Providence's Federal Hill is being honored as one of the top 20 neighborhoods in North America. The recognition comes from the New York-based Project for Public Places, which focuses on public space design and management. Topping the list was Granville Island in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Federal Hill is ranked 16th on the list of 20 neighborhoods, districts and downtowns. Other neighborhoods rounding out the list included San Francisco's North Beach, New Orleans' Lower Garden District and the Adams Morgan section of Washington, D-C.

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In response to requests from municipal planners, Grow Smart and several partners, including Rhode Island Housing and the Statewide Planning Program, collaborated on a November 30th workshop to help municipalities better understand housing development financing and zoning strategies.

Co-sponsored by The Rhode Island Foundation and the United Way of RI, the workshop drew over 80 participants to the Crowne Plaza in Warwick to hear presentations by planning and development experts.

Workshop materials will be available on the Rhode Island Housing website in mid-December

Regardless of party affiliation, voters in every region of the country this year voted to expand transportation options, create more parks and open space and to plan sensibly for expected growth.

As USA Today put it, "In cities and suburbs - small, large, red and blue - voters were united on one key issue: paying to get out of traffic jams." In a record number of transit funding ballot initiatives, voters nationwide approved investments in public transportation for a total of more than $40 billion. At the same time, voters in 111 communities in 25 states, including RI, passed ballot measures to invest $2.4 billion in protecting land for open space, parks and recreation.

Also, candidates in every region of the country, including RI, won election after campaigning on smart growth values. Click here to view a sampling from around the country.

- Red state or blue, Americans sick of gridlock USA Today

Grow Smart RI founding Chairman Jim Dodge a member of the non-partisan Council

President Bush's first EPA Administrator has joined forces with a Democratic former governor known for his smart-growth initiative to create a high-level council of government, business and civic leaders that aims to promote alternatives to urban sprawl.

The National Smart Growth Council serves both as a forum for prominent public officials, business leaders, labor, and experts to share their views of progress toward smart growth, and as an incubator of new ideas for how to help communities plan for healthy growth and development.

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Despite the many obstacles - real or perceived - that can block redevelopment of city and town neighborhood retail projects, such areas can be successfully revived with careful planning and commitment from the public and private sector, according to the Urban Land Institute (ULI).

Ten Principles for Rebuilding Neighborhood Retail, a 23-page booklet, will help you identify the key issues that neighborhood streets face and determine the most effective ways to rebuild them and ensure their long-term competitive position. It also helps set strategic principles to guide the community, public planners, retailers, and developers.

Download the free booklet

Woonsocket

A national study now shows that more than half of all non-drivers age 65 and over stay at home on a given day, particularly because of limited transportation options. This trend is particularly troublesome for a state like Rhode Island which ranks 6th highest nationally in percentage of people over 65.

Released by the Surface Transportation Policy Project and AARP, these findings offer further evidence of the need for an efficient and reliable mass-transit service as well as zoning reforms that encourage mixed-use traditional neighborhood design, offering living options that are less auto-dependent.

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Thursday, December 9 (7-9p)

Thursday, December 9 (5:30p)