Location:
Hazelwood Green, Pittsburgh, PA
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Completed Year:
Fall 2024
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Project size:
174 Acres
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Student:
Kylie Blackburn
The project used Pittsburgh's existing planning documents to make a scorecard to analyze Hazelwood's plan
The goal is to integrate principles from the Pittsburgh Planning Commission's planning documents to create a scorecard
The scorecard will focus on the Hazelwood Green Preliminary Land Development Plan and its alignment with Pittsburgh's goals
The Public Engagement Guide is a tool that can be applied citywide but is not a distinct initiative in itself. It supports engagement efforts related to other initiatives, such as the Climate Action Plan, Biophilic Cities Initiative, or neighborhood plans.
P4 Pittsburgh is a comprehensive framework that encompasses various aspects of urban planning, including economic development, sustainability, social equity, and quality of life. Its scope is broad and can influence citywide and neighborhood-level initiatives
This plan primarily focuses on addressing climate change, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and enhancing overall environmental sustainability. It encompasses citywide efforts
The Biophilic Cities Initiative focuses on creating nature-connected urban environments, emphasizing biodiversity, green spaces, and the integration of nature into the city. Its scope can extend across the city but often centers on urban design and natural elements
Open space initiatives primarily deal with the creation, preservation, and management of public and green spaces within the city. While they can impact various neighborhoods, their core focus is on enhancing access to open spaces.
Neighborhood plans like the Greater Hazelwood Neighborhood Plan are localized and specific to particular neighborhoods. They address community development, land use, and infrastructure needs within that specific area.
The plans for Pittsburgh are designed as a cohesive framework, integrating strategies that collectively enhance the city's equity, sustainability, and resilience. These initiatives prioritize the diverse needs of its residents, promote eco-friendly practices, and fortify the city against challenges. The result is a more dynamic and inclusive city, where considerations of equity, sustainability, and resilience are interwoven into the fabric of urban development.
It began with the careful selection of relevant planning documents, sourced from municipal authorities, community organizations, and environmental assessments.
The criteria were formed by identifying common themes and shared priorities across these plans, acknowledging their significance.
A hierarchical order was established to reflect the importance of each criterion, taking into account their role in responsible urban development.
Balancing a comprehensive representation of the project's essential aspects was a key consideration.
Community Engagement and Identity
Community engagement in urban planning, coupled with a focus on identity, empowers residents to shape their neighborhoods actively, fostering a strong sense of belonging and pride in their community's unique cultural and social characteristics.s.
Sustainability and Equity
In urban planning, sustainability entails responsible resource management for present and future generations, while equity ensures a just distribution of resources and opportunities for all residents, regardless of their backgrounds.
Environmental Responsibility
Environmental responsibility in urban planning demands conscientious resource management for present and future generations, while equity ensures a fair distribution of resources, collectively contributing to cities that are both environmentally sustainable and socially just.
Health and Well-Being
In urban planning, health considerations prioritize environments fostering both physical and mental well-being among residents, aiming to enhance overall quality of life and community happiness.
Biophilic Design and Green Spaces
Biophilic design in urban planning integrates nature into the built environment for human well-being, while intentionally designed green spaces contribute to urban environments fostering health and a connection with nature.
Resilience and Well-Being
Resilience in urban planning refers to a city's ability to recover from challenges, like natural disasters, while prioritizing resident well-being, aiming to build cities that can rebound from adversity and ensure the satisfaction of their inhabitants.
Accessibility and Mobility
In urban planning, accessibility ensures equal access to services, irrespective of abilities or status, while mobility focuses on efficient movement within a city, working together to create inclusive and convenient urban environments.
Overlapping Significance
The scoring structure took into account the degree of overlap and relevance among the categories.
Priorities
The Pittsburgh Planning Commission was instrumental in determining the weights.
Balanced Representation
A balanced representation of the different components of the development plan was maintained when allocating weights.
Fine-Tuning Based on Synergies
Looking at the degree of overlap and specificity of the criteria itself.
0: The topic is not mentioned in the plan.
1-3: The topic is mentioned, but no clear plan or strategy is outlined.
4-6: The topic is mentioned, and a plan or strategy is partially established.
7-9: The topic is mentioned, and there is a clear and effective plan for addressing it, but there may be room for improvement or further detail.
10: The topic is not only mentioned but also addressed with a highly effective and comprehensive plan in place.
Community Engagement and Identity
The assessment of community engagement and identity in the urban planning document reveals both successes and failures. Positive aspects include a commendable long-term commitment to community involvement from 2010 to 2018, as well as established relationships with key stakeholders. However, the document falls short in providing recent engagement details and lacks information on how the plan respects and incorporates community identity, making it challenging to gauge continued effectiveness. Additionally, the document may not offer a complete assessment of challenges or changes in community dynamics during the specified period, highlighting potential gaps in addressing evolving community needs.
The proposed strategies for community engagement in Hazelwood aim to enhance transparency, inclusivity, and responsiveness to community needs. Key recommendations include regular and transparent reporting, periodic community surveys, inclusive representation, updates on collaborative partnerships, integration of community identity, a designated city liaison role, a comprehensive community assessment since 2018, and the integration of guide principles and local contextualization. These strategies collectively seek to strengthen community engagement, celebrate the unique identity of Hazelwood, and ensure the ongoing effectiveness of the community plan through adaptability to evolving dynamics.
Sustainability and Equity
The Hazelwood preliminary plan showcases successes in sustainability through the use of comprehensive metrics like LEED-ND, Pittsburgh p4, and the Living Community Challenge, emphasizing collaboration with key organizations. Continuous improvement, particularly highlighted by the Living Community Challenge, aligns with a commitment to long-term environmental and social well-being. However, the plan falls short by not explicitly prioritizing equity within its sustainability framework. The absence of specific equity metrics and limited information on community engagement for equity raises concerns about addressing the needs of vulnerable communities. In summary, while the plan excels in sustainability, it needs to explicitly integrate equity metrics, highlight community engagement for equity, and incorporate social justice goals to ensure fair and inclusive development in the Hazelwood area.
The outlined strategies for sustainability and equity integration in Hazelwood emphasize the explicit incorporation of equity within the sustainability framework. Recommendations include incorporating equity as a core component in sustainability goals, emphasizing community engagement, collaborating with local organizations, implementing educational initiatives on equity, conducting regular equity impact assessments, and incorporating principles from the Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan. These strategies collectively aim to ensure that sustainability efforts align with principles of fairness, inclusivity, and social justice, fostering a resilient and equitable community in Hazelwood.
Environmental Responsibility
The Hazelwood preliminary plan excels in environmental responsibility through initiatives such as on-site rainwater management, net-positive building energy performance goals, ecosystem restoration, brownfield reuse, and building certifications. However, the plan falls short in providing specific metrics to measure the success of these initiatives and lacks robust community engagement efforts. Incorporating measurable metrics would enhance transparency in assessing progress, and increased community engagement is crucial for addressing residents' environmental concerns and priorities. In summary, while the plan showcases strong commitment and initiatives, enhancing metrics and community involvement can further contribute to the well-being and sustainability of the Hazelwood community.
The outlined strategic recommendations for environmental responsibility in Hazelwood Green focus on incorporating specific metrics, enhancing transparency, promoting community engagement, fostering partnerships with local organizations, and leveraging principles from the Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan. Key strategies include defining measurable benchmarks, transparent reporting, continuous improvement, community workshops, forming an Environmental Advisory Committee, education and awareness campaigns, interactive online platforms, and strengthened partnerships. These comprehensive efforts aim to measure, communicate, and continually improve environmental initiatives, ensuring community involvement and fostering a resilient, environmentally responsible community in alignment with the broader sustainability goals of the City of Pittsburgh.
Health and
Well-Being
The Hazelwood preliminary plan exhibits successes in promoting health and well-being by prioritizing safe environments, job opportunities, walkability, and multi-modal connectivity. However, the document falls short in specifying equity metrics and lacks detailed information on community engagement efforts for inclusivity. To ensure equitable outcomes, it is recommended to define specific equity targets and engage robustly with the community, particularly addressing the unique needs of marginalized populations in the Greater Hazelwood area.
The strategic recommendations for Health and Well-Being in Hazelwood Green aim to enhance equity, inclusivity, and responsiveness to the diverse needs of the community. Key strategies include defining and implementing equity metrics, conducting regular equity impact assessments, developing community-driven inclusivity initiatives, expanding inclusive job creation programs, ensuring equity in walkability initiatives, organizing community health workshops, promoting diverse representation in planning committees, providing regular updates on inclusivity efforts, and leveraging insights from Open Space PGH for open space planning. These comprehensive efforts aim to strengthen the link between well-being strategies and equitable outcomes, fostering a thriving, equitable, and resilient community in Hazelwood Green.
Biophilic Design and Green Spaces
The Hazelwood preliminary plan showcases successes in ecological restoration, biophilic design, and open space integration, exceeding zoning requirements and incorporating sustainability strategies. However, the plan lacks detailed information on ensuring equitable access to open spaces and promoting inclusivity. To enhance its impact, the plan should specify strategies for ensuring accessibility and inclusivity within the open spaces to benefit the diverse community in the Greater Hazelwood area.
The strategic recommendations for Biophilic Design and Green Spaces in Hazelwood Green emphasize equitable access, inclusive design, community engagement, publicizing inclusivity initiatives, diverse programming, equity impact assessments, accessible outreach, and partnerships with community organizations. By providing detailed equitable access strategies, specifying inclusive design features, engaging the community in open space planning, and conducting equity impact assessments, Hazelwood Green aims to create enriching and inclusive open spaces. Drawing inspiration from the Biophilic Cities Initiative and utilizing Open Space PGH as a guide enhances the integration of nature-centric elements and aligns open space planning with Pittsburgh's broader goals, fostering a cohesive and interconnected community. These recommendations aim to contribute to the overall well-being, enjoyment, and community connection of Hazelwood Green's residents.
Resilience and Well-Being
The Hazelwood preliminary plan exhibits successes in resilience and well-being through initiatives like multi-modal transportation, on-site renewable energy, economic diversity, and brownfield revitalization. It aligns with city goals and p4 Performance Measures, emphasizing community well-being and sustainability. However, to enhance impact, the plan should explicitly integrate equity-focused strategies and provide more information on community engagement efforts to ensure equitable distribution of benefits and address the specific needs of the Hazelwood community.
The strategic recommendations for Resilience and Well-Being in Hazelwood Green focus on integrating equity within the initiatives. By incorporating explicit equity strategies, community-centric resilience planning, diversity and inclusion in economic opportunities, affordable housing provisions, equity impact assessments, enhanced community engagement initiatives, partnerships with community advocacy groups, and accessible information sharing, Hazelwood Green aims to create a resilient and thriving community that prioritizes the well-being and equitable participation of all residents. Referencing P4 Pittsburgh initiatives further enhances the alignment with the vision for creating a sustainable, equitable, and vibrant Pittsburgh. These recommendations contribute to the overall improvement of the community's quality of life, economic stability, and resilience, fostering inclusivity and well-being for all residents.
Accessibility and Mobility
The Hazelwood preliminary plan excels in promoting accessible transportation options and efficient mobility through a focus on walkability, multi-modal connectivity, shared roadways, and a detailed transportation strategy. Integration with existing systems further enhances accessibility to regional amenities. However, to strengthen the plan's impact, it should explicitly define equity metrics for accessible transportation and provide more details on community engagement efforts to ensure inclusivity and alignment with residents' specific needs.
The strategic recommendations for Accessibility and Mobility in Hazelwood Green focus on enhancing equity within the transportation plan. By incorporating defined equity metrics, community-centric transportation planning, inclusive transportation features, accessibility impact assessments, equitable distribution of transportation amenities, partnerships with accessibility advocacy groups, accessible information sharing, and regular updates on inclusivity initiatives, Hazelwood Green aims to create an inclusive and accessible environment for all residents. Embracing principles from P4 Pittsburgh provides strategic guidance, prioritizing people and fostering an eco-friendly and resilient environment. Utilizing the Public Engagement Guide ensures a structured and inclusive approach to gathering community insights for mobility solutions. These recommendations contribute to a transportation network that aligns with the genuine needs of the community, enhancing the overall quality of life in Hazelwood Green.
In the document below, you will find the comprehensive Hazelwood Green Report, providing further detailed insights into the scoring methodology and offering valuable suggestions for further consideration