Downtown's advocates marshaling resources

Officials say downtown Great Falls is on the right path to becoming a vibrant area where people live, work and shop, but it still has more work to do.

About 100 downtown business owners and community members gathered Thursday night at the Art of Downtown Revitalization meeting, with the goal to continue down that path.

The meeting was a continuation of Imagine Downtown, which last met about a year ago.

Brent Campbell, transportation engineer with WGM Group of Missoula, said Great Falls' downtown is off to a good start. A master plan for the area could help with issues such as parking, traffic flow and creating a link between the River's Edge Trail and downtown, he said.

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20090320/BUSINESS/903200319/1046/SPECIALSECTION05

Why we need civil engineers

Missoula sorely in need of new zoning rules

Monday, March 16, 2009
By BRENT CAMPBELL

Missoulians are disillusioned with the zoning regulations. Neighborhoods are unhappy with sections on infill, multifamily housing, and parking, which they see as threatening to neighborhood character. Businesses are unsettled by the time and effort it takes to obtain zoning compliance permits or changes. Design professionals are concerned because the code does not easily accommodate contemporary and sustainable design. The city is frustrated with administering outdated codes.

The current codes are broken and need to be fixed. Patching up the old zoning code, as we have done for decades, is no longer an option. We need a fresh, comprehensive document. Thankfully, we are in the process of creating new and efficient zoning regulations for the city of Missoula.

http://missoulian.com/articles/2009/03/16/opinion/guest/guest51.txt

Johns Hopkins Civility Project makes peace person to person, then nation to nation

Piero Massimo Forni sees being considerate to one another as the foundation for everything from the environmental movement to women's rights.

By Richard O'Mara Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor
from the December 11, 2007 edition

Baltimore - Pier Massimo Forni is a peacemaker, not between nations, rather on the fundamental level of individual personal relations. He's not a therapist, psychiatrist, or such. He's a master of the ameliorative skills that are as old as human society and, to him, more productive of social harmony than most people realize.
We're talking about manners, courtesy, civility.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1211/p20s01-ussc.html

Missoula Zoning Debate Heats Up

Missoula Zoning Debate Heats UpThe Missoula Consolidated Planning Board is hearing comment on a much-awaited update of the city's zoning and subdivision regulations. One lesson: definitions matter.

http://www.newwest.net/city/article/zoning_debate_focuses_on_definitions/C8/L8/

Blueprint brigade fights back

Infill opponents are speaking out about the zoning rewrite — and the people who have had their noses in the old zoning book are fighting back. Those guys are architects, builders and designers, and plenty spoke Tuesday in favor of the zoning update. Here’s more comments from the Missoula Consolidated Planning Board meeting:

WGM Group President and CEO Brent Campbell: “We believe Missoula badly needs a new zoning code.” He said it’s 40 years old and patched together, and old rules mean old-style development. “Because it’s a ’70s document, it’s driving ’70s development. And this is the 21st century.” He sent this note* to “take action.”

http://missoularedtape.com/

Yellow Is the New Green

An interesting take on waste.

By ROSE GEORGE
Published: February 27, 2009

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/opinion/27george.html?em