News-Press Op Ed: Lee County is growing so fast, we are losing the quality of life

BikeWalkLee's mission is to promote complete streets and livable communities.  Today's commentary in News-Press focuses on what it means for our communities to be walkable, bikeable, and livable.  This is key to the quality of life for our citizens.  "This is not a partisan issue...We all seek a good and healthful way of life no matter how we vote."  Kudos to Charlotte Newton for her thoughtful commentary.  What has been happening to the quality of life in your community? Is your area safer or more dangerous than it used to be for walking and biking? Let your elected officials know you care about having walkable, bikeable, and livable communities.

News-Press Opinion
Feb. 17, 2019
Lee County is growing so fast, and we are losing the quality of life
By Charlotte Newton, Guest contributor 

Do you enjoy living in Lee County?  I do – but will admit to worrying about its future.
Rampant development is increasing traffic and impacting our schools.  Lee Health tries, but can’t seem to keep up with our growing population, resources for early childhood learning are limited, and there is minimal funding for mental health treatment.  Clean water appears to be a thing of the past.  Increasingly, Lee County is becoming unlivable.

So how do you define livability?  According to AARP, “a livable community is one that is safe and secure, has affordable and appropriate housing and transportation options, and offers supportive community features and services.”   When you bike on our roads, do you feel safe?  Can you walk to your local Publix without having to dodge cars?  When you take your child to the school bus stop, are there sidewalks, lighting?  How long do you have to wait to see a doctor, either at the local emergency room or at a medical office?  And how long does it take you to travel the Cape Coral Bridge to get home after a tiring workday?

More: We need to expand roadways in Lee County to offset population growth: your say
The fact is that Lee is growing so fast, we are losing the quality of life we have enjoyed and until we get the situation under control, it is not going to get any better. 

This is not a partisan issue; it doesn’t matter one’s political party.  We all seek a good and healthful way of life no matter how we vote.

Nobody is calling for a halt to development, which is an important part of our economy.  But unfortunately, development is the tail wagging the dog and negatively impacting our quality of life in so many ways.  For example, in Lee, we have a plan called Density Reduction/Groundwater Resource (DR/GR) which originally was aimed at controlling overdevelopment in southeast Lee County due to the potential for wetlands destruction and the demands on our water resources from increased housing density.  Time and again, the DR/GR plan is either simply ignored or cast aside by those charged with county zoning.

Building more roads just invites more cars.  Our population is aging and our roads are jammed to capacity. We need a viable bus network that covers the entire county and offers those who cannot or do not want to drive alternatives to getting around. 

We also can no longer wait for our county leaders to act on the blue-green algae in our waterways.  It’s still there – we just can’t see it. The governor’s water quality proposals are welcomed; however, they will take years to implement. 

Our county leaders are turning a blind eye to taking action here, now.  The economy is one reason to act, but let’s also prioritize the health and recreational effects on our year-round residents.
Third, a livable community is one that invites its citizens out – out biking, out walking and hiking, out enjoying public gatherings.  With so many gated communities, it’s a difficult challenge but one from which we should not shy away.  Cape Coral has built a network of bike paths and is developing a system of parks. 

The rest of Lee County should follow suit by requiring developers to build these amenities for all our citizens, not just those who buy houses inside their gates. 

Our concerns are not new and have been voiced by others over the years.  But no matter how many speak up, nothing seems to change – or slow down.  Perhaps the answer is to remind our county officials that listening to those they represent – rather than those who donate to their campaigns – is critical to staying in office. 

Charlotte Newton is a citizen member of The News-Press Editorial Board.

Transportation Summit Friday Sept. 30 in Cape Coral

Photo: the news-press

Streets Alive SWFL and Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association are partnering to host a Transportation Summit, featuring renowned national and international experts interacting with planners, engineers and government and business leaders and all members of the public to encourage best practices in creating walkable, bikeable, and transit supported, livable communities – communities offering vibrant, healthy lifestyles for all ages.

“This summit is bringing together for the first time the brain-power of the leading experts on integrating transportation and community design to help us create the best here in SWFL” said Ann Pierce, Education Chair for Streets Alive SWFL.  “The public and our local authorities will have this opportunity to learn from the best, get questions answered and concerns addressed,” she added.

Keynote speakers for the Transportation Summit include:

• Florida Department of Transportation Division 1 Secretary Billy Hattaway P.E.
• Livable Transportation Engineer for the Toole Design Group, Ian Lockwood P.E.
• Director of Innovation & Inspiration for Blue Zones, Dan Burden
• International President of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, Paula Benway P.E.

The Summit’s Conference on Friday morning, September 30, from 8:00 – noon at the Cape Coral Yacht Club is open to the public and will offer an informative program by this team of national experts who will be joined by local region speakers to give unique presentations on the new patterns in community design, transportation and economic planning which result in highly desirable communities where one can thrive at any age.

They will also address funding and regulatory changes on the horizon which will impact our region.

Registration is $42, which includes breakfast and accessed through http://www.rpcra.org/transportation-summit          
    
Local elected and appointed officials, business leaders, realtors, engineering, planning and landscape architect professionals, health community professionals, developers and the public are all invited to attend this innovative Transportation Summit.


Go to www.rpcra.org/transportation-summit to register.

AARP Livability Fact Sheets great resource for communities working on complete streets and livability

The October 2014 FHWA Livability Newsletter included an excellent resource for those working in Lee County on complete streets and livability issues. Click here for the series of 11 fact sheets. It's definitely a resource you want to save and have handy, and share with everyone on your team.  Note:  the Fact Sheets have been added to BWL's blog "key links".  Kudos to AARP for developing such an easy-to-read and use resource.

AARP Livability Fact Sheets  (article In newsletter by Melissa Stanton, Project Manager and Editor, AARP Education and Outreach, Livable Communities)

AARP Livable Communities has partnered with the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute to create the AARP Livability Fact Sheet series, a package of comprehensive, easy-to-read livability resources. The fact sheets can be used by community leaders, policy makers, transportation planners, citizen activists, and others to learn what makes a city, town, or neighborhood a great place for people of all ages.

"We're focusing on the built environment," explains Jeanne Anthony, project advisor for AARP Livable Communities. "How roadways are laid out, how property is zoned, the availability of sidewalks, and even the presence of street trees all impact a community's livability."

Each fact sheet in the 11-part series is a four-page PDF document that can be read online or printed and distributed. Each fact sheet is introduced by a one-page summary. The complete series is housed at aarp.org/livability-factsheets.

"The format is concise and accessible so the fact sheets can serve both experienced professionals as well as people for whom road diets, form-based code, and modern roundabouts are unfamiliar topics," says Anthony.

Each fact sheet follows the same structure: introduce the subject; address and resolve any myths and misconceptions; and then provide relevant advice, tips, and success stories.

The series covers the following topics:

• Bicycling - Half of all trips taken in the U.S. are 3 miles or less, yet only 3 percent of commuting trips are made by bicycle. The bicycle mode share can grow by helping communities embrace bicycling as a healthy and viable transportation option.
• Density - Compact, mixed-use communities that are walkable, bicycle-friendly, and transit-oriented are thriving, in large part because that is where baby boomers and young adults want to live. It is time to rethink what defines dense population centers.
• Economic Development - A more balanced transportation system that allows people to walk, bicycle, or use public transit in addition to or instead of a car both saves and earns money. Lessons include success stories from Oregon, Florida, California, and elsewhere.
• Form-Based Code - By using physical form as an organizing principle for zoning rather than the separation of land uses, form-based code offers a powerful alternative to conventional zoning.
• Modern Roundabouts - Roundabouts, which are circular intersections that move traffic counterclockwise around a central island, can help reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries.
• Parking - The average American household has 1.9 vehicles, and finding a place to put them when not in use consumes land, time, and money. This fact sheet offers suggestions for a better approach to parking.
• Revitalization Without Displacement - As communities throughout the U.S. are redeveloped to become more walkable and livable, the efforts risk displacing current and often longtime residents and businesses. This fact sheet offers strategies to keep that from happening.
• Road Diets - Supersized, multi-lane roadways are fast-moving, unattractive, and often impossible to cross. To protect pedestrians and drivers, many communities are putting their roads on "diets" by reducing street widths and vehicle lanes.
• Sidewalks - As public spaces, sidewalks are the front steps to a community. It makes little sense that, in so many neighborhoods, sidewalks are rare or non-existent.
• Street Trees - To quote a Chinese proverb, "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now." This fact sheet explains why tree-lined streets matter.
• Traffic Calming - Streets designed for fast-moving traffic undermine the ability of people to interact and get around regardless of their mode of transportation. Smarter transportation design moves traffic while keeping communities safe and connected.

AARP Livable Communities publishes a resource-filled website and free monthly e-newsletter. Follow the team on Twitter via @LivableCmnty.

Gil Penalosa inspires SWFL officials and advocates at FTPA conference

 Tuesday was an inspiring day for complete streets advocates in SWFL.  Check out the short TED video of Gil Penalosa and you, too, will be inspired.

Jenn Hagen and Diana Giraldo with Gil

 On Oct. 28th about two dozen SWFL officials and advocates attended Gil Penalosa's inspiring keynote address at the statewide Florida Public Transportation Association annual conference in Naples.   In attendance was Bonita Springs Mayor, Ben Nelson; Bonita Springs City Councilwoman Janet Martin; and Fort Myers City Council member Forrest Banks. 

Gil spends time with advocates after meeting

Transportation and sustainability staff from both Bonita Springs and Collier County were there, along with the Lee and Collier County transit directors, Collier County MPO Director, four representatives from BikeWalkLee, and several people working on the Streets Alive event coming to the City of Fort Myers on Nov. 2nd. 

In addition, FDOT District 1 Secretary, Billy Hattaway was there along with a full contingent of FDOT staff who are working on complete streets and transportation transformation in District 1.  Not only did he inspire us with his speech, he spent 30 minutes after the presentation talking to a team of us about some of our specific issues, which was very helpful.

Jenn Hagen (Bonita), Billy Hattaway, and Councilwoman Martin

 Project for Public Places describes Gil Peñalosa as "the world’s most passionate and well-traveled promoter of Streets as Places—putting people before cars in some of the most important public spaces in cities worldwide.  As Executive Director of 8-80 Cities, Gil now travels the world, working on the front lines of change, and collaborating with leading Placemaking advocates, practitioners and politicians to build a collective movement to transform cities around people. His story, his experience and his message are a central thread to how cities need to change in this century."  See our earlier blog for more background.

Gil was introduced by FDOT District 1 Secretary, Billy Hattaway, who hailed his efforts and the importance of his ideas for Florida.  Gil's presentation, with lots of photos and stories, electrified the audience who gave him a standing ovation.   

There were several 'take away' messages for us:

•       The question is, how would you like your community to be?

•       These are political issues.

•        Elected officials need to understand that change doesn't happen by consensus...they have to listen to the people, but they were elected to make decisions and to lead.

•    What we need are champions for change...champions don't take no for an answer--they look for ways around the obstacles and barriers.  He described how NYC's Transportation Director, Janette Sadik-Khan, was a champion for change.

• He argued for lower speeds on our streets and for a network of separated cycling facilities.

•   He focused on two topics--sustainable mobility and public spaces....the goal is to create vibrant cities.

Mayor Nelson and Councilman Banks with FDOT officials

•     The most important public policy of economic significance for individual households is to make it possible to downsize from two to one car.  Right now $1 of every $4 of household income is spent on transportation mobility!

·         He outlined five key ingredients for moving from talking to doing:

1.       develop a sense of urgency (building more roads to solve congestion is like pouring more gasoline on the fire)

2.       political will

3.       leadership

4.       "doers"

5.       public engagement

•          He urged local officials to start by looking at what can be done this year...what is low cost, low risk, and high visibility.

  

  Trinity Scott (Collier transit) and Carmen Monroy (FDOT)

•   He urged us to build alliances--transportation, planning, public health, schools, private sector...again bringing it back to the message:  creating a vibrant community is a political issue.

Although his 45 minute speech is not available on video, here's a 14 minute speech he gave on TED, which gives you a good flavor of his message and his energy. 

 See the BikeWalkLee Facebook page for complete photo album from event

Report by Darla Letourneau

 

AARP and Livable Communities

Secretary LaHood's Blog, FastLane, on March 10th, focused on AARP (one of BikeWalkLee's supporter organizations) and their partnerships for safety and livability. Here's an excerpt: "In addition to safety, another focus that DOT and AARP share is a commitment to creating more livable communities in all parts of our country, including urban, suburban and rural neighborhoods. DOT is working to increase pedestrian and public transportation options. And this benefits everyone, from senior citizens using wheelchairs, to parents pushing strollers down the sidewalk, to kids riding their bikes. Livable communities are crucial to ensuring that folks can visit with friends or access social services and medical care. In short, they allow people to keep their independence and mobility as they get older."

Watch the excellent AARP video, "Inside E Street: Walk on the Safe Side":