the tomorrow planPartnering for a Greener Greater Des Moines

About the project

Getting started

Where we are today

Discussion

1234

About the project1

Who?

residenTsThis is your project–your participation and input are critical to shape The Tomorrow Plan. feedback from everyone who is a part of greater des moines today needs to be heard as we plan for the future. we invite you to join us for future public meetings and to stay in touch in the meanwhile at www.thetomorrowplan.com.

The Tomorrow TeamPlanning for a region requires clear direction and broad expertise. The des moines area metropolitan Planning organization (mPo) is coordinating this effort. The Tomorrow Plan’s steering committee provides guidance and oversight to the team of mPo staff and consultants who are taking the lead on day-to-day planning tasks. Together, this group makes up The Tomorrow Team.

everyone who lives, works, & plays in greater des moines

who is

involved?

Everyone who lives, works & plays in Greater Des Moines.

Steering Committee

Technical Committee

Partners Committee

Des Moines Area MPO

Consultant Team

RESIDENTS

THE TOMORROW TEAM

The ParTnershiP for sUsTainable commUniTies

livabiliTy PrinciPlesThe Partnership for sustainable communities brings together three major federal agencies— Department of housing & urban Development (huD), Department of Transportation (DoT), and environmental Protection agency (ePa)—to work towards attaining the following six livability principles.

why now?sUPPorT for sUsTainable Planning

1. Provide more transportation choices

2. Promote equitable, affordable housing

3. Enhance economic competitiveness

4. Support existing communities

5. Coordinate and leverage federal policies

and investment

6. Value communities and neighborhoods

Greater Des moines was one of 45 regions around the country to receive funding from the inaugural Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program. This $2 million grant for regional planning efforts and long-term sustainability has been matched by about $1.1 million in local funds, indicating strong national and local support for sustainable planning.

The state of iowa has also demonstrated its increased commitment to planning by adopting the iowa smart Planning act in april 2010.

45 sustainable communities regional Planning Grants were awarded in 2010

What?

what is regional planning?

Regional planning is about collaboration and coordination. It is an approach to planning and governance that aligns economic, social, and environmental issues in order to guide investments and provide for the long-term health of the region.

what is sustainability?

A sustainable process or way of life can be carried out over and over without damaging effects or imposing unfairly high costs on anyone.

80

235

35

35

6

69

65

ankeny

bondurant

mitchellville

altoona

pleasant hill

carlisle

des moines

norwalk

cumming

windsor heightsclive

westdes moines

urbandale

johnston

grimes

waukee

polk city

where?

The Tomorrow Plan is a 20-month process that began in July 2011 and encompasses five phases of work.

1 2 3 4 5July 2011 - Sept 2011 project start

July 2011 - Dec 2011 where we are, where we’re going

Dec 2011 - July 2012 possible futures

June 2012 - Nov 2012 preferred future

Sept 2012 - Feb 2013 let’s make it happen

When?

Why?

why here?growTh and change in greaTer des moines

The past 20 years have seen a patchwork of growth in greater des moines. new development has been located according to the needs of each municipality rather than the region as a whole.

The Tomorrow Plan presents an opportunity to coordinate anticipated change in the region. By 2035 the population of Greater Des Moines is expected to grow to 650,000 people—an increase of 35%.

Key challenges for the future include:• economic competitiveness• social equity• environmental resilience• Tight fiscal environment

Rev. 9.7.2011

G E O A D A P T I V E, I N C

anKeny

bondUranT

miTchellvillealToona

PleasanT

hill

carlisle

des moines

norwalK

cUmming

windsor heighTsclive

wesT

des moines

Urbandale

johnsTon

waUKee

PolK ciTy

Polk

warren

maDIson

Dallas

0 1 2 4 6miles

grimes

sTUdy area

ciTy limiTs

major roads

railroad

Urbanized since 2006 [13,957 acres]

Urbanized 2001 - 2006 [21,327 acres]

Urbanized 1992 - 2001 [13,174 acres]

Urbanized Prior 1992 [114,453 acres]

sources: analysIs PerformeD By GeoaDaPTIve, Inc BaseD on usGs naTIonal lanD cover 2006 DaTa from lanDsaT saTellITes anD counTy Parcels DaTa

Regional Urbanization 1992 - 2011

80

235

35

35

6

69

65

why here?growTh and change in greaTer des moines

The past 20 years have seen a patchwork of growth in greater des moines. new development has been located according to the needs of each municipality rather than the region as a whole.

The Tomorrow Plan presents an opportunity to coordinate anticipated change in the region. By 2035 the population of Greater Des Moines is expected to grow to 650,000 people—an increase of 35%.

Key challenges for the future include:• economic competitiveness• social equity• environmental resilience• Tight fiscal environment

Rev. 9.7.2011

G E O A D A P T I V E, I N C

anKeny

bondUranT

miTchellvillealToona

PleasanT hill

carlisle

des moines

norwalK

cUmming

windsor heighTsclive

wesTdes moines

Urbandale

johnsTon

waUKee

PolK ciTy

Polk

warren

maDIson

Dallas

0 1 2 4 6miles

grimes

sTUdy area

ciTy limiTs

major roads

railroad

Urbanized since 2006 [13,957 acres]

Urbanized 2001 - 2006 [21,327 acres]

Urbanized 1992 - 2001 [13,174 acres]

Urbanized Prior 1992 [114,453 acres]

sources: analysIs PerformeD By GeoaDaPTIve, Inc BaseD on usGs naTIonal lanD cover 2006 DaTa from lanDsaT saTellITes anD counTy Parcels DaTa

Regional Urbanization 1992 - 2011

80

235

35

35

6

69

65

Regional Expansion, 1992 - 2011study area

city limits

major roads

railroad

urbanized since 2006 [13,957 acres]

urbanized 2001 - 2006 [21,327 acres]

urbanized 1992 - 2001 [13,174 acres]

urbanized prior 1992 [114,453 acres]

Land Use Change

1938 - before

hickman road

franklin avenue

merle h

ay road

Des Moines

Merle Haye Boulevard

2009 - after

SMAll lot SubDiviSion

hickman road

franklin avenue

merle h

ay road

Traditional Lots – In older neighborhoods of Des Moines, developers built 5-7 homes per acre, creating space for 2,000 or more families per square mile.

1938 - before

ashworth road

West Des Moines

2009 - after

lArGer lot SubDiviSion

i-35

ashworth road

In recent decades larger lots became the norm, allowing just 2.5-3 families per acre. To house the same number of families as on traditional lots, perhaps twice as much land is needed.

1938 - before

booneville road

county h

ighway r

22

booneville

2009 - after

exurbAn DevelopMent

booneville road

county h

ighway r

22

To preserve their rural character, some communities require homes to be built on 1-acre lots or larger. Exurban development is considered very troublesome by wildlife biologists, because housing 2,000 families consumes up to seven times the land of a traditional neighborhood.

1938 - beforen

e 46th street

ne 94th avenue

ne 56th street

bondurant

2009 - after

rurAl lAnD uSe intenSificAtion

The pastures and hay meadows visible in the 1938 air photo are goneby 2009, in a process of land use intensification that affected the entire Midwest. Streams, wildlife and wetlands have dramatically changed.

ne 46th street

ne 94th avenue

ne 56th street

Getting started

2

Project Launch

9.13.2011

9.13.2011

built environment

LAND USE

Land use

INFRASTRUCTURE

Infrastructure

TRANSPORTATION

Transportation

AIR QUALITY

Air quality

WATER QUALITY

Water quality

PUBLIC HEALTH

Public health

natural environment

HYDROLOGY

Hydrology

LANDSCAPE & ECOLOGY

Landscape + ecology

CLIMATE &CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate + climate change

economic revitalization

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Economic development

GOVERNMENT SPENDING

Government spending

EDUCATION

High-quality education

social equity

PLACEMAKING

Placemaking

COMMUNITY

Community

GOVERNANCE

Governance

HOUSING

Housing

resource flows

ENERGY USE

Energy use

MATERIALS & WASTE

Waste

FOOD

Food* Added in response to sugges-tions made at Project Launch

*

Elements of Sustainability

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION

BUILT ENVIRONMENT

SOCIAL EQUITY

RESOURCE FLOWS

“Systems thinking” is a way of looking at the interconnectedness of the world. In the context of regional planning, systems thinking means looking for ways for government, businesses, and individuals to see the larger systems in which we all operate.

Systems Thinking

try it! www.thetomorrowplan.com/get-involved/

locate your home

Where do you go to school?

Where did you last buy a pair of shoes?

Where would you be on a sunday?

Where is your favorite “special occasion”

restaurant?

Where does your best friend live?

Where would you go for a picnic?

LIvInG REGIOnALLy

GOAL: Demonstrate range of existing regional networks

“the ability to love a region is what makes life a joy. it’s what makes people want to live here. nature is central to this love of place.”

land use: “critical to future growth, development, and smart planning.”

“community resilience in the face of rising energy costs and a changing climate is my main concern for the spaces and places i call home.”

community: “this underlies everything... it’s what we’re for.”

governance: “more integrated planning for the greatest good of all and more efficient use of resources.”

economic development: “our future viability and quality of life hinge on our ability to compete for the most talented professionals and best jobs.”

housing: “affordability, homelessness, cheap housing for the elderly.”

A common refrain was that driving

is very easy and very convenient

throughout the region. Many

discussed how they valued their

short commutes because of the time

it provided for quality family life.

One gentleman described how he

was concerned about how regional

growth might transform his 8-minute

commute into a 12-minute commute.

A native of Alabama who had just

completed her masters degree, she

described how she selected Des

Moines as the place where she wanted

to put down roots after a nation-

wide consideration of cities. The

opportunities for a good quality of

life convinced her to move to Iowa

(the second step was convincing her

friends to come join her).

“allow for individuality within a regional plan. many iowans don’t like zoning limits or other constraints on their choices.”

“tomorrow i want to see…clean, vital culturally-astounding city/region with beautiful markers as a sense of place where we have licked poverty, job displacement, hunger & poor public health.”

try it! www.thetomorrowplan.com/get-involved/

PROJECT LAUnCh QUESTIOnnAIRE

GOALS: Generate quantitative understanding of key issues and attitudes towards sustainability.

EMERGInG ThEMES

livable communities

resilient economy

quality of life

access to natural

environment

at the core, i also believe that iowans are folks with a lot of common sense, and common sense rules when it comes to sustainability.

“”

—Questionnaire Response

Where we are today

3

Issues

•Driving Today•Biking and Transit Today•A healthy Economy•Our Economy Today•housing Costs•Connecting Assets and Resources•Changing Watershed Dynamics•Watersheds Today•Changing Landscape and Ecology

Discussion

4

1what is most distinctive and enjoyable about your area within the greater des moines region? what is most troublesome about your area?

what about the region as a whole?

2The year is 2040. You have not aged. Greater Des Moines is a national leader in sustainable communities.

How are you living, working and playing differently than you are today?

What has changed for the better?

Has anything changed for the worse?

3what do we need to do now to make a more sustainable greater des moines?

what sustainability efforts are currently underway?