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Skylight Books and Downtown Farmers Market will offer the free pamphlet

Los Angeles, Ca. (May 13, 2010) – Yasmin, Richard, and Jackie of the Santee Debate Team announced today that they are making a pamphlet about their recent bike tour of the Backbone streets of Vermont, Wilshire, Crenshaw, Venice, Exposition, Figueroa, and La Brea. The pamphlet is a service project to increase awareness that fossil fueled vehicles cause climate change.

The Backbone streets are major traffic arteries extending to all parts of LA, and could be used for bikes as well as motor vehicles. However, the Global Debate Team and Jeremy (that’s me), their guide from the LA Bike Working Group, have determined that those streets are unfriendly to cyclists and need more bicycle infrastructure and traffic calming.

The pamphlet includes students’ views and a map of the Backbone. It will be available at Skylight Books, 1818 North Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA as of May 13.

The pamphlet will also be available at the City Hall Farmer’s Market at 200 North Spring Street.

THE GLOBAL DEBATES

As a result of their participation in the Global Debates, Santee Education Complex will be highlighted throughout the UN Foundation website and be eligible to win prizes that include a $2,000 UN Foundation school grant and a trip to the Open Society Institute’s Youth Forum in the Netherlands.

BACKGROUND

Since their inception, the UN Foundation Global Debates have been held in more than 90 countries. From Moldova and South Africa to Los Angeles and Mississippi, this program continues to grow, educating and activating new communities of students and teachers from around the world. As Ambassador Susan Rice and other UN leaders remind us, young people are ready to serve and take action. By engaging students and their teachers on issues of poverty reduction, global health, climate change and more, the UN Foundation is inspiring young people to be a positive force for change in the world. More information is available online at http://www.unfoundation.org/our-impact/engaging-youth/the-global-debates.html

The United Nations Foundation is an advocate for the UN and a platform for connecting people, ideas, and resources to help the United Nations solve global problems.  www.UNFoundation.org

CONTACTS
Nick Richert, Santee Education Complex, English Teacher, Debate Advisor 310-428-4222
Amber Young, Santee Education Complex, Math Teacher, Debate Advisor 310-256-6267
Skylight Books (323) 660-1175

Last year an AIA survey revealed that there are at least 850 architects – more than one percent of total membership – who are serving in an elected or appointed role. The Architects serve as Mayors, Council Members, Comissioners and Board Members. They advocate for higher living standards, the creation of a sustainable environment, quality of life, and the greater good of the public. These Architects use insight, talent, training and experience to contribute meaningfully, beyond self, to the improvement of the community and human condition.

The AIA released a bulletin on these Citizen Architects and made some visionary statements to provide for the future of civic minded Architects:

Citizen Architect Program

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) believes that society and the profession benefit from civically engaged architects, and that these members should be actively supported at all levels of service.

“The Citizen Architect uses her/his insights, talents, training and experience to contribute meaningfully, beyond self, to the improvement of the community and human condition. The Citizen Architect stays informed on local, state and federal issues, and makes time for service to the community. The Citizen Architect advocates for higher living standards, the creation of a sustainable environment, quality of life, and the greater good. The Citizen Architect seeks to advocate for the broader purposes of architecture through civic activism, writing and publishing, by gaining appointment to boards and commissions, and through elective office at all levels of government.”

Most recently in the face of global financial crisis the AIA has been advocating for policies to revive the economy and and build a foundation for a sustainable community for long term growth. It’s Rebuild and Renew Blueprint for Long-Term Prosperity outlines goals to jump start the economy without making the same tragic mistakes that resulted in the failure today :

Make Financing Available for Design and Construction Projects

*Extend the Term Asset Backed Securities Loan Facility (TALF) through 2010.
*Allow Public Private Investment Programs to Finance Sound Construction Projects.
*Eliminate Disincentives on Global Investments in U.S. Commercial Real Estate.
*Encourage the Use of SBA Lending Authority to Help Small Owners Address Equity Issues.

Provide Relief to Small Businesses

*Allow Sole Practitioners to Claim the Deduction for Qualified Architectural and Engineering Firms.
*Streamline Onerous Recovery Act Paperwork and Reporting Burdens on Small Businesses.
*Reform Retainage Rules on Architects and Engineers.
*Repeal the Three-Percent Withholding Requirement.
*Extend COBRA Benefits.
*Hire Underemployed and Unemployed Design and Construction Professionals to Help Speed Recovery Act Implementation.

Make Tax Policies Work for Recovery

*Expand and Improve the Energy Efficient Commercial Building Tax Deduction.
*Extend the First-Time Home Buyer Credit.
*Make Permanent the Shortened Cost Recovery Period for Retail & Restaurant Improvements.
*Extend and Expand the Five-Year Carryback of Net Operating Losses for Small Businesses

Rebuild our Infrastructure for the 21st Century

*Enact a Five-Year Reauthorization of the Federal Surface Transportation Program.
*Build 21st Century Green Schools.
*Invest in World-Class Labs and Classrooms at Colleges and Universities.
*Promote the Revitalization of Historic Properties.
*Reduce Delays by Streamlining Building Permitting.
*Help Communities Plan Their Futures.

Build the New Green Economy

*Create Incentives for Mixed-Use, Transit-Oriented Development.
*Promote Green Affordable Housing.
*Provide Innovative Funding Streams Funding for Green Retrofits.
*Educate the Workforce of Tomorrow in Sustainable Design.

Though I’m only an Associate AIA I’ve been committed to participating in my community and local government process to ensure that it will excel comparatively to other internationally ranked cities in the future. There is no reason for Los Angeles and it’s communities to fail when such a density of design professionals, schools and organizations exist to service outside locations. Why shape the futures of others when we need work on our own?

Some of the specific demands of the Rebuild and Renew Blueprint result in some tough battles ahead against staunch supporters of the status quo. I picked out a few that are important to me and my community:

**Despite the best efforts of many agencies, billions of dollars of Recovery Act funding has not been obligated because of the sheer size of the program. Worsening the problem is the fact that many agency contracting officers lack specialized understanding of design and construction procurement. Congress should encourage agencies to contract, on a temporary basis, with design professionals currently out of work or underemployed to help ensure that Recovery Act funding for infrastructure projects is distributed expeditiously and effectively.

**The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has released legislation, the Surface Transportation Authorization Act, that would make major strides in moving our country towards a 21st Century transportation system. Delaying action on comprehensive transportation reform traps our communities in a failed system that threatens our economic and environmental well-being. Congress needs to act now to make sure that federal transportation policy truly helps us rebuild and renew our country.

**In order to fully maximize the ability of citizens to shape their futures, Congress should require that metropolitan planning organizations and state DOTs hold interactive public design workshops facilitated by planning and design professionals as a part of their planning processes. Congress also should pass S.1619, the Livable Communities Act, to help communities of all types and sizes plan in ways that reduce congestion, promote transportation choice and ensure affordable housing.

**Slow building permitting processes unnecessarily delay projects and slow economic growth. Congress should provide incentives to communities that streamline their permitting processes, including the use of e-permitting, and allow Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant monies to be used for permit streamlining for green building projects.

**Investing in green building retrofits through innovative financing mechanisms not only improves energy independence and protects the environment; it also creates jobs. Congress should pass legislation that would allow the Department of Energy to use their existing bonding authority to back Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) bonds, municipal bonds whose proceeds are lent to commercial and residential property owners to finance energy retrofits.

Los Angeles, CA, USA
Beverly Hills, CA, USA
Long Beach, CA, USA
Guangzhou, China
Dubai, UAE

I’m always interested in expanding my global practice. Inquire within.

The Bike Working Group met for the fifth time this past March 6, 2010 to work on the LA’s Best Bike Plan and was well attended despite the sporadic rain. Thanks to the Hollywood Adventists we had a dry space to present, review and discuss the Best Bike Plan and the Backbone Bikeway Network. Alex Thompson started with an presentation of what the Backbone is and addressed the common misconceptions spurred by media attention.

Most everyone came to a consensus that the policy of the Backbone is to open the streets to all users (drivers, bikers, peds) and share the streets the safest way possible. The Backbone standards do not require physical removal of car lanes; but, in some cases a road diet may be demanded of the current condition. On some streets, it’s just a matter of connecting or extending the existing bike lane (Venice Bl or Santa Monica). Maybe it’s as simple as green lanes or sharrows. Some intersections and straightaways might need more traffic enforcement to keep the speeders and light runners at bay. It could be a just a sign that directs bicyclists to the safest route. There are many solutions — the Backbone isn’t just a single solution plan.

This is the end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of non-motorized. -Ray LaHood, US Secretary of Transportation

The philosophy of the Backbone Bikeway Network is connectivity. The Backbone will be a lifeline that gives priority to people and their choices in life (work, play, shop, eat, etc.). This is in deep contrast to the status quo. Up until now the roads have come to divide one neighborhood from another. A safer transportation environment that is geared to the user (and not the device) will transform the cluster of communities we call the City of LA and connect them in a way that makes it easier, friendlier, and safer for everyone.

Alex unveiled the LA Bike Map that showed the number of bike related traffic incidences just around the Hollywood area where the meeting was at. It wasn’t surprising considering the concentration of traffic the nearby streets see everyday. Unsafe traffic conditions are what keep most people from using a bike for local commuting and short leisure trips. By taking the data from the LA Bike Map the Backbone Bikeway Network can address the need of safety across the whole City and bring new riders to the streets.

Part of BWG V was set aside to review and critique the Backbone Bikeway Network Maps. As in the last meeting, the maps were broken down into Central, Valley and Harbor areas and reviewed one at a time by each group. This way the Bike Working Group promoted joint ownership of solutions and defuses the typical confrontational attitudes between community and infrastructure development. Individual stakeholders from throughout the City, the Mayor’s office, and co-operatives (Valley Bikery and Bikerowave, just to name a few) offered their input on what the best streets for Backbone should be. Keep an eye out for map revisions after the Backbone Bikeway Network is fully examined and evaluated.

After the review of the maps we moved on to the wayfinding and signage element of the Backbone Bikeway Network:

Once the Backbone is in place it is essential for people to be able to use it in a very practical and almost effortless way. Signs informing cyclists of Backbone Bikeway Network direction changes and to confirm distance, direction, and destination allows cyclists and pedestrians (and even motorists) to know their location if they are not already familiar with the area. Wayfinding signage would encourage more people to use the Backbone and make bicycling integral to our daily life. It would bring together the neighborhoods that are left so disconnected today. (…full article)

We finished up by having a group discussion about the vision of the Backbone Bikeway Network and the next steps that will be taken to put this plan in place. The word is definitely out on the street with radio, television and newspaper mediums picking up the story. The time for change is now. The City’s planning and transportation departments need to recognize that the citizens of Los Angeles suffer on a daily basis because of their inability to coordinate a safe bikeway network. We must inform residential and commercial communities that a strong bicycling infrastructure will enhance their neighborhood’s economy, environment, health, and safety. It’s time we improve the quality of the streets for the people and make them efficient for everyone.

Originally posted on Bikeside LA, March 17, 2010
(www.bikesidela.org/bwg-v-what-you-may-have-missed/)
Photos by Mihai Peteu.

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