Transition to Walkable Communities

What is the future of transportation and land use in Santa Cruz? This evening, we will start to play with the possibilities. Based on the highly successful "Economics Study Circle," the format will combine film excerpts, speakers and discussion, with walkable neighborhoods and lifestyles as a guiding theme. We will intersperse excerpts from the films "Sprawling from Grace," "A Convenient Truth" (about Curitiba, Brazil) and "City Repair" (Portland, OR) with commentary from local transportation and land use thinkers Mark Primack (former city councilmember) and Micah Posner (People Power), plus ample time for Q and A and discussion involving all those attending.

With peak oil and climate change staring us in the face, the time has come to think beyond traffic mitigation and imagine a truly walkable city, where residents can get most needs met within a 20-minute walk from their homes. This would eliminate most car trips that are currently made in town. We can reclaim our neighborhoods for people and revitalize our local community, and we can start right away. The May 28 event is the first of three Transition Santa Cruz events in May and June to be focused on Transportation and Land Use. On June 18, there will be a talk on energy constraints affecting transportation, featuring David Fridley of Lawrence Berkeley Labs, among others. Fridley garnered much attention when he  spoke on "The Myths of Biofuels" in Santa Cruz in 2007. And on June 20, will be a daylong community "Open Space" workshop on the same topic.