What could be cooler than reducing greenhouse gases while improving the livability of your community? 
Not much, which is why communities around Oregon will be hailing the publication of “Cool Planning: A Handbook on Local Strategies to Slow Climate Change,” a vision of Oregon’s Transportation and Growth Management Program (TGM) brought to life by Otak, Inc. The Handbook describes a series of low-tech, low-cost concepts that can help communities reduce their carbon footprints.

Although just completed this fall, the Handbook was not born overnight. In January 2009, TGM contracted with Otak to create a user-friendly, well-illustrated guide that would offer local planners, public officials and citizen groups land-use and transportation planning strategies to reduce driving by individuals; curb greenhouse gas emissions; and sustain a more livable community.    

According to Constance Beaumont, TGM Outreach Coordinator, many of the strategies in the Handbook reflect how successful, cohesive communities were built in earlier times. She notes that sometimes “looking back is looking forward.” A feature of vibrant downtowns and mainstreet is that services and cultural amenities are easily accessible. Blocks are smaller, creating greater connectivity and easier access, whether people are walking, biking driving. Ideally, employment options, necessary services and even schools are within walking or close driving distance. 

These concepts are now being revisited in the modern idea of the “20-minute neighborhood,” a community design aimed at reducing the daily time and expense of multiple driving trips. According to Beaumont, 80% of driving trips are non-work related and 41% of all person trips are three miles or less. By offering residents multiple transportation options, communities can reduce the time and distance people spend driving and burning gas.     

Dave Siegel and Jennifer Mannhard led the project for Otak while Mitch Rhose served as lead author. They began the development of the Handbook with a comprehensive literature search to discover state-of-the-art approaches to sustainable community planning. The next step was to interview a national panel of planning experts, including noted urban planning visionaries Reid Ewing and Keith Bartholomew, for their views on effective strategies that have been employed around the country. These discussions explored specific ideas that have worked in a variety of communities, and how success has been measured over time. 

Input from Oregon’s local communities was also essential. The project team met with an advisory committee, contacted local officials to get their input and collected case studies, examples and photographs of successful projects.    

Now, any Oregon community can look to the Cool Planning Handbook for successful models they can follow toward a more sustainable future.    

Click here to download the Cool Planning Handbook.