Author: Huge shift in development needs to happen

Reid Ewing believes that a fundamental shift in real estate development is necessary to save the planet from climate change.

Ewing, co-author of “Growing Cooler: The Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change,” told a crowd of Central Virginia residents and elected officials on Saturday that future development must emphasize compact mixed-use neighborhoods to curtail harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

Communities in the Charlottesville region and elsewhere, he said, ought to have housing, schools, workplaces, shops and recreational opportunities all within walking or bicycling distance. Smart planning, he said, can cut the amount that residents drive by up to 40 percent.

“We can get there,” said Ewing, a research professor at the National Center for Smart Growth at the University of Maryland. “We have a greater ability to shape our environment than most people realize.”

Ewing’s advice was the cornerstone of the regional transportation planning summit held at Monticello High School.

The forum, called UnJAM 2035 — for the United Jefferson Area Mobility Plan — will provide the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission with ideas for a new document that will set the course for the region’s future transportation development.

Harrison Rue, executive director of the planning district commission, said the exercise was not intended to make decisions about specific projects, but rather to re-think the region’s transportation system from the “50,000-foot level.”

“Think about our kids and grandkids,” Rue said. “What are we leaving them?”

As the 50 or so attendees hashed out ideas in small group workshops, a few common themes began to emerge. The majority of the groups — made up of participants from Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa and Nelson — expressed support for mixed-use development in town centers, better public transportation throughout the region, and more pedestrian friendly amenities, such as trails, sidewalks and crosswalks over busy streets.

“We want a human friendly space,” said attendee Eric Pugh.

Charlottesville City Council Member Satyendra Huja said his top transportation priority is to improve public transit on a regional basis.

“Better transit system,” he said, when asked what he sees as the region’s greatest need. “More buses and more reliable.”

Several groups also supported the idea of road networks that offer motorists routes other than major highways.

How will the region pay for all these enhancements? That remains to be seen. On Monday, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine is expected to unveil a tax package to finance transportation projects around Virginia. The General Assembly will convene June 23 for a special session on transportation funding.

In addition to a smart-growth approach to real estate development, Ewing said that cleaner vehicles, as well higher fuel consumption standards would be needed to minimize the damage of climate change.

“We could have a very hostile planet if we don’t do something about it,” he said. “The good news is that we can.”