Chapter 5: Building a Restorative Economy The Ecology of Place Beatley & Manning Presented by Danielle Zeigler

Chapter 5:Chapter 5:Building a Restorative Building a Restorative

EconomyEconomy

The Ecology of PlaceThe Ecology of Place

Beatley & ManningBeatley & Manning

Presented by Danielle ZeiglerPresented by Danielle Zeigler

IntroductionIntroduction

Symbiotic relationship between Symbiotic relationship between economy and environmenteconomy and environment

Citizen lives improved through Citizen lives improved through protective environmental policies, protective environmental policies, diversification of local economies, diversification of local economies, and greater independence from and greater independence from corporations with distant corporations with distant headquartersheadquarters


Communities halting economic Communities halting economic development in response to sprawl, development in response to sprawl, traffic congestion, and overcrowded traffic congestion, and overcrowded schoolsschools

While promoting quality of life, this While promoting quality of life, this response squelches tax base to response squelches tax base to support that quality of lifesupport that quality of life


““To avoid these problems, communities To avoid these problems, communities must undertake more strategic, forward-must undertake more strategic, forward-looking approaches to economic activity by looking approaches to economic activity by assuming control over their own assuming control over their own development patterns and proactively development patterns and proactively seeking out the appropriate mix of seeking out the appropriate mix of activities.”activities.”

““Just as a healthy environment is critical to a Just as a healthy environment is critical to a sound economy, a sound economic base is sound economy, a sound economic base is necessary for a healthy community.”necessary for a healthy community.”


Approaches to encouraging economic Approaches to encouraging economic development that is environmentally development that is environmentally restorative and supportive of local restorative and supportive of local communitiescommunities Nurturing Environmentally Responsible Nurturing Environmentally Responsible

IndustryIndustry Fostering Local Self-SufficiencyFostering Local Self-Sufficiency Bringing Business Back DowntownBringing Business Back Downtown

Nurturing Environmentally Nurturing Environmentally Responsible IndustryResponsible Industry

““Active support and recruitment of Active support and recruitment of nonpolluting, environmentally nonpolluting, environmentally friendly industries, especially those friendly industries, especially those that manufacture nontoxic or that manufacture nontoxic or recyclable products or that have recyclable products or that have comprehensive environmental comprehensive environmental programs or controls in place”programs or controls in place”


Welcoming the Appropriate Mix of Welcoming the Appropriate Mix of ActivityActivity Determine appropriate mix for your regionDetermine appropriate mix for your region Proactive business recruitmentProactive business recruitment Address regional environmental and Address regional environmental and

quality-of-life issuesquality-of-life issues EducationEducation Tax and fiscal analysisTax and fiscal analysis Regulatory reformRegulatory reform Local efforts to improve community healthLocal efforts to improve community health


Environmentally Protective and Environmentally Protective and Restorative DevelopmentRestorative Development Sustainable community seeks to develop and Sustainable community seeks to develop and

promote economic base that has minimal promote economic base that has minimal impact on environment and is ideally impact on environment and is ideally restorative of it.restorative of it.

Sustainable economic development activities Sustainable economic development activities characterized by:characterized by:

Low or no pollution emissionsLow or no pollution emissions Low energy consumptionLow energy consumption Products that contain few toxics, are designed for Products that contain few toxics, are designed for

natural decomposition, and use sustainable materialsnatural decomposition, and use sustainable materials Closed-loop production process for durable goodsClosed-loop production process for durable goods


Eco-Industrial ParksEco-Industrial Parks ““Waste Equals Food”Waste Equals Food”

Waste becomes useful input to some other economic Waste becomes useful input to some other economic activityactivity

Obstacles:Obstacles: Challenge of assembling right mix of companies and Challenge of assembling right mix of companies and

industrial activitiesindustrial activities Businesses operate as if resources and ability of Businesses operate as if resources and ability of

environment to accommodate waste are unlimitedenvironment to accommodate waste are unlimited View that protecting environment increases costsView that protecting environment increases costs Fear of disclosing trade secrets and losing autonomyFear of disclosing trade secrets and losing autonomy Fear that company will be legally liable for waste it Fear that company will be legally liable for waste it

provides to other companiesprovides to other companies


Companies taking measures to Companies taking measures to enhance sustainability of employee enhance sustainability of employee actionsactions Reduction of commuter trafficReduction of commuter traffic

Lack of willingness to carpoolLack of willingness to carpool Interest in working longer hours to have extra Interest in working longer hours to have extra

day at homeday at home Removal of gas-guzzling vehiclesRemoval of gas-guzzling vehicles RecyclingRecycling


Conservation-based DevelopmentConservation-based Development Recognizes economic well-being tied to health of Recognizes economic well-being tied to health of

ecosystemecosystem In regions rich in natural resources but declining in In regions rich in natural resources but declining in

jobs, goal is to add value to resources harvest as jobs, goal is to add value to resources harvest as opposed to shipping raw materials out of the regionopposed to shipping raw materials out of the region

Ecotrust’s Approach:Ecotrust’s Approach: ““supporting small businesses that create new supporting small businesses that create new

markets for socially and environmentally markets for socially and environmentally responsible goods and services builds the consumer responsible goods and services builds the consumer base for these products, which in turn creates base for these products, which in turn creates demand for more goods produced in a sustainable demand for more goods produced in a sustainable manner”manner”

Fostering Local Self-Fostering Local Self-SufficiencySufficiency

Importance of sound and diverse Importance of sound and diverse local economic base in maintaining local economic base in maintaining long-term sustainabilitylong-term sustainability

Ongoing investment in local labor, Ongoing investment in local labor, products, and services, including products, and services, including consumption of locally grown consumption of locally grown produce and other agricultural produce and other agricultural productsproducts


Investing in Local Labor, Products, Investing in Local Labor, Products, and Servicesand Services Diversification of local economies away Diversification of local economies away

from dependence on one industryfrom dependence on one industry Requires ongoing investment in Requires ongoing investment in

education, skills, and talents of local education, skills, and talents of local labor force, as well as supportive labor force, as well as supportive community network, affordable housing, community network, affordable housing, and healthy environmentand healthy environment


““The most potentially strengthening The most potentially strengthening approaches to local economic development approaches to local economic development should come from local labor and businesses, should come from local labor and businesses, rather than companies whose profits go rather than companies whose profits go elsewhere.”elsewhere.”

Survival of local merchants preserves Survival of local merchants preserves community charactercommunity character

Access to credit is determining factor in Access to credit is determining factor in ensuring the initiation and long-term survival ensuring the initiation and long-term survival of small businessof small business


Supporting Local and Sustainable Supporting Local and Sustainable AgricultureAgriculture “’“’Rural development’ becomes a bump-Rural development’ becomes a bump-

and-grind hustle to lure refugee businesses and-grind hustle to lure refugee businesses looking for a high-productivity, low-wage looking for a high-productivity, low-wage workforce, communities that will concede workforce, communities that will concede taxes in return for jobs, and state taxes in return for jobs, and state governance that will wink at regulatory governance that will wink at regulatory infractions.”infractions.”


Organic Produce MarketOrganic Produce Market Ironically, successes provide incentive for Ironically, successes provide incentive for

big businesses to move in, stimulating big businesses to move in, stimulating interstate and international activityinterstate and international activity

Threat that corporate interests will drive Threat that corporate interests will drive out family organic farmers, just like out family organic farmers, just like conventional family farmsconventional family farms

Outdoor Recreation ActivitiesOutdoor Recreation Activities Entertainment farming or agri-tourismEntertainment farming or agri-tourism


Recognizing Environmental Amenities Recognizing Environmental Amenities and Cultural Heritage as Economic and Cultural Heritage as Economic AssetsAssets ““For purposes beyond recreation and tourism, For purposes beyond recreation and tourism,

communities pursuing sustainable economic communities pursuing sustainable economic development would do well to protect and provide development would do well to protect and provide the parks, trails, waterways, waterfronts, historic the parks, trails, waterways, waterfronts, historic districts, and other assets that constitute incentives districts, and other assets that constitute incentives for individuals and businesses with an appreciation for individuals and businesses with an appreciation for that community’s heritage to locate there.”for that community’s heritage to locate there.”


Heritage TourismHeritage Tourism Besides providing revenue dollars, heritage Besides providing revenue dollars, heritage

tourism provides incentive for appreciating and tourism provides incentive for appreciating and protecting local heritageprotecting local heritage

Establishment of heritage trailsEstablishment of heritage trails With regard to sustainability, community must With regard to sustainability, community must

decide on desired level of tourist activitydecide on desired level of tourist activity Gift shops, fast-food restaurants, amusementsGift shops, fast-food restaurants, amusements

Measures taken to protect environment and Measures taken to protect environment and provide affordable housing and other necessities provide affordable housing and other necessities for localsfor locals

Bringing Business Back Bringing Business Back DowntownDowntown

Development of state and interstate Development of state and interstate highways has lured commercial activity highways has lured commercial activity to fringes of town; also edge citiesto fringes of town; also edge cities

Suburb-to-suburb commuting rather Suburb-to-suburb commuting rather than suburb-to-citythan suburb-to-city

Downtown economic activity more likely Downtown economic activity more likely to encourage sense of place and long-to encourage sense of place and long-term investment in communityterm investment in community


““Big Boxes” and the MallBig Boxes” and the Mall Not the same as downtownNot the same as downtown

Generally managed by one developer that controls all Generally managed by one developer that controls all activityactivity

Little opportunity for local ownership and none of Little opportunity for local ownership and none of “organic” nature of downtown business activity“organic” nature of downtown business activity

Not subject to local market forcesNot subject to local market forces Profits not returned to local communityProfits not returned to local community Common gathering space a creation of developer, Common gathering space a creation of developer,

not communitynot community Mall atmosphere not conducive to spontaneous public Mall atmosphere not conducive to spontaneous public

gatheringgathering Environmental impacts = impermeable parking lotsEnvironmental impacts = impermeable parking lots Disconnected and inaccessible: car requiredDisconnected and inaccessible: car required

Biggest appeal is low prices, but citizens needing lower Biggest appeal is low prices, but citizens needing lower prices can’t get there for lack of transportationprices can’t get there for lack of transportation


The Mall Moves DowntownThe Mall Moves Downtown Shift in consumer demandShift in consumer demand Stores enticed by possibility of not paying mall Stores enticed by possibility of not paying mall

overheadoverhead Chain stores locate on main streets of affluent Chain stores locate on main streets of affluent

suburban townssuburban towns Mill Avenue in Tempe, ArizonaMill Avenue in Tempe, Arizona

The Pedestrian MallThe Pedestrian Mall Close streets to lure people away from Close streets to lure people away from

suburban mallssuburban malls


Breathing New Life into DowntownBreathing New Life into Downtown Along with business recruitment, attention to Along with business recruitment, attention to

street and storefront design, tenant mix, and street and storefront design, tenant mix, and access to transit and parking are necessaryaccess to transit and parking are necessary

Some cities with declining downtowns make Some cities with declining downtowns make decision not to compete with mall and other decision not to compete with mall and other retail activitiesretail activities

Instead, focus energies in another direction, such as Instead, focus energies in another direction, such as becoming regional entertainment centerbecoming regional entertainment center

Public-Private PartnershipsPublic-Private Partnerships Seek or encourage private investment into public Seek or encourage private investment into public

improvementsimprovements


The 24-hour CityThe 24-hour City Maximize economic potential by being Maximize economic potential by being

constant “center of attention”constant “center of attention” Reduce crimeReduce crime Tool of implementation:Tool of implementation:

Substantial mixture of housing options in Substantial mixture of housing options in downtown areadowntown area

Obstacle to 24-hour city:Obstacle to 24-hour city: Outmoded zoning regulations not allowing Outmoded zoning regulations not allowing

mixed usesmixed uses


The Telecommuting DilemmaThe Telecommuting Dilemma Helps reduce suburb-to-suburb trafficHelps reduce suburb-to-suburb traffic Doesn’t have to encourage low-density Doesn’t have to encourage low-density

development or detract from existing development or detract from existing urban centers, but does give reason for urban centers, but does give reason for many to avoid downtown all togethermany to avoid downtown all together

Reduction in population mass required to Reduction in population mass required to keep downtown alivekeep downtown alive

ConclusionsConclusions

““Economic principles can be implemented Economic principles can be implemented to protect the environment.”to protect the environment.”

““A healthy environment can stimulate a A healthy environment can stimulate a stronger economy.”stronger economy.”

““Gradual recognition of the importance Gradual recognition of the importance and potential of a return to downtown as and potential of a return to downtown as the center of commercial activity and of an the center of commercial activity and of an active community life, not to mention the active community life, not to mention the primary antidote to urban sprawl” primary antidote to urban sprawl”

Documents

Chapter 5: Building a Restorative Economy The Ecology of Place Beatley & Manning Presented by Danielle Zeigler