More
than 70 NepRWA friends came together for a thought-provoking and timely presentation on Smart
Growth, Cities, Climate Change & the Neponset River
Watershed by Douglas Foy, former Secretary of the
Massachusetts Office for Commonwealth Development (OCD) and former
President of the Conservation Law Foundation.
NepRWA's
2006 Annual Meeting provided the perfect opportunity to learn
from a well-known and highly respected expert about
environmentally sustainable development and long-range
transportation planning. We also held a short business meeting
and enjoyed an array of delicious dessert and hors d'oevres.
Background
Information. "Smart
Growth" has multiple meanings, depending on who's doing
the talking. Generally, Smart Growth refers to land use that
produces a pedestrian-friendly environment and conserves
larger-than-usual green spaces, producing a higher quality of
life. Smart Growth development uses already-existent
infrastructure (i.e. roadways, public transit, sewer lines),
spaces its buildings closer together and makes its roads
narrower than the norm in order to leave larger natural areas
intact and accessible to local residents and to induce
groundwater recharge. What's not to love about this type of
long-term, environmentally sustainable community planning?
While
with the OCD, Mr. Foy made it easier for communities to implement Smart Growth
development. Within the OCD, he implemented sustainable
development in the Commonwealth by reinvesting in cities and
targeting growth in town centers by train stations, to avoid
producing urban sprawl. Mr. Foy created a new system for
distributing state funds to communities engaged in Smart
Growth (including the Neponset Watershed town of Quincy).
Mr. Foy also developed a long-term transportation plan, and
helped to establish new standards for energy efficiency and climate policy, among other accomplishments.
Mr.
Foy’s varied experience and long-standing roles in the environmental and development
fields in combination with NepRWA friends’ diverse interests
were bound to produce a compelling conversation!
Thank
You for Joining Us.
We
gratefully acknowledge support from the following businesses:
Radio
Coffeehouse, Milton
Ward's
Berry Farm,
Sharon
KaBloom,
Norwood
Shaws
Supermarket,
Canton
