Arid communities such as Peoria are often in search of innovative and sustainable heat mitigation solutions. Urban forestry is a growing practice that can help reduce energy consumption, increase pedestrian comfort, and provide environmental benefits such as filtering pollutants from urban air. The Fall 2020 portion of the project, summarized in Part 2 of this […]
Read More… from Community Forestry Program Development Project (1/2)
Clarkdale is a small community in north-central Arizona, nestled in the Coconino forest, along the southwest banks of the Verde River. Clarkdale was founded in 1912 as a company town to serve the United Verde Copper Company and was officially incorporated in 1957. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Town of Clarkdale […]
Read More… from Downtown Business District Revitalization Plan (3/3)
The City of Peoria exists in a unique semi-arid desert region, with water bodies such as Lake Pleasant, the Agua Fria River, and the New River all lying within its borders. The city’s water comes from multiple sources and is distributed through the ubiquitous canal networks that traverse the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. Peoria’s proximity to […]
The City of Peoria exists in a unique semi-arid desert region, with water bodies such as Lake Pleasant, the Agua Fria River, and the New River all lying within its borders. The city’s water comes from multiple sources and is distributed through the ubiquitous canal networks that traverse the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. Peoria’s proximity to […]
The City of Peoria has continually demonstrated itself as a forward- thinking, sustainability-minded city. With booming economic and population growth, Peoria is presented with the opportunity to support its community as the recent COVID-19 pandemic makes its way throughout the state. With financial instability and health concerns, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated several existing challenges, […]
The Town of Clarkdale is situated in the Verde Valley of central Arizona. A historic mining town, Clarkdale is known for its rich deposits of copper and other minerals and has long-standing relationships with mining companies such as Freeport-McMoRan. While Clarkdale is dedicated to preserving its history, it also recognizes it is no longer the […]
Affordable housing options are growing sparse in the U.S., with the issue even more prevalent throughout the state of Arizona. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), only 25 affordable rental properties exist for every 100 extreme low-income rental households across the U.S. (2019). This ever-present issue has spurred many cities and towns […]
A critical facet of thriving communities, placemaking is a key development process of improving the sociability, connectivity, usage, and comfort of a space, ultimately building cultural identity and a “sense of place.” On their own, these elements contribute to pleasant and useful settings, but strategically combined through placemaking, can build more meaningful, landmark hubs of […]
Peoria continues to demonstrate its commitment to sustainable development with the Livability Initiatives, which is comprised of six overarching goals for the city, including Economic Prosperity, Superior Public Services, Integrated Transportation, Arts and Cultural Enrichment, Smart Growth, and Healthy Neighborhoods. In 2009, the City of Peoria released its first Sustainability Action Plan (SAP), a guiding […]
Read More… from Sustainability Planning: Public Outreach Campaign (1/2)
Municipal solid waste management is an integral part of a city’s infrastructure. However, as the amount of solid waste increases, finding sustainable solutions to address this growth is crucial. For the City of Peoria, textile recovery and recycling have the potential to benefit the city’s Solid Waste Division and its residents. Students in the ERM […]
Read More… from Sustainable Waste Management: Recycling Textiles & Extruded Polystyrene