National Center for Smart Growth
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/21472
The National Center for Smart Growth (NCSG) works to advance the notion that research, collaboration, engagement and thoughtful policy development hold the key to a smarter and more sustainable approach to urban and regional development. NCSG is based at the University of Maryland, College Park, housed under the School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, with support from the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, the A. James Clark School of Engineering, the School of Public Policy, and the Office of the Provost.
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Item Cycling for Change(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2023-12) Engel, Max; Gernstein, Anna; Goldstein, Jeremy; Tarjamo, Markus; Clark, PatrinaThis research presents a comprehensive proposal for an introduction of a Cycling 101 class at the University of Maryland (UMD), developed in collaboration with the Prince George's County Planning Department. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between the UMD cycling community and policy awareness, addressing issues such as sustainability, mental health, and physical wellbeing. Through collaboration with experts like Michael Jackson and Professor Kimberly Driver, it evolved into a passion project, empowering students through cycling education. The proposed course, designed as an "I-series" course, covers a range of topics including cycling mechanics, safety, environmental sustainability, and mental and physical health benefits. The research outlines the process of creating the course, emphasizing the importance of a well-structured syllabus and efficient review by university committees. Potential locations for the course within UMD's academic structure, particularly in the School of Public Health and School of Public Policy, are explored. Extensive literature supports the positive impact of cycling on physical and mental health, reinforcing the course's potential benefits. The research findings suggest that Cycling 101 aligns with UMD's commitment to sustainability and offers tangible advantages for students' wellbeing. The proposed collaboration is significant for both UMD and the Prince George's County Planning Department, contributing to a cycling-friendly environment and promoting holistic urban mobility. In conclusion, this research validates the feasibility of introducing Cycling 101 at UMD, highlighting its positive impacts on students, the university community, and urban planning in Prince George's County. The collaboration serves as a catalyst for sustainable practices and holistic wellbeing, aligning shared goals between the university and the Planning Department.Item Artist Crossing(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2023-12) Ajaero, Ucheya; Bullock, Abigail; Perkins, Abigail; Rahming-Williams, Nichelle; Riffle, Brianna; Boland, Margret; Gomez, Jose; Gross, Hannah; Mora, Adrian; Watson, Omari; Deist, Chase; Demircan, Zeynep; Garcia, Aylin; Jones, Amory; Mulé, Maya; Hernandez, Kevin; Hussien, Abdureuf; Merino, Sandra; Pipatpongsa, Chayaporn?; Bell, Matthew; Matthews, Georgeanne?The ARCH 700 Urban Design Graduate looked at the Four Corners site and the Arts District area in Hyattsville with the intent to understand what problems each of these communities had and how to apply best practices in urban design to each. At Four Corners, the focus was on creating a sense of place and community along University Boulevard where little of that kind of experience existed previously, and at Hyattsville, how to reimagine the urban design of the Arts District and the vacant County Service building so that a more vibrant town center could emerge. Students explored issues such as multi-modal circulation, the city grid, densification through the addition of various building typologies, community place-making, and ‘complete street’ design. All of the proposals sought to integrate new residential and other developments and create a framework for parks and urban spaces that embrace diversity and maintain historic cultural assets.Item Four Corners (re-sestablisher)(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2023-12) Ajaero, Ucheya; Bullock, Abigail; Perkins, Abigail; Rahming-Williams, Nichelle; Riffle, Brianna; Boland, Margret; Gomez, Jose; Gross, Hannah; Mora, Adrian; Watson, Omari; Deist, Chase; Demircan, Zeynep; Garcia, Aylin; Jones, Amory; Mulé, Maya; Hernandez, Kevin; Hussien, Abdureuf; Merino, Sandra; Pipatpongsa, Chayaporn?; Bell, Matthew; Matthews, Georgeanne?The ARCH 700 Urban Design Graduate looked at the Four Corners site and the Arts District area in Hyattsville with the intent to understand what problems each of these communities had and how to apply best practices in urban design to each. At Four Corners, the focus was on creating a sense of place and community along University Boulevard where little of that kind of experience existed previously, and at Hyattsville, how to reimagine the urban design of the Arts District and the vacant County Service building so that a more vibrant town center could emerge. Students explored issues such as multi-modal circulation, the city grid, densification through the addition of various building typologies, community place-making, and ‘complete street’ design. All of the proposals sought to integrate new residential and other developments and create a framework for parks and urban spaces that embrace diversity and maintain historic cultural assets.Item Urban Design Proposals for Four Corners and Hyattsville Arts District?(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2023-12) Ajaero, Ucheya; Bullock, Abigail; Perkins, Abigail; Rahming-Williams, Nichelle; Riffle, Brianna; Boland, Margret; Gomez, Jose; Gross, Hannah; Mora, Adrian; Watson, Omari; Deist, Chase; Demircan, Zeynep; Garcia, Aylin; Jones, Amory; Mulé, Maya; Hernandez, Kevin; Hussien, Abdureuf; Merino, Sandra; Pipatpongsa, Chayaporn?; Bell, Matthew; Matthews, Georgeanne?The ARCH 700 Urban Design Graduate looked at the Four Corners site and the Arts District area in Hyattsville with the intent to understand what problems each of these communities had and how to apply best practices in urban design to each. At Four Corners, the focus was on creating a sense of place and community along University Boulevard where little of that kind of experience existed previously, and at Hyattsville, how to reimagine the urban design of the Arts District and the vacant County Service building so that a more vibrant town center could emerge. Students explored issues such as multi-modal circulation, the city grid, densification through the addition of various building typologies, community place-making, and ‘complete street’ design. All of the proposals sought to integrate new residential and other developments and create a framework for parks and urban spaces that embrace diversity and maintain historic cultural assets.Item Flood Mitigation in the Chesapeake Beach SeaGate Community(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2024-05) Blair, Bradford; Pressley, Danielle; Quigley, Alex; Speierman, Emily; Tagle, Matthew; May, PeterThe town of Chesapeake Beach is on the Chesapeake Bay’s western shore and is directly connected to the Bay by creeks that feed tidal marshes. Marshland within Chesapeake Beach’s South Creek Estuary was filled in to enable community development, including the SeaGate townhouse community and Maryland Route 261. At less than four feet above mean sea level, Route 261 and the SeaGate’s parking lots flood during high tide events, storm swells, and intense storm events. In addition to being inconvenient for community members, it is also a safety concern as Route 261 provides access to the SeaGate community, the local fire department, and wastewater treatment plant.The historical practice of filling in wetlands for development and the increasing pressures of climate change have resulted in worsening flooding in the SeaGate community. Chesapeake Beach’s 2021 Comprehensive Plan discusses the area’s future of coastal resiliency and mentions the need to create a coordinated and consistent plan for addressing sea level rise. There have been previous attempts by the community to control flooding resulting from rising tides and stormwater. The Army Corps of Engineers installed revetments and a gate to control tidal fluctuations, and the Maryland State Highway Administration raised Route 261 to prevent the road from flooding. However, the floodgate is no longer operational and mounting pressures from sea level rise combined with more intense storms have flooded the road with increasing frequency. This report’s proposed solutions address both tidal and stormwater flooding. Because the primary source of flooding is from the Chesapeake Bay, the floodgate must be replaced. The new floodgate will be automated to be in sync with tidal cycles and local weather conditions. The gate will automatically close at high tide and open at low tide to allow for the migration of wildlife between the tidal marshes and the Chesapeake Bay. There will also be an option to manually open and close the gate at the SeaGate community’s discretion. As well, three different technologies will address stormwater flooding—cisterns, permeable pavers, and bioretention cells. Cisterns will be fitted to the townhouse units to store runoff from rooftops. They will be sized to capture a five-year, 24-hour storm (4.18 inches), but can be adjusted to capture the runoff from various storms. The captured water will be automatically released during dry periods and at low tides, as controlled by a smart system, however there will also be a manual option to give community members more control. Permeable pavers will reduce the volume of runoff and allow more water to infiltrate into the soil. They will be placed in low-traffic areas, such as parking lots and sidewalks, to reduce the wear on the pavers and extend their lifetime. Bioretention cells will be implemented alongside roads and parking lots to help manage runoff volume and quality. There are a few existing bioretention cells in the SeaGate community, but they aren’t maintained and don’t appear to function well. The proposed design improves the existing systems and adds new bioretention cells. To increase the feasibility of the proposed solutions and minimize the burden on the community, the report recommends applying to grant programs intended to help fund climate resiliency and sustainability projects in Maryland. Some of these include the Chesapeake and Coastal Grants Gateway, the Maryland G3 Grant Program, and the Watershed Assistance Grant Program. These grants will help fund the proposed solutions and create a safer, more climate resilient Seagate community.Item Stormwater Mitigation Plan for the Town of North Beach, MD(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2024-05) Busse, Garett; Chu, Esmé; Diaz, Zachary; Hayes, Lucy; May, PeterThis effort addresses stormwater mitigation in the town of North Beach, Maryland. Located on the internal coast of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay, North Beach is experiencing one of the highest levels of eustatic sea level rise. One main intersection, 5th Street and Bay Avenue, sees nuisance flooding from storm events of an inch or more due to its low elevation compared to surrounding blocks. Even though this intersection borders a public beach, the flooding is almost always due to stormwater and not storm surge. North Beach is seeking recommendations for a stormwater mitigation plan to eliminate pooling at this intersection. This report hypothesizes the effectiveness of the recommendations that would increase the resilience of North Beach. The design uses ecological solutions to flood mitigation that benefits local habitats and species. It also seeks to educate about the implemented practices. The proposed recommendations have been found to reduce flooding by 47%, while remaining cost-efficient and fundable by local grants.Item Collington Square Play Space(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2023-12) Austin, Caleb; Bajana, Juan; Barresi, Isabella; Choi, Yune Elia; Darago, Bianca; Francisco, Liliana; Giray, Grazelle; Guerrero-Osorio, Gracie; Howell, Wyatt; Hruby, Calvin; Kinsey, Rachel; Le, Christina; Mallow, Joe; Mao, Zhenkai; Phan, David; Rachman, Tiara; Shi, Liangjie (Alan); Kweon, Byoung-SukCollington Square Play Space is located in the Broadway East Community in Baltimore, which belongs to Maryland Legislative House District 45. It is also located next to Collington Square (CS) Elementary School, CS Recreation and CS Park. It is currently designed as a play space. However, there is only a broken swing set and rundown play structure in the play space. For this assignment, students were asked to redesign the Collington Square Play Space. Students were asked to develop design solutions that: • Provided good trees that give shade and combat heat island effect • Incorporated more swings • Provided more lighting for night • Created a smart park with digital access for children • Provided a social gathering space for picnics • Provided an opportunity for children to ride their bikes • Addressed residents’ concerns about safety • Improved stormwater treatment • Added ADA Accessibility to the ParkItem Partner Network Requirements and Data Assessment(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2023-12) Baicu, Avram; Huq, Amanu; Tatham, Jennifer; Uddin, Farhana; Weng, Ady; Rainsford, TJThe Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ (MDNR) Chesapeake & Coastal Service (CCS) unit ensures that the state is equipped to deal with the needs and demands of Chesapeake economic and coastal resource use. CCS supports MDNR goals by partnering with various stakeholders, including federal and state government agencies; regional, national, and international institutions; formal and informal educational programs; nongovernmental organizations; and the private sector. The iConsultancy Team was tasked with assisting CCS in their partnerships with stakeholders. Namely, CCS requested visualizations of data collected about partner organizations to help enable CCS staff to better understand the composition of their partner network (e.g., geography, service). To accomplish this, the team cleaned and assessed a large data set of interactions between CCS and its stakeholder communities so it could be better visualized, conducted user research with key CCS staff to better understand and define their goals for stakeholder interactions, and provided recommendations for information gaps and additional data collection. The team worked with the MDNR’s PALS team—Marlo Atkinson, Kate Vogel, and Dylan Tallie—throughout the project.Item 15 Minute Neighborhoods in College Park, Maryland(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2024-05) Anderson, Alanna; Arazi, David; Attipoe, Senam; Elson, Jona; Goode, Maeghen; Jones, Asia; Malhotra, Aarushi; Provolo, Emmanuelle; Ravert, Megan; Sanabia, Rafael; Sanford, Mimi; Santana, Ariana; Thorpe, Carey; Walker, Emma; Woods, Kayla; Elzoghbi, RiemThe Department of Planning and Community Development in the City of College Park, Maryland is exploring the concept of a 15 Minute City to facilitate the creation of amenity-rich, easily accessible neighborhoods throughout the community. A 15 Minute City is an urban planning concept used to describe a city in which amenities and services - such as retail, education, social services, recreation, employment, and other needs - may be easily accessed within a 15-minute walk, bike ride, or commute by public transport from any point in the city. The urban fabrics of such cities incorporate a wide range of mixed-use developments, bike and pedestrian-friendly streets and paths, easily accessible public spaces, public transportation, and other interventions to create relatively denser, walkable, livable neighborhoods. The goal is to create neighborhoods in which residents, particularly residents for whom mobility may be restricted due to cost, disability, time, and other constraints, may satisfy their everyday needs within their existing neighborhoods. 15 Minute Cities are posited to increase equity by making accessible amenities and services within neighborhoods, reduce car-dependency, promote sustainability, healthy lifestyles, and aging in place, improve social relations, and generally improve the quality of life within communities. In partnership with the Department of Planning and Community Development, student planners in the Urban Studies and Planning Program at the University of Maryland’s School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation investigated and provided recommendations on ways in which existing neighborhoods in College Park may be transformed into 15 Minute Cities. The project was conducted during Spring Semester 2024 as part of the graduate-level URSP673 Community Development course, under the guidance of Dr. Riem ElZoghbi.Item Town of Kensington Inventory Management System Final Report(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2023-12) Chen, Jiahao; Garcia ,Sebastian; Gill, Jasmit; Nguyen, Jimmy; Schmidt, Alden; Rainsford, TJ; Bae, YunbinThe project’s goal was to develop an online inventory management system for the Town of Kensington that could collect and index information about public assets. The specific use case outlined in the scope of work was to categorize the different types of trees in the town’s parks. With this collection and management system, volunteers could survey parks to determine the location and types of trees to send this information to Montgomery county.