UMD PALS Projects

About

The Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability (PALS) at the University of Maryland (UMD) is a new, campus-wide initiative that enlists faculty expertise and student ingenuity to offer fresh solutions to challenges facing Maryland communities. Administered by the National Center for Smart Growth at UMD, the PALS mission is to provide high-quality, low-cost assistance to local governments while creating an active and valuable real-world learning experience for UMD graduate and undergraduate students.

Planning & Development

The City of Frederick is the pilot venue for PALS, launching for Fall 2014 through Spring 2015 academic year. The City and PALS developed a list of 45 candidate projects covering a wide range of issues including planning and development, the environment and social issues. Responding to widespread interest, PALS has successfully paired 24 of these projects with faculty from 9 different programs across campus with the relevant expertise. The partnership will involve approximately 50,000 student hours in this campus-wide effort to promote sustainability in one community.

An Overview of PALS

Reports

• Analysis of Site C-2
  • Final Report - Analysis of C-2 (Report 1) (PDF)
  • Final Report - Analysis of C-2 (Report 2) (PDF)
• Carroll Creek Algae 
  •  Algae in Carroll Creek (PDF)
• City Greenhouse Gas Inventory
  • Chapter 1: Profile of City Buildings, Facilities, and Streetlights (PDF)
  • Chapter 2: Profile of City Fleet and Other Transportation (PDF)
  • Chapter 3: Profile of City Non-Combustion Sources (PDF)
  • Executive Summary (PDF)
• Community Outreach to Minority-Owned Businesses along Frederick's Golden Mile
  • National Center for Smart Growth Blog
• Comparison of Three Neighborhoods
  • Final Report - Neighborhood Analysis (PDF)
• Downtown Hotel Analysis
  • Final Report - Demand Analysis (Group 1) (PDF)
  • Final Report - Demand Analysis (Group 2) (PDF)
• Downtown Walking Tour
  • Downtown Walking Tour (PDF)
  • FNP Article March 16, 2015
• East Street
  • Final Report - East Frederick Industrial Land Survey (PDF)
  • Final Report - Reimagining of North East Street (PDF)
• Frederick Municipal Airport
  • Final Report - Demand Analysis (Group 1) (PDF)
  • Final Report - Demand Analysis (Group 2) (PDF)
• Reimagining 6 New Neighborhoods
  • Bell's Overview (PDF)
  • Baker Heights (PDF)
  • Creek View (PDF)
  • Fairview Park (PDF)
  • Frederick Fields (PDF)
  • Jefferson Circle (PDF)
  • South Creek (PDF)
  • Student Presentation to Planning Commission (Item H) January 12, 2015
• Renn Farm
  • Carroll Creek Wildlife Recreation Area conceptual plan (PDF)
  • UMD Student Presentation at 12/3/14 Workshop
• US 15 Greenhouse Gas and Traffic Analysis
  • Final Report - U.S. 15 Greenhouse Gas and Traffic Analysis (PDF)
• Watershed
  • Article on Invasive Species in the Watershed
  • Final Report - Invasive Species Frederick Watershed (PDF)
  • Final Report - Human Dimensions of the Frederick City Watershed (PDF)
  • Final Report - Forecasting Climate Change Impacts (PDF)
  • FNP Article February 13, 2015