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The Power of Sustainability
Chapter 26
The Power of Sustainability: The Story of Kent, Ohio Myra Moss Ohio State University Extension, Columbus, OH, United States
Chapter Outline Background Creation and Implementation of the Kent Sustainable Planning Approach Ohio State University Extension: Sustainable Planning Model Steps in the Creation of the Bicentennial Plan Step 1: Building a Partnership Step 2: Establishing Planning Governance Bicentennial Plan Steering Committee Bicentennial Plan Design Team Step 3: Discovering the Community’s Shared Vision Step 4: Finalize and Adopt Plan
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Implementing Multidimensional, Sustainable Goals Central Gateway: Transforming Kent’s Downtown Shared Vision Themes Examples of Multidimensional Goals From the Kent Plan: Plan Implementation and Outcomes Tying Together the Campus and the Downtown: Haymaker Parkway and University Esplanade Conclusion References Further Reading
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BACKGROUND The City of Kent and the Kent State University (KSU) have long been dependent upon each other for public services, employment, and income. Despite this dependence and impact, there was little more than necessaryd bordering on begrudgingdinteraction between the city and the university. Even more confounding than this detachment is the proximity of the twod Kent’s downtown and the campus were within a block of each other, separated by a neighborhood with student rental housing and a state highway named Haymaker Parkway. Sustainable Cities and Communities Design Handbook. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-813964-6.00026-4 Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Haymaker Parkway, a four-lane road located between the KSU Campus and Downtown Kent, served to create a cultural and physical barrier between the campus and the downtown. One side of Haymaker was access to campus, and at the other side was the Kent central business district, without much interaction between the two. Haymaker was designated as a limited access highway by the Ohio Department of Transportation. The few available crosswalks were inconvenient and far apart. Traffic tended to speed on this four-lane road, so crossing at places other than those few designated crosswalks was taking your life in your hands. Even if Haymaker did not present a physical and cultural barrier, there was not much for the students to do in the downtown area, other than to meet friends at local bars or eat at one of the few student-friendly restaurants. Students admitted that they did not feel welcomed by local shopkeepers, who they felt watched them closely, anticipating shoplifting. Kent’s merchants and service providers did not take advantage of the “captive” resource literally in their backyard; in fact, they often treated them with disdain. Another sore point, creating resentment among some Kent leaders, was that KSU faculty and administrators choose not to live, or shop, in the city. Several “up-scale” lakefront developments in the adjacent township were preferred. Kent’s housing stock largely reflected the city’s blue-collar roots, so the type of housing sought by professional families was not easy to find within the city limits. Townegown relationships were further eroded on May 4, 1970. An antiVietnam war student demonstration on the college green, following student riots in downtown Kent 2 days earlier, erupted in violence. The Ohio National Guard, sent to Kent to quell the riots, shot 13 unarmed students, killing 4. The New York Times summed up the relationship between the city and the university as follows: Though it is home to the second largest campus in Ohio’s state university system by enrollment, this small Cuyahoga River city spent much of the last four decades neglecting, if not deliberately retreating from, its history as a college town and its place in the annals of the Vietnam War era. Schneider (2013).
Kent’s residents have long supported the importance of a healthy environment. It is one of the few cities with not one, but two environmental entities. In 1970, residents created the Kent Environmental Council (https:// kentenvironment.org), and in 1995, the city established the Kent Environmental Commission (http://www.kentohio.org/dep/enviro_com.asp). The citizen-run Kent Environmental Council initiated the city’s first recycling program in 1970, and from 1979 to 1989 it became the first comprehensive and self-supporting recycling program in Ohio. The Kent Environmental
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Commission was tasked by the city to help monitor local environmental initiatives and, most recently, evaluate the outcomes and accomplishments of the City’s Comprehensive Plan (KSU Special Collections and Archives). In 2002, the city recognized the need to update its comprehensive plan and assigned this task to the Community Development Department and its director and staff. The director was aware of an innovative approach to community development and planning, i.e., sustainable development, that was beginning to emerge in the United States and had gained a foothold internationally. He decided that approaching their comprehensive plan update from a sustainability perspective would be desirable. Partnering with a retired sociology professor at the KSU, Kent’s Community Development Director began to promote the concept to city officials and to leadership at the KSU, gaining support and buy-in.
CREATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE KENT SUSTAINABLE PLANNING APPROACH Sustainable comprehensive planning was a newly emerging approach to the development of a community land use plan, and the city recognized the need to find a “consultant” who could help to design and provide guidance throughout the process. Faculty at Ohio State University (OSU) Extension had just finished piloting such a planning approach in a rural southeast county and established a website to present their process and results. Upon finding the website, the City Community Development Director and the KSU Professor contacted OSU Extension to secure their assistance. Kent would become the first city in the State of Ohio to create a Sustainable Comprehensive Plan.
Ohio State University Extension: Sustainable Planning Model In 1998, the Extension faculty at OSU formed the Sustainable Development Team. The purpose of this initiative was to help communities address their planning efforts from the perspective of sustainability. The most commonly used definition at that time was articulated by the United Nations “Bruntdland Commission”: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987, p. 8). Core to the many definitions of sustainability that followed were a number of key concepts: intergenerational equity, balance of social, environmental and economic needs, and inclusion of diverse populations in determining the long-term future. OSU Extension’s planning model (Moss, 2016) reflected the core concepts of sustainable development. The process was guided by a shared community
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vision and incorporated four cornerstones of sustainable community development: l
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Inclusion: Creation of a Guidance Team (steering committee) that broadly represented the community; discovering the community’s shared vision through an inclusionary visioning process Long-term: Using a planning window of two generations, or 50 years Balancing and linking social, environmental, and economic aspirations of the community in an intentional way Multidimensional: Creating multidimensional goals that would insure sustainable outcomes
Under this model, the role of residents/citizens was to identify their shared, desired future (vision); the role of elected and appointed officials then became to help the community achieve their vision though targeted planning efforts and the allocation of resources. The process was “grass roots, bottom-up,” and resulted in greater ownership and buy-in from community residents who could see their place in the development and implementation of the plan. Examples of linkages, which are so critical to understanding and implementing sustainability, are depicted in the Fig. 26.1 In 2002 Kent began the creation of the Kent Bicentennial Plan based on the principles of sustainability (http://kentohio.org/reports/bicentennial.pdf). Environmental/Economic
Social/Environmental Environmental Equity & Justice Natural Resource Stewardship Environmental Literacy
Energy Efficiency Renewable Energy Subsidies & Incentives for Use of Natural Resources Green Infrastructure Alternative Transportation
Environmental Natural & Built Natural Resources Environmental Management Pollution Prevention Biodiversity Infrastructure Transportation
Social Education Skills Equal Opportunity Civic Engagement Diversity Volunteerism Vibrant Community
SUSTAINABILITY SWEET SPOT Triple Bottom Line Interconnected & Balanced Multidimensional
Economic Profitability Entrepreneurship Economic Growth Research & Development Full Employment Expanded Tax Base Financial Capital
Economic/Social Living Wage Ethical Enterprise Social Entrepreneurship Philanthropy Workers’ Rights
FIGURE 26.1
The three spheres of sustainability. Adapted from U.S. EPA Framework.
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The plan’s name was chosen in honor of Ohio’s Bicentennial in 2003, the City of Kent’s Bicentennial in 2005, and KSU’s Centennial in 2010. The plan took over 2 years to complete and on November 4, 2004, it was approved and adopted by the Kent City Council.
STEPS IN THE CREATION OF THE BICENTENNIAL PLAN Step 1: Building a Partnership Through subsequent meetings between the City of Kent, Community Development Department, OSU, and KSU, an agreement was reached to use the OSU model and guidance, with technical assistance and support from KSU faculty and management by the Kent Community Development staff. Dr. Carol Cartwright, the President of KSU, tasked a team of faculty and administrators to provide expertise to the city in the development of the plan. Also, KSU committed the assistance of the Kent Urban Design Center (now known as the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative), home of the urban design graduate program at KSU, and the public sector outreach efforts of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design (http://www.cudc.kent. edu/index.html). The Design Center provided technical design assistance and graphic renderings. They were critical in helping to interpret and conceptualize, in drawings and site plans, the resident’s input into Kent’s special planning areas. The city, through previous planning efforts and conversations over the years, had identified three “special planning areas” that warranted special attention in the Bicentennial Plan. The Kent Design Center was tasked with providing master planning guidance for these three areas, including facilitation of community input sessions and drafting renderings that interpreted the resident’s visions.
Step 2: Establishing Planning Governance Two entities, an inclusive Steering Committee and a Design Team of experts, were created to guide the planning process and provide subject-matter expertise throughout the development of the plan. The Steering Committee represented a broad base of social, economic, and environmental sectors of the Kent community. The Design Team included faculty from KSU and OSU, the City Community Development Department staff, and experts from the KSU Urban Design Center.
Bicentennial Plan Steering Committee A 46-member inclusive Steering Committee with representation from all sectors of the community was created; volunteers were sought from neighborhood associations, churches, schools, business organizations, Boards and
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Commissions, community groups, and KSU administrators, faculty, and students. Volunteers spanned environmental, social, and economic sectors of the community. The Steering Committee participated in an orientation, conducted by the OSU Team, to sustainable community development, the planning process built on sustainability principles, and their roles and responsibilities included: l l
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Championing the Bicentennial Plan and urging community involvement Helping to identify where and with whom vision sessions could be held to ensure that all interests in the community were encouraged to participate Facilitating visioning sessions to be held throughout the community Promoting attendance at the visioning sessions Recording results and determining themes that emerged from the sessions Providing guidance throughout the development and writing of the final plan
Bicentennial Plan Design Team The Steering Committee was totally composed of a broad base of Kent residents, whereas the 19-member Design Team was created to provide technical and process assistance to this group and to the city. Design Team members were experts in specific disciplines that was anticipated would be useful in the creation of the plan. Examples include: l
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Process guidance and expertise in community sustainability: OSU Extension Team Process management and coordination; knowledge of the community: Kent Community Development Office Interpretation of resident’s shared vision through conceptual drawings and plans: Kent Design Center Topical knowledge: KSU faculty and administrators with expertise in technology transfer and economic development, geology, water resources, public policy, biodiversity, communications and marketing, architecture, environmental design, facilities planning, and transportation services. Transportation issues and facilities planning university staff would help to identify and develop shared initiatives between the university and the city.
Step 3: Discovering the Community’s Shared Vision OSU’s sustainability planning process was guided by discovering the community’s shared vision of a desired Kent 50 years into the future. Input was solicited by holding vision sessions throughout the community in locations that were familiar and comfortable for residents, the design of which was to “go to where people gather to reduce barriers to participation.” To organize
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this effort, the city was divided into eight districts. Four rounds of input sessions were conducted in each district, resulting in a total of 8 to 14 meetings per round. Additional sessions were conducted with targeted populations (homeless, African American neighborhoods, downtown retail merchants, for example) to ensure that all voices throughout the community were heard and input captured. The Steering Committee was instrumental in identifying groups/areas to visit to ensure inclusion and secured locations where these groups felt comfortable to share their input openly. Volunteers from the Steering Committee facilitated the community visioning sessions along with OSU, City of Kent, and Kent Design Center. Facilitators received training from the OSU in the importance of remaining neutral and respecting all participants’ views as well as methods to capture, record, and organize input for inclusion in the development of the plan. The following Table 26.1 is an overview of the four rounds and the purpose and goals of each.
TABLE 26.1 Community Visioning/Input Sessions Goals/Purpose Round 1
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Round 2
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Round 3
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Round 4
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Define values and aspirations for the Kent community Conductasset-based fact-finding meetings Discover what community values and want to preserve. Could be a tangible or intangible asset (building, feature, social environment, etc.) Discover what the community hopes it will be for future generations Learn about the three Special Planning Areas Residents prioritize the ideas, assets, and values shared in Round 1 and organize them into social, environmental, and economic columns Prioritize top three items in each column Create linkages between priority items in one column with other two to set the stage for sustainable, multidimensional goals Review and respond to initial concept plans developed for Special Planning Areas by Urban Design Center Focus, in depth, on three Special Planning Area Plans Review architectural drawings incorporating citizen input generated during Round 2 Solicit additional input from community that can be used to develop final draft of architectural drawings Share final draft of drawings with Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, Environmental Commission, and the Architectural Advisory Review Board; prepare presentation to share with community Receive feedback on the draft Bicentennial Plan View final architectural renderings for the Special Planning Areas through a PowerPoint Presentation
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In the fourth and final round of community input meetings, residents mostly agreed with and validated the plans as presented. Many raised one concern, i.e., that students’ needs were not addressed adequately by the plan. Residents felt that students preferred to shop at “big-box” stores and that an economic development approach interspersing locally owned businesses with “big-box” stores would attract students to shop in the downtown and keep them in Kent to shop on weekends. Residents believed that these types of businesses could coexist with smaller retail and still maintain the “feel” of the downtown, particularly if the “big boxes” could be encourage to reuse and rehab, rather than raise, older main street buildings.
Step 4: Finalize and Adopt Plan The Design Team analyzed the input gathered from the many community visioning and input sessions and translated common themes that emerged into overall goals, initiatives, and strategies. The Bicentennial Plan was presented to the City Council and approved in 2004.
IMPLEMENTING MULTIDIMENSIONAL, SUSTAINABLE GOALS Implementing the sustainable goals of the Bicentennial Plan has resulted in the transformation of the Kent community. Oftentimes community plans do not reach stated goals, thwarted by changes in elected and appointed officials, administrations, and community partners. New administrators and officials who evolve into leadership positions might not share the same passion for the plan as previous administrations did. Since the Kent Bicentennial Plan was adopted the city has a new Mayor, City Manager, Council Members, Community Development Director, and Economic Development Director and the KSU has a new President. However, unlike some comprehensive plans, Kent’s sustainable plan was a bottom-up process through which the entire community, including the university, set the overall vision and confirmed the goals. Residents articulated a shared vision of their desired, long-term future. They also identified what they felt was unique about their community, and they sought to preserve, as embodied in tangible and intangible assets. The widely engaged community bought into the plan, seeing their place in its creation and implementation. Residents held city officials, community leaders, and university administrators responsible and accountable for the implementation of their plan, and on many critical occasions “held their feet to the fire.” The broad-based community engagement in and support of the plan enabled the implementation of sustainable goals to transcend changes in administrations, public officials, and local leadership.
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CENTRAL GATEWAY: TRANSFORMING KENT’S DOWNTOWN Kent’s downtown was important to the Kent community, and resident’s desired it to be the economic/social/environmental focal point of the community. Kent resident’s downtown of the future follows.
Shared Vision Themes l l
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A place to gather for families and individuals (alleys, places to shop, parks) Economically vibrant with a mix of locally owned small businesses and student-friendly retailers; downtown includes office space, services, and quality housing; A location for cultural activities and opportunities, arts and entertainment, and shopping. Places to live, eat, and play Offers recreational opportunities taking advantage of the Cuyahoga River An exciting location for entertainment and events based on the arts, music, and culture Preservation of Kent’s history through reuse/use of older and historic buildings Eliminate disconnect between the university and the community, and between the campus and the downtown. Students shop downtown and parents can stay in town when they visitdplace to stay, things to do (restaurants, shopping, entertainment) Physically and visually appealing with plantings, benches, art, and attractive streetscapes
These vision themes were interpreted into goals and strategies. Multidimensionality was built in at this stage, intentionally linking social, economic, and environmental features to each goal to ensure that they supported tenets of sustainability (balance and linkage). The following flow chart presents the planning process and development of multidimensional goals followed by examples (Fig. 26.2).
Examples of Multidimensional Goals From the Kent Plan: Encourage and promote locally owned businesses l
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Economic/social: Downtown merchants organize to improve commercial activity and sidewalk events. Economic/social/environmental (built): Kent will become a Main Street Program. Economic/social/environmental (built): Kent students have the opportunity to open shops in the downtown alleyways that attract students and residents.
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FIGURE 26.2 Process used to reach multidimensional goals.
Develop Kent’s downtown as an economic focal point l
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Environment (built)/economic: Create a comprehensive parking strategy for the downtown. Economic/social/environmental (built): Downtown Kent is a pedestrianfriendly area. Economic/social: Build a university hotel and convention center.
Promote traffic management and alternative forms of transportation l
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Environmental (natural and built): Increase public transportation Portage Area Regional Transit Authority (PARTA) ridership by 2006. Environment/social/economic: Build a multimodal facility to increase the use of alternative forms of transportation. Environment (built)/social: Develop a 10-year plan for installation and repair of sidewalks. Environmental/social/economic: Eliminate Haymaker Parkway’s barriers to pedestrian access from the campus to the downtown.
Use existing buildings for redevelopment l
l
Environment (built)/economic/social: Implement architectural standards for downtown by 2007. Economic/social/environmental: Develop a vibrant downtown by encouraging mixed uses in existing buildings.
Preserve natural resources for residents to enjoy l
Economic/social/environmental (natural): Cuyahoga River becomes a focal point and destination.
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Social/environmental (built/natural): Preserve and enhance significant historical features like the Main Street Dam on the Cuyahoga River. Environment/social/economic: Build a multi-modal facility to increase the use of alternative forms of transportation.
PLAN IMPLEMENTATION AND OUTCOMES The City of Kent has accomplished much since presenting their plan to Council in 2004. Through publiceprivate partnerships involving the city, private developers and investors, and the Kent State University Foundation and Alumni organization, the downtown revitalization and KSU connection as envisioned by community residents is taking place. The investment in Kent is projected to top $100 million and create up to 1600 jobs when completed. Much of the proposed investment in Fig. 26.3 below has been accomplished: Development initiatives in Kent Central Gateway were designed to create a closer relationship between the university and the city, ease traffic and parking
FIGURE 26.3 Proposed Central Gateway Projects. Reproduced from ESRI; TeleAtlas; http:// blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/11/downtown_kent_ohio_rising_phoe.html.
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issues by reducing reliance on the automobile, and develop a multiuse downtown that was economically vital, socially diverse, and environmentally sensitive. Key initiatives included the following: Promoting Trafic Management PARTA Multimodal Center (left) Opportunities for Parents to Stay and Shop in the Downtown KSU Hotel/Conference Center (right)
The PARTA multimodal facility, an anchor for the Kent Central Gateway concept, was critical to Kent’s vision of being a walkable, bikeable community with many alternative forms of transportation, reduced traffic congestion, and reduced need for parking in the downtown. It provided a transfer point for cars, busses, bikes, and pedestrians, as well as a visitor’s center and retail shops. Commuters to Kent, many of whom are students, faculty, or employees in the local offices, can park their cars in the 300þ space center, access their bike stored in a rental locker, walk to the campus that is one block away, or catch a bus. The project was promoted jointly by the city; KSU; local, regional, and state political leaders; and the PARTA and funded through a $20-million TIGER Grant. PARTA is the ongoing manager of the facility. Located directly across from the PARTA Multimodal Center, and another downtown anchor project, is the new Kent State University Hotel and Conference Center. Prior to this facility being built, there were no accommodations in the downtown area for parents and visitors and the University did not have an adequate conference and training facility. This location in the downtown provides easy access for visitors to shopping, entertainment, and dining. In addition, the KSU is recognized worldwide for its cutting-edge liquid crystal research. Kent state’s 41,000 sq ft Centennial Research Park, located near the university, provides space to high-tech start-up enterprises
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that have been launched through KSU research activities. The Conference Center provides the university with a venue for events relating to this technology niche.
Tying Together the Campus and the Downtown: Haymaker Parkway and University Esplanade Improvements to Haymaker Parkway (left– looking toward campus from PARTA MultiOmodal)
KSU University Esplanade (below – looking from campus to PARTA and Conference Center)
Haymaker presented an accessibility challenge and physical barrier between the campus and the downtown. The City Manager successfully negotiated with the Ohio Department of Transportation to have the Parkway’s limited access highway status removed. Pedestrian-friendly and pedestriansafe cross-walks were added to greatly improve access to the PARTA multimodal facility, University Hotel and Convention Center shopping, and the main campus. After the Bicentennial Plan was completed the University began addressing the need for additional parking on campus to ease congestion in city streets. Options included additional surface lots or a parking garage. KSU’s Transportation Services Coordinator, who had been a member of the Bicentennial Plan’s Design Team, partnered with the City of Kent to solicit input from community leaders and residents on options to improve parking and traffic congestion. These discussions, facilitated by OSU Extension and held over a number of months, resulted in a different proposal than was originally anticipated. Instead of adding more parking, which would require space and investment, the advisory group suggested improvements to enhance the use of alternative and public forms of transportation. The final initiative involved the extension of a KSU Esplanade that would provide dedicated pedestrian and bicycle access from the campus to the downtown, crossing Haymaker Parkway directly across from the PARTA Facility and
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the University Conference Center (http://thecollaborativeinc.com/project/ esplanadeFextension#). The Esplanade was designed to facilitate bicycle access by tying into the Portage Bike and Hike Trail a 10-mile route from the City of Ravenna to Kent, with an offshoot that goes directly through the KSU campus. Retail development in Acorn Alley with places to gather (historic Franklin Hotel in the background)
A place for residents and students to gather with access to shopping, entertainment, music, arts and culture
Entrance to Acorn Alley
Acorn Alley I and II, pedestrian-friendly multiuse downtown developments with shopping, entertainment, dining, and loft housing, is located in the block next to the PARTA multimodal facility and KSU Conference Center. A local developer/investor rehabbed and reused existing historic buildings for Acorn I and II, in keeping with the community’s vision. The existing alleys and wide spaces between buildings were improved for small shops and places to sit and enjoy live music. The same investor substantially rehabbed the historic
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downtown Franklin Hotel, saving it from further deterioration and imminent demolition. Now known as Acorn Corner, this former hotel contains offices, a restaurant, and loft apartments. Reuse of existing and historic structures in downtown Acorn Corner (former Franklin Hotel)
Thanks to the efforts of local investors, along with the City of Kent administration and City Council, key players at Kent State University, Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority, and other community business leaders and stakeholders, there is a renaissance in downtown Kent. Their shared vision for a sense of community has infused more vitality and investment than the downtown has seen in a long time, restoring the pride and tradition of a vibrant downtown. Downtown Kent now boasts many points of interest uniting the old with the new by preserving the historical integrity of the past while creating a destination city of today. About Acorn Alley, from http://acornalleykent.com/about/.
CONCLUSION The Kent experience is a story of a community and its partners breaking down barriers and coalescing around a widely shared vision of the future, as articulated and implemented through a plan based on principles of sustainability.
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The planning process itself generated collaborative approaches to shared problems and opportunities by bringing together citizens, community leaders, businesses, and technical experts in dialog with each other. The plan provided the catalyst to allow Kent to escape its past and work together for a common future. A clear indicator of success was the 2013 International Town-Gown Association’s Larry Abernathy Award, given to Kent and KSU for their successful townegown collaborative partnership (Record-Courier, 2013). The results that Kent has been able to achieve in a relatively short timed13 yearsdspeak to the commitment of leadership to the resident’s vision and hopes for the future, the residents’ commitment to their sustainable community, and the power of sustainability.
REFERENCES Moss, M.L., 2016. Comprehensive Planning Based on Sustainability: A Model for Ohio Communities. Ohio State University Extension, Columbus, Ohio. Record-Courier, April 17, 2013. KSU, City of Kent Win Award From International Town-Gown Association. Retrieved from Schneider, K., February 5, 2013. A partnership seeks to transform Kent State and Kent. New York Times. Retrieved from: http://www.record-courier.com/ news/20130417/ksu-city-of-kent-win-award-from-international-town-gown-association. Schneider, K., February 5, 2013. A partnership seeks to transform kent state and kent. New York Times. Retrieved from: www.nytimes.com/2013/02/06/realestate/commercial/developmentaims-to-bring-kent-state-and-its-city-closer.html. World Commission on Environment, Development (Brundtland Commission), 1987. Our Common Future. Development and International Cooperation: Environment. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
FURTHER READING City of Kent Bicentennial Plan (2005). City of Kent, Ohio. Retrieved from: http://www.kentohio. org/reports/BICENTENNIAL.pdf. Kent Environmental Council, Records, 1970e Kent State University Special Collections and Archives. Kent State University. July 1997.
The Power of Sustainability: The Story of Kent, Ohio Myra Moss Ohio State University Extension, Columbus, OH, United States
Chapter Outline Background Creation and Implementation of the Kent Sustainable Planning Approach Ohio State University Extension: Sustainable Planning Model Steps in the Creation of the Bicentennial Plan Step 1: Building a Partnership Step 2: Establishing Planning Governance Bicentennial Plan Steering Committee Bicentennial Plan Design Team Step 3: Discovering the Community’s Shared Vision Step 4: Finalize and Adopt Plan
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Implementing Multidimensional, Sustainable Goals Central Gateway: Transforming Kent’s Downtown Shared Vision Themes Examples of Multidimensional Goals From the Kent Plan: Plan Implementation and Outcomes Tying Together the Campus and the Downtown: Haymaker Parkway and University Esplanade Conclusion References Further Reading
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BACKGROUND The City of Kent and the Kent State University (KSU) have long been dependent upon each other for public services, employment, and income. Despite this dependence and impact, there was little more than necessaryd bordering on begrudgingdinteraction between the city and the university. Even more confounding than this detachment is the proximity of the twod Kent’s downtown and the campus were within a block of each other, separated by a neighborhood with student rental housing and a state highway named Haymaker Parkway. Sustainable Cities and Communities Design Handbook. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-813964-6.00026-4 Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Haymaker Parkway, a four-lane road located between the KSU Campus and Downtown Kent, served to create a cultural and physical barrier between the campus and the downtown. One side of Haymaker was access to campus, and at the other side was the Kent central business district, without much interaction between the two. Haymaker was designated as a limited access highway by the Ohio Department of Transportation. The few available crosswalks were inconvenient and far apart. Traffic tended to speed on this four-lane road, so crossing at places other than those few designated crosswalks was taking your life in your hands. Even if Haymaker did not present a physical and cultural barrier, there was not much for the students to do in the downtown area, other than to meet friends at local bars or eat at one of the few student-friendly restaurants. Students admitted that they did not feel welcomed by local shopkeepers, who they felt watched them closely, anticipating shoplifting. Kent’s merchants and service providers did not take advantage of the “captive” resource literally in their backyard; in fact, they often treated them with disdain. Another sore point, creating resentment among some Kent leaders, was that KSU faculty and administrators choose not to live, or shop, in the city. Several “up-scale” lakefront developments in the adjacent township were preferred. Kent’s housing stock largely reflected the city’s blue-collar roots, so the type of housing sought by professional families was not easy to find within the city limits. Townegown relationships were further eroded on May 4, 1970. An antiVietnam war student demonstration on the college green, following student riots in downtown Kent 2 days earlier, erupted in violence. The Ohio National Guard, sent to Kent to quell the riots, shot 13 unarmed students, killing 4. The New York Times summed up the relationship between the city and the university as follows: Though it is home to the second largest campus in Ohio’s state university system by enrollment, this small Cuyahoga River city spent much of the last four decades neglecting, if not deliberately retreating from, its history as a college town and its place in the annals of the Vietnam War era. Schneider (2013).
Kent’s residents have long supported the importance of a healthy environment. It is one of the few cities with not one, but two environmental entities. In 1970, residents created the Kent Environmental Council (https:// kentenvironment.org), and in 1995, the city established the Kent Environmental Commission (http://www.kentohio.org/dep/enviro_com.asp). The citizen-run Kent Environmental Council initiated the city’s first recycling program in 1970, and from 1979 to 1989 it became the first comprehensive and self-supporting recycling program in Ohio. The Kent Environmental
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Commission was tasked by the city to help monitor local environmental initiatives and, most recently, evaluate the outcomes and accomplishments of the City’s Comprehensive Plan (KSU Special Collections and Archives). In 2002, the city recognized the need to update its comprehensive plan and assigned this task to the Community Development Department and its director and staff. The director was aware of an innovative approach to community development and planning, i.e., sustainable development, that was beginning to emerge in the United States and had gained a foothold internationally. He decided that approaching their comprehensive plan update from a sustainability perspective would be desirable. Partnering with a retired sociology professor at the KSU, Kent’s Community Development Director began to promote the concept to city officials and to leadership at the KSU, gaining support and buy-in.
CREATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE KENT SUSTAINABLE PLANNING APPROACH Sustainable comprehensive planning was a newly emerging approach to the development of a community land use plan, and the city recognized the need to find a “consultant” who could help to design and provide guidance throughout the process. Faculty at Ohio State University (OSU) Extension had just finished piloting such a planning approach in a rural southeast county and established a website to present their process and results. Upon finding the website, the City Community Development Director and the KSU Professor contacted OSU Extension to secure their assistance. Kent would become the first city in the State of Ohio to create a Sustainable Comprehensive Plan.
Ohio State University Extension: Sustainable Planning Model In 1998, the Extension faculty at OSU formed the Sustainable Development Team. The purpose of this initiative was to help communities address their planning efforts from the perspective of sustainability. The most commonly used definition at that time was articulated by the United Nations “Bruntdland Commission”: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987, p. 8). Core to the many definitions of sustainability that followed were a number of key concepts: intergenerational equity, balance of social, environmental and economic needs, and inclusion of diverse populations in determining the long-term future. OSU Extension’s planning model (Moss, 2016) reflected the core concepts of sustainable development. The process was guided by a shared community
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vision and incorporated four cornerstones of sustainable community development: l
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Inclusion: Creation of a Guidance Team (steering committee) that broadly represented the community; discovering the community’s shared vision through an inclusionary visioning process Long-term: Using a planning window of two generations, or 50 years Balancing and linking social, environmental, and economic aspirations of the community in an intentional way Multidimensional: Creating multidimensional goals that would insure sustainable outcomes
Under this model, the role of residents/citizens was to identify their shared, desired future (vision); the role of elected and appointed officials then became to help the community achieve their vision though targeted planning efforts and the allocation of resources. The process was “grass roots, bottom-up,” and resulted in greater ownership and buy-in from community residents who could see their place in the development and implementation of the plan. Examples of linkages, which are so critical to understanding and implementing sustainability, are depicted in the Fig. 26.1 In 2002 Kent began the creation of the Kent Bicentennial Plan based on the principles of sustainability (http://kentohio.org/reports/bicentennial.pdf). Environmental/Economic
Social/Environmental Environmental Equity & Justice Natural Resource Stewardship Environmental Literacy
Energy Efficiency Renewable Energy Subsidies & Incentives for Use of Natural Resources Green Infrastructure Alternative Transportation
Environmental Natural & Built Natural Resources Environmental Management Pollution Prevention Biodiversity Infrastructure Transportation
Social Education Skills Equal Opportunity Civic Engagement Diversity Volunteerism Vibrant Community
SUSTAINABILITY SWEET SPOT Triple Bottom Line Interconnected & Balanced Multidimensional
Economic Profitability Entrepreneurship Economic Growth Research & Development Full Employment Expanded Tax Base Financial Capital
Economic/Social Living Wage Ethical Enterprise Social Entrepreneurship Philanthropy Workers’ Rights
FIGURE 26.1
The three spheres of sustainability. Adapted from U.S. EPA Framework.
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The plan’s name was chosen in honor of Ohio’s Bicentennial in 2003, the City of Kent’s Bicentennial in 2005, and KSU’s Centennial in 2010. The plan took over 2 years to complete and on November 4, 2004, it was approved and adopted by the Kent City Council.
STEPS IN THE CREATION OF THE BICENTENNIAL PLAN Step 1: Building a Partnership Through subsequent meetings between the City of Kent, Community Development Department, OSU, and KSU, an agreement was reached to use the OSU model and guidance, with technical assistance and support from KSU faculty and management by the Kent Community Development staff. Dr. Carol Cartwright, the President of KSU, tasked a team of faculty and administrators to provide expertise to the city in the development of the plan. Also, KSU committed the assistance of the Kent Urban Design Center (now known as the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative), home of the urban design graduate program at KSU, and the public sector outreach efforts of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design (http://www.cudc.kent. edu/index.html). The Design Center provided technical design assistance and graphic renderings. They were critical in helping to interpret and conceptualize, in drawings and site plans, the resident’s input into Kent’s special planning areas. The city, through previous planning efforts and conversations over the years, had identified three “special planning areas” that warranted special attention in the Bicentennial Plan. The Kent Design Center was tasked with providing master planning guidance for these three areas, including facilitation of community input sessions and drafting renderings that interpreted the resident’s visions.
Step 2: Establishing Planning Governance Two entities, an inclusive Steering Committee and a Design Team of experts, were created to guide the planning process and provide subject-matter expertise throughout the development of the plan. The Steering Committee represented a broad base of social, economic, and environmental sectors of the Kent community. The Design Team included faculty from KSU and OSU, the City Community Development Department staff, and experts from the KSU Urban Design Center.
Bicentennial Plan Steering Committee A 46-member inclusive Steering Committee with representation from all sectors of the community was created; volunteers were sought from neighborhood associations, churches, schools, business organizations, Boards and
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Commissions, community groups, and KSU administrators, faculty, and students. Volunteers spanned environmental, social, and economic sectors of the community. The Steering Committee participated in an orientation, conducted by the OSU Team, to sustainable community development, the planning process built on sustainability principles, and their roles and responsibilities included: l l
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Championing the Bicentennial Plan and urging community involvement Helping to identify where and with whom vision sessions could be held to ensure that all interests in the community were encouraged to participate Facilitating visioning sessions to be held throughout the community Promoting attendance at the visioning sessions Recording results and determining themes that emerged from the sessions Providing guidance throughout the development and writing of the final plan
Bicentennial Plan Design Team The Steering Committee was totally composed of a broad base of Kent residents, whereas the 19-member Design Team was created to provide technical and process assistance to this group and to the city. Design Team members were experts in specific disciplines that was anticipated would be useful in the creation of the plan. Examples include: l
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Process guidance and expertise in community sustainability: OSU Extension Team Process management and coordination; knowledge of the community: Kent Community Development Office Interpretation of resident’s shared vision through conceptual drawings and plans: Kent Design Center Topical knowledge: KSU faculty and administrators with expertise in technology transfer and economic development, geology, water resources, public policy, biodiversity, communications and marketing, architecture, environmental design, facilities planning, and transportation services. Transportation issues and facilities planning university staff would help to identify and develop shared initiatives between the university and the city.
Step 3: Discovering the Community’s Shared Vision OSU’s sustainability planning process was guided by discovering the community’s shared vision of a desired Kent 50 years into the future. Input was solicited by holding vision sessions throughout the community in locations that were familiar and comfortable for residents, the design of which was to “go to where people gather to reduce barriers to participation.” To organize
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this effort, the city was divided into eight districts. Four rounds of input sessions were conducted in each district, resulting in a total of 8 to 14 meetings per round. Additional sessions were conducted with targeted populations (homeless, African American neighborhoods, downtown retail merchants, for example) to ensure that all voices throughout the community were heard and input captured. The Steering Committee was instrumental in identifying groups/areas to visit to ensure inclusion and secured locations where these groups felt comfortable to share their input openly. Volunteers from the Steering Committee facilitated the community visioning sessions along with OSU, City of Kent, and Kent Design Center. Facilitators received training from the OSU in the importance of remaining neutral and respecting all participants’ views as well as methods to capture, record, and organize input for inclusion in the development of the plan. The following Table 26.1 is an overview of the four rounds and the purpose and goals of each.
TABLE 26.1 Community Visioning/Input Sessions Goals/Purpose Round 1
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Round 2
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Round 3
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Round 4
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Define values and aspirations for the Kent community Conductasset-based fact-finding meetings Discover what community values and want to preserve. Could be a tangible or intangible asset (building, feature, social environment, etc.) Discover what the community hopes it will be for future generations Learn about the three Special Planning Areas Residents prioritize the ideas, assets, and values shared in Round 1 and organize them into social, environmental, and economic columns Prioritize top three items in each column Create linkages between priority items in one column with other two to set the stage for sustainable, multidimensional goals Review and respond to initial concept plans developed for Special Planning Areas by Urban Design Center Focus, in depth, on three Special Planning Area Plans Review architectural drawings incorporating citizen input generated during Round 2 Solicit additional input from community that can be used to develop final draft of architectural drawings Share final draft of drawings with Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, Environmental Commission, and the Architectural Advisory Review Board; prepare presentation to share with community Receive feedback on the draft Bicentennial Plan View final architectural renderings for the Special Planning Areas through a PowerPoint Presentation
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In the fourth and final round of community input meetings, residents mostly agreed with and validated the plans as presented. Many raised one concern, i.e., that students’ needs were not addressed adequately by the plan. Residents felt that students preferred to shop at “big-box” stores and that an economic development approach interspersing locally owned businesses with “big-box” stores would attract students to shop in the downtown and keep them in Kent to shop on weekends. Residents believed that these types of businesses could coexist with smaller retail and still maintain the “feel” of the downtown, particularly if the “big boxes” could be encourage to reuse and rehab, rather than raise, older main street buildings.
Step 4: Finalize and Adopt Plan The Design Team analyzed the input gathered from the many community visioning and input sessions and translated common themes that emerged into overall goals, initiatives, and strategies. The Bicentennial Plan was presented to the City Council and approved in 2004.
IMPLEMENTING MULTIDIMENSIONAL, SUSTAINABLE GOALS Implementing the sustainable goals of the Bicentennial Plan has resulted in the transformation of the Kent community. Oftentimes community plans do not reach stated goals, thwarted by changes in elected and appointed officials, administrations, and community partners. New administrators and officials who evolve into leadership positions might not share the same passion for the plan as previous administrations did. Since the Kent Bicentennial Plan was adopted the city has a new Mayor, City Manager, Council Members, Community Development Director, and Economic Development Director and the KSU has a new President. However, unlike some comprehensive plans, Kent’s sustainable plan was a bottom-up process through which the entire community, including the university, set the overall vision and confirmed the goals. Residents articulated a shared vision of their desired, long-term future. They also identified what they felt was unique about their community, and they sought to preserve, as embodied in tangible and intangible assets. The widely engaged community bought into the plan, seeing their place in its creation and implementation. Residents held city officials, community leaders, and university administrators responsible and accountable for the implementation of their plan, and on many critical occasions “held their feet to the fire.” The broad-based community engagement in and support of the plan enabled the implementation of sustainable goals to transcend changes in administrations, public officials, and local leadership.
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CENTRAL GATEWAY: TRANSFORMING KENT’S DOWNTOWN Kent’s downtown was important to the Kent community, and resident’s desired it to be the economic/social/environmental focal point of the community. Kent resident’s downtown of the future follows.
Shared Vision Themes l l
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A place to gather for families and individuals (alleys, places to shop, parks) Economically vibrant with a mix of locally owned small businesses and student-friendly retailers; downtown includes office space, services, and quality housing; A location for cultural activities and opportunities, arts and entertainment, and shopping. Places to live, eat, and play Offers recreational opportunities taking advantage of the Cuyahoga River An exciting location for entertainment and events based on the arts, music, and culture Preservation of Kent’s history through reuse/use of older and historic buildings Eliminate disconnect between the university and the community, and between the campus and the downtown. Students shop downtown and parents can stay in town when they visitdplace to stay, things to do (restaurants, shopping, entertainment) Physically and visually appealing with plantings, benches, art, and attractive streetscapes
These vision themes were interpreted into goals and strategies. Multidimensionality was built in at this stage, intentionally linking social, economic, and environmental features to each goal to ensure that they supported tenets of sustainability (balance and linkage). The following flow chart presents the planning process and development of multidimensional goals followed by examples (Fig. 26.2).
Examples of Multidimensional Goals From the Kent Plan: Encourage and promote locally owned businesses l
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Economic/social: Downtown merchants organize to improve commercial activity and sidewalk events. Economic/social/environmental (built): Kent will become a Main Street Program. Economic/social/environmental (built): Kent students have the opportunity to open shops in the downtown alleyways that attract students and residents.
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FIGURE 26.2 Process used to reach multidimensional goals.
Develop Kent’s downtown as an economic focal point l
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Environment (built)/economic: Create a comprehensive parking strategy for the downtown. Economic/social/environmental (built): Downtown Kent is a pedestrianfriendly area. Economic/social: Build a university hotel and convention center.
Promote traffic management and alternative forms of transportation l
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Environmental (natural and built): Increase public transportation Portage Area Regional Transit Authority (PARTA) ridership by 2006. Environment/social/economic: Build a multimodal facility to increase the use of alternative forms of transportation. Environment (built)/social: Develop a 10-year plan for installation and repair of sidewalks. Environmental/social/economic: Eliminate Haymaker Parkway’s barriers to pedestrian access from the campus to the downtown.
Use existing buildings for redevelopment l
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Environment (built)/economic/social: Implement architectural standards for downtown by 2007. Economic/social/environmental: Develop a vibrant downtown by encouraging mixed uses in existing buildings.
Preserve natural resources for residents to enjoy l
Economic/social/environmental (natural): Cuyahoga River becomes a focal point and destination.
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Social/environmental (built/natural): Preserve and enhance significant historical features like the Main Street Dam on the Cuyahoga River. Environment/social/economic: Build a multi-modal facility to increase the use of alternative forms of transportation.
PLAN IMPLEMENTATION AND OUTCOMES The City of Kent has accomplished much since presenting their plan to Council in 2004. Through publiceprivate partnerships involving the city, private developers and investors, and the Kent State University Foundation and Alumni organization, the downtown revitalization and KSU connection as envisioned by community residents is taking place. The investment in Kent is projected to top $100 million and create up to 1600 jobs when completed. Much of the proposed investment in Fig. 26.3 below has been accomplished: Development initiatives in Kent Central Gateway were designed to create a closer relationship between the university and the city, ease traffic and parking
FIGURE 26.3 Proposed Central Gateway Projects. Reproduced from ESRI; TeleAtlas; http:// blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/11/downtown_kent_ohio_rising_phoe.html.
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issues by reducing reliance on the automobile, and develop a multiuse downtown that was economically vital, socially diverse, and environmentally sensitive. Key initiatives included the following: Promoting Trafic Management PARTA Multimodal Center (left) Opportunities for Parents to Stay and Shop in the Downtown KSU Hotel/Conference Center (right)
The PARTA multimodal facility, an anchor for the Kent Central Gateway concept, was critical to Kent’s vision of being a walkable, bikeable community with many alternative forms of transportation, reduced traffic congestion, and reduced need for parking in the downtown. It provided a transfer point for cars, busses, bikes, and pedestrians, as well as a visitor’s center and retail shops. Commuters to Kent, many of whom are students, faculty, or employees in the local offices, can park their cars in the 300þ space center, access their bike stored in a rental locker, walk to the campus that is one block away, or catch a bus. The project was promoted jointly by the city; KSU; local, regional, and state political leaders; and the PARTA and funded through a $20-million TIGER Grant. PARTA is the ongoing manager of the facility. Located directly across from the PARTA Multimodal Center, and another downtown anchor project, is the new Kent State University Hotel and Conference Center. Prior to this facility being built, there were no accommodations in the downtown area for parents and visitors and the University did not have an adequate conference and training facility. This location in the downtown provides easy access for visitors to shopping, entertainment, and dining. In addition, the KSU is recognized worldwide for its cutting-edge liquid crystal research. Kent state’s 41,000 sq ft Centennial Research Park, located near the university, provides space to high-tech start-up enterprises
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that have been launched through KSU research activities. The Conference Center provides the university with a venue for events relating to this technology niche.
Tying Together the Campus and the Downtown: Haymaker Parkway and University Esplanade Improvements to Haymaker Parkway (left– looking toward campus from PARTA MultiOmodal)
KSU University Esplanade (below – looking from campus to PARTA and Conference Center)
Haymaker presented an accessibility challenge and physical barrier between the campus and the downtown. The City Manager successfully negotiated with the Ohio Department of Transportation to have the Parkway’s limited access highway status removed. Pedestrian-friendly and pedestriansafe cross-walks were added to greatly improve access to the PARTA multimodal facility, University Hotel and Convention Center shopping, and the main campus. After the Bicentennial Plan was completed the University began addressing the need for additional parking on campus to ease congestion in city streets. Options included additional surface lots or a parking garage. KSU’s Transportation Services Coordinator, who had been a member of the Bicentennial Plan’s Design Team, partnered with the City of Kent to solicit input from community leaders and residents on options to improve parking and traffic congestion. These discussions, facilitated by OSU Extension and held over a number of months, resulted in a different proposal than was originally anticipated. Instead of adding more parking, which would require space and investment, the advisory group suggested improvements to enhance the use of alternative and public forms of transportation. The final initiative involved the extension of a KSU Esplanade that would provide dedicated pedestrian and bicycle access from the campus to the downtown, crossing Haymaker Parkway directly across from the PARTA Facility and
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the University Conference Center (http://thecollaborativeinc.com/project/ esplanadeFextension#). The Esplanade was designed to facilitate bicycle access by tying into the Portage Bike and Hike Trail a 10-mile route from the City of Ravenna to Kent, with an offshoot that goes directly through the KSU campus. Retail development in Acorn Alley with places to gather (historic Franklin Hotel in the background)
A place for residents and students to gather with access to shopping, entertainment, music, arts and culture
Entrance to Acorn Alley
Acorn Alley I and II, pedestrian-friendly multiuse downtown developments with shopping, entertainment, dining, and loft housing, is located in the block next to the PARTA multimodal facility and KSU Conference Center. A local developer/investor rehabbed and reused existing historic buildings for Acorn I and II, in keeping with the community’s vision. The existing alleys and wide spaces between buildings were improved for small shops and places to sit and enjoy live music. The same investor substantially rehabbed the historic
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downtown Franklin Hotel, saving it from further deterioration and imminent demolition. Now known as Acorn Corner, this former hotel contains offices, a restaurant, and loft apartments. Reuse of existing and historic structures in downtown Acorn Corner (former Franklin Hotel)
Thanks to the efforts of local investors, along with the City of Kent administration and City Council, key players at Kent State University, Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority, and other community business leaders and stakeholders, there is a renaissance in downtown Kent. Their shared vision for a sense of community has infused more vitality and investment than the downtown has seen in a long time, restoring the pride and tradition of a vibrant downtown. Downtown Kent now boasts many points of interest uniting the old with the new by preserving the historical integrity of the past while creating a destination city of today. About Acorn Alley, from http://acornalleykent.com/about/.
CONCLUSION The Kent experience is a story of a community and its partners breaking down barriers and coalescing around a widely shared vision of the future, as articulated and implemented through a plan based on principles of sustainability.
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The planning process itself generated collaborative approaches to shared problems and opportunities by bringing together citizens, community leaders, businesses, and technical experts in dialog with each other. The plan provided the catalyst to allow Kent to escape its past and work together for a common future. A clear indicator of success was the 2013 International Town-Gown Association’s Larry Abernathy Award, given to Kent and KSU for their successful townegown collaborative partnership (Record-Courier, 2013). The results that Kent has been able to achieve in a relatively short timed13 yearsdspeak to the commitment of leadership to the resident’s vision and hopes for the future, the residents’ commitment to their sustainable community, and the power of sustainability.
REFERENCES Moss, M.L., 2016. Comprehensive Planning Based on Sustainability: A Model for Ohio Communities. Ohio State University Extension, Columbus, Ohio. Record-Courier, April 17, 2013. KSU, City of Kent Win Award From International Town-Gown Association. Retrieved from Schneider, K., February 5, 2013. A partnership seeks to transform Kent State and Kent. New York Times. Retrieved from: http://www.record-courier.com/ news/20130417/ksu-city-of-kent-win-award-from-international-town-gown-association. Schneider, K., February 5, 2013. A partnership seeks to transform kent state and kent. New York Times. Retrieved from: www.nytimes.com/2013/02/06/realestate/commercial/developmentaims-to-bring-kent-state-and-its-city-closer.html. World Commission on Environment, Development (Brundtland Commission), 1987. Our Common Future. Development and International Cooperation: Environment. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
FURTHER READING City of Kent Bicentennial Plan (2005). City of Kent, Ohio. Retrieved from: http://www.kentohio. org/reports/BICENTENNIAL.pdf. Kent Environmental Council, Records, 1970e Kent State University Special Collections and Archives. Kent State University. July 1997.