Transcript Slide 1
Building Common Ground on Climate Change: A process in the Twin Cities Area Transportation Study (TwinCATS) Gautam Mani, Transportation Planner, SWMPC Outline Grant process First public meeting and challenges Lessons learned and second public meeting Final Report Emerging tools and next steps Process Stakeholder Interviews Community Conversations 1 & 2 Community Selection & Contact Meeting Audit Tool Completion Final Meeting Part of a National network of regional centers focused on climate change adaptation Climatologists, social scientists, outreach specialists GLISA funded MSU project team to work with two Michigan communities for one year Why the TwinCATS Area ? Coastal Location Strong Tourism and Agricultural Sectors Potential Vulnerability to Major Precipitation Events Gauging Public Attitudes: Meeting #1 Wide-Ranging Opinions Expressed “One of the greatest risks is that planners will overreact, over-regulate and infringe on industrial liberties.” “Our time as a species is almost over, as feedback loops wreak havoc with everything we depend on- water, air, soils, stability, etc.” “An opportunity for increased localism and better cooperation between individuals, along with better health outcomes.” Lessons learned Better establish what TwinCATS/SWMPC do and the role that climate change plays (Read: Take control of process). More time needed for members of the public to engage with substantive Address personal attacks by “disarming with data” Preparation for the Second Meeting Land Use Water & Public Health Food & Agriculture Tourism & Economy Preparation for Second Meeting Agriculture/Food Concerns Drought Availability/Access to Food Best Practices: What Municipal Governments Can Do With Your Support Transportation Considerations Tree species that require an abundance of moisture could be replaced in urban forests with species that are drought-resistant. Replace monocultures with polycultures (multiple species instead of one) along streets and arterial corridors to counteract tree deaths from drought Correct tree placement reduces street maintenance costs by reducing repair (surface destabilization from roots) and clean-up costs (leaves, fruits, and branches) associated with inappropriately-placed species Identify areas within the region that could be used for additional Farmers Markets and seek out additional community, municipal, and regional collaborators, as well as local markets and growers. This way, food supply is less likely to be interrupted during extreme events Temporary road closures, detours, and short-term conversion of parking areas to market areas; smaller local shipments to local markets rather than large semi-truck loads from major distribution centers Amend ordinances and plans, as well as economic development funding practices to allow food production within urban areas May lead municipalities to install porous pavement that captures run-off before sediment, fertilizer, and pesticides end up in storm and/or sanitary sewers Meeting #2: Framing the Issue Geneva Township. Photo Source: FOX17 News. Photo source: Don Campbell/ Herald Palladium Staff 2013 Meeting #2: Framing the Issue Meeting #2: Framing the Issue Change in Mean Temperature (°F) from 1951-1980 to 1981-2010 Annual 0.9 Winter 1.9 Spring 1.1 Summer 0.6 Fall 0.2 Meeting #2: Framing the Issue Change in Mean Total Precipitation (%) from 1951-1980 to 1981-2010 Annual 8.0 Winter 7.5 Spring 3.6 Summer 4.8 Fall 17.1 Meeting #2: Prioritizing Issues and Actions Meeting #2: Prioritizing Issues and Actions Meeting #2: Prioritizing Issues and Actions Top 5 Best Practices # Best Practice Support Category 1 Maintain diversity of native of crops/trees 15 Agriculture/Food 2 Enhance: pedestrian environment; non-motorized paths; access to marinas 10 Tourism/Economy 3 Critical habitat: identify, acquire, protect 10 Public Health/Water 4 Promote public transit 8 Tourism/Economy 5 Utilize water resources more efficiently 7 Public Health/Water Additional Resources in Final Report Next Steps for the MPO Overlay vulnerable areas map layers with other features (i.e. schools, planned transit fixed routes, development footprint) Perform feasibility analysis for transportation best practices Develop project evaluation criteria (i.e. provisions for particularly vulnerable populations, floodplain development rationale, etc.) Emerging Tools http://graham.umich.edu/glaac/great-lakes-atlas Emerging Tools http://www.resilientmonroe.org/ Emerging Tools Infrastructure Scenario Scenario Scenario Located in the Flooding Flooding expected 1 Floodplain ? expected due to due to storm event 100-year, 2450% greater than 2 hour storm ? column 23 Sewage Treatment Plant Power grid Drinking Water Reservoirs/Tanks Significant Roadways (e.g., evacuation) Railways/evacuation routes Petroleum/chemical storage facilities Total Check Marks (infrastructure) http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/newsletter/2013/01/g etting_real_about_climate_change.html Thank you! Questions? Gautam Mani [email protected] 269-925-1137 x 24