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Scott Turner, AICP, PE Nitsch Engineering
Thomas Bott, AICP Kingston, Massachusetts
George C. Homsy, PhD, AICP Binghamton University
Worcester, MassachusettsOctober 20, 2016
Translating Sustainability Goals into Action
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• Sustainable Communities Division
• Translating a Goal into Action
• Sustainability Survey & Discussion
Agenda
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Sustainable Communities Division
“The APA Sustainable Communities Division (APA-SCD) supports planners who are committed to planning for sustainable communities by integrating all aspects of sustainability into our work through the combined economic, social, and ecological factors that shape our communities.”
SCD Leadership is Building the Division
Add Value to Members Planning Efforts
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Sustainable Communities Division
DIVISIONS
VS.
CHAPTERS
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Sustainable Communities Division
Executive Committee: Chair: Scott Turner Secretary-Treasurer: Jennifer Koch Incoming Treasurer: Merrill St. Leger Demain Past Chair: Rob Kerns Communications & Outreach Ctte Chair: Beth Otto Policy & Leadership Ctte Chair: Anne Miller Education & Practice Ctte Chair: Jennifer Koch
Coordinators: E-Bulletin: Stephanie Weigel Website & Publications Design: Andrew Parish Newsletter: Beth Otto, Andrew Parish Social Media: Kevin Cook APA Conference Coordinator: Open Sustainability Champions: Anne Miller Smart Cities & Sustainability: Rob Kerns Sustainability Policy Guide: Rob Kerns
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Sustainable Communities Division
Sustainability Champions: Scott Edmondson – California Waverly Klaw – Colorado Kevin Coyle – Delaware Rebecca Keifer – Georgia Malika Hainer & Andrew Meindl – Illinois B. Scott Southall – Kentucky Angie Vincent - Massachusetts John Hoal – Missouri Marco Velotta – Nevada Joanna Nadeau – New York John Zeanah - Tennessee
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Sustainable Communities Division
• Newsletter Published Twice a Year
• Website
• Over 4200 LinkedIn Members
• Twitter – Up to 1,011
• 1400+ E-bulletin Subscribers
Members – Add your voice online, writing articles & passing on news
Communicating…to Inform & Promote Dialogue
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Sustainable Communities DivisionLeading…with Local & National Initiatives
• Sustainability Champions
• APA Sustainability Policy Guide Update
• APA Smart Cities & Sustainability Initiative
Members – New leaders wanted to advocate for sustainability
“We want representation and action across the Country and in each APA
chapter”
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Sustainable Communities DivisionEducating…by supporting research and practice-building
• 3rd Annual Awards for Excellence in Sustainability
• Webinars
• LEED ND Case Studies in Fall Newsletter• 2015 IUCMA Local Government Sustainability
Survey
Members – Access the latest research & best practices for sustainability
[caption]
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Sustainable Communities DivisionWe’re Growing…
• Over 560 SCD Members – Up from 450 in 2015
• 12 Sustainability Champions• Widening Membership Through Action – New
Volunteers
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Sustainable Communities DivisionWhere are we headed…
Continue Growth
Expand Membership
Increase Volunteer Base
More Webinars
Increase Sponsorship Prgram
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Sustainable Communities DivisionWhy get involved…
Network with professionals across the country who share the same passion for sustainability issues
Volunteer and become highly involved in the Division at either the state or national level.
Opportunities include:• Help with the newsletter• Help with annual awards• Assist with communications• Become involved with the Sustainability Champions program• Assisting with the national conference• Opportunities to propose by-right conference session and
facilitated discussions.
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Sustainable Communities DivisionWhy get involved…
Divisions provides opportunities for those who want to get involved.
If you have a great passion or idea and have the time and desire to Champion that idea, we are all for it and welcome your ideas.
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ICMA Sustainability Survey 2015
Figuring out what’s happening….
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ICMA Sustainability Survey 2015
• n = 1,899
• Surveyed all counties, all municipalities and towns >25,000, and a 1 in 2.5 sample of small municipalities
• 22% response rate
• Follow up to 2010 Sustainability Survey
• Funded by USDA
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Putting it together…Sustainability Survey 2015
• Some continuity to 2010 Survey
• Focus groups: ICMA, American Planning Association
• Practitioner interviews
• APA Division input
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Urban Suburban RuralN= 1,899
County Municipality
60% council manager governments
Who Answered the 2015 Survey?
Suburban54%
Rural31%
Urban15%
County22%
Municipality78%
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49% Metro core28% Suburbs28% Rural
Sustainability PlansHas your jurisdiction adopted a sustainability plan?
Yes31%
No69%
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2010 20150%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
19%
31%
2010 to 2015 Changes in Planning Has your jurisdiction adopted a sustainability plan?
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Priorities more balanced with a sustainability plan.
Community Priorities
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Over 1,000,000
500,000-1,000,000
250,000-499,999
100,000-249,999
50,000-99,999
25,000-49,999
10,000-24,999
5,000-9,999
2,500-4,999
Under 2,500
Overall0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
77%
50%56%
46%43%
36%
25% 25% 25% 27%31%
Population group
Perc
enta
ge o
f res
pond
ents
with
a s
usta
inab
ility
pla
n
Larger Communities are more likely to have a sustainability plan
Sustainability Plans
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• Do you have a sustainability plan?
• What form does it take? (Stand alone, in comp plan, etc.)
• What challenges did you face drafting and adopting it? How did you overcome them?
Discussion 1
Sustainability plans
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Action Groups Items Percent of communities Tracked? Positive
results
Recycling / Waste mgmt. 10 5% to 66% 45% 85%
Govt. Energy Cons. 15 6% to 64% 29% 91%
Transit / Alt. transport 8 5% to 64% -- --
Land Use 8 1% to 46% -- --
Social Equity 6 12% to 30% 27% --
Water Conservation 5 8% to 27% 22% 72%
Comm. Energy Cons. 10 6% to 24% 8% 59%
Sustainability Actions
• A few others as well• Total of 80 actions
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Average Adoption Rate - 2015
80 items2015
AverageAdoption Rate
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80 items
Average Adoption Rate - 2015
2015
2010109 items
AverageAdoption Rate
AverageAdoption Rate
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Sustainability plan
Require govt renovation projects be certified green
Generate electricity through waste
Install a geo-thermal system
Require govt construction proj. be certified green
Establish a fuel efficiency target for govt vehicles
Purchase energy star equipment
Install charging stations for electric vehicles
Install solar equipment
More efficient pumps in water or sewer systems
Upgrade traffic signals
Upgrade streetlights or other exterior lighting
Upgrade HVAC
Conduct energy audits
Purchase energy efficient appliances
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
6%
8%
8%
9%
14%
14%
17%
18%
28%
35%
45%
49%
63%
64%
Energy Projects undertaken by government
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Percent of communities
Adopted a climate mitigation plan 6%
Adopted a climate adaptation plan 3%
Local government GHG inventory 14%
Community wide GHG inventory 9%
Local government GHG targets 11%
Community GHG targets 7%
Climate Change Policy
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• Have you planned (in any document) for a changing climate?
• What kinds of things are in the plan?
• What challenges did you face drafting and adopting a climate plan? How did you overcome them?
Discussion 2
Planning for Climate Change
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CEO/CAO office7%
Multiple departments9%
Within one department9%
Task force9%
No dedicated staffing, but have goals
24%
No staffing or goals42%
24%This is down a bit from 2010. When 27% had dedicated staffing
What are the staff for sustainability?
of local governments dedicate no human resources to sustainability
66%
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• Do you have staff dedicated to sustainability?
• Where are they stationed? What department do you think they should be in? Why?
Discussion 3
Sustainability Staffing
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Climate change adaptation
Climate change mitigation
Provision of affordable housing
Open space/farmland preservation
Environmental protection
Storm water management
Hazard mitigation/evacuation planning
Seeking funding and grants
Economic development
Land use planning/permitting
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
16%
20%
53%
48%
61%
68%
80%
68%
82%
73%
9%
12%
50%
55%
65%
82%
84%
85%
85%
91%
Departments Coordination Regional Coordination
Breaking through Silos
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Factors Motivating Sustainability
Threat of lawsuitsPressure from advocacy groupsDesire to promote social equity
Pressure from business/industryPressure from residentsFederal or state policies
Leadership of regional/state officialsDesire/expertise of municipal staff
Potential to attract development projectsConcern over the environment
Federal or state funding opportunitiesLeadership of local elected officials
Potential for fiscal savings
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%6%
6%
8%
10%
14%
23%
18%
15%
31%
20%
37%
46%
46%
19%
25%
31%
32%
37%
40%
42%
47%
41%
48%
38%
36%
38%
34%
49%
42%
39%
33%
26%
31%
28%
18%
24%
17%
12%
10%
42%
20%
20%
19%
15%
12%
10%
10%
11%
8%
8%
6%
6%
Very Significant Significant Limited significance Not significant
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Threat of lawsuitsPressure from advocacy groupsDesire to promote social equity
Pressure from business/industryPressure from residentsFederal or state policies
Leadership of regional/state officialsDesire/expertise of municipal staff
Potential to attract development projectsConcern over the environment
Federal or state funding opportunitiesLeadership of local elected officials
Potential for fiscal savings
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%6%
6%
8%
10%
14%
23%
18%
15%
31%
20%
37%
46%
46%
19%
25%
31%
32%
37%
40%
42%
47%
41%
48%
38%
36%
38%
34%
49%
42%
39%
33%
26%
31%
28%
18%
24%
17%
12%
10%
42%
20%
20%
19%
15%
12%
10%
10%
11%
8%
8%
6%
6%
Very Significant Significant Limited significance Not significant
Factors Motivating Sustainability
Economic factors help drive environmental sustainability
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Threat of lawsuitsPressure from advocacy groupsDesire to promote social equity
Pressure from business/industryPressure from residentsFederal or state policies
Leadership of regional/state officialsDesire/expertise of municipal staff
Potential to attract development projectsConcern over the environment
Federal or state funding opportunitiesLeadership of local elected officials
Potential for fiscal savings
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%6%
6%
8%
10%
14%
23%
18%
15%
31%
20%
37%
46%
46%
19%
25%
31%
32%
37%
40%
42%
47%
41%
48%
38%
36%
38%
34%
49%
42%
39%
33%
26%
31%
28%
18%
24%
17%
12%
10%
42%
20%
20%
19%
15%
12%
10%
10%
11%
8%
8%
6%
6%
Very Significant Significant Limited significance Not significant
Factors Motivating Sustainability
Local leadership important
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Threat of lawsuitsPressure from advocacy groupsDesire to promote social equity
Pressure from business/industryPressure from residentsFederal or state policies
Leadership of regional/state officialsDesire/expertise of municipal staff
Potential to attract development projectsConcern over the environment
Federal or state funding opportunitiesLeadership of local elected officials
Potential for fiscal savings
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%6%
6%
8%
10%
14%
23%
18%
15%
31%
20%
37%
46%
46%
19%
25%
31%
32%
37%
40%
42%
47%
41%
48%
38%
36%
38%
34%
49%
42%
39%
33%
26%
31%
28%
18%
24%
17%
12%
10%
42%
20%
20%
19%
15%
12%
10%
10%
11%
8%
8%
6%
6%
Very Significant Significant Limited significance Not significant
Factors Motivating Sustainability
Community pressure is not a big motivator
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Factors Motivating Sustainability
Threat of lawsuits
Pressure from advocacy groups
Desire to promote social equity
Pressure from business/industry
Pressure from residents
Federal or state policies
Leadership of regional/state officials
Desire/expertise of municipal staff
Potential to attract development projects
Concern over the environment
Federal or state funding opportunities
Leadership of local elected officials
Potential for fiscal savings
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%6%
6%
8%
10%
14%
23%
18%
15%
31%
20%
37%
46%
46%
19%
25%
31%
32%
37%
40%
42%
47%
41%
48%
38%
36%
38%
34%
49%
42%
39%
33%
26%
31%
28%
18%
24%
17%
12%
10%
42%
20%
20%
19%
15%
12%
10%
10%
11%
8%
8%
6%
6%
Very Significant Significant Limited significance Not significant
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Economy
Environment
Equity
What is sustainability?
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Economy
Environment
Equity
What is sustainability?
Sustainability
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Social Equity Still Not on the Radar
Social Equity and Sustainability
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• Do your written plans refer to social equity?
• If yes, in what way is the concept mentioned?
• What drove you to include it? Or what slows you from considering the concept?
Discussion 2
Planning for Climate Change
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George HomsyDepartment of Public AdministrationBinghamton [email protected]
Masters Degree• Public Administration• Geography• Environmental Studies
Master of Sustainable Communities
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Translating Sustainability Goals into Action
Scott Turner, AICP, PE Nitsch [email protected]
Thomas Bott, AICP Kingston, [email protected]
George C. Homsy, PhD, AICP Binghamton [email protected]
Worcester, MassachusettsOctober 20, 2016