News from a Sustainable Shelby

Chatting last Thursday night in the Bridges cavern with several people who were part of Sustainable Shelby's creation, I heard 2 pieces of good news:

• MLG&W is collaboratively and successfully resolving its issues with the Unified Development Code. As our utility was the only public voice of opposition to the UDC at the Land Use Control Board, this hopefully means passage in the near future of this progressive development toolkit.


• Rebuilding of the Greater Memphis Greenline's Wolf River bridge will start this fall and the Greenline should open, from Tillman to Farm Road, by spring 2010.

The Greenline and the UDC are just 2 of the many organizations and efforts that Sustainable Shelby has federated into a single plan. Movement sustainability comes from these orgs' independent devotion to an environmentally sustainable, urban future for Memphis and Shelby County. If the umbrella organization were to disappear tomorrow, the forward push into that future would not.

Greenlined!

Mark the County Commission's approving the purchase of the Greenline by taking a Google Earth based trip from Midtown to Cordova,



Or if you want to explore it yourself (without getting up), check out the route in Google Maps, or play with it in Google Earth.

3 observations:

1. the organization called the Greater Memphis Greenline seems marginalized in the recent progress. They have rated nary a mention in the most recent stories. Meanwhile, Shelby Farms is all over the story, as fundraiser and manager, after little mention before (other than as eastern terminus). Something is missing here. Perhaps, as the deal with CSX came closer, the quasinonymous purchase group called Memphis Community Connector gave their funds to Shelby Farms who in turn donated them to Shelby County. But why is Greater Memphis Greenline, after being the apparent public face for so long, now barely mentioned? Doesn't matter as far as Greenlining goes, of course, but the true story would help the next citizen activist push the boulder up and over the hill.
   


2. Fewer and fewer articles refer to it as "the Greenline". Recent stories have called it a walking trail or the CSX trail. On top of that, I've heard rumors that Shelby Farms will rename it. While I'm neutral about the last issue (if it is an issue), I'm not neutral about this (if it is an issue). Greenline is a great simple name. Greenline.
   


3. Shelby Farms' stewardessship could mean the Wolf River Bridge is repaired much more quickly, which would be a very good thing.
   
   
   
   
   
   Crossing the Wolf is the Greenline's premier "wow!" moment.
   

Master Plans and Public Participation

I want to clarify my attitude towards plans and participation.

I'm for 'em!

but...

• we have to have everyday, always-on principles and visions of our natural and built environments. For instance, Sustainable Shelby's top recommendations and Jeff Speck's first six suggestions for Memphis. We can't use master plans to outsource, offload, avoid, postpone, ignore or forget these principles and visions, or their defense.


• Public participation and input happens all the time, and has always happened all the time. We now have the collaborative, visual, ubiquitous, sometimes place-based, sometimes asynchronous, usually inexpensive tools to capture the ideas, moods, uses, input of citizens. Discrete meetings in discrete places should always be one of the tools, but exclusively it deludes rulers leaders that the public is something you give 2 minutes to stand up and speak, and 5 seconds to sit down and shut up.

Sustainability is Fun

How do you sell sustainability? How can sustainability persuade ?

As a certified product of Catholic schools, I can assure you guilt isn't the answer. Neither is sacrifice.

But fun is. Or can be. Should be.

Fun how? Say, for instance, by

• building compact homes and businesses, we'll densely and imaginatively create intimate private and connected public space. We'll fill gas-powered emptiness (aka berms and parking lots) with human creativity and social energy.


• making creative challenges out of reuse, we'll make the thrift store a quarry and a game show.


• concocting local recipes from local foods, we'll show that barbecue was just an appetizer.


• learning and sharing with the rest of the world, we'll help the Live Web finish tearing down the Magnolia Curtain (leaving the magnolias, of course). Memphians will be connected to the good and fun ideas around the world, and across town.

Sustainability requires creativity. Creativity produces fun. Fun brings more people to sustainability.

Sustaining Sustainable Shelby

With these 2 upcoming efforts.

Sustainable Tennessee Regional Opportunity Forum

If you want to have a voice in promoting environmental and green issues affecting the future of Greater Memphis and West Tennessee, this is your chance. This event will kick off an ongoing process of building sustainability networks covering multiple issues through the upcoming year. If you are a invested change agent or wish to connect with some, this is the one event for the foreseeable future that you can't afford to miss!

Download a registration form or call 901-569-4423

For more details visit www.sustainablewesttn.org.

The Saturday session is the more interactive and more environmental in tone, however if you are also interested in sustainable development, check out the Friday session as well.

IF YOU HAVE THE TIME, PLEASE ATTEND:
Friday, September 19 – Sustainable Urbanism: Metrics & Techniques with Doug Farr ($95)

An interactive seminar on the emerging pattern of development called Sustainable Urbanism. Primary sub-topics will include an overview of sustainable urbanism, the tools and techniques necessary to implement it, the thresholds and metrics that define it, and the global case studies that exemplify it. Participants will evaluate regional projects including Hernando West, Legends Park, Downtown Bolivar and the Midsouth Fairgrounds. Approved for 7.5 hours AICP-CM and AIA CEU.

PRIMARY EVENT:
Saturday, September 20 – Sustainability: Exploring Initiatives and Regional Issues ($45)

Learn about current regional, state and national initiatives from Sustainable Shelby, the Mississippi River Corridor, Sustainable Tennessee and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Explore the process of developing sustainability initiatives focused on conservation and preservation of natural resources, healthy communities, clean and renewable energy and sustainable development. Participate in roundtable discussions to identify those sustainability issues unique to West Tennessee and the Midsouth region. Approved for 5.5 hours ISA CEU and 0.75 hours General CEU.

Local Co-Hosts: ULI Memphis, University of Memphis Ecological Research Center and Sierra Club.

Sponsored by: Memphis-Shelby County Office of Planning & Development, Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, University of Memphis, Fisher & Arnold, Shelby Farms Park, Belz Enterprises, Tetra Tech, Southeast Recycling, Inc., Boyle Investment Company, LeMoyne-Owen Community Development Corporation in conjunction with the Tennessee Environmental Council and Tennessee Conservation Voters

Call for Sustainable Photos
For The Best of Memphis
And Shelby County!

Mayor A C Wharton’s Sustainable Shelby is looking for digital photographs to advance the Sustainable Shelby initiative and be used in our upcoming Implementation Plan and website. We need your help to capture images that will help us illustrate the importance of sustainability for the future of our community - the things and places that you love about Memphis and Shelby County. We are especially interested in "active" photographs that include not only local places but local people as well.

If you’re an amateur or professional photographer, this is a great way to get your photography published and contribute to this important initiative at the same time. We will of course credit your photo in the Sustainable Shelby plan and on the website.

We'd prefer higher resolution digital color photos, but we will gladly accept any original digital image that you would like to contribute.

Please send digital photographs to photos@sustainableshelby.com and include a brief written description of the photo and let us know where and when it was taken. Please submit your photos anytime between now and October 8, 2008. There is no limit to the number of photographs that can be submitted per person. Thank you in advance for your help with this exciting project!

Photographs could include:
- Local example of natural features or scenic beauty
- Photographs of parks and recreational activities
- “Old Growth” forest in Overton Park
- Photographs of a great public place or urban environment
- Active downtown streetscape
- Downtown Trolley
- Your favorite place to walk, run, or ride your bike
- Neighborhood park with people
- Beale Street
- Memphis Riverfront and Riverboats
- Mud Island
- Harbor Town
- People using the Wolf River Greenway or VECA Greenline
- Community Gardens or neighborhood association activities
- Neighborhood commercial districts
- Historic districts or significant buildings
- Neighborhood clean up activities
- Examples of Public Art
- Local Farmers Market
- Favorite neighborhoods
- Or anything else that you love about Memphis and Shelby County!

So instead of this, they could use this, which might be good.

Memphis can teach, if we don't ignore.

Go to the Park!

Being my usual underachieving self, I haven't updated much recently. I did write something for the Citizens to Preserve Overton Park however. It's the results of an experiment me and a crackerjack Gates Of Memphis Research team performed last month.

In an acorn, what temperature difference does the Old Forest make vs. nearby urbanized areas?

Sustainable Shelby's Call to Action: The Audio

If you weren't able to attend last Tuesday's Sustainable Shelby's Call to Action, including the keynote from Sustainable Urbanism's Doug Farr, you can listen to them here,

Mayor Wharton's Opening Remarks

Steve Ethridge on Sustainable Shelby Polling

Mayor Wharton's Introduction to Doug Farr

Doug Farr on Sustainable Urbanism (If you can only listen to a piece, listen to this)

Closing Remarks.

Whether it's a Sustainable Shelby recommendation or not, it would be interesting to see an existing community or communities try to attain LEED-ND certification. I think a partnership of Cooper-Young and Glenview would be cool.

Memphis Bicycle Events and Sites

Tuesday, July 8, 2:30-4:00 p.m.
Memphis Botanic Gardens
Sustainable Shelby Agenda Public Presentation will announce that creating bicycle paths and installing "Share the Road" with bicyclists signs is in the top ten priorities for the county.

Tuesday, July 8, 6 p.m.
First Congo Church
The Cooper Young Community Association will host its monthly meeting on the deck outside of Revolutions here at First Congregational. The topic will be "Making Cooper Young Memphis' First Bike Friendly Neighborhood." They will have sno-cones. What more do you need?

Thu, Jul 10, 6:30pm – 8:00pm

5900 Walnut Grove Rd Memphis TN 38120

There will be a meeting at CBHS on July 10th to discuss a proposal to paint bike lane stripes on Shady Grove from Yates to Wolf River Boulevard and also on Brierview from Shady Grove to Walnut Grove. Revolutions has organized a ride from First Congregational to Christian Brothers High School where the meeting will be held. The ride will leave from Revolutions at 5:15 p.m. in order to make it to the meeting by the start time of 6:30 p.m.. Please join us, or head over to CBHS at 6:30 p.m. Attendance and riding time count towards earning volunteer hours at Revolutions. Don't forget a blinky light and a helmet if you'd like to ride with us.

All the Time
Anywhere
Go to Memphis Bike News and Views for a calendar of Memphis biking events.

Sno-cones!

Sustainable Shelby Call to Action!

Sustainable Shelby
Call to Action!

Tuesday, July 8
2:30 - 4:00 p.m.
Memphis Botanic Garden
750 Cherry Road
Memphis, Tennessee 38117

You are invited to join Mayor A C Wharton in launching the Sustainable Shelby Agenda, our community's first comprehensive agenda that is equal parts sustainability, smart growth, green building, and more. This agenda was produced from committees and public polling that converged to create detailed recommendations for a sustainable future.

This Sustainable Shelby Call to Action meeting will announce the agenda for the future and next steps to accomplish them. Special remarks will be made by Doug Farr, author of Sustainable Urbanism, the seminal book that set the context for our local agenda.

Please invite your friends and colleagues to be part of this history-making meeting.

As background you might listen to this great Smart City Radio interview with Doug Farr (my favorite parts: moving past the widget, stop trying to sell sacrifice, and the 2030 challenge).

Obstacles to Pump Dumping: MATA Bus Routes

For your consideration, the 2 Medical Center/13 Lauderdale.


This is a single bus schedule -- what you will see at a kiosk, or on the web.

We can fix this. We should fix this.