Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability (PALS)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/21474

The Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability (PALS) is administered by the National Center for Smart Growth at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD). It is a campus-wide initiative that harnesses the expertise of UMD faculty and the energy and ingenuity of UMD students to help Maryland communities become more environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable. PALS is designed to provide innovative, low-cost assistance to local governments while creating real-world problem-solving experiences for University of Maryland graduate and undergraduate students.

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    Small-Scale, Local Production in Prince Georgeʼs County, MD
    (Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability (PALS), 2020) Brinley, Anna; Murnen, Lily; Nye, Kari; Boone, Bobby
    Through their work with the National Center for Smart Growth at the University of Maryland (UMD), the Prince George’s County Planning Department commissioned this report from the university’s Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability (PALS). PALS works with local jurisdictions throughout Maryland to identify projects and problems that can be taught through university courses where students focus on developing innovative, research-based solutions. Small-Scale Local Production is the result of a graduate urban planning and studies seminar initiated with the intent to evaluate the manufacturing and maker ecosystem in Prince George’s County. Building upon insights gained from previous studies in Prince George’s County, Washington, DC, Montgomery County, and Baltimore City, the course evolved to focus on zoning policy, programmatic support, and real estate analysis. This report centers small, production-based businesses as part of an inclusive economic development strategy for the County.
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    A Long Life for Long Branch: Tools to Preserve Independent Retailers
    (2019) Anderson-Watters, Carrie; Brinley, Anna; Duggan, Will; Kortesoja, Ellen; Murnen, Lily; Nye, Kari; Boone, Bobby
    Through their work with the National Center for Smart Growth at the University of Maryland, the Montgomery County Planning Department commissioned this report from the university’s Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability (PALS). PALS works with local jurisdictions throughout Maryland to identify projects and problems that can be taught through university courses where students focus on developing innovative, research-based solutions. Long Life for Long Branch: Tools to Preserve Independent Retailers is the result of a graduate urban planning and studies class initiated under the course heading, “Preserving Community Value of Ethnically Diverse Retailers in Long Branch.” Long Branch, Maryland is a neighborhood at the threshold of rapid change with the construction of the Purple Line transit rail. Preserving the community value of businesses ultimately comes down to preserving opportunity for the businesses themselves. Building upon previous studies and ongoing community- and County-led efforts, the course evolved to focus on an inclusive economic development strategy that would make use of zoning, financing, technical support, and real estate development to retain and grow Long Branch businesses into the future.