News Service

9-11-07

2008 Community Visioning Program applications available

AMES, Iowa -- The Iowa's Living Roadways Community Visioning Program is accepting applications for the 2008 program. Eligible communities are those with populations of fewer than 10,000, existing transportation-related issues and a committee of volunteers willing to dedicate their time and talent to the visioning process.

The Visioning Program integrates technical landscape planning and design techniques with sustainable community action. It assists local leaders with a planning process to create an enhanced landscape that reflects the community.

The visioning process is a series of 10 meetings during which a committee of local residents identifies issues, investigates physical and cultural dimensions of landscape issues, sets goals for change, develops strategies to meet those goals and creates an implementation plan.

Communities that are working with any of the following issues may benefit from the Visioning Program:

• Relocation of highways or highway entrances
• Definition of alternatives for local transportation systems, including trails, sidewalks, bikeways and streets
• Protection/enhancement of historically significant areas (e.g., train depot, historic Main Street, etc.) and/or natural areas that are important to the community
• Visioning and design of alternative transportation opportunities

Communities selected to participate are required to contribute $1,000 toward program implementation. In return, the Visioning Program provides professional services valued at more than $14,000.

The Visioning Program has one significant change in 2008. Communities that completed the program more than four years ago can reapply for additional assistance. This opportunity, "Renewing Community Vision," follows the same application process as Community Visioning. However, past communities will be required to demonstrate a continued need for assistance and provide documentation of a $4,000 cash match.

The program is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Transportation in partnership with Iowa State University Landscape Architecture Extension and Trees Forever, an Iowa-based nonprofit with a mission to plant and care for trees and the environment by empowering people, building community, and promoting stewardship.

Since 1996, 137 communities throughout the state have benefited from participation in the Community Visioning Program.

Communities interested in applying to the 2008 Community Visioning Program or the Renewing Community Vision Program should contact Pamela Helfer, Trees Forever field coordinator, at (800) 369-1269 or phelfer@treesforever.org, or download an application at http://www.communityvisioning.org.

Applications must be postmarked by October 1. Selections will be announced in early November.

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Quick look

The Iowa's Living Roadways Community Visioning Program is accepting applications for the 2008 program. Eligible communities are those with populations of fewer than 10,000, existing transportation-related issues and a committee of volunteers willing to dedicate their time and talent to the visioning process. Also, communities that completed the program more than four years ago can reapply for additional assistance.

Communities interested in applying to the 2008 Community Visioning Program or the Renewing Community Vision Program should contact Pamela Helfer, Trees Forever field coordinator, at (800) 369-1269 or phelfer@treesforever.org, or download an application at http://www.communityvisioning.org. Applications must be postmarked by October 1. Selections will be announced in early November. The program is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Transportation in partnership with Iowa State University Landscape Architecture Extension and Trees Forever.