The purpose of this project is to analyze growth policy in the region since World War II, particularly the jurisdictional variation of water access, economic development, zoning/subdivision rules, and relevant state policies affecting urbanization in Phoenix. This project will expand an institutional database focused on growth policies in selected jurisdictions completed during the spring of 2008 and summer by Conley.

The primary focus of this work will be coupling institutional drivers of growth to LUCC. In order to complete this work, we need to create variables for use in econometric models of LUCC. Institutional variables collected during the spring and summer of 2008 will be coded for usage in an econometric model and prepared for geocoding. We also will expand interviews of stakeholders and institutional analysis to cities throughout the valley, beyond the selected cases of the summer. We used a similar approach linking institutional variables to parcel characteristics to better understand forest fragmentation in southern Indiana (Croissant, Munroe, and York 2005).

We also will begin a dialog with the Water IPA during the academic year to integrate relevant institutional variables that they have collected. During the spring 2008, Conley will have gathered information about municipal water extension decision-making. Conversion of land for residential uses is tied both to water and land policy, thus we believe a strong connection between the Water and LUCC IPAs through institutional variable collection and analysis is imperative.

Understanding the institutional context will strengthen the social dimensions of land use research being completed by CAP LTER, an area identified as needing development by the NSF Site Visit Team.  Furthermore, the archival research proposed by this project will provide information about relevant institutions affecting the history of development, a research area of priority highlighted in the Site Visit Report.

Timeline

Beginning with the institutional database completed during the summer 2008, Conley will continue data collection on cities not selected for the summer case studies.  Interviews with stakeholders throughout the Valley will be completed throughout the fall and beginning of the spring semester.  Conley will also assist York in developing institutional variables for use in spatial statistics and econometric modeling throughout the year.  A paper on urban growth will be developed for presentation by Conley in the spring of 2009 at a national conference in a relevant area; most likely the Urban Affairs Association Conference.  The final products of this product will be a database of institutional variables affecting growth and an analysis of growth policy in the valley since World War II.

Data Release

We request the summer to work with the institutional variables prior to their public release; we suggest that they may be made available in September 2009.

Relationship to LandUseLand Cover IPA

During the year, we would like to consult with other LUCC researchers and begin coupling the institutional database with the LUCC data.  If there we are able to obtain GIS support, we would like to begin spatial econometric modeling in the 2008-2009 academic year.  If these resources are not available, York will search for support for this work in the following academic year of 2009-2010.  York has had experience working with geographers focused on LUCC while at the Center for Study of Institutions, Populations and Environmental Change and looks forward to the opportunity to work with LUCC researchers at CAP-LTER.

Bibliography

Croissant, Cynthia, Darla K. Munroe, Abigail M. York (2005) Land Use Policy and

Landscape Fragmentation in an Urbanizing Region: Assessing the Impact of 

Zoning. Applied Geography .  25(2): 121-141.

Ostrom, Elinor (2005)  Understanding Institutional Diversity .  Princeton, NJ: Princeton

University Press.

Specific Research Assistant Duties

Conley will conduct archival work on city growth policy focusing on ordinances, court cases, and public hearing records, primarily from the minutes and newspaper accounts, building upon work completed during the spring and summer 2008.   She will continue integrate local level institutions and state institutions into a database that can be coupled with CAP-LTER LUCC data in future research.  If GIS support resources are available, Conley will assist York in the development of LUCC models with institutional drivers.

3) Name and qualifications (e.g., narrative or CV) of the student who is proposed to fill the position.

Shannon Conley is an exceptional graduate student in political science who has experience conducting interviews, conducting legal research, and completing policy analysis (see CV page 3).

4) Amount of time (pay periods) RA support is requested, up to a maximum of five pay periods.

I am requesting funding for one RA for the academic year.

5) If applicable, results from previous RA support received by the student (including publications, datasets, etc.).

NA

Shannon N. Conley

 

Department of Political Science

ArizonaStateUniversity

Tempe, AZ

snconley@asu.edu

(734) 934-4377

 

Education

PhD Student in Political Science ?? Public Policy

ArizonaStateUniversity                     

 

Master of Arts in Political Science, 2007.

Department of Political Science

ArizonaStateUniversity

Focus areas: Political Theory and American Politics

Masters thesis: ??Unintended Casualties: Native Americans and the Battle Over Proposition 200?

 

Bachelor of Science, ArizonaStateUniversity, 2007.

Majors: Political Science and Justice and Social Inquiry

Honors Certificate in Politics, Philosophy, and Law

Graduated summa cum laude

Honors thesis: Voting Rights Act of 1965 Report Writer, ??Congressional Report on Voting Rights in Arizona?

 

Teaching

ArizonaStateUniversity

Fall 2006.  Political Science 191 Instructor.

Spring Semester 2007.  Human Event Teaching Assistant for Dr. Diane Facinelli.

 

Publications and Conference Presentations

Tucker, James, Rodolfo Espino, Shannon Conley, Tara Brite, Ben Horowitz, and Shon Zelman.  (2006) ??Congressional Report on the Status of Voting Rights in Arizona.?  Protect Voting Rights Renew the VRA

 

Conley, Shannon (2006) ??Voting Rights in Arizona.?  Presented at the 2006 Celebrating Honors Thesis Symposium.

 

Conley, Shannon (2007) ??Study of the Effects of Proposition 200, the ??Arizona Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act. ?  Presented at the Western Political Science Conference Annual Meeting.  Las Vegas, NV.

 

Awards

ASU Sun Devil Merit Scholarship ($20,000)

Barrett Scholarship ($1,000)

Barrett Political Science Scholarship ($1,500)

Barrett Study Abroad Scholarship ($3,000)

(Shannon N. Conley CV Cont.)

 

CLAS Dean s Undergraduate Research Scholarship (Social Science Division ?? For Proposition 200 research) ($1,500)

Political Science Junior Fellow

Truman Scholarship campus nominee

ASU Pat Tillman Scholar

Participant in the ??Celebrating Honors? Thesis Symposium

Travel Grant ($300) ASU Political Science Department

Travel Grant ($500) Barrett, The HonorsCollege

Member of Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society

 

Activities

December 2005-present.  Resident Assistant in the Center Residential Neighborhood

May 2006-present.  BarrettHonorsCollege Human Event Teacher ?? Barrett Summer Scholars Program

August 2006-May 2007.  President ?? BarrettHonorsCollege Mentoring Program

August 2005-August 2007.  Founding Editor-In-Chief of the Barrett Chronicle

August 2005- August 2006.  President ?? BarrettHonorsCollege Council (BHCC)

2005-2006.  Assistant Director of Communications for the Corey Woods for TempeCity Council Campaign.