Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities	Ik

2016-2017 Request for Letters of Interest \ I Smart Growth

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PRO^	www.epa.goy/smartgrowth

Overview

Communities across the United States are exploring smart growth and other environmentally
sustainable approaches to revitalize their economies, create jobs, protect clean air and water, prepare
for climate change-related impacts, and improve quality of life. However, when trying to implement
these approaches, many communities run into barriers such as outdated zoning codes and other
policies, lack of consensus around where and how to grow, and misconceptions about the cost and
complexity of environmentally sustainable approaches. Moreover, many communities lack the
technical expertise to implement smart growth strategies and the resources to educate local
stakeholders about the environmental, economic, health, and quality of life benefits these approaches
can bring.

The Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program provides quick, targeted technical
assistance to selected communities using a variety of tools that have demonstrated results and
widespread application. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) delivers the assistance
using teams of experts who conduct workshops in the selected communities. The program is geared
toward communities that are relatively new to environmentally sustainable approaches but have a basic
understanding of smart growth principles and how they apply locally. Communities most appropriate
for Building Blocks assistance can articulate their challenges and are trying to kick-start efforts to
address a specific local issue.

Key Information

•	Eligibility: The applicant can be a local, county, or tribal government, or a nonprofit
organization that has the support of the local government on whose behalf they are applying.

•	Deadline: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on October 12, 2016.

•	How to apply: Submit a two-page letter of interest signed by a mayor, city manager, elected
official, or other representative of the community (see "How to Apply").

•	Tools offered:

o Tool 1: Creating Equitable Development
o Tool 2: Planning for Infill Development
o Tool 3: Sustainable Strategies for Small Cities and Rural Areas
o Tool 4: Flood Resilience for Riverine and Coastal Communities
o Tool 5: Green and Complete Streets

•	Timeframe: EPA expects to select 25 recipients by November 2016 and provide all technical
assistance by July 2017.

How the Program Works

1. Communities submit a letter of interest, in which they select one of the five tools being offered
(see "How to Apply") and specifically outline how the tool is relevant to their challenge.
Communities can submit multiple letters of interest, but each letter should be specific to one
tool.

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2.	EPA reviews the letters of interest and selects 25 communities for assistance. Reviewers will
include staff from EPA's Office of Sustainable Communities and EPA's 10 regional offices.
EPA may also consult other agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). We expect to select
recipients by November 2016 and will notify those who were not selected. EPA is working to
make these tools publicly available so communities can use them with limited outside
assistance.

3.	EPA contacts the selected communities to schedule a workshop, discuss mutual expectations as
well as roles and responsibilities, and review details about the program. During at least two
conference calls before the workshop, direct consultation occurs between EPA staff and
technical experts and local decision-makers whose work relates to the specific challenge for
which the community is seeking assistance. The relevant decision-makers will vary by
community and depend on the tool being delivered but might include planning, transportation,
environmental, and economic development department heads; commissioners; senior municipal
staff; and elected officials. For example, the Planning for Infill Development tool might require
meetings with the city manager or mayor, head of the department of economic development,
local or regional business owners, local developers, and elected officials.

4.	EPA's contractors, along with EPA headquarters and/or regional office staff, conduct a one- to
two-day workshop in the community to deliver the technical assistance, which includes a
community meeting. Workshops will occur between January and July 2017. A "Next Steps"
memo identifying options for specific next steps the community could follow to implement the
ideas generated during the technical assistance workshop is delivered to the community.

How to Apply

Submit a letter of interest—no longer than two (2) pages—that contains the following information.
Applicants may select only one type of assistance per letter of interest. Communities can submit
multiple letters of interest, but the nature of the challenge should correspond with each tool requested.
(Please do not submit letters of support, maps, or other supplemental information.) No previously
submitted letters of interest will be considered. Only letters submitted in response to this request
for letters of interest will be considered for assistance.

1.	Identify the ONE tool for which you are seeking assistance. Select one (1) of the five (5)
tools described on pages 5-9.

2.	Describe the nature of the smart growth or sustainable communities-related challenge(s)
facing your community, including any relevant data to demonstrate the challenge. If
applicable, describe how this challenge affects low-income, minority, tribal, and/or other
communities facing disproportionate environmental or health risks.

3.	Explain the relevance of the selected tool to the challenge(s), being as specific as possible.

Applicants must describe how the community's issues can be addressed through the technical
assistance workshop, focusing on why the requested tool will help with a specific challenge.
Specifically:

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For Tool 1: Creating Equitable Development, indicate the areas of focus (see page 5)
the workshop would focus on and how they are connected to the community's
challenge.

•	For Tool 2: Planning for Infill Development, indicate what, if any, economic
development is occurring in your community. Also indicate what steps your community
has already taken to encourage infill development, including policies, code changes,
partnerships, or other strategies.

•	For Tool 3: Sustainable Strategies for Small Cities and Rural Areas, indicate which
three to four specific areas of focus (see page 7) the workshop would focus on and how
they are connected to the community's challenge.

•	For Tool 4: Flood Resilience for Riverine and Coastal Communities, indicate
whether your community is on a river or coast and whether the community has done
any flood mapping.

•	For Tool 5: Green and Complete Streets, indicate whether your community has
adopted a complete streets policy and how familiar your community is with green
infrastructure for stormwater management.

4.	Describe your plan for engaging traditionally underrepresented communities, including
low-income, minority, tribal, and/or overburdened1 communities, in the technical assistance
workshop.

5.	Identify your preferred timing for the workshop. The proposed timeframe for these
workshops is between January and July 2017. Please provide a preliminary idea of the best
dates for your community.

6.	Describe the community's expected capacity for implementation, e.g., local policy change,
additional consideration for physical improvements, new incentives, etc. EPA generally looks
to assist communities that are ready for implementation once the Building Blocks workshop
and next steps memo are complete.

7.	If applicable, describe how this assistance would complement work being done in the
community using other federal funding (e.g., EPA brownfields grants, HUD Community
Development Block Grants, DOT TIGER grants) and/or how this workshop would align with a
local or regional planning process.

8.	Affirm that the community can provide the information or materials listed in the "What
the Community Provides" section of each tool description.

9.	List the primary point of contact and other key stakeholders who would be involved in
the technical assistance work. Include the title, address, email, and phone number of the
primary contact.

1 An overburdened community is defined as a community with "minority, low-income, tribal, and indigenous populations
and communities in the United States that experience disproportionate environmental harms and risks as a result of greater
vulnerability to environmental hazards. This increased vulnerability may be attributable to an accumulation of negative and
a lack of positive environmental, health, economic, or social conditions within these populations or communities."

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The letter must be signed by a mayor, city manager, elected official, or other representative of the
community. This signature represents the community's support and commitment to this program
and assistance.

The letter of interest must be submitted in an attachment (Microsoft Word or PDF file) by email to
Chip Gurkin (Gurkin.Charles@epa.gov) no later than October 12, 2016, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern
Daylight Time.

Please save your file using the following format: Name of Jurisdiction Name of State and
corresponding tool number (#x) based on the following list. For example: Catonsville Maryland #1.

Tool #1: Creating Equitable Development	Tool #4: Flood Resilience for Riverine and
Tool #2: Planning for Infill Development Coastal Communities

Tool #3: Sustainable Strategies for Small	Tool #5: Green and Complete Streets
Cities and Rural Areas

If you have questions about this request for letters of interest, please see our Frequently Asked
Questions About Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities webpage at

https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/frequentlv-asked-questions-faqs-about-building-blocks-sustainable-
communities. If your question is not answered there, please contact Mr. Gurkin at
Gurkin.Charles@epa.gov or 202-564-2778.

EPA's Role

EPA bears full responsibility for contracting the services to be provided and distributing an appropriate
number of hard-copy publications and/or tools to the community. EPA staff will be integrally involved
in all planning, including planning the workshop, and reviewing all materials developed in association
with the workshop.

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TOOL 1: CREATING EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT

New development and growth is not always
equally beneficial to all community
members. This tool will help communities
evaluate their priorities to work toward
equitable development.

Community Benefits

Although economic growth and revitalization are common goals
in most communities, achieving these goals is frequently
accompanied by concerns that new development will displace
existing residents, particularly in low-income communities.
Equitable development principles give communities a path to
improve their quality of life and economic opportunities while
ensuring existing residents are not displaced and can share in the
benefits of these improvements. Equitable development is not
just about affordable housing; it includes the full range of factors
that contribute to residents' quality of life, such as access to
high-quality employment; safe, walkable neighborhoods;
regional transportation connections; environmentally safe and
healthy communities; and the other amenities, services, and
community institutions residents need to thrive.

Areas of Focus

Each community will receive a self-assessment questionnaire to
help identify its goals and needs, including a step-by-step guide
to gathering key existing-conditions metrics in neighborhoods,
structured around the following components:

•	Preservation and development of housing that is
affordable to a range of income levels.

•	Preservation and strengthening of commercial business
districts and locally important destinations.

•	Access to high-quality employment opportunities for
local residents.

•	Inclusion of transportation options that are inclusive and
strategically connected.

•	Preservation of opportunities for legacy residents,
businesses, and future generations.

In the workshop, participants will review the findings of the
assessment and identify the tool(s) most relevant to addressing
community priorities, goals and context. Experts will also provide
specific options for next steps, including the identification of key
community institutions and potential partnerships.

Who Should Attend:

/ Elected officials.

/ City/county staff, including economic
development and planning staff.

/ Community and neighborhood
leaders.

/ Local environmental justice
advocates.

/ Other stakeholders.

How it Works:

/ Community will complete a self-
assessment before the workshop.

/ One- to two-day session will begin
with a public workshop to gather
community input.

/ Consultants will conduct an in-depth
session with staff and key
participants to review community
goals and self-assessment, discuss
equitable development tools, and
match to local needs and context.

What the Community Provides:

/ Local key contact.

/ Decision-makers'commitment to
attend the workshop.

/ Self-assessment and background
information on demographics,
market conditions, and community
issues and concerns.

/ Local logistics, including organization
of workshop and tour.

/ Marketing of public workshop.

/ Invitations to key stakeholders to
attend work sessions, including local
environmental justice advocates.

/ Attendance of key officials and local
government staff.

Outcomes:

/ Knowledge of best practices in
equitable development.

/ An understanding of local needs and
areas of vulnerability.

/ Identification of strategies to
promote equitable growth.

/ Options for next steps and additional
data analysis.

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TOOL 2: PLANNING FOR INFILL
DEVELOPMENT

This tool will help local governments identify
obstacles to infill development and
strategies for overcoming those obstacles in
their communities.

Community Benefits

During the post-World War II era, many communities in the United
States developed into the outer parts of the region, leaving older
neighborhoods, traditional downtowns, and central business
districts abandoned or underserved. However, more recently, some
communities revitalized their central neighborhoods through infill
development—redevelopment of vacant land or properties in
neighborhoods with existing infrastructure and development.
Economically distressed communities, however, have been less able
to attract infill development and attain the accompanying
economic, health, and quality of life benefits.

Areas of Focus

This tool will help communities that have already identified a
priority infill development area and are experiencing some
economic growth at the regional level to determine their readiness
to pursue infill development and identify strategies to better
position themselves to attract infill development. Each community
will conduct a self-assessment questionnaire prior to the workshop
to determine which set of strategies are most appropriate to focus
on in their context. This self-assessment will be structured around
one or more components, which will also provide the framework for
the workshop:

•	Policies: New policies that might be adopted or existing
policies that could be amended to remove obstacles to infill
development.

•	Partnerships: Public and private partnerships that could
leverage resources, build capacity, and coordinate efforts.

•	Perception: Improving perceptions of an area to strengthen
demand and reduce the perceived risk for lenders.

•	Funding: Standard and innovative funding options to
support development and fund infrastructure.

In the workshop, participants will review the findings of the self-
assessment, and national experts will lead participants in matching
the appropriate strategies to advance the goals for a specific priority
development area. Experts will also help identify options for next
steps and provide relevant case studies.

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Who Should Attend:

/ Elected officials, city manager,
mayor.

/ City/county staff, including economic
development, transportation, and
planning staff.

/ Local developers.

/ Community and neighborhood
organizations.

/ Local environmental justice
advocates.

/ Other stakeholders.

How it Works:

/ Community will complete a self-
assessment before the workshop.

/ One- to two-day session will begin
with a site visit to the community's
priority development area.

/ Consultants will conduct an in-depth
session with decision-makers, staff,
and key participants to review local
goals, data on priority development
area, and the self-assessment, and to
discuss specific infill development
strategies.

What the Community Provides:

/ Local key contact.

/ Decision-makers'commitment to
attend the workshop.

/ Self-assessment and background
information on priority development
area such as market conditions.

/ Local logistics, including organization
of workshop and tour.

/ Marketing of public workshop.

/ Invitations to key stakeholders
(especially representatives of local
developers) to attend work sessions.

/ Attendance of key officials and local
government staff.

Outcomes:

/ Knowledge of best practices and infill
development strategies.

/ An understanding of the

community's readiness to pursue
infill development.

/ Identification of specific strategies to
promote infill development.

/ Options for next steps and case
studies.


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TOOL 3: SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES
FOR SMALL CITIES AND RURAL AREAS

This workshop, tailored to small cities and
towns in rural areas, helps communities
closely evaluate how well their zoning
codes, policies, and programs align with
smart growth principles.

Community Benefits

Identifying barriers to smart growth in local development codes,
programs, initiatives, and policies will help small cities and
towns promote community goals, sustainable and efficient
development patterns, and economic growth. This workshop
will help participants understand the basic principles of smart
growth and potential changes the community could adopt to
promote compact, walkable communities that encourage
investment in existing neighborhoods while preserving farmland
and open space. Participants will develop an initial list of
priority areas on which to focus in their local codes, policies and
programs, and strategies to address challenges.

Areas of Focus

This tool will use sections of EPA's Smart Growth Self-
Assessment for Rural Communities to help communities analyze
their local development codes, zoning, and programmatic
initiatives. The community will select two to four sections of the
audit tool, listed below, on which it would like to focus and
describe its goals or efforts so far in these topic areas.

•	Strengthen the Local and Regional Economies

•	Engage and Connect Community Members

•	Improve Health and Promote Active Living

•	Protect Natural Habitats and Ecosystems

•	Support Productive Agriculture for a Variety of Markets

•	Meet Housing Needs for Different Ages and Incomes

•	Revitalize Villages and Town Centers

•	Preserve Historic and Cultural Resources

•	Provide Transportation Choices

•	Invest in Efficient Public Infrastructure and Operations

•	Increase Energy Efficiency and Provide Renewable Energy

The presentations and discussions will focus on implementation
issues and strategies drawing on experiences in other rural
communities, along with resources and tools the community
can use to reach its goals.

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Who Should Attend:

/ Elected officials and key staff.

/ Community and neighborhood
leaders.

/ Builders, developers, and business
owners.

/ Landowners.

/ Local environmental justice
advocates.

/ Other stakeholders.

How it Works:

/ Community will complete an audit
before the workshop.

/ One-to two-day session with

community leaders and staff begins
with an overview of smart growth
principles and some typical
disconnects between those
principles, community goals, and
local development codes and
policies.

/ Best practices in other communities.

/ Driving/walking tour of the

community to discuss priority fixes
to perceived problems on the
ground.

/ Hands-on working session with local
officials to conduct an initial
assessment and identify priority fixes
and a strategy for implementing
them.

What the Community Provides:

/ Local key contact.

/ Decision-makers'commitment to
attend the workshop.

I Self-assessment and background
information for audit, such as local
codes and plans.

I Local logistics, including organization
of workshop and tour.

I Marketing of public workshop.

/ Invitations to key stakeholders to
attend work sessions.

/ Attendance of key officials and local
government staff.

Outcomes:

/ Identification of local smart growth
goals and options for code changes
to implement them.

/ Understanding of smart growth

principles and how zoning codes and
initiatives can help accomplish them.

/ Specific list of local priority fixes and
tips and advice on implementation
strategies.


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TOOL 4: FLOOD RESILIENCE FOR RIVERINE
AND COASTAL COMMUNITIES

This workshop helps communities prepare
for climate change-related flooding and
plan for future disaster resilience by
assessing local plans, policies, and
development regulations to identify
approaches they can take to become more
resilient to future floods.

Community Benefits

Many communities are experiencing more frequent and severe
storms that result in flooding, even in areas not previously
thought to be flood-prone. Communities along rivers can
experience inundation and erosion. Coastal communities have
the additional challenges of sea level rise and land subsidence.
The workshop walks the community through an assessment tool
to help gauge the community's readiness. The workshop will
help the community identify options for updating its plans (such
as comprehensive land use and hazard mitigation plans),
policies, and development regulations, and applying green
infrastructure approaches to become more resilient to floods in
the community and watershed.

While any flood-prone community could benefit from using this
tool, communities that have already assessed and mapped their
risks of flooding and other natural hazards, using the best
available science, will be in a better position to discuss options
and make choices that lead to long-term resilience.

Communities in both coastal and riverine areas will find the tool
useful.

Areas of Focus

Participating communities will be introduced to an expanded
version of EPA's Flood Resilience Checklist, which is divided into
four areas:

•	Overall strategies to enhance flood resilience.

•	Conserve land and discourage development in river
corridors (and other flood-prone areas).

•	Protect people, buildings and facilities in vulnerable
settlements.

•	Plan for and encourage new development in safer
areas.

Who Should Attend:

/ Elected officials and key staff.

/ City planning and zoning staff.

/ Hazard mitigation and emergency
management staff.

/ Local environmental justice
advocates.

/ Other stakeholders.

How it Works:

/ Community will complete a self-
assessment before the workshop.

/ One-to two-day session with

community leaders and staff begins
with an overview of the role of smart
growth and green infrastructure in
flood resilience.

/ Review of the assessment results
and discussion of options for
addressing gaps, including examples
from other communities.

/ Facilitated discussion of options for
improving flood resilience.

What the Community Provides:

/ Local key contact.

/ Decision-makers'commitment to
attend the workshop.

/ Self-assessment and background
information, such as local codes and
plans and flood risk analysis (if
available).

/ Local logistics, including organization
of workshop and tour.

/ Marketing of public workshop.

I Invitations to key stakeholders to
attend work sessions.

/ Attendance of key officials and local
government staff.

Outcomes:

/ Identification of the current state of
local plans, policies, and regulations
to determine how they will help the
community become more resilient to
future floods.

/ Identification of potential strategies
to improve resilience, including but
not limited to green infrastructure.

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TOOL 5: GREEN AND COMPLETE STREETS

A green and complete street incorporates
green infrastructure to manage stormwater
while making the street more aesthetically
appealing and safer for all users, including
pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers. This tool
will help communities develop strategies
for greening their streets based on national
models and case studies.

Community Benefits

This tool will showcase a range of national best practices for
incorporating a green and complete streets strategy for public
areas in the street right-of-way. Communities will learn about
green infrastructure elements such as street trees, rain gardens,
and permeable paving. Communities will also learn how to
develop interdepartmental cooperation, maintenance
strategies, and funding mechanisms to implement and maintain
green streets. These actions could result in reduced pollution,
reduced flooding, increased green space, improved air quality,
and reduced demand on a community's sewer collection
system. Beyond the environmental benefits, green and
complete streets strategies can also make the streets more
pleasant for pedestrians and bicyclists while still
accommodating automobiles.

Areas of Focus

The focus of this assistance will be an assessment of the existing
conditions for four to six street locations in the community.
Assistance will include options for incorporating a variety of
green and complete street concepts into local practice and
setting the policy and organizational framework to effectively
implement those concepts. See EPA's Green Streets webpage
for more information.

Who Should Attend:

/ Elected officials.

/ City/county staff, including public

works and transportation staff.
/ Community and neighborhood

leaders.

/ Other stakeholders.

How it Works:

/ One- to two-day assistance includes
a morning work session with local
government officials and other key
stakeholders, a tour of existing green
infrastructure installations, an
afternoon meeting with local
government leaders, and an evening
public workshop.

What the Community Provides:

/ Local key contact.
/ Decision-makers'commitment to

attend the workshop.
/ Self-assessment and background
information on current and planned
sustainability initiatives.

/ Local logistics, including organization

of workshop and tour.
/ Marketing of public workshop.
/ Invitations to key stakeholders to

attend work sessions.
/ Attendance of key officials and local
government staff.

Outcomes:

/ An understanding of the relationship
between smart growth and green
and complete streets.
/ An understanding of how green and
complete streets help a community
meet its environmental goals.
/ Identification of barriers to green
and complete streets and how to
address them.

/ A framework to guide the creation of
a long-term green and complete
streets strategy.

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