CNU XI generates excitement with new leadership, major media coverage, and revitalized programs.

The Eleventh Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU XI) went off in grand style in Washington, D.C., June 19 to 22. The curriculum was perhaps the most advanced since Congresses began in 1993. The 1,200 participants paid rapt attention through every session, overwhelming the speakers and staff with their curiosity and passion. In the end, the event left CNU with new leadership, a new headquarters, and many newly invigorated projects. Health research released at the Congress made national news, and several important CNU initiatives got newly invigorated. IN THE MEDIA SPOTLIGHT CNU XI made national news twice. The most widely circulated story was about CNU’s new leadership (see “Norquist Picked for CNU,” opposite page). In addition, the New York Times, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and Boston Globe covered CNU’s press conference on the latest findings connecting walkable neighborhoods to better physical health. At the press conference, researcher Lawrence Frank of the University of British Columbia revealed new findings from the SMARTRAQ research project in Atlanta. He showed that walkable neighborhoods correlate with lower body mass indexes in almost all demographic groups, regardless of race, sex, income, or age. This is true using any of three measures of walkability: street connectedness, population density, and degree of mixed land use. In addition, the SMARTTRAQ program has found that most people living in neighborhoods that they characterize as “car-dependent” would like to live in more walkable neighborhoods. The health theme showed up again at the opening session, where Dr. Richard Jackson of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pointed to myriad health problems that seem to be caused or worsened by car-dependent sprawl. These range from childhood asthma to low water quality, from obesity to depression. Other speakers at the opening session offered their visions of how policy can lead to better places. United Kingdom Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott stole the show with a passionate presentation of urban revitalization in his country. He showed how national policies in the UK are directing investment toward brownfields, rather than greenfields. (His speech is available at CNU.org, by clicking “Congresses.”) DISCUSSION AND DEBATE One incredibly popular session was titled “Two Visionaries.” Luxemburger architect Leon Krier spoke humorously and incisively on where new urbanists should focus attention — from the details of proper classical columns to the much larger scale of turning Washington into a polycentric city of neighborhoods. A similar combination of practical invention and blue-sky imagination was present in Dean Kamen’s presentation about the Segway and urbanism. The Congress concluded with an exciting final session. After CNU Chair Hank Dittmar announced John Norquist as president and CEO, Roxanne Qualls took over as moderator for a discussion of regional planning. Jonathan Barnett, Andres Duany, and Peter Calthorpe discussed how to protect undeveloped land while enhancing urbanism. These regional questions tend to call for political solutions. The policy discussion has often been acrimonious, with some people supporting traditional urban growth boundaries while others promote alternative types of policies. Some leaders of the organization have thought that the Charter of the New Urbanism might need revision to clarify the group’s position. The three presentations showed that CNU leaders actually agree on the basic principles, and that the differences really are in implementation. Meetings of CNU’s six occupation-based Task Forces plus its attorney group were well attended, helping people to consult with others in their fields on their peculiar hardships and needs. CNU’s major initiatives moved forward at the Congress. About 100 people attended a meeting between CNU, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the U.S. Green Building Council, to discuss the potential for a neighborhood-scale green building certification. Over 90 people got up in time to attend an 8 a.m. meeting on Sunday morning, on the topic of improving arterial street design. The project now has volunteers for all of its major work streams; the work is being carried out even now. FOR THE RECORD From Congress evaluation forms we’ve seen so far, it seems that this event was a hit with members. Please let Congress Coordinator Sandrine Milanello know if you have comments on how things could be done differently in the future. She is at sandrinem@cnu.org. Cassette tapes of the Congress are available at a very affordable price. Tapes of each session are available for $7.50. Shipping is $6 for the first five tapes. Order forms are available at www.cnu.org/pdf/books.pdf.