The definition of Smart Growth, in the simplest terms, is ensuring that development and land use patterns are in balance with the need to protect natural resources, enhance communities, invest in urban and suburban center and provide for a better quality of life. Smart Growth principles embrace programs that:

encourage sound planning and greater funding for local planning;

encourage redevelopment of urban areas;

encourage new growth in existing urban, town and village centers;

revitalize brownfield sites;

provide economic incentives to farming and forestry enterprises; and

protect open space for future generations.

Smart Growth provides an opportunity for a grassroots, bottom-up planning process so communities can create and /or protect their identity and sense of place. Above all, Smart Growth means what it says: being smart about balancing economic growth with natural, cultural and community resources.

We can all understand how Smart Growth practices could help Cities, but what about rural Town and Villages? In many such locations Smart Growth practices can reuse old building, isolated vacant lots and make use of existing infrastructure.

By using land efficiently, Smart Growth minimizes infrastructure development and maintenance costs for communities, as well as land development costs for developers. Sensitive use of land ensures water resources, prime agricultural land, habitat, and unique landscapes are conserved for future generations.

By: Jeffrey C. Bahret, P.E.

As Civil Engineers, we often are asked about the phenomenon of earthquakes. Here in Western New York and North Western Pennsylvania, the subject of earthquakes seem to rise to the forefront in regional conversation every two years or so. This article will attempt to answer some of the most commonly asked questions on earthquakes for our area:

The severity of an earthquake can be expressed in terms of both magnitude and intensity. However, the two terms are quite different, and they are often confused.

By: Al Vanderpoel, P.E.

With the cold days of winter upon us, saving money on your heat bills is a common topic of building owners. And equally as important as cutting the heat bills is insuring that your workplace is comfortable, without cold drafts from windows.

The most likely place for heat loss to occur in your building is through the roof, which often can be easily corrected with the addition of insulation in the ceiling area. But the second most common place for heat loss is through your windows, and occasionally a poor fitting window can also cause cold drafts, which make hot and cold spots in your building. These cold spots without question are increasing your heat bills, but both the cold and hot area are also making the working or living environment uncomfortable. And this is equally true on the hot summer days, when the air conditioning is finding the reverse situation, but with the result being the same hot and cold problem.

The problem with window heat loss might be corrected with maintenance by caulking. However, the more common problem is probably due to the simple fact that most older windows are simply not very efficient when it comes to heat loss. You might consider two approaches to solve this problem. The first is the installation, or replacement, of a top quality storm window. This is a relatively inexpensive item, and can be quickly done with almost no disruption to your building setting. The second option is the replacement of windows in your building. The removal and new installation is not as difficult as it would seem, and can be done with a minimum of disruption by doing one room at a time. We recently were involved in a project where a two story office building had the windows replaced in December, and by closing one room at a time, the disruption was controlled. We can assist you with a storm window or complete window replacement project. You might be surprised at how low the cost of these projects actually are. And we believe that you will be pleasantly surprised at the heat savings, or the new comfort level that you will see after the installation of new windows.

Earth Dimensions, Inc. (EDI) is a soil and environmental consulting group located in Elma, New York. Since the wetlands division was founded in 1989 EDI has continued to provide wetland delineation, wetland mitigation design , and state and federal wetlands regulatory permitting services to a broad range of clientele throughout the Western New York region and the Northeastern United States.

Generally, consolidated wetland mitigation addresses the same need, and provides the same convenience as mitigation banking, but without many of the burdensome administrative and regulatory aspects of mitigation banking. Consolidated wetland mitigation offers the regulated, preplanned, agency approved, wetland mitigation options that expedite the permitting review and approval process and reduces client involvement to a contract and a one time mitigation payment.

Emerging Wetlands, LLC is also currently in the process of establishing a consolidated wetland mitigation project in the Town of Chili in Monroe County. This project will provide similar wetland mitigation opportunities in the Rochester area.

For further information on the Spring Marsh Consolidated Wetland Mitigation Project, the Town of Chili project, or to arrange a tour of the site, contact Don Owens at: