Changing the Rules

By William (Bill) Brizee, AIA, CSI, CCCA, CDP, LEED®-AP

President & CEO

Years back, when I was just starting out of architecture school and still youthfully rebellious, I recall being acutely aware of the enormity of the field’s exacting and extensive rules. The vast majority of rules I had no problem with but I did wrestle with a few. I quickly learned that it was a lot easier to change the rules than it was to fight them. This lesson came to mind recently with the closing of the legislative session this year.

During the 26th State legislative session, several measures were introduced to help facilitate growth in our economy by paving the way for urban development and transit-oriented development. These rule-changing measures encouraged building and redevelopment in urban areas by introducing new incentives including grants and interest-free loans to minimize roadblocks for development industries, financial institutions and government. The broad scope of these measures was to make economic revitalization a reality by easing the process of initiating development. By concentrating growth efforts in urban areas, these measures also allowed for minimizing sprawl by preserving agricultural lands and keeping the country, country.

While nearly all of the measures did not pass into law this year, they represented a start. Two resolutions were introduced by the Senate. One resolution, SR59 SD1 was adopted by the Senate. Another measure, SCR178 SD1 was referred to the House but was never adopted. Both of these resolutions were intended to establish working groups of state, county and private sector representatives to discuss and provide input for mixed use development, in core urban areas, and mixed use transit oriented developments in the future. With the adoption of SR59 SD1, a working group will be established. Group discussions will play an important role in shaping future legislation in our State and generate ways for developers, contactors, architects and government agencies to collaboratively set the stage for SMART GROWTH.

We have an opportunity to become involved. We can serve as members of the working group and advocate for more legislation to bring change to development in our State, to grow our economy, and create jobs. Learn more. Lend support. Encourage others to join in too. It can’t happen without taking that first step to get involved. Be a part of opening doors to creating new laws and changing the rules. Just imagine what’s possible!