A Boise State publication about suburban sprawl in the Boise area has been awarded a 2011 Grow Smart award from Idaho Smart Growth, a nonprofit organization that recognizes communities, builders, planners, architects, organizations and developers for incorporating smart growth principles.
“Growing Closer: Density and Sprawl in the Boise Valley” is an illustrated 10-chapter anthology of essays that explains how and why Boise, in many ways, is a leading example of unsustainable suburban growth, detailing the effects of sprawl on air quality, housing design, health and agriculture. It is the second book in the SSPA Investigate Boise Series.
The book is among eight projects, gorups and individuals that will be honored at an awards ceremony from 5-7:30 p.m. Nov. 10 in the Rose Room at 718 W. Idaho St. in downtown Boise.
Edited by Todd Shallat, director of Boise State’s Center for Idaho History and Politics, student Brandi Burns and local author Larry Burke, the case studies in the book were authored by top undergraduate and graduate students in the six-credit “Investigate Boise” field school offered by SSPA in downtown Boise and taught by Shallat.
Students include Tully Gerlach, Jessica Lane, Peter Thomas, Jan Higgenbotham, Jennifer Otto, Cindy Gould, Don Cutbirth, Marc Orton and Roman Lewis.