Franklin Hill & Associates
New Urbanism Planning

Some call it "sustainable" development or simply "smart" communities. Regardless of the title, it is an emerging trend that blends community livability in housing with economic advantages of mixed-use commercial areas, and where appropriate, connection with mass transportation and other social functions.

An increasingly critical component of successful, sustainable development is the role of the schools, whether preschool, kindergarten through 12th grade, community colleges, or even adult or continuing education facilities. Comprehensive planning and the inclusion of education are important in stabilizing social, cultural, as well as economic components of "good development".

Celebration Community: Franklin Hill & Associates provided 18 months of consulting services in the planning of the Celebration School under contract to the Disney Development Company. Several issues were instrumental to this planning relationship:

• Analyzing and recommending adjustments to the site that provide a better functional campus while maintaining the scale of quality of the surrounding housing units.
• Campus master planning that blended successfully with the surrounding residential and multifamily architecture.
• Planning that coordinated with the downtown urban development plan for connectivity, pedestrian movement, and park placement.
• Integration with on-site wetlands to create unique learning opportunities.
• Creating a "learning village" within the new urbanism of the Celebration community.

Since then, Franklin Hill & Associates has continued to work with land use developers to promote a positive coordination and symbiotic relationship between "lifelong learning" and urban "good development" communities.

Costa Pacific Developers of Oregon: The most recent FH&A contract involved Costa Pacific Developers of Oregon. They were recognized for their successful Orinco Station Project in Hillsboro that won the "Master Planning Community of the Year" award from the National Homebuilders Association (NAHB). Franklin Hill & Associates worked on their next project, Villebois, located outside of Portland, Oregon. This 200- acre development is part of a total master-planned 500-acre community. Franklin Hill & Associates looked at the role of children generally as they relate to parks, safety, pedestrian movement, bicycle use, etc. In addition, Hill examined the role of the schools, grade-level configuration options, enrollment trends, and site development. Using existing buildings for possible renovation and conversion to educational facilities as part of a "sustainable" philosophy of development was also part of the scope of work.

"Coordinating the complex issues of new urbanism and sustainable lifestyles with the values and placement of schools is essential to creating a "livable" community of the future," says Hill.

"Learning at all levels must complement communities of the future and vice versa." As a qualified urban planner, Hill brings a unique perspective to understanding the intention of a quality "smart" development and the qualities of "smart" schools.