Nationally Renowned Land Use and Urban Planning Experts to Visit the Community March 27-29

For more information, contact: Trisha Riggs at 202-624-7086; [email protected]

WASHINGTON (March 22, 2019) – A group of nationally renowned land use, urban design and real estate experts representing the Urban Land Institute (ULI) will be visiting the city of Lewisville, Texas March 27-29 to provide strategic advice on increasing access to parks and open space in an area of the city that currently lacks sufficient outdoor recreational space. The study area is located within a “triangle” bounded by the intersections of SH121, IH35, and Corporate Drive.

ULI is a global, multidisciplinary real estate organization whose work is driven by more than 42,000-plus members dedicated to responsible land use and building thriving, sustainable communities. The study visit in Lewisville is being conducted in conjunction with the 10-Minute Walk Campaign, a national movement striving to ensure that residents of urban neighborhoods throughout America have access to a high-quality park within a ten-minute walk from their homes. The 10-Minute Walk Campaign, which has been endorsed by over 230 mayors, involves a partnership between the Urban Land Institute, The Trust for Public Land, and the National Recreation and Park Association.

The Lewisville assignment is one of a series of ULI advisory activities related to the 10-Minute Walk Campaign.

The primary goals of the study visit are to:

• Develop clear strategies, tools and next steps so the city can achieve publicly accessible open space within the study area;
• Ensure a focus on producing equitable outcomes that inform the redevelopment, development and connectivity to park access within the study area; and
• Identify equitable community engagement strategies for residents of the study area.

During the week, the participants will tour the study area and interview a range of stake holders, including public- and private-sector representatives, property owners, and neighborhood representatives. After carefully analyzing the site and completing the interviews, the participants will form their recommendations and present them during a public event at the conclusion of the visit.

Leading ULI member Cate Townley, a built environment specialist with the Colorado Department of Public Health, is chairing the panel. “We are excited to bring ULI’s expertise on incorporating park space into community building to the city of Lewisville,” Townley said. “Public spaces serve important roles as community amenities as well as catalysts for economic development. When programmed and operated to reflect local community needs, these public spaces become important hubs of civic life in ways that address issues of inclusion, equity, and wellness.”

Townley will be joined on the study tour by Clement Lau, department facilities planner, County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation; Molly Plummer, Park for People program manager for North Texas, The Trust for Public Land; Isabel Domyeko, managing member, New Economics and Advisory; Jared Mummert, program specialist, National Recreation and Park Association; James Rojas, founder, Placeit; TJ McCourt, planning supervisor, City of Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Culture Resources Department; and Adrian Engel, senior associate, Fehr & Peers. The study tour participants will be working closely with ULI North Texas, which serves over 1,300 ULI members in the North Texas region, to develop the recommendations.

NOTE TO REPORTERS AND EDITORS: The study tour participants will be making their recommendations during a public presentation on March 29, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. in the Next Step Center of Valley Creek Church in Lewisville.