Spartanburg Office Update

     Upstate Forever was honored to host Dalton Roberts of Chattanooga, Tennessee, who spoke about “The Economic Benefits of Planning for Sensible Growth” to a capacity crowd at the Spartanburg Marriott on February 17. Roberts described his community’s stunning transformation from one of the country’s most polluted cities to one of its most livable and attractive.

The talk was the first in the “Building our Future” speaker series breakfasts sponsored by Upstate Forever and the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce. The series, designed to bring together a diverse group of public and private leaders, aims to raise awareness of how other communities are managing significant growth and to create an ongoing dialogue on how the Spartanburg area should address this challenge. In the words of Spartanburg Mayor Bill Barnet, the series presents “a terribly important opportunity to encourage and educate one another.” Together, the events offer an overview of issues related to residential and commercial land use. Each features an individual recognized as a leader in a particular aspect of business, planning or development. In addition to a Q&A session, each event concludes with ample time for open discussion by all the attendees.

The second speaker was Joe Riley, longtime mayor of Charleston, South Carolina, who discussed “Starting with What We Have: Reinvestment and Redesign of Existing Commercial Districts to Create Economic Impact” on June 16. Charleston has long been recognized as one of the most livable and progressive cities in the country. And for more than 30 years, Mayor Riley has been at its helm. Riley is now serving an unprecedented eighth term and has been a leader not just in the improvements in Charleston, but on a national scale, heading numerous committees and organizations devoted to improving the quality of life in all cities. 
Riley’s vision, leadership, and impressive list of accomplishments have brought him and Charleston national and international acclaim. Washington Post columnist David S. Broder said, “...what has been achieved here under his leadership is extraordinary,” adding “...it is mainly the way that Charleston treats the social problems that all old cities share that has made Riley’s long reign so remarkable.” Newsweek named Mayor Riley one of the 25 most dynamic mayors in America.

Other upcoming Speaker Series events are:

August 18, “Designing Communities for Active Living”: Rich Killingsworth, a national expert on the relationship of the built environment and physical activity, and former director of Active Living by Design.

October 20, “Creating Suburban Neighborhoods of Lasting Value”: Tom Low, Director of Town Planning for Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co., and Rick Sumerel, chief operating officer of Verdae Development, Inc.

All events begin at 7:30 a.m. in the Spartanburg Marriott, Azalea Ballroom. There is no charge, but reservations are requested. Please call Upstate Forever’s Spartanburg office at 864-327-0090 to register, or e-mail spartanburg@upstateforever.org.

Monroe Addresses Planners’ Conference

Stephanie Monroe

Upstate Forever’s Spartanburg Office Director Stephanie Monroe was a presenter at the 2006 American Planning Association (APA) conference in San Antonio, Texas, in April. Monroe’s topic was “Active Living in Spartanburg.” The APA conference was attended by more than 5,000 regional, urban, rural and transit planners from the across the country and abroad.

Monroe talked about one of the major barriers to active living in Spartanburg: development patterns that emphasize the automobile. She also gave an overview of the Active Living Assessment report that Upstate Forever released in August 2005. The Assessment provides a comprehensive review of city and county codes and ordinances relevant to active living conditions in Spartanburg County. The report discusses existing regulatory practices, identifies opportunities to encourage best design practices through incentives, and makes specific recommendations for regulatory changes that enhance Active Living opportunities throughout the county.

“The APA is keenly interested in the Active Living Assessment. There have not been many studies like this in the country,” Monroe said. To read the report, visit
http://www.upstateforever.org/ufs_assess.html.