A New Model for Comprehensive Planning

Jim Pashek , Paul Gilbert, and other members at Pashek Associates have been developing, with representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), a new model for community comprehensive planning.

The goal is to truly focus on the key issues of a community or region and to craft a clear, step by step response to those needs.  An important component of this model is identifying the community’s capacity to implement the strategies.  Gone are the spreadsheets with hundreds of recommendations, replaced with realistic strategies that can be done in response to issues the community really cares about.

Jim and Paul have had the privilege to work with Zelienople and Harmony Boroughs in their successful implementation of this new model of comprehensive planning, followed by a plan for Heidelberg, Carnegie, and Scott.  DCED believes that this new model of Implementable Comprehensive Planning will have a much greater chance in effecting change in communities.  No longer is the Comprehensive Plan the goal.  Now communities can expect specific strategies to solving their unique problems as the outcome of their planning.

To spread the word about this new model for planning the Western Section of American Planning Association of Pennsylvania sponsored two workshops, one in Latrobe and the other in Carnegie, PA.  The sessions, led by Denny Puko (DCED) and Jim Pashek were very well received.  DCED then sponsored similar workshops near Philadelphia, Scranton, State College, and Meadville.

We have just learned that the Workshop will be shared with a national audience with a presentation at the APA conference in Chicago on April 13-17, 2013.  If you are planning to go to the conference next spring, make sure you stop in and say hello to Jim and Denny.  They will be speaking on Wednesday, April 17.

Trail Planning at Slippery Rock

Slippery Rock University graduate students conducted a highly successful public meeting on campus trails October 16 with the help of Jim Pashek, President of Pashek Associates.  Over 80 people attended the workshop that included presentations of existing conditions, facilitation of small group discussions at 16 tables and, after everyone had an opportunity to express their top issues, voting was conducted to prioritize those issues.

Jim coached the Sustainable Landscapes class on ways of making public meetings more engaging and emphasized strategies that encourage the building of trust between meeting facilitators and attendees.  After the meeting, the class acknowledged their enthusiasm about their roles in the public meeting and were amazed at how participants became excited to share their concerns and expectations.

The public meeting was part of a larger trail planning process that John Buerkle, principal at Pashek Associates, was assisting the graduate students with.  He has worked with the students on how soils, topography, and vegetation impact both the design and ability to maintain trails.  They also looked at logical connections through the campus.

The public meeting was held in the new Robert M. Smith Student Center, a beautiful space for the meeting.  Kudos to our friends at DRS for their work on that building.

Pashek Associates Receives Planning Award

This week David Brooks, of the Austin Dam Memorial Association and Executive Director of the Potter County Visitors Association and John Buerkle, Vice President of Pashek Associates, attended the American Planning Association Pennsylvania Chapter’s annual meeting to receive the 2012 Planning Excellence – Best Practice Award for a recently completed master plan and economic development strategies for the Dam Park in Austin, Pennsylvania.

 

Pashek Associates led a planning team that included Albertin Vernon Architecture, who provided interpretive planning and master planning support.  The team encouraged the community to reflect on their history and environment in a way that made them realize the significance of what they have; how they can capitalize on it by marketing themselves; and how to promote and interpret their unique history, environment, and culture of days past and present.

This project serves as a case study on how to understand and convey a ‘sense of place’ and to gain the buy-in of local residents and business owners to think regionally – recognizing local economic development can be enhanced by marketing the Dam Park and Austin Borough as part of the regional PA Wilds, Lumber Heritage, and PA Route 6 initiatives.

The plan has also earned two regional awards for excellence.  David Brooks, the driving force behind developing the plan, was named the Pennsylvania Wilds Outstanding Leader for his role in the planning effort.  Further, Austin Borough was named a Pennsylvania Route 6 Heritage Community of the Year based on the master plan and their centennial observance of the flood of 1911 that resulted from the failure of the dam.

Congratulations to all who contributed to the plan!  For more information about the Dam Park click here.

Pashek Associates Sustainability Policy

As Landscape Architects, Community Planners, and Parks and Recreation Practitioners, we have long been in the business of working with natural processes, improving efficiencies, and developing innovative ideas for the good of the community.  We have continually searched for the most sustainable solutions in design and planning.  We believe it is the right thing to do.

As a firm, we strive to become sustainable through the following actions:

·         Promote sustainability through design and planning

o   Spec sustainable products that are durable, reusable, recyclable, made with recycled content, use less packaging, and/or made from renewable resources.

o   Use stormwater Best Management Practices.

o   Use smart growth, transit oriented development, and other sustainable strategies in community planning and urban design.

o   Protect and/or restore the environment by designing with ecological and natural processes in mind

o   Use other sustainable sites principles found in LEED and the Sustainable Sites Initiative

·         Use a democratic design and planning process to support the needs of whole communities

o   Ensure that all meeting participants are equally heard regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or age

·         Educate our clients and friends about the importance of sustainability

o   Promote sustainable design solutions to clients by educating about their benefits

·         Implement sustainable actions in the workplace and at home in our communities

o   Follow the Pashek Associates’ sustainable office policies in order to reduce energy, water, air pollution, and waste.

o   Set an example in our individual neighborhoods / communities by following the same policies at home.

Pashek Asscoiates is building a culture of responsibility that encourages every employee to ask the questions that lead to more sustainable processes and practices, and help our firm support a sustainable future.

Pashek Associates Receives ZIP GOLD Certification

Zero Waste Pittsburgh’s ZIP Certification Program is a project of the Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC).  ZIP is intended to encourage, reward and acknowledge organizations that have taken important steps towards reducing the waste they produce through recycling, composting and source reduction measures. 

Pashek Associates attained GOLD Certification by:

• Recycling everything from paper and cardboard to batteries, florescent bulbs, and printer cartridges
• Buying products that include recycled content and/or from renewable resources
• Educating employees about the benefits of recycling
• Composting all food waste
• Reducing or eliminating single use beverage containers and serviceware

Any business, organization, or even event can become ZIP certified.  Zero Waste Pittsburgh also offers assistance in developing a waste reduction program.  We encourage any business, organization, or event to look into becoming ZIP certified.  For more information about the ZIP program or waste reduction resources check out their website.

Waste Reduction Strategies

One of the benefits of competing in the Pittsburgh Green Workplace Challenge is the informative workshops that are offered to participants.  The workshops are focused on helping participants learn new sustainable solutions, network with like-minded people, and connect with those who can help implement the solutions. 

 

A couple of weeks ago, Sara Thompson, Pashek’s Sustainability Coordinator, attended a workshop on Waste Reduction Strategies.  Waste reduction is important because Americans produce 250 million tons of trash in a year, but only recycle or compost 34 % or 85 million tons.  This means that 164.8million tons are discarded in landfills or incinerated.  Considering that these numbers do not even include industrial, hazardous, or construction waste, imagine how much waste we could actually be diverting from landfills and incinerators.  Click here for more waste and recycling stats for 2010 form the EPA. 

 

Carla Castagnero, President of Agrecycle, explained how her company recycles and reuses natural materials to enhance soils and foster plant growth using composting techniques.  Did you know that about 60% of what we throw away is organic and can be composted?  Agrecycle picks up organic materials, such as paper products, cardboard, and food scraps from offices, restaurants, cafeterias, and grocery stores and turns it into compost using 100% natural methods.  Their compost products are used as soil amendments for everything from growing edible and ornamental plants to preventing drought and soil erosion and even remediating brownfield sites.  

 

Kurt Duska of EngineeredPlastics Inc. described how his company recycles one million pounds of mostly pre-consumer plastic products a month into new plastic products.  Kurt mentioned that every one ton of plastic recycled diverts 16.3 barrels of oil.  That means that Engineered Plastics is diverting 8,150 barrels of oil every month.

 

According to Ned Eldridge of eLoop, electronic waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the world.  The pace of new technologies is outpacing the sustainable and ethical disposal of old technologies.  eLoop recycles anything with a cord on it in addition to wireless electrics from calculators to cell phones.  

 

Global Links is a medical relief and development organization dedicated to promoting environmental stewardship while improving health in resource-poor communities in Latin America and Caribbean.  Orly Stampfer explained that Global Links takes in medical surplus and other still-useful materials such as used office furniture and ships the supplies to hospitals and clinics which need them.  

 

The PennsylvaniaResources Council (PRC) works as a state and national leader in waste reduction and recycling as well as litter and visual blight prevention, watershed awareness, and composting.  Kyle Winkler, an Environmental Program Coordinator for the PRC, talked about the Zero Waste Pittsburgh program or ZIP.   ZIP was created as a one stop shop for recycling and waste minimization resources and assistance for businesses, institutions, and special events.  Your company, organization, or even special event can become ZIP Certified.  To learn more, check out www.zerowastepgh.org.

 

We want to also give a shout out to Breen Masciotra, the director of PittsburghCenter for Creative Reuse, who attended the workshop as a participant.  The PCCR promotes resource conservation, creativity, and community engagement through material reuse.  PCCR provides creative reuse programs and their store is a great low-cost resource for teachers, artists, and others seeking unique materials for their creative projects. 

Pashek Associates will look to see if Agrecycle can help us recycle our organic wastes, will look into ethically recycling our spent electronic equipment with companies like eLoop, will consider Global Links as another potential resource for donating our used office furniture, and is currently looking into ZIP Certification with the PRC.  In addition, we will now think twice about throwing away product samples since the PCCR accepts donations of architectural and design samples.  We will keep you posted on our progress towards becoming a more sustainable business.

Click here for more information on upcoming workshops or the Green Workplace Challenge.

Old Dog, New Tricks….it can happen!

Pashek Associates is committed to integrating sustainable design in all of their endeavors.  Toward that end, the firm encourages staff to prepare for a take the LEED Accreditation exams sponsored by the US Green Building Council.  Now to the ‘Old Dog’ part.  Jim Pashek, president of Pashek Associates, and a self-proclaimed old guy, recently passed his LEED exam to become an accredited LEED Green Associate.  He joins is colleague Nancy Lonnett Roman, RLA who is LEED-AP accredited.  Jim hopes that others in the firm will follow his and Nancy’s lead and study for and take the exam soon.

“The green building movement strives to create a permanent shift in prevailing design, planning, construction, and operational practices toward lower-impact, more sustainable, and ultimately regenerative built environments.” (from the Green Building and LEED Core Concepts)

ThinkBike Workshop Brings Dutch and Pittsburgh's Bicycling Advocates Together

On June 21^st and 22^nd Pashek Associates staff member Mike Kotyk attended the ThinkBike workshop at Carnegie Mellon University.  This workshop, organized by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s Office in partnership with the Royal Netherlands Embassy, brought together Dutch bicycle transportation experts, Pittsburgh transportation planners, engineers, advocates and cyclists to plan and discuss how Oakland’s Fifth and Forbes Avenue corridor can become more bicycle-friendly.

During the two-day workshop, participants were split into two teams which surveyed the existing conditions of the corridor and then provided constructive recommendations and solutions on how to make this busy corridor more bicycle and pedestrian friendly.  The team’s outcomes and recommendations were then presented to the public, decision makers, cyclists and other interested parties at the closing session on the evening of June 22^nd.

About ThinkBike

Through a multi-city initiative, Dutch experts and companies are increasing bicycle use in the U.S. and Canada. Toronto was the first Canadian city to host such an event, while Chicago was the first U.S. city to host a bike workshop, followed by Washington, D.C., Miami, San Francisco and Los Angeles. For more information on ThinkBike, please visit: http://www.facebook.com/ThinkBike or www.dutchcycling.nl.

Here are few links to some media exposure on ThinkBike Pittsburgh:  

Post Gazette: Dutch Workshops Offer Biking Advice

KDKA: Dutch Consultants to Help Oakland Become More Bike Friendly

NPR: Dutch Bicycling Experts to Weigh in on Improving Bike Infrastructure in Oakland

Jamestown, NY Plans for Pedestrians and Bicyclists

Last night John Buerkle and Mike Kotyk presented a draft Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan to local residents, cyclists, and city officials of Jamestown, NY.   A standing room only crowd packed the Lillian Vitanza Ney Renaissance Center to review, discuss, and provide feedback on a draft of the City of Jamestown Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan.

John and Mike were extremely pleased with the turn out for this meeting.  30 to 40 members of the Hollyloft Cycling Team showed their support by taking time to stop by during their weekly Tuesday night ride.  A quick head count indicated that an additional 70 plus persons attended the meeting.  The high attendance really shows how Jamestown residents are interested in making walking and bicycling safer and more comfortable within the City.

The Chautauqua County Health Network's Creating Healthy Places to Live, Work, and Play is coordinating the plan to promote active transportation as a key component of healthy lifestyles. CHP is funded through the New York State Department of Health.

"We know that if the city is more walkable and bikeable, that will encourage the community to go out and be more active and we are focused on the public health aspect of chronic disease prevention," said Janet Forbes, CHP project coordinator. "Having this plan in place is going to be helpful for substantiating the need for funding and what the next steps are."

For more information about the meeting click here.

Beautifying the Northside

Saturday, there was lots of activity on the east end of the East Ohio Street business district.  Kids from the nearby Allegheny Alliance Church and neighbors worked to clean up some of the buildings and plant a recently updated entrance sign in the neighborhood.

Pashek Associates helped the project by donating design services for a planting plan for the entrance sign, arranging to pick up 40 bags of topsoil and mulch donated by Home Depot and acquiring plants from Best Feeds at their Babcock Boulevard retail outlet.  For a week, our office looked like a nursery with plants filling the conference room and hallways stacked with bags of soil and mulch, hoses, and garden tools.  John Buerkle, Vice President at Pashek Associates, oversaw the planting operations last Saturday.  Thanks John for donating some of your personal time to improve the Northside!