres of farm and forestland, Measure 37 claims harbor the potential to change the landscape in Oregon. The majority of these claims are located in the Willamette Valley, where growth pressures and the value gradient between land for farms and land for residential development is great. This paper explores those relationships by describing and mapping the claims in terms of location, size, and current and proposed use, and then analyzes factors that appear to be driving the claims. At a county level, variables such as population growth, farm income, farm tenure and average age …

Metropolitan Briefing Book, 2007, Craig Wollner, Sheila Martin, George C. Hough Jr, Amy Koski, John Tapogna, Mike Houck, Jim Labbe, Jennifer Dill, Steve Novick, Ethan Seltzer

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

The Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies (IMS) was created to connect the resources of higher education to the needs of the six-county, bit-state Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area (Clackamas, Clark, Columbia, Multnomah, Washington, and Yamhill Counties). In this spirit, we offer our 2007 Metropolitan Briefing Book. Our theme is regional variety. Variety has been touted as "the very spice of life" (William Cowper) and as "the mother of enjoyment" (Vivan Grey). Our region enjoys a good deal of variety--in its landscapes, in its economy, and in its people, their cultures, and their attitudes. These differences are important to local vitality and beauty. …

The Man-Made Disaster: Fire In Cities In The Medieval Middle East, Anna Akasoy

Publications and Research

Considering the building materials and climatic conditions in the medieval Middle East, fires must have been a major problem. This article provides a first survey of sources which are relevant for studying the impact of fires in urban environments. Evidence can be found, for example, in historiographies such as Ibn Kathīr's The Beginning and the End, or in legal discussions. Most fires mentioned in these sources were caused during riots or war, or by accidents in markets. The article also analyses how far fires fit into the general pattern of discussions around disasters in medieval Arabic literature.

Evolution Of An Academic Village: Vision For Inner South Portland, Scott Beattie, Manzell Blakeley, Allen Davis, Malia Kalahele, Alexander Moore, Michael Pina, Thomas Rousculp, Sky Rousse, Sierra Gardiner, Nick Ofcacek, Oren Eshel, Harleen Kaur, Kenya Williams, Rey Erickson

Urban Design Workshop

This vision of an Academic Village is a culmination of three months of work by 12 students in the Spring 2007 Urban Design Workshop at Portland State University. Our understanding of the Academic Village arose out of an exploration of connections between neighboring academic institutions – Portland State University, Oregon Health and Sciences University on Marquam Hill, and OHSU’s emerging campus on the South Waterfront – and the Corbett and Lair Hill neighborhoods. We discovered that people from these institutions and communities live, work, study, and play in a shared urban space, but that the potential for creating an Academic …

A People's Plan For Overcoming The Hurricane Katrina Blues: A Comprehensive Strategy For Building A More Vibrant, Sustainable, And Equitable 9th Ward, Richard Hayes, Ken Reardon, Lisa K. Bates

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Peoples’ Plan is a strategic action plan for the recovery of the 9th Ward. We’ve created it based on conversations with residents – some struggling to return home, others intent on remaining in a neighborhood that has always been there own. The Peoples’ Plan provides a thorough assessment of what must be done to provide recovery in one of the hardest hit areas of the City, and provides a recovery model for all badly flooded areas. Our Plan seeks to transform the 9th Ward as it is rebuilt. The proposed transformation will be resident-driven and will provide improved employment …

When Worlds Collide: A Report From The Cultural Divide, Meryl Lipman

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

Discusses the cultural clashes generated when communities attempt to assimilate foreign refugees. Focuses on the difficulties refugees have adapting to new cultural milieus, problems finding and maintaining employment, and how religious practices can complicate successful resettlement.

Periodic Atlas Of The Metroscape: The Geography Of Eating Well - Food Access In The Metroscape, Joy Margheim

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

This issue of the Atlas looks at food stores in the urban metroscape, their locations, their variety, and their neighborhood settings, raising questions about food access in this region.

Cyberpunk Cities: Science Fiction Meets Urban Theory, Carl Abbott

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

The science fiction subgenre of cyberpunk developed in the 1980s and 1990s with a strong interest in urban settings. A reading of important cyberpunk novels shows the way in which the ideas of formal urban theory, such as the idea of global cities, cities as communication systems, and the Los Angeles school of urban studies, have been incorporated into this facet of popular culture. The analysis suggests that science fiction can help planners to understand the influence of a range of social theories on public understanding of planning issues.

The Preservation Perplex: Finding The Balance Between Our Past And Future, Elizabeth Mylott

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

James Conway’s September 2005 description of Portland in Preservation typifies the city’s image as a place where innovative planning has created an exceptional and impressive urban landscape. Portland prides itself on being uniquely livable. Known for clean streets, urban parks and a laid back lifestyle, for many it’s the very model of a successful city. Public transportation is widely used, the city’s downtown remains vibrant, and smaller neighborhood commercial centers provide big draws for shopping and entertainment. Local natural amenities are widely enjoyed, as residents fl ock to urban parks and natural areas outside the city. As a result, the …

Educational Achievement: Shaping The Region's Reputation And Driving Its Economy, John Tapogna

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

Any region’s reputation in education is a key to its economic vitality. Businesses look for signals of a quality workforce. Families want good schools for their children. The Portland-Vancouver region is making progress in education, but the news is not uniformly good. On the positive side, Portland is rising in the ranks of so-called “well educated” cities—a reputation that benefits the region as a whole. Portland’s attractiveness to young, recent college graduates is well documented and has played an important role in the trend. The influx of young professionals is a plus for the regional economy. However, instability of K-12 …

Bleeding Albina: A History Of Community Disinvestment, 1940‐2000, Karen J. Gibson

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

Portland, Oregon, is celebrated in the planning literature as one of the nation’s most livable cities, yet there is very little scholarship on its small Black community. Using census data, oral histories, archival documents, and newspaper accounts, this study analyzes residential segregation and neighborhood disinvestment over a 60-year period. Without access to capital, housing conditions worsened to the point that abandonment became a major problem. By 1980, many of the conditions typically associated with large cities were present: high unemployment, poor schooling, and an underground economy that evolved into crack cocaine, gangs, and crime. Yet some neighborhood activists argued that …

The Multi-Family Myth: Exploring The Fiscal Impacts Of Apartments In The Suburbs, Dorothy Ives-Dewey

Geography & Planning Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Evaluating If The Built Environment Has A Substantial Effect On Obesity In Fayette County, Kentucky, Will Warren

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Background:

Obesity is a major health issue in the United States and Fayette County. As Fayette County has become increasingly obese, it too has had an issue of sprawl within its urban service area and beyond. Relationships between obesity and aspects of the built environment are continuing to be studied.

Objective:

To evaluate the impact certain factors may have on the body mass index of Fayette County residents, in particular whether urban sprawl has an overriding impact on the weight of residents.

Methods:

The study area used was Fayette County, which was broken down into its fourteen zip code areas …