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Ventura County Civic Alliance — Livable Communities Newsletter – August 15, 2023

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Volume 17 / Number 67 / Aug 2023
Your Livable Communities Newsletter
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This quarter’s Livable Communities Newsletter offers three fascinating articles pulled together by the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU). This edition is designed to give you a quick summary that entices you to click on the link for each full article:

Vermont – 1 page

Healthy Communities – 1 page

Electric Cars – 2.5 pages

Let us know what you think.

Thanks,

Stacy Roscoe

Vermont Adopts Historic Housing Reform
Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) Editor, Amy Love Tomasso, reports that “Vermont recently became the latest state to eliminate exclusive single family zoning statewide. Municipalities must allow duplexes anywhere single family homes are allowed. In areas served by sewer and water, municipalities must allow multiunit dwellings with four or fewer units to be a permitted use.”  Her one page summary captures details for all impacts to:

  • Dwelling unit density
  • Parking minimums
  • Allowed uses of duplexes, multiunit buildings, and ADUs
  • Limits on local appeals
  • By right development review
  • Vermont’s landmark land use and development law, Vermont ACT 250.

 Read the full one page report
Healthy Communities Explained in Three Steps
Congress for the New Urbanism CNU Editor Robert Steutevillereports on the work that University of Miami Professor Joanna Lombard has done to identify three key aspects that are important to cities and towns, for big impact on community and individual health.

 

The greatest predictor of our longevity and health is level of social interaction—and that goes beyond family to people we see on a daily basis

 

The second important factor is physical activity—and as little as 10 minutes a day of walking can make a big difference

 

The final important factor is exposure to “greenery,” like abundant street trees or a local park.

 

Read the full one page report
Electric Cars Shouldn’t Distract Us

Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) presents a review by Steve Price from Urban Advantage of a recent report by the Climate and Community Project at the University of California, Davis: Achieving Zero Emissions with More Mobility and Less Mining.

 

This report indicates that mining of lithium cannot solve the climate crisis.
Lithium is an essential component of electric car batteries, and there is presently no replacement for it. It is mined from open pits or large evaporation ponds. Lawsuits by indigenous peoples and environmentalists will be filed.

Even if all American cars could be electrified, Americans on average only buy new cars about every 15 years. This isn’t fast enough turnover to meet climate goals.

Walking and micromobility can help

The report states: “Sixty percent of trips in America are for 5 miles or less, usually not requiring a large vehicle. Fifty-two percent are under 3 miles and are easily done on a classic bicycle. The lithium-ion battery required in an electric bicycle weighs less than 1/100th that needed in a 4,000-pound electric car. For those who feel they must have an enclosed sit-down car-like experience for local travel, new electric microcars weigh a third or less than the typical electric car and use much less lithium.”

(Management consultancy firm McKinsey & Company projects that the market for these small vehicles could reach $100 billion in 10 years.)

Europe and Asia are in better position to help because “city forms” there are supportive of alternatives to the automobile. Adjusting America’s car sizes and frequency of use to that of European or Asian countries would alone result in significant emissions reductions.

Click for full 2.5 page article
Thank you for your Support!!
2021 State of the Region
A Special Thank You Goes to Our State of the Region Sponsors:
Research Sponsor –
Ventura County Community Foundation
Title Sponsor –
Ventura County Community College District
Domain Sponsors –
AERA Energy
AT&T
California Lutheran University – Center for Economics of
Social Issues
California State University Channel Islands
County of Ventura
Limoneira
Supporting Sponsors –
Athens Services
EPIC Wealth Partners
California Lutheran University – CENTER
FOR NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP
Gold Coast Transit
Montecito Bank
Ventura County Office of Education
Ventura County P-20 COUNCIL
The Port of Hueneme
Ventura County Coastal Association of
REALTORS
Southern California Edison
VCTC – Ventura County Transportation
COMMISSION
Contributing Sponsors –
Coast Reprographics
The Law Firm of Hiepler & Hiepler
Musick, Peeler & Garrett, LLP
Sespe Consulting Inc.
SoCalGas
Ventura County Credit Union
Friend Sponsors –
Community Property Management
Dyer Sheehan Group, Inc.
United Way
David Maron
Kate McLean & Steve Stone
Stacy and Kerry Roscoe
Ventura County Civic Alliance | P.O. Box 23412, Ventura, CA 93002