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<br />There were too many variables for me to find their results conclusive. I may also have been <br />influenced by their finding that older customers "prefer" signs with larger letters and brighter <br />lights. <br /> <br />BEYOND SPRAWL: Presenters encouraged listeners to reconsider some of the basic thinking <br />regarding residential land development. They stated that people make decisions about where they <br />live based on perceptions concerning quality oflife. Since land development and economic <br />development are linked planners should be aware that: <br /> <br />* * * in residential development, capital expenses are 10% of total costs, <br />operating costs are 90% of the cost of sprawl. <br />*** open space is neutral-it doesn't cost and it doesn't pay <br />*** non-residential developments puts into 2 $ pots(government and school) <br />but only draws out of one. <br /> <br />Growth in a community drives spending to infra-structure in certain areas, i.e. roads and road <br />maintenance, instead of fire protection, etc. In other words, "sprawl" may not necessarily mean <br />better quality of life. <br /> <br />SWEET ISTEA: Three varied communities (Portland, ORE; Chicago, ILL; and Mercer Island, <br />W A) explained how they used I. S. T.E.A. funding for local projects. Portland improved some of <br />their pedestrian areas (those defined as high need/high use - i.e redevelopment areas.) Chicago <br />improved their mass transit by revising one major elevated route, building a four story "L"station <br />complete with day care, rebuilding a road( complete with walking trails), and re-designing a <br />boulevard complete with new signage, information booths, etc. My favorite was the little guy, <br />Mercer Island, who redid their 3 major arterials to make them "pedestrian friendly", and "to <br />introduce art into transportation". This included adding pocket parking, bike lanes, crossing <br />islands, landscaping, 14' sidewalks, benches, special lighting, sculpture, and fancy signs denoting <br />things of historical significance. <br /> <br />MOBILE WORKSHOP: SUBURBAN MOBILE HOME PARKS: An extremely competent <br />staff person from Escondito described the ongoing redevelopment project of their 19 trailer parks. <br />The situation is complicated by local rent control ordinances and helped by the high % of seniors <br />in the parks. Essentially the city is providing their "low income" housing with manufactured <br />housing. Some of the parks are becoming a collection of privately owned lots, others are <br />becoming coops.. <br /> <br />PROTECTING WILDLIFE HABITAT AS CITIES GROW: An attorney and a biologist <br />made a presentation based on their manual on protecting wildlife habitat. We should get this <br />manual. Listed are a few of their many thoughts on the topic: <br /> <br />* * * consider both landscape and site scale <br />*** consider control of pests <br />* * * prioritize species for preservation <br />* * * be aware of contiguous wildlife corridors <br />