KICK-OFF MEETING FOR NEW ZONING REDEVELOPMENT CODE

The City of Youngstown will host a meeting to discuss the kick-off of the new zoning redevelopment code. The current zoning/redevelopment code is plagued with barriers, and in order to implement a code that serves the interests of all the residents of Youngstown, a new system needs to be developed while embracing the guidelines of the Youngstown 2010 plan. The city of Youngstown will collaborate with Clarion Associates of Denver, Colorado to deliver a new, innovative code for zoning and redevelopment code.  This is just the start of many public meeting in which the citizens are giving the opportunity to shape the zoning and redevelopment code in their neighborhood regarding issues such as creative and flexible land and building reuse, urban agriculture,green corridors, and limited service areas.

The meeting will take place June 29th from 7:00-8:00 pm at the Trinity United Methodist Church, 30 W. Front Street, Downtown Youngstown.  More information about this meeting and the upcoming public meetings will be available on the city's website.

Ground Breaking On Global Green Urban Agriculture Project

Friday May 20 soil testing began in the Oak Hill neighborhood on various abandoned city lots.  Youngstown State University (YSU) students Mike Perry, Nate Wilson, and Danni Wilson collected soil samples on these city lots under the supervision of YSU Professor Dr. Felicia Armstrong and assistance from City of Youngstown Planning Fellow Jason Langer.  Pictured to the right, Mike Perry and Jason Langer collect composite soil samples from 6"-10" deep using a soil probe.  This group of researchers were collecting and analyzing soil samples for Global Green USA in partner with the City of Youngstown to see if there is any sort of contamination before any initial plans of planting produce on these lots progress.  Once the soil testing is complete the YSU researchers plan to put test garden plots on these areas to see how the plants grow and further analyze the bio-accessible contaminants on these lots.  The main potential contaminants of concern are likely heavy metals.  Graduate student Mike Perry is using this project as an opportunity for his thesis research.  Global Green plans to use these lots for a large scale urban agriculture project.  More updates and details about Global Greens project will be available upon its progression.

Grey to Green Festival Saturday September 11 at Wick Park

Youngstown's third annual Grey to Green Festival will be held at Wick Park Saturday September 11.  The purpose of the Grey to Green Festival is to increase awareness of environmental issues that perplex Youngstown and the world.  On Saturday there will be a collaboration of environmentally oriented businesses, community organizations, local and regional agencies in attendance.  This year the three keynote speakers will be Maurice Small of City Fresh in Cleveland, Ohio who will be discussing the importance of urban agriculture,  James Anderson who is the CEO of Evergreen Cooperative will be discussing sustainable green jobs that his company has created in Cleveland, Ohio,    and Michael Gainer of Buffalo Reuse will discuss neighborhood development and deconstruction.  Youngstown's recent partner Global Green will also be in attendance.

The opening ceremony begins at 10am with Mayor Jay Williams and representatives from Congressmen Tim Ryan's office.  The festival concludes at 5pm.

The 2010 Grey to Green Festival Schedule

CDA Proposes Gray to Green Project to EPA

Today, the Community Development Agency is submitting a project proposal application for the Environmental Protection Agency's Climate Showcase Communities grant. The Climate Showcase Communities Grant Program's goal is to fund programs that "create replicable models of sustainable community action that generate cost-effective and persistent greenhouse gas reductions while improving the environmental, economic, public health, or social conditions in a community."

Youngstown's proposal, titled Youngstown Neighborhood Transformation: Gray to Green Project is a comprehensive program aimed at making inner-city neighborhoods in Youngstown healthier, greener, and more sustainable through three primary activities: deconstruction, home energy-efficiency retrofitting, and vacant lot reclamation. This project proposal will tackle the larger environmental problems of greenhouse gas emissions and solid waste management by building community partnerships, generating jobs and stabilizing struggling neighborhoods on a tight, efficient budget.

The Gray to Green program proposal will expand upon the existing partnership between the CDA, YNDC, Global Green USA, MVOC, MYCAP and Mill Creek MetroParks to accomplish its objectives. All six organizations have committed to match the funding request with well over the required amount of in-kind revenue and volunteered staff time during both the planning and implementation phases of the project.

Gray to Green, not to be confused with the Grey to Green Festival (though certainly related in outlook) will target its three activities in several declining inner-city neighborhoods across the city in hopes to build a replicable implementation model for deconstruction, vacant lot reclamation, and housing retrofits that can be employed in other neighborhoods across the city and in other cities struggling from neighborhood instability and serious environmental concerns.

President of Global Green Visits Youngstown

Matt Petersen, president and CEO of Global Green USA, visited Youngstown on Tuesday and met with local government officials to talk about Global Green's plans to help the city improve its efforts to go green. Global Green is a comprehensive, environmentally-focused nonprofit organization that addresses some of the "greatest challenges facing humanity," especially through its efforts to provide a safe, clean, and sustainable living environment to communities. Global Green works with governments, nonprofit organizations, education systems and other local groups to help them find practical, affordable strategies for making environmentally conscious development decisions. They also help organizations secure funding for initiatives that help to accomplish these goals.

After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Global Green stepped in through its Holy Cross Project and helped to build a low-cost, environmentally-friendly housing development within the city. Global Green also retrofitted schools in New Orleans with practical weatherizing and energy-efficiency improvements that are saving the city tens of thousands annually on utility costs. Global Green is based in Los Angeles and also has offices in New Orleans and Washington DC.


Petersen expressed to city council that he believes Youngstown has the potential to become a model of sustainable redevelopment for the entire Midwest; and possibly for the nation. Global Green is committed to assisting city government and local organizations by helping them acquire resources and develop strategies to improve sustainability within the community. They are currently working directly with the Community Development Agency to produce a report that investigates the carbon footprint of both city government and the city at large. Upon its completion, this report will help city officials figure out how to operate more efficiently and save money on energy costs. Global Green has also begun discussions with local community organizations in order to partner with and compliment their environmentally-conscious efforts.

For more information about Youngstown's partnership with Global Green,  take a look at the The Vindicator's December article.

Grey to Green Festival: A Success!

The turnout Saturday afternoon at the Grey to Green Festival at Wick Park is just added proof of just how much of a city's revitalization starts with community activism and involvement.

There was great food, performances, art, crafts, music, and information. But apart from all this, there was an underlying energy present. This energy manifested itself in the positive response the audience gave when listening to Will Allen, an urban farmer who was awarded with the MacArthur Fellowship for bringing sustainable food practices to urban areas. The energy was also evident in the inquisitive nature of the attendees.

Far from just accepting brochures and moving on to the next booth, some people who stopped by the City of Youngstown table stayed to talk and to ask questions. Many were interested in the deconstruction process. Some wanted to know about marketing the salvaged materials, others questioned how much job creation the deconstruction would result in. Some inquired about the Youngstown 2010 Plan.

Above all, these questions exemplify the interest that people have in the city's sustainable practices, in its redevelopment process. And the best part about it was that people of all ages were doing the questioning.

The diversity was largely apparent in the attendance of the festival itself. Young kids, older senior citizens, families, college students -- all of these people found a reason to come to Wick Park on a Saturday. Maybe most had been to Wick Park before. But maybe this was some people's first time there. And maybe this means they'll be coming back to the park, back downtown. And that means a couple more people become part of Youngstown's ever-growing community of proactive individuals. Namely, they wake up and notice that the city has changed for the better while they were sleeping.

Grey to Green Festival

When you're at the Grey to Green Festival Sept. 12 at Wick Park, be sure to stop by the CDA booth to learn about deconstruction, Youngstown's designation as a tree city, and the energy efficiency block grant the city recently received.

Deconstruction

The CDA's first efforts at deconstruction have gone well: The city worked with David Bennink of Reuse Consulting to successfully deconstruct two structures, one at 945 Brentwood and one at 28 Illinois.

Besides gaining some news coverage, we set a precedent for a viable alternative to demolition. The city reuses 60 percent of materials, making deconstruction a greener approach to cleaning up blighted neighborhoods. The projects also help out the local economy, since deconstruction requires more jobs than demolition does.

The pictures above and below are from the Brentwood project.