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Andrea Brown, AICP Executive Director

SEMCOG University March 17, 2010. Community Planners and the Safe Routes to School Program. Andrea Brown, AICP Executive Director. Michigan Chapter of the American Planning Association 219 South Main Street, Suite 300 Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104

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Andrea Brown, AICP Executive Director

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  1. SEMCOG University March 17, 2010 Community Planners and the Safe Routes to School Program Andrea Brown, AICP Executive Director Michigan Chapter of the American Planning Association 219 South Main Street, Suite 300 Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104 Phone: 734.913.2000 Fax: 734.913.2061 Web Page: www.planningmi.org

  2. History and Background

  3. National Planning Movements How we got where we are today

  4. Chicago Exposition 1890’s – early 1900’s Exemplified by social order and beauty City Beautiful Movement

  5. Ebenezer Howard inspired in 1898 First Suburbs Beginning of auto dominated culture in US The Garden City Movement

  6. Post World War II GI Bill allowed vets to purchase homes in the suburbs Federal transportation policy created interstate highway system to move military and food quickly and safely Federal Policy

  7. Emerging Suburbanization • Post World War II Federal housing and transportation policy encouraged outward migration • As the more affluent moved outward, many central cities experienced decline, including the quality of school systems • Population decreases result in abandonment of city schools

  8. Emerging Suburbanization (con’t) • Many families make decisions about housing location based on school quality, exacerbating the flight from cities to suburbs • Typical suburban development patterns include large lots, curvilinear streets, cul-de-sacs

  9. Schools as the Center of Community • Schools historically anchored neighborhoods • Civic landmark; represented community investment and pride • Everyday part of public life • Children walked and biked to their neighborhood school • Bussing was limited to rural areas

  10. Michigan experiencing a school construction boom Michigan school districts built at least 500 new schools and closed 278 older schools since 1996 even though the school age population grew by only 4.5% Most new schools built in greenfield settings Majority of children do not walk or bike to school Schools in Michigan Today

  11. Why the School Construction Boom? • Funding formulas favor new schools vs. renovation • Building codes are written for new construction yet rigidly applied to existing schools • Lack of local regulatory authority in school planning and zoning

  12. Construction Boom • Desire for large athletic facilities a major factor leading to mega-schools on large sites • Competition among school districts for students drives school district investment decisions

  13. 1969: 48% of all children walked or biked to school 2002: 14% of kids walk or bike to school An Extraordinary Shift

  14. Schools, Planning, and Zoning in Michigan

  15. Since at least the 1940’s the State Superintendent of Instruction, through the DOE, responsible for review and approval of building construction plans PA 159 of 1990 amended the Public School Code to exempt schools from site plan review 2003 State Supreme Court decision ruled schools not subject to zoning Schools and Zoning in Michigan

  16. Poor site locations Poor site ingress and egress Inadequate, or “over-adequate,” site size Inadequate setbacks and buffers Costly and burdensome infrastructure (water, sewer, roads) Issues with bus storage, outdoor athletic facilities (noise, lighting) Lack of local regulatory authority…creates public health, safety, and general welfare problems

  17. Schools located far from students Epidemic of overweight/obese youth Loss of prime agricultural and open space Increased air pollution Implications of School Siting Decisions

  18. Expensive infrastructure improvements to reach new schools (water and sewer lines, streets and road capacity) Decreased quality of life as parents drive children to school Implications of School Siting Decisions(con’t)

  19. Governance Structure State Policy Overarching Challenges

  20. There are 1,863 local governmental entities in Michigan 1,242 Townships 258 Villages 275 Cities 83 Counties 500+ school districts

  21. No Statewide Land Use Policy Road expansions continue despite “Fix it First” State approvals of new sewage treatment facilities continue State Departments act autonomously State Policies Drive Outward Migration and Sprawl Development Patterns

  22. Schools exempt from local zoning Limited – or non existent – local review of school development plans Schools and Government each have their own elected boards School siting determined at school district level, no local government review New school construction funded with bonds, not local millage Schools and Local Government

  23. Planners know how to plan! Planning is key element of SR2S Program Planners can help schools with their planning Planners and the SR2S Program

  24. Planners trained with community input techniques Planners build relationships Planners recognize importance of multidisciplinary approach and review Planners can articulate to school team the bigger picture, how things “fit” Planners know who needs to be at the table to make a school project work (transportation agencies, environmental review, public safety) Communications

  25. Ability to coalesce community leaders and residents behind a local planning effort Experience leading planning efforts Advocates for good design Can transfer school site issues to the wider community issues Leadership

  26. Familiar with community codes and regulations, and can write changes to support SR2S philosophies (walkability, connections, safety) Can tie school improvements to the bigger picture comprehensive plan recommendations (walkability, connections, safety) Can include physical infrastructure improvements in the vicinity of the school to the CIP. Can trouble shoot and solve design challenges Physical Design

  27. Facilitate school improvements that are consistent with the community’s planning goals Emphasize the relationship between planners and the SR2S philosophy By providing expertise and knowledge to schools, community planners can:

  28. Help school decision makers better understand consequences of decisions, like traffic congestion, disconnected neighborhoods, commute times, cost of bussing, the importance of sidewalks Bridge the planning disconnect between local government and school districts … community planners can:

  29. Planners complete the puzzle!

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