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• 1. [Article] Urban Livestock Ownership, Management, and Regulation in the United States: An Exploratory Survey and Research Agenda

  As interest in urban agriculture sweeps the country, municipalities are struggling to update, code to meet public demands. The proliferation of urban livestock—especially chickens, rabbits, bees, and goats—has ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Urban Livestock Ownership, Management, and Regulation in the United States: An Exploratory Survey and Research Agenda Author: McClintock, Nathan, Pallana, Esperanza, Wooten, Heather Year: 2014 As interest in urban agriculture sweeps the country, municipalities are struggling to update, code to meet public demands. The proliferation of urban livestock—especially chickens, rabbits, bees, and goats—has posed particular regulatory challenges. Scant planning scholarship on urban livestock focuses mostly on how cities regulate animals, but few studies attempt to characterize urban livestock, ownership and management practices in the US in relation to these regulations. Our study addresses this gap. Using a web-based survey distributed via a snowball technique, we received responses from 134 livestock owners in 48 US cities, revealing the following: why they keep livestock; what kind of, livestock they keep and how many; the proximity of their livestock to property lines and dwellings; the extent to which they raise animals for meat; how they manage waste and other possible nuisances or public health risks; and their interest in exchanging animal products through sale and barter. We also examine whether such practices conform to the regulatory context. Results suggest that urban livestock ownership is more akin to pet ownership and should therefore not be restricted under planning codes as if it were a commercial-scale agricultural activity. Given the diversity of livestock ownership practices and lot sizes, we recommend that planners consider the following when developing urban livestock codes: (1) more appropriate setbacks and animal limits per lot; (2), promotion of high standards for animal welfare; (3) addressing sales and slaughter; and (4), making regulations more visible to the public. We, conclude by laying out an agenda for future research on urban livestock regulation and management. Title: Urban Livestock Ownership, Management, and Regulation in the United States: An Exploratory Survey and Research Agenda Author: McClintock, Nathan, Pallana, Esperanza, Wooten, Heather Year: 2014 As interest in urban agriculture sweeps the country, municipalities are struggling to update, code to meet public demands. The proliferation of urban livestock—especially chickens, rabbits, bees, and goats—has posed particular regulatory challenges. Scant planning scholarship on urban livestock focuses mostly on how cities regulate animals, but few studies attempt to characterize urban livestock, ownership and management practices in the US in relation to these regulations. Our study addresses this gap. Using a web-based survey distributed via a snowball technique, we received responses from 134 livestock owners in 48 US cities, revealing the following: why they keep livestock; what kind of, livestock they keep and how many; the proximity of their livestock to property lines and dwellings; the extent to which they raise animals for meat; how they manage waste and other possible nuisances or public health risks; and their interest in exchanging animal products through sale and barter. We also examine whether such practices conform to the regulatory context. Results suggest that urban livestock ownership is more akin to pet ownership and should therefore not be restricted under planning codes as if it were a commercial-scale agricultural activity. Given the diversity of livestock ownership practices and lot sizes, we recommend that planners consider the following when developing urban livestock codes: (1) more appropriate setbacks and animal limits per lot; (2), promotion of high standards for animal welfare; (3) addressing sales and slaughter; and (4), making regulations more visible to the public. We, conclude by laying out an agenda for future research on urban livestock regulation and management. Close

• 2. [Article] Regulations of E-Bikes in North America

  Throughout the world, the electric bicycle (e-bike) industry is growing very quickly. The North American market has been somewhat slow to adopt this technology, which is still considered to be in the “early ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Regulations of E-Bikes in North America Author: MacArthur, John, Kobel, Nicholas Year: 2014 Throughout the world, the electric bicycle (e-bike) industry is growing very quickly. The North American market has been somewhat slow to adopt this technology, which is still considered to be in the “early adopter” phase (Rose & Dill, 2011; Rose, 2011), but in recent years, this has begun to change. But as e-bike numbers increase, so too will potential conflicts (actual or perceived) with other vehicles and non-motorized devices, bicycles and pedestrians, causing policy questions to arise. Indeed, conflicting user groups are petitioning state legislatures and local governments for permission to operate legally on roadways and paths or to ban these devices. Although some states, such as Oregon, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania, have created specific e-bike legislation, other states’ legislation surrounding e-bikes is best described as nebulous. The confusion stems from the wide variety of devices and technologies on the market; perceived overlap of legal entities' jurisdiction over the device, which under certain circumstances can be either a consumer product or a motor vehicle; outdated laws and regulations; and inconsistency of terms. The purpose of this paper is to outline the different classifications of ebikes—what they are and what they are not—and to help shed light on aspects of federal and state legislation of e-bikes. In addition, this paper explores the potential conflicts these regulations may cause for the adoption of this technology. Title: Regulations of E-Bikes in North America Author: MacArthur, John, Kobel, Nicholas Year: 2014 Throughout the world, the electric bicycle (e-bike) industry is growing very quickly. The North American market has been somewhat slow to adopt this technology, which is still considered to be in the “early adopter” phase (Rose & Dill, 2011; Rose, 2011), but in recent years, this has begun to change. But as e-bike numbers increase, so too will potential conflicts (actual or perceived) with other vehicles and non-motorized devices, bicycles and pedestrians, causing policy questions to arise. Indeed, conflicting user groups are petitioning state legislatures and local governments for permission to operate legally on roadways and paths or to ban these devices. Although some states, such as Oregon, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania, have created specific e-bike legislation, other states’ legislation surrounding e-bikes is best described as nebulous. The confusion stems from the wide variety of devices and technologies on the market; perceived overlap of legal entities' jurisdiction over the device, which under certain circumstances can be either a consumer product or a motor vehicle; outdated laws and regulations; and inconsistency of terms. The purpose of this paper is to outline the different classifications of ebikes—what they are and what they are not—and to help shed light on aspects of federal and state legislation of e-bikes. In addition, this paper explores the potential conflicts these regulations may cause for the adoption of this technology. Close

• 3. [Article] Regulating Pavement Dwellers: The Politics of the Visibly Poor in Public Space

  Many researchers argue the increasing reliance on sit/lie ordinances to regulate homeless people's use of public space is one in a suite of neoliberal policies that shape the geographies of public space ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Regulating Pavement Dwellers: The Politics of the Visibly Poor in Public Space Author: Larin, Lauren Marie Year: 2017 Many researchers argue the increasing reliance on sit/lie ordinances to regulate homeless people's use of public space is one in a suite of neoliberal policies that shape the geographies of public space in cities to serve the needs of global capital. However, these policies are developed at the local, not global, level as specific actors make claims in the public sphere that communicatively shape policy formation. Through comparative case study, this research asks, how do different actors, situated in specific local and global contexts, influence the adoption of sit/lie ordinances? I examine two cases of policymaking in Portland and San Francisco. I use discourse analytic strategies and thematic coding of newspapers, archival documents, and key informant interviews to look at policy-making processes as they occur in their political, social, and economic contexts. I focus especially on the role of language in policy-making, policy-making arenas, and actions of grassroots actors, drawing from three interdisciplinary literatures to develop an explanatory theory of policy-making. I find the four interrelated explanatory factors in policy-making were: the actors (neoliberal and right-to-the-city); the tactics they use; the policy talk they use; and the policy arenas. First, political processes provide windows of opportunity and determine arenas for political activities. The different policy arenas (citizen election, committee, council led, litigation, etc.) influence the audience that the actors care about, and thus the policy talk. Additionally, elected officials have a determining effect on which arenas they use, which in turns structures the opportunities for policy talk. Second, the arena influences the depth to which resisters can discuss the issues with the wider public and decision-makers. This may explain why the right-to-the-city frame may not have been used as much as the academic literature might suggest. Resisters find it much harder to use this framing with the general public or elected officials because it takes too much time to explain to those unfamiliar. Instead, they rely more on concepts that may be more familiar like the dependent poor and unequal impact of the law on minority groups. Third, I find local actors have different positions in the global economy, however on the local level their different avenues and strategies of involvement are due to local conditions rather than global ones. The location in the global political economy seems to be less important than local political decision making contexts and the actions of individuals who are locally powerful due to their economic status and political connections. This suggests room for resisters to use local politics to resist these ordinances, without having to take on the entire global economy. Finally, actors use different narratives to influence decision makers and each other, responding and shifting to competing frames over time. The change over time is important, as it shows how policy debates change based on influences from different actors. My findings suggest the framing of the original necessity for the policy can influence the policy trajectory, but actors can and do respond and successfully shift policy talks over time. The dissertation concludes with additional implications for grassroots practice based on these theoretical findings. Title: Regulating Pavement Dwellers: The Politics of the Visibly Poor in Public Space Author: Larin, Lauren Marie Year: 2017 Many researchers argue the increasing reliance on sit/lie ordinances to regulate homeless people's use of public space is one in a suite of neoliberal policies that shape the geographies of public space in cities to serve the needs of global capital. However, these policies are developed at the local, not global, level as specific actors make claims in the public sphere that communicatively shape policy formation. Through comparative case study, this research asks, how do different actors, situated in specific local and global contexts, influence the adoption of sit/lie ordinances? I examine two cases of policymaking in Portland and San Francisco. I use discourse analytic strategies and thematic coding of newspapers, archival documents, and key informant interviews to look at policy-making processes as they occur in their political, social, and economic contexts. I focus especially on the role of language in policy-making, policy-making arenas, and actions of grassroots actors, drawing from three interdisciplinary literatures to develop an explanatory theory of policy-making. I find the four interrelated explanatory factors in policy-making were: the actors (neoliberal and right-to-the-city); the tactics they use; the policy talk they use; and the policy arenas. First, political processes provide windows of opportunity and determine arenas for political activities. The different policy arenas (citizen election, committee, council led, litigation, etc.) influence the audience that the actors care about, and thus the policy talk. Additionally, elected officials have a determining effect on which arenas they use, which in turns structures the opportunities for policy talk. Second, the arena influences the depth to which resisters can discuss the issues with the wider public and decision-makers. This may explain why the right-to-the-city frame may not have been used as much as the academic literature might suggest. Resisters find it much harder to use this framing with the general public or elected officials because it takes too much time to explain to those unfamiliar. Instead, they rely more on concepts that may be more familiar like the dependent poor and unequal impact of the law on minority groups. Third, I find local actors have different positions in the global economy, however on the local level their different avenues and strategies of involvement are due to local conditions rather than global ones. The location in the global political economy seems to be less important than local political decision making contexts and the actions of individuals who are locally powerful due to their economic status and political connections. This suggests room for resisters to use local politics to resist these ordinances, without having to take on the entire global economy. Finally, actors use different narratives to influence decision makers and each other, responding and shifting to competing frames over time. The change over time is important, as it shows how policy debates change based on influences from different actors. My findings suggest the framing of the original necessity for the policy can influence the policy trajectory, but actors can and do respond and successfully shift policy talks over time. The dissertation concludes with additional implications for grassroots practice based on these theoretical findings. Close

• 4. [Article] Developing High-Resolution Descriptions of Urban Heat Islands: A Public Health Imperative

  Extreme heat events affect the most vulnerable human populations and are a lethal health hazard to urban dwellers globally; in the United States, extreme heat causes more deaths annually than all other ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Developing High-Resolution Descriptions of Urban Heat Islands: A Public Health Imperative Author: Voelkel, Jackson, Shandas, Vivek, Haggerty, Brendon Year: 2016 Extreme heat events affect the most vulnerable human populations and are a lethal health hazard to urban dwellers globally; in the United States, extreme heat causes more deaths annually than all other weather events and natural hazards combined (1). Previous studies described urban heat islands as isolated, static, monolithic areas of cities. We challenged this contention by hypothesizing that diurnal temperature cycles and diverse landscape features create variation in places that amplify heat (2). A temporal description of urban heat islands would identify populations that are susceptible to heat stress, particularly at night, when most people are asleep and unable to regulate internal body temperatures. If public health agencies are to prevent illness and death caused by heat, they will need to know which populations are most vulnerable to heat stress, particularly at night; such information can guide timely interventions (3). Researchers lack high-resolution tools for identifying neighborhoods and households where extreme weather events might have profound and fatal effects on human health. The objective of this study was to use spatial analytics at previously unattained resolutions to answer the following research question: to what extent can we observe temporal variation in urban heat islands and the physical features that induce heat stress? Title: Developing High-Resolution Descriptions of Urban Heat Islands: A Public Health Imperative Author: Voelkel, Jackson, Shandas, Vivek, Haggerty, Brendon Year: 2016 Extreme heat events affect the most vulnerable human populations and are a lethal health hazard to urban dwellers globally; in the United States, extreme heat causes more deaths annually than all other weather events and natural hazards combined (1). Previous studies described urban heat islands as isolated, static, monolithic areas of cities. We challenged this contention by hypothesizing that diurnal temperature cycles and diverse landscape features create variation in places that amplify heat (2). A temporal description of urban heat islands would identify populations that are susceptible to heat stress, particularly at night, when most people are asleep and unable to regulate internal body temperatures. If public health agencies are to prevent illness and death caused by heat, they will need to know which populations are most vulnerable to heat stress, particularly at night; such information can guide timely interventions (3). Researchers lack high-resolution tools for identifying neighborhoods and households where extreme weather events might have profound and fatal effects on human health. The objective of this study was to use spatial analytics at previously unattained resolutions to answer the following research question: to what extent can we observe temporal variation in urban heat islands and the physical features that induce heat stress? Close

• 5. [Article] Municipal Co-Distribution of Goods – Business Models, Stakeholders and Driving Forces for Change

  The presentation provides background information and illustrates driving forces of the development of municipal co-distribution of goods in Sweden. The business model is “somewhat unique” to Sweden, given ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Municipal Co-Distribution of Goods – Business Models, Stakeholders and Driving Forces for Change Author: Moen, Olof Year: 2017 The presentation provides background information and illustrates driving forces of the development of municipal co-distribution of goods in Sweden. The business model is “somewhat unique” to Sweden, given the country’s comprehensive welfare sector through which local governments are often the main transport buyers in smaller municipalities without industries or commerce. In this respect, Sweden has been a pioneer in streamlining public administration at all levels replacing manual work procedures and paperwork with the use of computers and digital information, with an overall aim to allow for spending on social and political reform policies. The main business model used in municipal administration is purchases with free delivery whereby the transport of goods occurs directly from contracted suppliers to municipal receivers and where transport costs are included as a hidden surcharge in the product price. Contrary, municipal co-distribution of goods entails a physical and legal consolidation of all external purchases, where in its rudimentary form suppliers leave goods at a freight consolidation center (FCC) where goods are loaded for distribution in shared vehicles to receivers. Municipal co-distribution of goods has evolved from an isolated innovation developed in 1999 to an approach implemented in 39 municipalities of Sweden’s 290 by 2016, through which the business model and procurement practices has been refined with digital tools, first through e-commerce and then with vehicle routing software. Ultimately, the business model could be applied to non-municipal receivers but this would involve digitization and that municipalities regulate vehicle movements as done in public transport. Title: Municipal Co-Distribution of Goods – Business Models, Stakeholders and Driving Forces for Change Author: Moen, Olof Year: 2017 The presentation provides background information and illustrates driving forces of the development of municipal co-distribution of goods in Sweden. The business model is “somewhat unique” to Sweden, given the country’s comprehensive welfare sector through which local governments are often the main transport buyers in smaller municipalities without industries or commerce. In this respect, Sweden has been a pioneer in streamlining public administration at all levels replacing manual work procedures and paperwork with the use of computers and digital information, with an overall aim to allow for spending on social and political reform policies. The main business model used in municipal administration is purchases with free delivery whereby the transport of goods occurs directly from contracted suppliers to municipal receivers and where transport costs are included as a hidden surcharge in the product price. Contrary, municipal co-distribution of goods entails a physical and legal consolidation of all external purchases, where in its rudimentary form suppliers leave goods at a freight consolidation center (FCC) where goods are loaded for distribution in shared vehicles to receivers. Municipal co-distribution of goods has evolved from an isolated innovation developed in 1999 to an approach implemented in 39 municipalities of Sweden’s 290 by 2016, through which the business model and procurement practices has been refined with digital tools, first through e-commerce and then with vehicle routing software. Ultimately, the business model could be applied to non-municipal receivers but this would involve digitization and that municipalities regulate vehicle movements as done in public transport. Close