Local Planning Initiatives Connecting Communities Planning Grant

Curtis BakerAMATS Planning Administrator

Overview

• What is AMATS• Connecting Communities Initiative• Connecting Communities Planning Grants• Examples of Past Grants• Successes and Failures of the Planning Grant

Program

What is AMATS?

• Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)• Develop regional transportation plan• Oversee the expenditure of federal

transportation funds• Coordinate transportation improvements with

federal, state, and local officials• Serve as a forum for elected officials to discuss

regional planning initiatives

Connecting Communities Initiative

• Initiative to integrate land use and transportation planning

• Aid AMATS in targeting investment

• Promote transit, bicycle and pedestrian uses in the region

• Recommendations & strategies for implementation

Why is it important?

• Disconnect between transportation and land use planning

• Area lacks direction for bike and sidewalk investments that complement highways

• Low-density development is straining infrastructure and community services

• Improve collaboration between agencies

Why is it important?

• Disconnect between transportation and land use planning

• Area lacks direction for bike and sidewalk investments that complement highways

• Low-density development is straining infrastructure and community services

• Improve collaboration between agencies

• A number of our local communities don’t have planning capacity

• Help deter haphazard development in high growth areas & re-envision areas in decline

• Small investment to help leverage other funds • Opportunity for collaboration • Transportation improvements as a means to

strengthen neighborhoods, promote economic development & increase accessibility

Planning Grant - PurposeConnecting Communities

Planning Grant – What is it? Connecting Communities

• Partnership between AMATS & local communities

• Provides funding for developing plans that integrate land use and transportation – Increase transportation choices– Enhance economic competitiveness– Support existing communities

• Two $50,000 grants

Planning Grant ProcessConnecting Communities

• Partnership with AMATS• AMATS hires a consultant selected by the

community and AMATS • $100,000 available for two $50,000 grants • 100% funding (no local match required) • Goals– Increase transportation choices– Enhance economic competitiveness– Support existing communities

Planning Grant ProcessConnecting Communities

• Eligibility– Promote multi-modal transportation options – Must be consistent with Connecting Communities – Does not include preliminary engineering, ROW, construction

or environmental documentation • Scoring– Description of area & issues – Purpose of study & expected outcomes– How it addresses Connecting Communities – Public involvement component– Implementation strategy

Downtown Akron Connectivity StudyCit of Akron/METRO RTA

• Improve connectivity, accessibility and mobility between the districts in Downtown Akron

• Emphasis on non-auto modes of transportation

Streetscape WalkabilityDowntown Akron Connectivity Study

Crossroad District PlanVillage of Richfield

• 550 acres, bound by I-271 & I-77 • Pro-actively plan for future development

along prime land with good interstate development

• Encourage existing and new development focuses on multi-modal transportation, community character & economic development

Successes and Failures

• Grants have led to additional investment in communities– $250,000 from AMATS Infrastructure Program for

Bike/Ped Projects in study areas• Plans become tools for future investment

opportunities– Communities use their plans to shop ideas to private

and public agencies for funding• Program builds great relationships with

communities

Successes and Failures

• 100% funding can mean no “buy in”– Unlike programs with matches, communities can apply

for our grant program with no “skin in the game”• Slow process• Quick wins are difficult– Momentum can be lost if things don’t happen quickly– Hard to find funds for those small things

• Process can be difficult for consultants– More cooks in the kitchen

Learning by Doing

• AMATS strongly believes the best approach is to learn by doing– We learn from our mistakes and our successes– We constantly track what works and what doesn’t

and change the program accordingly– We think it is important to share our experiences

so other agencies can also learn from them and apply them.