Smart Growth America Technical Assistance Grant

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In 2016, The City of Tulsa applied for a technical assistance grant through Smart Growth America. Smart Growth America (SGA) is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to researching, advocating for, and leading coalitions to bring smart growth practices to more communities nationwide. Smart growth is defined as a neighborhood with transportation and housing choices near jobs, retail, and education.

Through the technical assistance grant, Smart Growth America created a Fiscal Impact Analysis, and provided assistance through the Planning for Economic and Fiscal Health workshop. For this program, four focus areas within the city were selected for analysis. These focus areas include 71st Street / Memorial Drive, Pine Street / Peoria Ave., 23rd Street / Southwest Boulevard, and 21st Street / Yale Ave.. On July 18-19, 2017, representatives from Smart Growth America met with city staff, local leaders, and residents to conduct a two day workshop. The workshop consisted of presentations conducted by Smart Growth America & Tulsa Planning Office staff. The second day of the workshop included a brainstorming activity where attendees worked together to discuss opportunities to re-imagine the focus areas using smart growth principles. Following the workshop and discussions with stakeholders, Smart Growth America recommended the following:

  1. Continue to invest in downtown Tulsa even as a future vision for the focus areas discussed in the workshop is refined and implemented.
  2. Invest in the redevelopment of the Pine and Peoria corridor as a catalyst for future redevelopment of the other focus areas as well as other locations within Tulsa.
  3. Create a long-term plan for each of the other focus areas that define how the community would like to see them redeveloped over the coming decade.
  4. Ensure the redeveloped focus areas include Complete Streets principles.
  5. Create an implementation committee to move these recommendations forwards – or assign/charge Tulsa Economic Development Commission and/or Vision Steering Committee with this responsibility.

Following the workshop, Smart Growth America prepared for the city a Next Steps Memo. This memo details the recommendations made by Smart Growth America as well as actions for the city to take to implement the recommendations. The City of Tulsa submitted to Smart Growth America progress reports at the one month, six month, and twelve month markers. These reports detail what actions the city is taking to address the recommendations set forth by Smart Growth America.

The Next Steps Memo is available here.

The Fiscal Implications of Development Patterns report for Tulsa is available here.

 

Timeline of Events:

October 2016: The application for the Smart Growth America Technical Assistance was submitted. The application form and responses are here.

Letter from the Mayor

Letter from the Mayor Elect

November 2016: The city was awarded the free Smart Growth America Technical Assistance workshop. View the press release here.

SGA WORKSHOP

July 2017: The Smart Growth Technical Assistance Workshop was held at the Community Room at 810 S Cincinnati Ave, hosted by Cyntergy. Workshop Objectives

July 18, 2017: Representatives from Smart Growth America arrived in Tulsa and were taken on a tour to visit each of the focus areas. In the evening, the workshop began with a presentation.

July 19, 2017: The second day of the workshop began with a presentation on Tulsa’s Fiscal Impact Analysis results. This presentation was followed with a discussion on retrofitting aging retail area. The workshop was concluded with an activity and small group discussion.

The following materials from the meeting can be accessed below:

Tour Map

Attendance Sheets: Day 1 & Day 2

December 2017: Smart Growth America provided the city with the Next Steps Memo and the Fiscal Impact Analysis report.

January 2018: First Progress ReportMatrix

June 2018: Second Progress Report due to Smart Growth America

December 2018: Final Progress Report due to Smart Growth America