Valerie Carrasco

"Interested in reading bike and transportation books and engaging in robust discussions with other friendly folks? Join this Treehouse Talk and official launch of our new book club. Come to the meeting with ideas for great books to read. We will meet and start a reading list of our favorite books like Traffic, the Parking Myth, and more, and select the next book to be discussed."

"To someone circling the block looking for a space, nothing seems like a more personal transportation challenge than parking. But in addition to being a local issue, every car, parking space, meter and curb in the Bay Area comprises a much larger regional challenge—as planners try to accommodate all modes of movement (cars, transit, bicycles and pedestrians) while also attempting to reduce driving in the region. Join us for a discussion of how we can resolve this tension between local needs and regional aims. With Redwood City Downtown Development Coordinator Dan Zack, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Valerie Knepper and Doug Johnson." 

"The Sustainable Sites Initiative is the nation's first rating system for the design, construction and maintenance of sustainable landscapes. This missing link in green design has the potential to reshape urban landscape design. Learn about the program’s new ratings system, and hear about case studies that demonstrate the process of landscape measurement. With April Philips, principal at April Philips Design Works and a founder of the American Society of Landscape Architects' Sustainable Design & Development Professional Practice Network, Allegra Bukojemsky of Biohabitats and current chair of the Sustainable Design & Development PPN and Deb Guenther, principal at Mithun and ASLA's representative for the development of the SSI."

"Join us for opening night of Classrooms of the Future, an exhibit produced by Architecture for Humanity, on view at the SPUR Urban Center through Feb. 26. The exhibit features winners of the 2009 Open Architecture Challenge, an international design competition for sustainable classrooms. We'll kick off the night with a panel discussion featuring Nik Kaestner, Director of Sustainability at the San Francisco Unified School District, Allen Post from Perkins + Will, De’Anthony Jones, a local high school student, Laura Allen of Greywater Action and a former teacher and Jennifer Afdahl-Rice of NCB Capital Impact. Moderated by Kate Stohr, co-founder of Architecture for Humanity, the discussion will explore the potential of good design to enhance the learning process in schools around the world. The event concludes with wine, cheese and plenty of time to mingle in the Urban Center’s storefront gallery." 

"In recent years, the Planning Department has set out to make vast improvements to the city’s public realm by drawing on the best thinking from urban designers such as Allan Jacobs, Elizabeth Macdonald and Jan Gehl, while also gleaning lessons from other world-class cities. Join us for a discussion with David Alumbaugh, the acting director of Citywide Planning and manager of the Planning Department’s City Design Group, Adam Varat, manager for the Better Streets Plan and Neil Hrushowy, manager of the City’s pedestrian program."

"Web 2.0--shorthand for Internet applications that rely on users to generate content--has the potential to transform transit systems and operations, while also enabling the general public to collaborate directly with public agencies. Andy Nash, a veteran transportation and land use planner based in Vienna, Austria, will present his latest research on how Web 2.0 has improved planning, efficiency and reliability and public participation. Nash's talk will build on his past experiences conducting research at ETH Zurich's Institute for Transport Planning and Systems and, in the 1990s, as executive director of the San Francisco County Transportation Authority." 

"From Pierre L'Enfant’s plan of 1791 to James McMillan’s Plan of 1901, Washington D.C. is a city with a rich planning tradition. The Nation's capital is also home to a dizzying array of monuments and memorials, with more to come in future years. Find out how Washington D.C. itself is planning for its next 100 years, and how the region's suburban transit oriented development may or may not be a model that other regions can draw upon. Join Rod Freebairn-Smith, architect and urban historian, SPUR Deputy Director Sarah Karlinsky, and SPUR Regional Planning Director Egon Terplan."

Agenda.

"Ride your bike to the American Conservatory Theater for tonight's performance of A Christmas Carol and let the SFBC park your bike. The Bay Area's favorite holiday tradition returns to A.C.T. with a sparkling, music-infused A Christmas Carol. Featuring mean ol' Scrooge, adorable Tiny Tim, those spooky Christmas ghosts, and a multigenerational cast of dozens, A Christmas Carol is a celebration of goodwill that you'll never forget. Bring your family, bring your friends, and check your "humbugs" at the door!"

"Help say thank you to the SFMTA for the bold and beautiful bike improvements on Market Street. We'll be hosting an Energizer Station and making cards for the MTA. Are you SFBC Outreach trained and want to volunteer?"