University of Oregon Sustainable City Year

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https://hdl.handle.net/1794/10380

The Sustainable City Year program is a partnership of a cross-disciplinary group of faculty and students with one city in Oregon each year. Coursework in disciplines including design, planning, arts, ecology, journalism, engineering, business, and public policy focus on assisting that city with its sustainability-oriented goals and projects. The Sustainable City Year faculty and students work with city staff and other partners, through a variety of studio projects and service learning courses, to 1) provide students with a real world project to investigate; 2) apply their training; and 3) help a local city transition to a more sustainable and livable future.

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Open Access
Revitalizing Gresham’s Historic Downtown Hub
(University of Oregon, 2025) Weber, Suzie
During the fall of 2024, the School of Planning, Public Policy and Management (PPPM) offered a course at the University of Oregon titled “Urban Transportation.” Students in an Urban Transportation course worked with the City of Gresham to revitalize the city’s downtown. Students gathered information about the study area through a meeting with city staff, a site visit, and a simulated community engagement session. With this information, students began to research possibilities for downtown revitalization efforts. Student groups developed suggestions and each group focused on one of five categories: multimodal transportation, network connectivity, parking, development, and community engagement. Each group completed a needs assessment based on the existing conditions of Gresham’s current downtown. Students concluded that the downtown area sees the most activation during the lunch hour and the dinner hour, with parking occupancy peaking at 1 PM and 6 PM respectively. Otherwise, the area is relatively quiet. Students perceived few activities during the 16 hour programming window people desire, meaning there may not many opportunities for nightlife. Downtown is primarily dominated by cars and very few people choose to walk, bike, or bus downtown—despite the possibility of all three. One obstacle to revitalizing Gresham’s downtown is the busy five- lane arterial road, Powell Boulevard. It is a barrier to encouraging more pedestrians and cyclists, and it fragments the network from Main City Park, the beautiful community park adjacent to downtown. Despite these challenges, student researchers suggested ways to bring new life to the historic downtown area while keeping its small town-like charm. The most frequently suggested recommendation was to close a corridor of N Main Avenue to automobile traffic. The proposed corridor is from NE 1st to NE 5th Street, and would include a two-way bike lane, large sidewalks for pedestrians, and increased social spaces. This, along with infrastructure improvements to nearby intersections, would make walking and biking a more attractive alternative to driving downtown. Alternatively, if the city decided against a walking- and biking-only corridor, Gresham could turn N Main Street into a one-way. The unused lane could be converted into a two-way protected bike lane and would accomplish the same goal of encouraging multimodal transportation. Another common theme researchers suggested was improved and centralized signage downtown. The city could create more cohesive wayfinding signage directing visitors to special attractions like the parks and local businesses nearby. The signage could also better direct drivers to underutilized parking lots to address community members’ perceived lack of parking in the area. The use of bulletin notice boards could offer information about biking and walking as viable and safe travel options in Gresham. Other important recommendations addressing Gresham’s historic downtown district’s needs include infill underutilized parking lots with social space hubs, engage with local artists and students to create public art downtown and increase aesthetic pleasure in the area, and implement a street fair to celebrate new development downtown.
Open Access
A Marketing Blueprint to Enhance Local Businesses in Oakridge
(University of Oregon, 2025) Langford, Sara
The Marketing Management class undertook detailed analyses of four businesses integral to Oakridge’s identity: Trans Cascadia Excursions, Mill Pond Station, The Campfire (Cowgirl Cook’n), and Brock’s Wood Lot. Each project examined these businesses’ unique challenges and opportunities, culminating in tailored marketing strategies and operational insights to help them thrive in their respective markets. This report presents the findings and recommendations from a series of student-led projects to support the City of Oakridge in enhancing its local businesses and community development. The city’s primary goal was to leverage student expertise to address challenges and uncover growth opportunities for key businesses and community stakeholders. Focus on local companies in Oakridge was crucial for this project because they play a significant role in the city’s economic vitality and community identity. By developing tailored solutions supporting sustainable growth and community resilience, the proposed marketing strategies aim to identify and address the unique challenges that Oakridge’s local businesses face. These businesses provide goods and services, attract tourists, create jobs, and foster a sense of community within Oakridge. The marketing recommendations are designed to amplify their impact by increasing visibility, attracting new customers, and enhancing their regional competitive edge. These businesses can thrive through strategic digital outreach, stronger branding, and community partnerships, contributing significantly to the city’s overall economic development and long-term resilience.
Open Access
Increasing Trust Between the Salem Police Department and the Salem Community
(University of Oregon, 2025) Stinnett, Alexis
The Public Relations Strategic Planning course at the University of Oregon partnered with the Salem Police Department to develop a campaign to increase trust between the public and the community. While each group focused on distinct publics and created several strategies and tactics, all campaigns shared a common goal: to improve the levels of trust between the department and the community, ultimately reducing violence and negative police interactions. Student groups conducted primary and secondary research about the City of Salem and the Salem Police Department, as well as current attitudes towards the department. Based on this research, teams designed a campaign around specific publics to help the Salem Police Department increase levels of trust in the community. Recommendations to improve trust between the department and the community consisted of hosting town hall meetings, community events, increasing social media presence, working with youth in schools, and mentorship programs. The most common targeted publics consisted of Hispanic males ages 18-25, youth ages 11-18, youth who have had experiences with the juvenile justice system, and non-English speaking residents. Most plans were designed for implementation within six months to a year, with budgets ranging from $0 to $1,250, to include spending resources on promotional activities and staffing hours. Students designed campaigns with the overall goal to support the Salem Police Department in meeting their mission to “provide superior service to keep Salem safe while enhancing trust.”
Open Access
Reimagining East Bend: Building a Stronger Community in the Heart of Oregon
(University of Oregon, 2025) Beckerman, Johnathan; Cody, Alyssa
Graduate Planning students worked with the City of Bend to redesign a 35-acre commercial site (the Project) over fall term 2024. Four teams applied a unique theme to the project, ranging from Walkability and Transportation; Climate Resilience; Placemaking; to Equitable Community. This report synthesizes each team’s findings, approach, and design proposal. It integrates data-driven insights, historical context, an iterative design process, and phased implementation to create a comprehensive final design addressing each theme. Students visited the site, met with City Councilors and planning staff, and analyzed the site’s designation as a potential Climate-Friendly Area (CFA). Students conducted demographic, economic, and housing needs assessments, supplemented by a review of Bend’s planning documents. This data-driven approach informed a site analysis that identified redevelopment opportunities and constraints. Planning and design frameworks, case studies, and other background research informed proposals that focused on flexible, community-centered designs. A class design charette translate theory into preliminary design concepts and aided in the development of foundational features such as street circulation and building form, laying the groundwork for future iterations. Each proposal recommended a phased approach to establish funding, increase community support, and mitigate displacement throughout the implementation process. As Bend considers the redevelopment of this strategic site, this report provides a range of integrated, adaptable solutions that align with city priorities and community aspirations. The proposals offer a vision for a resilient, inclusive, and vibrant space that enhances the quality of life for residents in Bend’s eastside community.
Open Access
Introducing Middle Housing in the City of Oakridge
(University of Oregon, 2025) Manning, Georgia
With the goal of introducing new housing types into a city primarily comprised of single-family dwellings, architecture students designed middle-density housing for the City of Oakridge. The course explored various dwelling typologies that fall under middle-density housing and looked at multiple strategies to integrate new dwelling types into established Oakridge neighborhoods. Students outlined their design intentions and goals for each project site to support their ideas. Many common themes emerged across projects such as individuality and autonomy, contextualizing new designs, and strengthening community relationships. Key findings underscore the need for a shared architectural language between new and existing buildings in Oakridge. The proposals also outline a series of strategies to create degrees of privacy. Diverse housing typologies are recommended to connect back to these degrees of privacy and promote differing residential experiences.
Open Access
Timber Tectonics in the Digital Age: Multi-use Structures for Silverton
(University of Oregon, 2025) Baidoo, KB
Exploring kit-of-parts construction, the Timber Tectonics team designed and prototyped an emergency shelter using modular stressed-skin panels, facilitating building expansion and sustainable reuse in alternative configurations. A kit-of-parts is a subset of building prefabrication in which building components are pre-engineered and prefabricated into standardized units from raw materials. The benefits of kit-of- parts construction are that it allows for rapid deployment as well as repeatable and reusable units that require little to no modification to be repurposed. To familiarize themselves with kit-of-parts theory and wood shelter construction, students first studied and modeled design precedents to establish a baseline of knowledge around wood shelters. The University of Oregon and Oregon State University combined diverse knowledge in the fields of architecture and engineering that was used to generate several creative design proposals. Working in groups, students from both universities met in person and on video calls throughout the project to draft, prototype, and model elements and ideas for the project. After a review from industry professionals, the student designs were consolidated into one. Students then regrouped to refine seven areas of the project: architectural design, stressed-skin panel design, connections, enclosure, structural analysis, construction, and project management. Student-led fabrication and assembly of the full-scale final prototype took place at Oregon State University’s Emmerson Lab, concluding with a final review. After the term, additional work was done to complete the components and disassemble them for future reuse. Lessons learned from this experience will be used to create a future of more sustainable, adaptable, expandable, and reusable buildings.
Open Access
Oakridge Industrial Park Marketing
(University of Oregon, 2024) Bader, Riley; Batchelder, Nick; Clark, Grace; Farboud, Kamran; Murthy, Nayan; Walker, Dayton
The City of Oakridge acquired the Oakridge Industrial Park (OIP) in the mid- 1990s and still owns 13 parcels that are available for sale or lease. The City would like to develop a strategic marketing program for the OIP, leveraging industrial and commercial market trends to target specific industrial sectors. SCYP partnered with the Oregon Consulting Group (OCG) to analyze targeted industry data and recommend measures to attract industry more effectively for parcels zoned Heavy Industrial, Light Industrial, or Mixed Use. Students sought to answer the research question: How can the City of Oakridge most effectively incentivize companies to expand into its industrial park to incite long-term economic growth? Students then worked in four stages to analyze the current state, conduct primary and secondary research, identify retail and industrial target companies, and create a pitch for recruitment. The following final report outlines student’s findings to include three key deliverables: a list of six companies for the OIP to target, a scoring system that ranked said companies and is adaptable for future use, and a flexible pitch deck and strategic marketing plan for the City of Oakridge to utilize moving forward.
Open Access
Enhancing Public Trust and Engagement: A Social Media Audit and Strategy for the City of Silverton
(University of Oregon, 2024) Bastian, Bella; Biron, Castle; King, Sara; Ross, Tomi
Working to increase public trust and engagement within the City of Silverton, students in the Strategic Social Media class conducted a social media audit and curated recommendations for the city to enhance engagement through social media. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube provide an accessible platform for cities and residents to communicate with each other and among themselves. They promote widespread information sharing and have potential to significantly increase public trust and engagement, particularly in smaller municipalities. At present, the city’s primary social media platform is Facebook with 4,600 followers. However, Silverton also hosts a growing Instagram page and is interested in increasing engagement through collaboration between the two pages. Across Silverton’s platforms, posts about community events, city updates, and maintenance experience the highest levels of engagement. Initial research identified the following challenges and recommendations, which students addressed more thoroughly through external research and an extensive social media audit. Challenges • Variable posting schedule. • Connection and trust gaps within the City of Silverton. • Lack of engagement with younger audiences (18-25). Recommendations • Use a social media calendar to promote increased frequency and consistency of posts. • Build trust through intentional content. • Target younger audiences. • Track engagement data and use it to optimize future posts.
Open Access
City of Silverton Communications Plan
(University of Oregon, 2024) Abello, Bianca; Gurung, Mery; Herrick, Denali; Martin, McKenzie; Salgado, Joel
This is a class project for JCOM472 Public Relations Campaigns class, and we are creating an updated communications plan for the City of Silverton. The campaign seeks to boost resident participation and increase the frequency and accessibility of news that will stay true to the City of Silverton’s small-town values. This includes details such as being community- first, simplicity, and love of nature. The City of Silverton’s current communication plan is outdated and has difficulty reaching its target audience. We are striving to make a communication plan that is specific to the City of Silverton’s current needs and adheres to its residents’ preferences. Our knowledge of Silverton has come from learning, researching and visiting the city. Through this process, we gained a deeper connection to the city that has allowed us to create deliverables that showcase the heart of Silverton. NEXT STEPS: Building on the deliverables provided, we recommend that the City of Silverton: • Launch a City Manager subscription- based memo that is distributed once a month via email. • Activate a city-run Facebook group to allow better control of information flow between residents and the city. • Continuously inform the residents of LONG-TERM Moving forward, we believe it would be beneficial for the City of Silverton to: • Strengthen its connection with local businesses • Review the communication plan annually and make adjustments as needed • Partner and increase involvement with the local schools
Open Access
Transitional Housing Futures: Urban Design Proposals for Delta Park Center
(University of Oregon, 2024) Larco, Nico; Lillard, Lora; Raggett, Mark; Hodge, Nick
Students in a graduate urban design studio based at the University of Oregon’s Portland campus were asked to reimage the Delta Park Center in Portland, Oregon, with a primary emphasis on developing transitional housing solutions. The project aimed to address the area’s lack of identity and inadequate transportation infrastructure while creating a vibrant and sustainable urban space. The class investigated historical and cultural contexts, conducted thorough site analyses, and developed proposals to enhance residential density, reanimate public spaces, and integrate sustainable practices. Key findings from the student projects include the need for increased residential density to address Portland’s housing crisis and the reactivation of public spaces to foster community engagement. Central to these proposals was the integration of transitional housing to support vulnerable populations and provide a pathway to stable living conditions. The proposals emphasized the importance of sustainable urban design, leveraging transit connectivity, and green infrastructure to create a more livable and environmentally friendly district. The course underscored the value of collaborative planning, involving stakeholders and community members to ensure that the projects meet local needs and promote social equity. The recommendations from the studio’s research highlight the potential for the Delta Park Center to transform into a dynamic and inclusive urban neighborhood, benefiting both current residents and future generations, with a particular focus on providing safe and supportive transitional housing.
Open Access
Open-Source Oakridge: Exploring Open-Source Software and Creating a Buildable Lands Survey for the City of Oakridge
(University of Oregon, 2024) Haefker, Finn; Yang, Yizhao
A team of students in Advanced GIS conducted a two part project to support GIS development needs and application for the City of Oakridge. First, students conducted a comparative analysis of four leading open-source Geographic Information Systems (GIS) products. Given that Oakridge uses open-source GIS software for their planning work, staff sought clarification on what software would best suit City needs. During the research process, students created an evaluation framework based on literature review findings to score each software program. Students then created a Qualtrics survey targeting University of Oregon students who had experience with GIS software then scored the software again based off the survey results. Students then scored these software again based off the survey results. The survey results were expected among students and City staff and reaffirmed the City’s initial software choice. Although the survey could not provide a fully accurate comparison, due to its sample size and timeframe, it did provide valuable insight on student experiences with other GIS software. Although not applicable to the City of Oakridge, the survey also highlighted potential disconnects if used in an academic setting. The second component of this project created a buildable lands survey, which could provide City staff insight on development-feasibility and assist with densification efforts in the future. This report includes data on housing insecurity, which students researched before conducting their mapping analysis. Students then established a series of criteria based on their research, information provided by the City of Oakridge, and data that was manually created in Arc-GIS pro. Students applied these criteria as separate layers, which eventually yielded a final map showcasing parcels that could be suitable for various levels of densification. The total acreage of suitable parcels was very encouraging as it exceeded Oakridge staff’s initial request to establish at lease 60 acres of parcels that would be suitable for densification.
Open Access
Leveling the Playing Field: Designing Assessment Tools for Equity in Salem’s Parks
(University of Oregon, 2024) Stapleton, Ellee; Cole, Nathan
This document describes and contains the work of students in LA 407 / 507 Equitable Urban Parks with Professor Stapleton at the University of Oregon. Students created three assessment tools for the City of Salem to assess the current conditions of their parks. The report covers the purpose of the tools and how they were created. The tools are in Appendix C: Tool Protocols, Materials, and Instruments. The City of Salem manages 90 parks and is currently updating its citywide park system master plan (master plan), last updated in 2013, that guides development and maintenance of these parks. The master plan is updated about once a decade (City of Salem 2024). Some residents of Salem are concerned that the distribution of parks and funding in the City is inequitable, and the City would like to address this by conducting an equity analysis of their parks system and including an equity component in the new master plan. The work of Equitable Urban Parks follows Professor Stapleton’s Spatial Justice Seminar, in which students investigated if parks were equitably distributed throughout the City (Cassell and Donnelly 2024). In Equitable Urban Parks, students created assessment tools that can be used to compare conditions and resources across different parks in the City. The findings from these two courses offer complementary explorations of park equity with the Spatial Justice Seminar considering equity through the lens of distribution and Equitable Urban Parks looking in more detail at the qualities of specific park resources.
Open Access
Cases for Age-Friendly Planning And Policy
(University of Oregon, 2024) Webster, Brian; Li, Alex
The City of Salem and its largest resource for older people, Center 50+, are in the process of planning for a momentous shift in the City’s demographic composition: citizens are getting older. Salem’s rapidly aging population necessitates a comprehensive approach to creating and maintaining an age-friendly city. This seminar class was tasked with finding, researching, and evaluating successful cases in age-friendly planning and public policy. By learning from programs that have made other cities more accessible for their older population, Salem can ensure that it does the best it can for its older community members. The student research highlights the critical importance of fostering independence and community engagement among older residents. By prioritizing these areas, Salem can significantly enhance the quality of life for its older residents and solidify its position as a welcoming community for all ages. Across the students’ research and resulting case studies, key themes arose: • The need to support aging in place through accessible and affordable housing, robust transportation options, and information environments that work for older people • Effective collaboration among government, non-profit organizations, and community members • Methods to effectively maximize finite volunteer hours • Outreach that meets older people where they are both physically and technologically This report synthesizes the lessons from student analysis of successful cases into takeaways for the City of Salem and its citizens. By implementing the recommendations from this course and utilizing the analysis to shape ongoing programs targeted toward older people, Salem can support its aging population and become a thriving age-friendly city.
Open Access
Safe and Connected Salem: Bicycle Transportation Recommendations
(University of Oregon, 2024) Schlossberg, Marc; Taylor, Zoe; Sunberg, Nicolas; Scherer, Anna
The City of Salem’s goal is to increase bike mobility, thereby increasing street safety in the process. The City’s comprehensive code outlines ambitious goals aimed at reducing pollution, ensuring safe travel, and developing multi-modal transportation networks that cater to all community members. In pursuit of these objectives, students in the Bicycle Transportation course conducted intensive research and proposed innovative recommendations for designing transportation routes that accommodate various modes of travel. Student research highlights the potential for significant improvements in bike mobility, which can lead to increased street safety and reduced vehicular emissions. Students studied specific areas for potential improvements and interacted with local community advocates to identify where best practice research and innovative ideas would be most beneficial. Students spent months curating their ideal plans to allow for better bicycle movement within Salem. Their recommendations, derived from comprehensive research and analysis, suggest enhancements to bicycle infrastructure that aim to promote sustainable urban mobility, boost public health, and stimulate local economic activity while considering cost, use of street, community needs, and more.
Open Access
SCYP Troutdale Compilation Report
(University of Oregon, 2021) SCYP Staff
This compilation report details the collaborative efforts of the University of Oregon’s Sustainable City Year Program (SCYP) partnership with the City of Troutdale during the 2020-2021 academic year. Troutdale is proud of maintaining its small town feel while advancing opportunities for sustainable growth in a beautiful natural setting. Students from fully remote courses worked on projects from affordable housing research and design to cottage cluster design standards to video production that encouraged tourism. The report includes a high-level summary of 16 projects across six schools and colleges, faculty list, and press book.
Open Access
SCYP Salem Compilation Report
(2024) SCYP Staff
This compilation report details the collaborative efforts of the University of Oregon’s Sustainable City Year Program (SCYP) partnership with the City of Salem during the 2021-2022 academic year. This partnership involved over 20 projects across five schools and colleges, 14 faculty members, and over 350 students addressing key strategic priority areas identified by the Salem City Council. Projects ranged from public budgeting and climate action public relations campaigns to transportation policy and urban planning. The report summarizes the SCYP partnership to provide the City of Salem practical recommendations and innovative solutions to help the community tackle its challenges, leveraging the latest academic insights and the energy of university students to drive forward a more sustainable future.
Open Access
SCYP LTD Compilation Report
(2020) SCYP Staff
This compilation report details the collaborative efforts of the University of Oregon’s Sustainable City Year Program (SCYP) partnership with Lane Transit District (LTD) during the 2019-2020 academic year. Faculty and students from over 20 courses across five schools and colleges studied and made recommendations focused on high priority projects for LTD. The report summarizes student work and media coverage about projects that explored several questions around LTD’s strategic planning efforts, including how to face key uncertainties over the next 20-30 years, the emerging mobility landscape, and strategic choices to adapt to transit and transportation challenges ahead. Student recommendations focused around enhancing LTD’s performance and sustainability through strategic assessments and corridor studies. Students analyzed key performance indicators and proposed recommendations for improving fleet operations, service planning, and risk management. The report also highlights the development of a dynamic financial projection tool to support LTD’s long-term planning and adaptability.
Open Access
Salem City Spin
(University of Oregon, 2024) Peeples, Jack; Ruth, Xander; Wright, John
This campaign aims to encourage Salemites to reduce their reliance on personal vehicles and instead utilize active transportation in the form of biking. Shifting from cars to biking as one’s primary mode of transportation reduces traffic congestion, lowers carbon emissions, and promotes a healthy lifestyle.
Open Access
SCYP Hermiston Compilation Report
(2022) SCYP Staff
This compilation report details the collaborative efforts of the University of Oregon’s Sustainable City Year Program (SCYP) partnership with the City of Hermiston during the 2021-2022 academic year. SCYP’s first partnership in eastern Oregon, the City of Hermiston sits at the heart of the Pacific Northwest. Classes from the University of Oregon, Portland State University, and Eastern Oregon University proposed solutions to the challenges that the City of Hermiston faces managing significant population growth and in its role as the region’s trade center. The report summarizes student work across six projects and includes a press book highlighting media coverage from the year.
Open Access
GIS Analyses of Walkability in Salem, Oregon Volume 2
(2024) Wessel, Ava; Kohler, Nick
Appendix of student final projects

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