Volume 5, Issue 1 Winter/Spring 2007 President’s Notes John Dugan, AICP On my office wall What does that which focuses on mixed in Oklahoma City is a map mean to us today in Okla- use and mixed income that covers more than 1400 homa? In my opinion, it neighborhoods in a pedes- square miles of central means negotiating with trian-oriented design Oklahoma. Almost every developers and neighbor- theme, nicely address these square mile shows some hoods to accommodate the ideas. type of development. highest density possible I encourage all As planners for concurrent with the highest Oklahoma planners to look the next generation we quality possible on every closely at the various New should be asking ourselves new subdivision and multi- Urban websites and publi- and our clients and custom- family development. It cations for ideas and strate- ers “is current low density means fostering mixed-use gies to better prepare our and intensity of develop- as the preferred develop- state for a sustainable fu- ment sustainable for the ment option, with densities ture. future?” high enough to sustain tran- And coming up is We are planning sit service whenever it is a City Planning Workshop now in OKC for a mini- finally available. And it organized by the Oklahoma mum growth of 70,000 challenges us as planners to Municipal League on Fri- additional residents and 50 design job/housing relation- day, May 4, at OSU-OKC million square feet of com- ships that work in terms of where the principles of mercial/industrial space both property values and New Urbanism will be dis- ASSOCIATION over the next 10 years. The design functionality… cussed in some depth. I rest of the OKC metro area neighborhoods that are not encourage your attendance. is expecting a like amount. isolated and are accessible We as planners to jobs and schools without and advisors of the devel- every trip requiring auto opment and public sector use. communities have a profes- Of course, we are sional obligation to plan for not the first planners to this growth in the most consider these issues and efficient and sustainable challenges. In fact, the con- way possible. cepts of New Urbanism, ICAN PLANNING Legislative Update by Erik Enyart, AICP Editor’s Note: Informa- Tulsa) and Rep. Dorman REAP Grants SB 447 by tion derived from OML (D-Rush Springs). Con- Sen. Bingman (R. Sapulpa) cerns municipal control and Rep. McNiel (R. Bris- Legislation to watch: over the TIF. Bill passed tow) amends current for- the Senate with the title off mula for distribution of Tax Increment Financing by 44 to 0. (continued on page 5). SB 844 by Sen. Crain (R. Inside this issue: Presidents Notes 1 Upcoming Events: Legislative Update 1 • APA National Conference, April 14:18 in Philadelphia Al Gore’s World Tour Arrives in Norman at OU 2 • Oklahoma Housing Confer- ence, April 15:17 in OKC Carbon Trading in Oklahoma—An Introduction 2 • Enviro Expo, April 19 in Tulsa Complete Streets Webcast Summary 3 • OSN Conference, April 21 & 22 in Norman Maintaining Neighborhood Character Webcast Summary 3 • OKAPA Exec. Board Meeting, Central City Redevelopment in Fort Worth—Fernando Costa Lecture 4 April 27 in Sapulpa • OML C.P. Workshop, May 4 at Going Green: Builder of Valencia Development in OKC Strives for Eco- 5 OSU-OKC campus Oklahoma Planner Facing the Future—Future City Competition 6 See website for more details. OKLAHOMA CHAPTER OF THE AMER Join the Small Town and Rural Planning (STaR) Division 7 Campus Corner 7 Students get Eco-Friendly 9 Al Gore’s World Tour Arrives in Norman at OU By Erik Enyart, AICP Norman, OK – Lloyd Noble Center, Uni- temperatures for the past 800,000 years versity of Oklahoma campus – Thursday, based on scientific measurements of carbon March 01, 2007. Former Vice-President Al dioxide (carbon) atmospheric levels re- Gore brought his worldwide tour to Okla- trieved from Antarctic ice core samples, homa and was met by an enthusiastic audi- which placed modern warming trends in the ence, reported by local newspapers to be context of known variation. between 7,000 and 9,000. At my estimation Toward the end of the presenta- of approximately 2/3 of the 11,528-seat tion, Gore highlighted and congratulated the facility, the number would be somewhere in City of Norman for being one of 369 U.S. between. cities at the time (442 now reported by The Oklahoma crowd gave a www.seattle.gov), and the only city in the standing ovation to welcome Al Gore as he State of Oklahoma to have endorsed the entered the arena. OU President David U.S. Mayors’ Climate Protection Agree- Boren gave an introduction to Al Gore, his The excited crowd formed a serpentine line be- ment, a proxy for the Kyoto Protocol at the former fellow US Senator of 8 years. Boren ginning in the north parking lot, proceeding up municipal level. The Norman crowd gave the steps to the north entrance, and continuing also acknowledged in attendance several around the building through the lawn of the an enthusiastic cheer. Oklahoma officials, including Governor Lloyd Noble Center to the east entrance. Also during the event, David Brad Henry, Treasurer Scott Meacham, Boren reported that the University of Okla- State Attorney General Drew Edmondson, Gore remarked, “You win some, you lose homa was one of the first U.S. academic and State Senator Stratton Taylor. Boren some.... and then there’s that little-known institutions to have joined the Chicago Cli- also recognized Gore’s Oklahoma connec- third category.” mate Exchange, the second of two primary tion through his wife Tipper Gore’s family, The video- and slideshow-based carbon-trading marketplaces in the world. some of whom were also in attendance. presentation was the same one featured in The carbon-trading market ties an economic Icebreaking jokes and quips in- the full-length documentary, An Inconven- value to greenhouse gas emissions, and cluded, “I used to be the next president of ient Truth, which the previous week had allows carbon-producing industries exceed- the United States of America,” he said to won the Oscar award for “Best Documen- ing regulated allowances to offset their thunderous laughter, his perfectly executed tary Feature.” Gore’s presentation on overages by purchasing carbon credits from faux-deadpan face featured on the jumbo global climate change and the warming net carbon reducers. Boren noted that the screen. “I don't find that to be particularly effects of greenhouse gasses was sometimes University itself was taking measures to funny.” Also referencing the 2000 Presi- humorous, often sobering, and loaded with reduce carbon emissions and to embrace dential Election, in which he won the popu- facts, figures, graphs, and video clips. The alternative energy sources which contribute lar vote but lost in the Electoral College, most striking graph showed historic world to carbon reductions. Carbon Trading in Oklahoma—An Introduction by Erik Enyart, AICP April 07, 2007 A Tulsa World headline today troduce only the key facts, and to more carbon sequestration opportunities and reads “Bleakest Yet Global Warming narrowly focus on one aspect of this reporting back to the Legislature, and Report Approved.” Tuesday’s World topic; specifically, how CO2 (“carbon”) authorized the Oklahoma Conservation headline read “Court: EPA Can Regu- trading and sequestration processes Commission to establish and administer late Exhaust.” tangentially intersect with the field of the carbon sequestration certification land use planning in Oklahoma. program. The intent of the act was ex- Global Climate Change is an inescap- In 2001, the Oklahoma Legis- press: “It is the intent of the Legislature able topic in the news and popular me- lature took the initiative and explored that such efforts to document and quan- dia. But how does Oklahoma fit into the potential for Oklahoma landowners tify carbon sequestration on agricultural the picture? to enter into the world carbon trading and nonagricultural lands within the market. That year, the Oklahoma Car- state will enhance the ability of the It would be an injustice to the bon Sequestration Enhancement Act state’s landowners to participate in any reader and the topic itself to attempt, in was passed into law, (Title 27A O.S. system of carbon dioxide emissions this op-ed article, to cover this broad Section 3.4), which formed the Carbon marketing or trading that may be devel- topic at any level of refined detail. It is Sequestration Advisory Committee, oped in the future.” therefore the intent of the author to in- charged with researching and exploring (Continued on page 8) Page 2 OKLAHOMA PLANNER Complete Streets Webcast Maintaining Neighborhood Summary By Ken Bryan, AICP, Environmental Character Webcast Summary Planner, CH Guernsey & Company By Ken Bryan, AICP, Environmental Planner, CH Guernsey & Company, with additional reporting by Erik Enyart, AICP On February 14, 2007, OKAPA sponsored a web- On March 14, 2007 the OKAPA sponsored an cast put on by the APA as part of their ‘Advanced Intensive online webcast training seminar titled Maintaining Neighbor- Series’. C. H. Guernsey and Company's Oklahoma City of- hood Character presented by the APA. C.H. Guernsey & fice served as the host facility. The session was titled Com- Company hosted the seminar for the Oklahoma City area and plete Streets and was attended by - professional planners, the Tulsa Preservation Commission met in the Tulsa City landscape architects, transit representatives, traffic planners Council meeting room and served as the host in the Tulsa and engineers, as well as nonprofit organization leaders - area. Presenters included Katie Hatt, Noré Winter, and Jim primarily from the Oklahoma City metro area. (Icy roads and Lindberg.