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Sarasota News Leader March 15, 2013 Page 57 CITY TO HOST WALKABILITY EXPERT AT PUBLIC FORUM The City of Sarasota, in conjunction with the Downtown Sarasota Alliance, Downtown Improvement District and other organizations, will host city planner and author Jeff Speck during a forum next week. Speck will present his thoughts on how to make downtown more walkable, the city has announced. The forum will be held on Wednesday, March 20, at 6 p.m. in the Commission Chambers at City Hall, 1565 First St. The forum is free and open to the public. "A revered authority on new urbanism," Speck offers creative and often simple ways "to make an urban area more walkable and ultimately more vibrant," a city news release says. Having worked for 10 years under renowned new urbanist Andres Duany, who developed the city's master plan, Speck recently wrote a book titled, Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time, the Jeff Speck/Photo courtesy City of Sarasota; Inrelease points out. The book outlines 10 steps set: Jeff Speck is the author of the book, Walkto increasing walkability of municipalities, inable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time. Contributed image cluding addressing public parking, increasing mixed-use developments, welcoming bicycles 2007. During that period, he oversaw the Mayand creating green spaces, the release notes. ors' Institute on City Design and created the "This book is very timely," Senior Planner Governors' Institute on Community design, a Steve Stancel says in the release. "The city is federal program which helps states battle subembarking on several initiatives and street- urban sprawl, the release points out. To learn scape projects that are meant to promote more about Speck, visit www.JeffSpeck.com. walkability downtown," he adds. "Jeff Speck's Speck will offer more in-depth observations book has received substantial local interest during a luncheon and book signing at Louand is acting as a renewed catalyst in the city's ie's Modern, 1289 N. Palm Ave., on Thursday, continuing efforts to bring new urbanism and March 21, at 11:30 a.m., the release continues. sustainability to our urban core." Tickets for the event are $40 in advance. To Speck served as director of design at the Na- purchase them online through the Downtown tional Endowment for the Arts from 2003 to Sarasota Alliance, click here.