Laserfiche WebLink
<br />8A <br />Page 8 <br /> <br />'Issue Group Meets' Continued from Page 1... <br /> <br />The meeting is open to all and will cover issues affecting cities that host a University of California, <br />California State University or major private university. The discussion will focus on a variety of <br />topiCS including: <br /> <br />. Public Safety <br />. Housing <br />. Development Adjacent to Campus <br />. City-University Community Relations <br />. Infrastructure <br /> <br />Annual Town Gown Conference <br /> <br />The annual Town Gown Conference is scheduled for Oct. 16-17 in San Luis Obispo at the <br />Embassy Suites. The October event will be the third Town Gown Conference to bring together <br />city officials and university leadership to discuss the unique challenges that exist for university <br />and their host cities. Sessions will address many of the same topics as the University Issue <br />Group meeting in Long Beach as well as additional topics including: <br /> <br />. Protecting and preserving the environment and neighborhoods; <br />. Educating youth for future leadership; and <br />. Creating communities that are vibrant places to live and work. <br /> <br />Please visit www.towngownconference.com for additional information. <br /> <br />Sustainable Cities Feature: La Quinta's Vista Dunes Development is <br />Green Beacon <br /> <br />The Vista Dunes Courtyard Homes in La Quinta is the nation's largest multi-family affordable <br />housing project to obtain LEED .Platinum" certification and is the first in California to achieve this <br />standard. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is the green <br />building certification program of the U.S. Green Building Council. <br /> <br />Opened in May 2008 and developed by the City of La Quinta Redevelopment Agency and <br />opened in May, Vista Dunes sits on the site of an extremely dilapidated mobile home park that <br />housed approximately 370 residents. The new community features 80 rental units ranging from <br />one-to-three bedrooms and can accommodate 300 residents when filled to capacity. Rent ranges <br />from $374 to $775 per month depending on resident income and unit size. <br /> <br />Vista Dunes was designed to foster a real sense of community. The buildings are set back from <br />the street to buffer noise and the units are clustered and centered around courtyards. The <br />community includes a basketball court, swimming poot and community center. <br /> <br />La Quinta, a city of close to 43,000 residents in the Coachella Valley, purchased the mobile home <br />park in 2005 with a plan to create a green workforce housing community. The city council is <br />committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the city and made Vista Dunes its <br />first foray into sustainable development. The city council has also adopted a Green and <br />Sustainable La Quinta Program. allocating more than $760,000 for the city's green initiatives. <br /> <br />Here is a quick snapshot of Vista Dune's sustainable features: <br /> <br />. The homes are positioned to minimize western exposure with landscaped trellises to <br />shade western walls <br />. Drought toterant landscaping and efficient irrigation <br />. Thermal chimneys to let in natural light and help circulate and ventilate air <br />. Photovoltaic sotar panels on each unit <br />. Enhanced filtration in HVAC system (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) <br /> <br />4 <br />