Green Infrastructure Conference Steering Committee March 12, 2004 Meeting Summary

Green Infrastructure Conference Steering Committee 

March 12, 2004 Meeting Summary

Attendees: Kate Herrod, Susan Boyd, Sally Boasberg, Annette Pfeifer Hanada, Dale Medearis, Peggy Harwood, Marc Berthold, Michael Lucy, Kendra Briechle, Julia Koster, Katie Rehwaldt, Jim Lyons, Cindy DeGrood, Glenn Eugster

Venues: 

The Committee heard reports and discussed options for the Conference location including the following:

National Gallery: No

George Washington University: October 12-13 are available; $3,600 plus expenses.

Mellon Auditorium: Okay for October 12-13, 18-19, 2004.  See attached sheet with costs and terms.

AFI:  $3,500 per day.  Jim Lyons agreed to inquire further.

Discovery Hotel: Jim Lyons agreed to investigate this location.

National Geographic: $4,500 per day.  Cafeteria available for breaks and lunches

Omni: Okay for October 18-19.  No price

Brian LeCouteur raised the issue of whether the groups should hold the conference at a green hotel or not.  He noted that the Hyatt regency; Four Point Sheraton; and Washington Marriott were noted as green hotels.  Brian agreed to investigate these options.

Another member asked about Galludette University as a location.  It was noted that the University isn’t close to a metro station but does have a shuttle bus to and from the metro. Susan Boyd agreed to investigate this option.

Julia Koster indicated that she is checking on Smithsonian.

Glenn Eugster offered to use the National Park Service’s hotel and conference coordinator to see what options might be available.

Conference Dates:

The group discussed the dates that were identified at the last meeting and agreed that the best dates for a two-day conference is October 12-13; October 18-19; or October 19-20, 2004.  It was agreed that October 18-19 are the preferred dates.

Mini-Workshops:

The Committee heard the following status reports about the Mini-Workshops.  The Mini-Workshops are intended to help design the Conference and build support and interest for it.

Mini-Workshop Format:

The Committee discussed the format of the workshops and encouraged everyone to join a group and begin planning as session.  The workshops are intended to be facilitated sessions between experts.  The workshops should start with brief presentations on the topics and provide for a larger discussion to follow.

Each workshop should result in the identification of speakers and the construction of the conference session.

Each group was encouraged to try to have their workshop report completed by early July.  It is hoped that each workshop would generate products, fact sheets, and a whitepaper by June, July and August.

State of the Region:

Brian LeCouteur discussed the design of the workshop.  Julia Koster said that Steve Fuller of the Board of Trade and George Mason U. was under contract to NCPC and might be of assistance with growth projections. 

It was suggested that ULI and John Bailey of the Smart Growth Alliance should be involved.  Peggy Harwood asked if this session would address restoration of green infrastructure.

Values of Green Infrastructure:

Jim Lyons said he hoped to arrange for a workshop by late April.  He said that Casey Trees is doing a document on Recreation and Obesity.  He also noted that there was a link between this workshop the APA Conference and the Queensland Land Care Project being discussed on April 20-22, 2004.

Case Studies:

Sally Boasberg discussed the design of the workshop.  Dale Medearis indicated that he and the Friends of the Potomac could assist.  Sally noted that Drew Becker was moving here from Chicago and he could help.  Kendra Briechel said that The Conservation Fund could assist.  

Commitments:

Jim Lyons reported on the design of the workshop on Commitments.  He shared his thinking about the idea of securing commitments from government jurisdictions and private organizations so they could be announced at the conference.

Kendra Briechel said that she thought it would be good if we could do a survey or poll coming into the conference.  She urged the group to consider hiring a pollster to help.  Kate Herrod noted that she had contacts with Lou Harris.  Phyllis Myers was noted as another source of this information.  Sally asked where do we pull in Peter Harnick?

Public relations/ Outreach:

Julia Koster said that she had begun to pull together a “Choir List”.  The Committee discussed the value of sharing contact directories

Toolkit:

Jim Lyons shared his view on the design of the workshop.  He said that he hoped that Karen Hobbs of CNT could be involved.  He said that he saw this workshop as including financing, information, rules, regulations and programs.  Peggy Harwood offered to help and mentioned the Green Infrastructure Manual.  Kendra suggested that the session include development practices.  Th

Website:

There was a brief discussion about the need for and desirability of having a website to post information about the mini-workshops and the conference.  It was clear if anyone is willing to take this task on.

Next Steps

The Committee agreed to further research venues and report back by March 19.

The group was encouraged to schedule mini-workshops in April, May and June.

Several members echoed the idea that we need to begin to deign a draft conference agenda and select keynote speakers as soon as possible.

Julia Koster said that she wanted to explore how NCPC can involve federal agencies.

Jim Lyons said that the Committee needed to decide how we could establish and use a website to further this effort.

The group agreed to meet again on March 30, 2004 from 10:00 am until 12 noon at Casey Trees.