11/10/199922795 Barton Road
_ Grand Terrace
,{ JUW..; 92313-5295
Civic Center
(909)824-6621
' Fax (909) 783-7629
Fax (909) 793-2600
Byron R. Matteson
Moyer
Dan Buchanan
Mayor Pro Tem
Herman Hilkey
Lee Ann Garcia
Don Larkin
Cound) Members
Thomas J Schwab
J Cky Manager
1 �
November 10, 1999
CITY OF GRAND TERRACE
CILVCI'ITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETINGS
2" AND 4' Thursdays - 6:00 p.m.
Council Clambers
Grand Terrace Civic Center
22795 Barton load
Grand Terrace, CA 92313-5295
h
1_i _,Ip -3i_.i.
1
� � 1
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
GRAND TERRACE CIVIC CENTER
22795 Barton Road
NOVEMBER 10, 1999
600PM
THE STY OE GRAM TERRACE COMPLIES WITH THE AMMRICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1"0. IF
YOU IFWQV= SPECIAL ASSISTANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS MEETING, PLEASE CALL THE CITY
4CL9RKs$- OMCE AT (9a)924-6621 ATT-LEASTT 48 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MELTIXQ,
IF YQH DIES= TO ADIDAUS TIM CITY COUNCIL DIURiNG THE MEETING, OTHER THAN UNDERPUBLIC
,COW*=NT.0 YOU AW ASIM0 TO rLEASE COMPLETE A REQUWr TO SPEAK FORM AVAM"LE AT THE
ENTRANCE AND PROM IT TO THE CITY CLERIL SPEAIEItSWILL BE CALLED UPON BY THE MAYOR.
AT THE APPROPR 4,TE TIMX
* Call to Order -
* Invocation -
* Pledge of Allegiance -
* Roll Call -
STAFF
COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEMS
RECOMMENDATION
ACTION
CONVENE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
Approve
1 Approval of 10-28-99 Minutes
2 Approval of Check Register CRA111099
Approve
3 Resolution Approving Second Supplemental Indenture of the
Approve
Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds (Mt Vernon Villas
Project) - 1985 Series A
ADJOURN COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
CONVENE CITY COUNCII. MEETING
1 Items to Delete
2 SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS - None
3 CONSENT CALENDAR
The following Consent Calendar items are expected to be
routine and noncontroversial They will be acted upon by the
Council at one time without discussion Any Council
Member, Staff Member, or Citizen may request removal of
an item from the Consent Calendar for discussion
Approve
A Approve Check Register 111099
B Ratify 11-10-99 CRA Action
C Waive Full Reading of Ordinances on Agenda
D Approval of 10-28-99 Minutes
Approve
E Authorization for the City Clerk to Attend the League of
Authorize
Califorrua Cities New Law and Election Seminar in
Monterey, December 8-10, 1999
F 2000 Redlands Bicycle Classic
I Approve
CITY OF GRAND TERRACE PENDING C R A APPROVAL
REGULAR MEETING - OCTOBER 28, 1999
A regular meeting of the Community Redevelopment Agency, City of Grand Terrace, was held
in the Council Chambers, Grand Terrace Civic Center, 22795 Barton Road, Grand Terrace,
California, on October 28, 1999, at 6 00 p m
PRE4IIK , Byron Matteson, Chairman
Dan Buchanan, Vice -Chairman
Lee Ann Garcia, Agency Member
Don Larkin, Agency Member
Tom Schwab, Executive Director
John Donlevy, Assistant City Manager
Brenda Stanfill, City Clerk
Bernie Simon, Finance Director
Patnzia Materassi, Community and Economic Development Director
Virgil Barham, Building & Safety Director
Lt. Pete Ortiz, Sheriff s Department
ABSENT: Herman Hilkey, Agency Member
John Harper, City Attorney
APPROVAL OF OCTOBER 14. 1999
CRA-99-66 MOTION BY VICE-CHAIRMAN BUCHANAN, SECOND BY AGENCY
MEMBER GARCIA, CARRIED 4-0-1-0 (AGENCY MEMBER HILKEY WAS
ABSENT), to approve the October 14, 1999 Community Redevelopment Agency
Minutes
APPROVAL OF CHECK REGISTER CRA102899
CRA-99-67 MOTION BY AGENCY MEMBER LARKIN, SECOND BY AGENCY
MEMBER GARCIA, CARRIED 4-0-1-0 (AGENCY MEMBER HILKEY WAS
ABSENT), to approve Check Register CRA102899
Chairman Matteson adjourned the Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting at 6 15
p m until the next CRA/City Council Meeting scheduled to be held on Wednesday,
November 10, 1999 at 6 00 p m
SECRETARY of the Community Redevelopment
Agency of the City of Grand Terrace
CHAHLMAN of the Community Redevelopment
Agency of the City of Grand Terrace
CRA AGENDA ITEM NO.
PENDING C -'APPROVAL PAGE 1
CITY OF GRAND TERRACE
COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
DATE: NOVEMBER 10, 1999
CHECK REGISTER NO: 111099
OUTSTANDING DEMANDS AS OF: NOVEMBER 10, 1999
13136
PACIFICARE OF CALIFORNIA
HEALTH INSURANCE, NOVEMBER, 1999
29002
13137
INLAND COUNTIES INSURANCE SERVICES
LIFE INSURANCE, NOVEMBER, ION
876
13140
MANAGED HEALTH NETWORK
HEALTH NETWORK INSURANCE, NOVEMBER,1099
1910
42737
GARY CANTWELL
APPRAISAL REPORTS FOR 22616 PICO
AND 22825 MIRIAM WAY
40000
42738
ROBERT CHAGOLLA CONSTRUCTION
PROGRESS PAYMENT FOR REHABILITATION
AT 12520 MIRADO
11,880 00
42739
ROBERT CHAGOLLA CONSTRUCTION
PROGRESS PAYMENT FOR REHABILITATION
22381 VAN BUREN
3.61350
42742
DIEHL EVANS S COMPANY
CRA HANDBOOKS
15000
42751
INLAND EMPIRE DIVISION, LCC
MEETING, CITY MANAGER
1500
42758
MCI TELECOMMUNICATIONS
PHONES FOR HOUSING REHABILITATION DEPT
7823
42759
NEW URBAN NEWS
SUBSCRIPTION, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPT
5900
42707
RIVERSIDE HIGHLAND WATER COMPANY
WATER/SEWER, HOUSES UNDER REHABILITATION
13158
42788
MRS OLLIE ROBBINS
CRA PORTION OF FENCE AT 22723 LA PAIR
37400
42769
MARIE RODRIGUEZ CLEANING SERVICE
JANITORIAL SERVICES, OCT ,1099 HOUSING
REHABILITATION DEPARTMENT
8000
42773
COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
COPY MAYLAR MAPS, 22848 PALM
1480
42776
SOUTHERN CA EDISON COMPANY
ELECTRIC FOR HOUSES UNDER REHABILITATION
AND HOUSING REHABILITATION DEPARTMENT
12511
42777
STAPLES
OFFICE SUPPLIES
0009
42778
STATE COMPENSATION INS FUND
WORKERS' COMPENSATION INSURANCE, OCT ,1999
8013
42785
U S BANK TRUST
NOVEMBER PAYMENT ON 1997 COP BOND ISSUE
23,260 00
STAFF REPORT
MANAGER'S DEPARTMENT
CRA ITEM (XX) COUNCIL ITEM ( ) MEETING DATE November 10, 1999
SUBJECT CO REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF GRAND
TERRACE MULTI -FAMILY HOUSING REVENUE BONDS (MT
VERNON VILLAS PROJECT) 1985 SERIES A, SECOND
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE AND RESOLUTION APPROVING
SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
FUNDING REQUIRED
NO FUNDING REQUIRED
BACKGROUND
The City of Grand Terrace in 1985 structured and sold multi- housing revenue bonds to finance the
construction of the project, then, referred to as Mt Vernon Villas and, today, referred to as the
Highlands Apartments The Redevelopment Agency, on behalfof Forest City -Grand Terrace created
and sold $30,000,000 of multi -family housing bonds The project has been owned and operated
continuously by Forest City -Grand Terrace It is the request of Forest City- Grand Terrace that the
Agency is being asked to create a second Supplement Indenture and adopt a resolution approving the
second supplement indenture
THE REQUEST
Forest City -Grand Terrace is currently negotiating to sell the project in February of the year 2000
The current indenture requires mandatory sinking fiord payments each December Forest City is
asking in the second Supplemental Indenture that the sinking fiord redemption requirement be
eliminated for 1999 and that they may escrow those payments, anticipating a refimdmg of the initial
indenture This strategy would leave more principal bonds outstanding ($410,000 for 1999) to
refinance when the issue is restructured prior to the sale The $410,000 would be spread equally over
the next four years (r a December 1, 2000-2003) The elimination of the sinking fund payments has
no effect on the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Grand Terrace and it will also be subject to
approval by the bondholders themselves The one important issue for Grand Terrace is that, prior
to a refunding, we would negotiate an extension of the currently 200/6 affordable set aside units, the
requirement for which will expire in the year 2000 The extension of the affordable units is essential
in that our recently approved housing element depends on the retention of these affordable units
Forest City -Grand Terrace will be reimbursing the Redevelopment Agency any and all costs
associated with the approval of the Supplemental Indenture
COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NO.,
$30,000,000
COMIUNM REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF GRAND TERRACE
MaWamily Housing Revenue Bonds
(Mt. Vernon V01as Project)
1985 Series A
SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
This Second Supplemental Indenture is entered into as ofNovember 10,1999 by and between
the COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF GRAND TERRACE (the
"Agency") and U S BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as trustee (the "Trustee"), herein
collectively call the "Parties"
Indenture This Second Supplemental Indenture is made pursuant to Section 1002 of the
Indenture of Trust dated as of December 1, 1985 (the "Indenture"), from the Agency to the
Trustee, with the consent of all of the owners of bonds outstanding under the Indenture, in
order to amend the schedule of smlung fund payments as requested by the owner of the
project and agreed to by the bondholder
2 Amendments The parties hereby agree to amend and supplement Section 211(1) of the
Indenture to now read as follows
(i) Mandatory Smldng Fund Redemoon The Bonds shall be subject to mandatory
redemption in part in the pi al amounts and on the first Interest Payment Date that falls in
December of each of the years set forth in the table below, any such redemption to be at a price equal
to 100% of the principal amount to be redeemed plus accrued interest thereon to the redemption date
Year Pnncrpal Amount to be Redeemed
1990
180,000 00
1991
200,000 00
1992
220,000 00
1993
240,000 00
1994
260,000 00
1995
285,000 00
1996
315,000 00
1997
345,000 00
1998
375,000 00
1999
000
2000
552,500 00
2001
597,500 00
2002
642,500 00
2003
692,500 00
2004
650,000 00
2005
710,000 00
2006
775,000 00
2007
850,000 00
2008
930,000 00
I
RESOLUTION NO. W
A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT
AGENCY OF THE CITY OF GRAND TERRACE, CALIFORNIA
APPROVING THE SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
RELATING TO THE $30,000,000 COMMUNITY
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF GRAND
TERRACE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING REVENUE BONDS (MT
VERNON VHJ AS PROJECT) 1985 SERIFS A, APPROVING
_ RELATED DOCUMENTS AND AUTHORIZING THE
J EXECUTION THEREOF
WHEREAS, the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Grand Terrace,
California (the "Agency") has heretofore issued and sold its Community Redevelopment Agency
of the City of Grand Terrace Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds (Mt Vernon Villas Project)
1985 Series A in the aggregate principal amount of $30,000,000 (the "Bonds"), under and
pursuant to an Indenture of Trust (the "Indenture") dated as of December 1, 1985, by and between
the Agency and U S. Bank Trust National Association, successor to Seattle -First National Bank,
as trustee (the "Trustee'), and
WHEREAS, Section 1002(a) of the Indenture permits the amendment of the Indenture to
extend the maturity of the principal amount of Bonds with the consent of the owners of all Bonds
' then Outstanding, and
WHEREAS, such consent has been obtained, together with a waiver of the requirement
for a twenty (20) day notice of redemption as required by Section 602 of the Indenture, and
WHEREAS, the Second Supplemental Indenture has been prepared for such purpose, and
it is appropnate at this time for the Agency to approve and authorize the execution of such Second
Supplemental Indenture relating to the Bonds.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Community Redevelopment Agency of
the City of Grand Terrace, as follows
Section 1. A9pMva1 of Second Supplemental Indenture. The Second Supplemental
Indenture, dated as of December 1, 1999, by and between the Agency and the Trustee, in
substantially the form presented to the Agency at this meeting, together with any additions thereto
or changes therein deemed necessary or advisable by the Executive Director upon the advice of
Bond Counsel, is hereby approved The appropriate officers of the Agency are hereby authorized
and directed to execute the Second Supplemental Indenture, as amended, for and in the name and
on behalf of the Agency, such execution to represent approval of the final form thereof by the
Agency
Section 2. Pcior Actions. All actions heretofore taken by the officers and agents of the
2 '
r
S30,000,000
COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE
CITY OF GRAND TERRACE
Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds
(ML Vernon villas Project)
1985 Series A
W&M a reTTMIT5=5711 4 .311a � K
FI • •
This Consent to Second Supplemental Indenture and Waiver of Notice (this
`Tonseut and Waiver') is given with respect to the above -captioned bonds with respect to the
approval and debver) of the Second Supplemental Indenture, entered nto as of November 10,
1999 by and bemven the COIL I-41TY REDEVELOPIALM AGENCY OF THE CITY OF
GRAND TERRACE (the `Agency) and U.S BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCLATION, as
trustee (the "Trustee'
Consent The undersigned hereby consent to the approval and deln.ery of the Second
Supplemental Indenture, attached Hereto as Exhibit A. made pursuant to Section 1002 of
the Indenture of Trust dated as of December 1, 1985 (the 'bfttu-e %, by and between
the Agency and the Trustee, to amend the schedule ofsmlang fund payments as requested
by the owner of the project
2 Vb'aiver of.Iatlim Tne •..ndersigaed here wage matlmg of the notice of pending
cormderation of the Second Supplernental Indenture as requ.red tinder Section 1003 of
the Indenture
3 Waiver of Notice of The Bondholder hereby farther warves the requirement
for &a twent-v (20) day notice of redemption as regtnred under Section 602 of the
Indenture
All other provisions of the Indenture, as pre%musly amended by the First
Supplemental Indenture, dated as o: November 1.1986, shall remain m full force and effect.
This Consent and W an er is made under penalty of perjury and. %ten executed, shall oe
irrevocable and ira) be relied on by the Issuer and the Trustee
Bondholder
By
Attorney -in -Fact
camm+v „ pa
PAGE 1
CITY OF GRAND TERRACE
PENDi1 CITY
COUNCIL ,mr?ROVAL
DATE: NOVEMBER 10,1999 CHECK REGISTER NO: 111099
OUTSTANDING DEMANDS AS OF: NOVEMBER 10,1999
13129
RIVERSIDE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
PAYROLL DEDUCTION
10100
13130
STUDENT LOAN COLLECTIONS
PAYROLL DEDUCTION
4083
13131
ARROWHEAD CREDIT UNION
PAYROLL DEPOSITS
5,87909
13132
ARROWHEAD UNITED WAY
PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS
10700
13133
RICHARD ROLLINS
PAYROLL FOR 10/15/99
12800
13134
NORTHWEST
PUMPKINS FOR CHILD CARE FUND RAISER
18850
13135
NATIONWIDE STUDIOS
TRANSFER PAYMENT MADE TO CHILD CARE IN ERROR
4400
13138
PACIFICARE OF CALIFORNIA
HEALTH INSURANCE, NOVEMBER, 1909
0,170 70
13137
INLAND COUNTIES INSURANCE SERVICES
LIFE, DENTAL, AND VISION INSURANCE, NOVEMBER, 1999
1,099 88
13138
PAULINE GRANT
REIMBURSEMENT FOR COUNTRY FAIR SUPPLIES
3847
13139
PERS
RETIREMENT FOR PAYROLL 10/15199
309 04
13140
MANAGED HEALTH NETWORK
HEALTH NETWORK INSURANCE, NOVEMBER,1999
52522
13141
DIANA CONDOR
INSTRUCTOR, DANCE
1.13400
42729
3 T EQUIPMENT COMPANY
SMALL TOOLS, MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT
18518
42730
ACCENT PRINT 8 DESIGN
PRINT SENIOR NEWSLETTER
9898
42731
MATTHEW ADDINGTON
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING,100/99
2500
42732
ADVANCE COPY SYSTEMS
MAINTENANCE ON COPIER, CHILD CARE (1 YEAR)
35000
42733
ARROW STRAIGHT
STREET STRIPING
8.69335
42734
DRAGOS BARBU
REIMBURSEMENT FOR MILEAGEIPARKING
3209
42735
VIRGIL BARHAM
REIMBURSEMENT FOR CONFERENCE
2000
42738
BURTRONICS BUSINESS SYSTEMS
MAINTENANCE ON RISO COPIER
3348
42740
COMP RESOURCE
NCR PAPER, FINANCE
17488
42741
DATA TICKET, INC
PROCESS PARKING CITATIONS
10000
42743
DRUG ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM
LANDSCAPE SERVICES, LIGHTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICT
12500
42744
DUNN-EDWARDS CORPORATION
PAINT FOR PARKS
3501
42745
FEDEX
EXPRESS MAIL
3700
42748
FIREMASTER
SERVICE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
20285
t
PAGE 3
CITY OF GRAND TERRACE
DATE: NOVEMBER 10.1999 CHECK REGISTER NO: 111099
OUTSTANDING DEMANDS AS OF: NOVEMBER 10, 19"
42779
SYSCO
42780
T Y LIN INTERNATIONAL-MCDANIEL
42781
TEXACO CREDIT CARD CENTER
42782
CHRISTIE THIERRY
42783
MARY TRAINOR
42784
TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING
42788
UNDERGROUND SERVICE ALERT
42768
FRAN VAN GELDER
42789
WAXIE
42790
YOSEMITE WATERS
FOOD FOR CHILD CARE CENTER
72116
PROGRESS PAYMENT FOR BARTON ROAD BRIDGE PROJECT
8.27113
FUEL FOR CITY OWNED VEHICLES
87009
REIMBURSEMENT FOR LOCAL MILEAGE
2234
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING,10/21M
2500
PROGRESS PAYMENT, TRAFFIC REVIEWIGRANT APPLICATIONS
3,88154 -
ALERT NOTIFICATION FOR OCTOBER, 1999
2875
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING,10/21NO
2500
JANITORIAL SUPPLIES
35588
BOTTLED WATER FOR CITY OWNED FACILITIES
20050
PAYROLL FOR OCTOBER, 1909
160.082 70
TOTAL
227,514.13 m
1 CERTIFY THAT. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THE AFRO LISTED CHECKS FOR PAYMENT OF THE CITY
LWBILITIES HAVE BEEN AUDITED BY ME AND ARE NECESSARY AND APPROPRIATE EXPENDITURES FOR THE
OPERATION OF THE CITY
=da
THOMA8 SCHWAS
CITY MANAGER
CITY OF GRAND TERRACE PENDING CRY
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES COUNCIL APPROVAL
A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Grand Terrace was called to order in the
Council Chambers, Grand Terrace Civic Center, 22795 Barton Road, Grand Terrace, California,
on October 28, 1999 at 6 00 p m.
PRESENT: Byron Matteson, Mayor
Dan Buchanan, Mayor Pro Tem
Herman Hilkey, Councilmember
Lee Ann Garcia, Councilmember
Don Larkin, Councilmember
Tom Schwab, City Manager
John Donlevy, Assistant City Manager
Brenda Stanfill, City Clerk
Benue Simon, Finance Director
Patnzia Materassi, Community and Economic Development Director
Virgil Barham, Building & Safety Director
Lt. Pete Ortiz, Sheriffs Department
ABSENT: John Harper, City Attorney
The meeting was opened with invocation by Councilwoman Lee Ann Garcia, followed by the
Pledge of Allegiance led by Councilman Don Larkin
4 4 Nz
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
2A Colton Joint Unified School District Superintendent Dennis Byas
Colton Joint Unified School District Superintendent, Dennis Byas indicated that the
main focus for this year is to set higher standards and to hold the students
accountable for meeting the standards He gave an overview of the many changes
that are taking place in the Colton Joint Unified School District. He reported that
a design committee is in place and that they are moving forward with a design for
the new high school
CC-99-164 MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEM BUCHANAN, SECOND BY
COUNCII.MEMBER GARCIA, CARRIED 5-0, to approve the following consent
calendar items
3A Approval of Check Register No 102899
3B Ratify 10-28-99 CRA Action
COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NOD
Councd Minutes
October 28, 1999
Page 3
Redevelopment Agency Home Rehabilitation program prior to the Council meeting and
expressed his appreciation for the program
Councilmember Hilkev, indicated that there was a ceremonial presentation to the family
with the key to the home that they purchased through the rehabilitation program He
complimented the staff on making the adaptations to the home that will allow their son,
who has been in a wheel chair all his life, to go m most any place in the home unassisted
He attended the City County Conference and feels that it is one of the most productive
conferences. He reported that there is a construction trailer at the old GTI Market and that
they will begin tearing it down on Monday
Councilmember Garcia, stated that it may be a good idea to have the Historical and
Cultural Activities Committee take pictures of the demolition of the old GTI Market to
make sure we have a record of it She reminded everyone to attend the Country Fair that
will be held on November 6, 1999 from 11 00 a m to 2 00 p m at the Community
Center She also attended the City County Conference and felt that it was a very good
conference She attended the Chamber Luncheon and felt that they had a good program
The Chamber of Commerce is working on Shop Grand Terrace, which is a discount card
for various shops in Grand Terrace that will be included in the Blue Mountain Outlook
A Community Calendar will be included in the Blue Mountain Outlook also She
recognized Ann Petta who was given the Volunteer of the Year Award at the Annual
Volunteer Appreciation Picnic and thanked her for her continued commitment to the City
of Grand Terrace Barton Road will be paved near the freeway on Monday She
reminded everyone not to forget about the Adopt -A -Park program
Assistant City Manager Donlevy, reminded everyone that the Halloween Haunt will be
held on Sunday, October 31, 1999 from 5 00 p m to 8 00 p m at Pico Park He also
reminded everyone that the Child Care Center will have their Spook Alley on Saturday,
October 30, 1999 from 9 00 a m to 100 p m. at the Child Care Center
PUBLIC HEARING - None
8A Interview Applicants and Make Appointment to Fill the Vacant Term on the
Planning Commission
The City Council considered Maryetta Ferrel and Robert Bades to fill the vacant term that
currently exists on the Planning Commission
CC-99-167 MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER HILKEY, SECOND BY
COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA, CARRIED 5-0, to appomt Maryetta Ferrel to fill
the unexpired term on the Planning Commission scheduled to expire June 30,
2002
STAFF REPORT
CRA ITEM () COUNCIL ITEM (X) MEETING DATE November 10, 1999
SUBJECT AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEND THE LEAGUE OF
CALIFORNIA CITIES NEW LAW AND ELECTION SEMINAR IN
MONTEREY, DECEMBER 8-10, 1999
The League of California Cities is holding a City Clerks Department New Law and Election Seminar
in Monterey on December 8-10,1999 This Sermnar will provide valuable information to prepare for
the election in the coming year
Staff is requesting authorization to attend Funds have been budgeted for this purpose
Staff Recommends Council
AUTHORIZE THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEND THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES NEW
LAW AND ELECTION SEMINAR IN MONTEREY, DECEMBER 8-10, 1999
COUNCIL AGENDA REM N0.3t
Community Services Department
Staff Report
COUNCIL ITEM (XX) MEETING DATE NOVEMBER 10, 1999
SUBJECT- 2000 REDLANDS BICYCLE CLASSIC
NO FUNDING REQUIRED
BACKGROUND:
Annually, the Redlands Bicycle Classic (RBC) is held in the San Bernardino Area The RBC is
a non-profit event winch benefits a number of chanties and the local business communities
This year's race will be held on March 10, 2000
As part of the event, a "point to point" race is held between Redlands and Oak Glen, a portion
of which passes through the City of Grand Terrace The Redlands Bicycle Classic Committee
is requesting a Special Events Permit from the City and is requesting that the City waive
applicable fees
The race presents a minimal use of City resources The event uses a "rolling enclosure" which
is contained by California Highway Patrol motorcycle units which coordinate all traffic control
issues All City intersections are temporarily stopped as the racers pass through the City,
which takes approximately 3 minutes
In the past, no major incidents have occurred The RBC, provides indemnification and
insurance for the City and is generally a very cooperative organization to work with'
Staff is recommending approval
RECORDATION•
That the City Council
1 Approve a Special Events Permit for the 2000 Redlands Bicycle Classic, and
2 Waive Special Events Fees regarding this event, and
3 Authorize the City Clerk to obtain the necessary Indemnification and Insurance Information
from the Redlands Bicycle Committee and to process a Letter of Approval
FISCAL IINPACT: None by this Action
COUNCIL AGENDA REM N0.,3F
N
Exit Cherry Valleyevd turn left and proceed two blocks to
the bottom of the hill; park on shoulder of road and feed from
the right shoulder, up the hill Stay within marked feed zone
limits
DIRECTIONS TO THE Return to I-10 from Cherry Valley Road Take I-10 west
FINISH LINE FROM towards Redlands Exit Yucaipa Blvd. turn right and
THE SECOND FEED follow Yucaipa Blvd to Oak Glen Road Turn left and
continue past Bryant up to the mountain community of Oak
Glen Follow the road to the road block where you will be
directed to parking areas
FINISH LOCATION Top of Oak Glen Summit at Los Rios Ranchos
COURSE DESCRIPTION
MILE
ROUTE
X-STREET
DIRECTION
COMMENTS
000
BROOKSIDE AVE
STRAIGHT
START
0 1
1 IACINA
RIGHT
SHORT DOWNHILL
04
BARTON ROAD
LEFT
TRAFFIC SIGNAL
20
ANDERSON
STRAIGHT
TRAFFIC SIGNAL,
41
WATERMAN
STRAIGHT
TRAFFIC SIGNAL
50
BARTON/COOLEY
LEFT ANGLE
TRAFFIC SIGNAL / BUSY
DnTRSECTION
- 59
BARTON ROAD
STRAIGHT
CLIlMBER POINTS #1 / TOP OF
J
CLIMB
67
MT VERNON
LEFT
TRAFFIC SIGNAL / BUSY
INTERSECTION
7.5
MT VERNON
STRAIGHT
SPRIlVTT:R POEM #1
79
CENTER
RIGHT
1 MI GRADUAL DOWNHILL
90
PROSPECT
LEFT
CAUTIONRXR TRACKS BEFORE
97
PALMYRITA
LEFT
TURN
CAUTION CROSS RXR TRACKS
97
NORTHGATE
RIGHT
QUICK RIGHT AFTER TRACKS
102
MARLBORO
RIGHT
CAUTION TIGHT RIGHT /
NARROW ROAD
104
RXR TRACKS
STRAIGHT
CAUTION 2 SETS / VERY
ROUGH
105
RUSTIN
LEFT
LAST SET OF R R TRACKS
110
SPRUCE ST
LEFT
STOP SIGN
112
WATKINS
RIGHT
SLIGHT UPHILL
118
BLAINE
STRAIGHT
TRAFFIC SIGNAL
126
BIG SPRINGS
STRAIGHT
STOP SIGN / BOTTOM OF HILL /
'
START CLIMB
139
SYCAMORE CYN
STR JGHT
CROSS UNDER RT 60/215
BECOMES CENTRAL
PRELIMINARY (renuon 02/02199) RACE BIBLE
1999 REDLANDS BICYCLE CLASSIC
PAGE 37
..-� ■ ,« ui ci iutr COMMENTS
812 DESERT LAWN LEFT CROSS TRAFFIC / ROLLING
837 CHERRY VALLEY BL
840 CHERRY VALLEY BL.
868 CHERRY VALLEY BL.
871 BEAUMONT AVE
901
RIGHT
STRAIGHT
STRAIGHT
LEFT
Wa DWOOD CYN STRAIGHT
926 1 K `IARKER STRAIGHT
93 2 OAK GLEN / FINISH STRAIGHT
FINISH HOST IS LOS RIOS RANCHOS
NOTE CARAVAN AND RACERS EXIT LEFT INTO PARKING LOT
CROSS OVER I-10 FREEWAY
START 2nd FEED ZONE /
SLIGHT CLIMB
SPRINTER POINT ## 4 / FINAL
TRAFFIC SIGNAL / START
CLIMB TO FINISH/ 10K MARK
5 K MARK / REAL CLIMB
STARTS HERE I
JUST PAST NARROW BRIDGE
CLIMBER POINTS #t4 / FINISH
LINE
PRELIMINARY (mmm M2/99) RACE BIBLE
1999 REDLANDS BICYCLE CLASSIC
PAGE 39
CITY OF GRAND TERRACE
CRA ITEM( ) COUNCIL ITEM (X )
AGENDA ITEM
MEETING DATE • December 10, 1999
SUBJECT APPROVE FINANCE DIRECTOR ATTENDANCE AT LEAGUE OF
CALIFORNIA FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SEMINAR TO BE HELD
DECEMBER 9 THROUGH DECEMBER 10, 1999
FUNDING REQUIRED XX
NO FUNDING REQUIRED
The League of California Cities will be holding its' Financial Management Seminar December 9
through December 10, 1999 in Monterey, California Staff is requesting authorization for the
Finance Director to attend the conference
Funds have been appropriated from the fiscal year 1999-2000 budget for this conference and
are still available in the Finance Department budget
Staff recommends that Council
Approve the attendance of the Finance Director at the League of California Cites Financial
Management Seminar to be held December 9 through December 10, 1999, in Monterey,
California
COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NO'2/1
FINANCIAL
MANAGEMENT
SEMINAR
Thursday — Friday, December 9 —10, 1999
Monterey Conference Center
Yowl want to Attend If You are A_
. Finance Officer
■ City Treasurer
• Purchasing Agent
• Assistant to a Financial Management Officer
• Council Member
• City Manager
• Assistant City Manager
You? Bwwfit From__
• Learning about the latest economic forecasts and variables driving them
• Gaming leaderslup tools to guide you in your professional and personal life
• Examining with fellow professionals financial issues that impact your city
Hotel Registration Deadline Wednesday, November 10,1999
Registration Deadline Wednesday, November 17,1999
Thursday, December 9,1999, continued
3 30 - 5 00 pm Concurrent Sessions
I BINDING INTEREST ARBITRATION SO WHAT DO YOU DO?
Hear from experienced practitioners how to best prepare for binding interest arbitration as
they share their expertise and insights on the challenges that must be faced and the
preparations that must be made to minim,e financial and relationship impacts
II GASB 34 UPDATE THE DIE HAS BEEN CAST — SO WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS?
The GASB Board decided in June to adopt the New Reporting Model Since then, there has
been much discussion of the issues and consequences Join this session to review
requirements under Statement 34, discuss implementation steps, and prepare plans to help
city officials and the public interpret cities fiscal position under the new reporting model
III CONDUCTING SUCCESSFUL REVENUE AND BALLOT MEASURES
The passage of Proposition 218 has created a whole new relationship between city
hall and the public If a revenue measure Is to be well understood by the public
so people can male informed judgments, those involved with the issue must be
a,.%are of, and responsive to, the will of the public and its attitude toward
public agencies and officials This session will introduce some practical steps
you can tale before and as you prepare to place a revenue measure on the ballot
6 00 - &00 pm Hosted Reoeptron (Jourt with Fire Chiefs and City Clerks)
Friday December 10, 1999
7 30 a n -12 00 part Registration Open - Monta ey Conference Cantor
Cntygook; Hours
7 30 - B 46 am. INFORMAL CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST SESSIONS
Six Informal Discussions on hot topics
9-00 - 10 30 alit Ganerat Session
HOW TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM PUSHING YOUR BUTTONS
This presentation will provide specific, useable cognitive skills to enable you to 1) direct
and control how you react to difficult people (colleagues, bosses, supervisors, vendors,
"customers") and 2) remove the barriers to innovation and creativity
10.45 am -12 15 p.m. Concurrent Sessions
I BOE UPDATE HOW DO THEY ALLOCATE?
The Board of Equalization holds the key to allocation of local tax revenues Join an
interactive discussion of allocation methods with the BOE and get your long unanswered
questions from those who hold the key
II BUILDING AN INTERACTIVE WEB PAGE
Increasingly, your first contact with a local citizen or potential investor from another
commumtri may be via the Internet The layout and content of your Web site can be the
communications tool that mean success in that initial contact. What are the elements of a
good Web site and how do you set one up?
Page 3
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CONIlKITI EE O C T 2 51999
CITY OF GRAND TERRACE coo"
August 2, 1999
NUNUTES
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Rich Haubert at 7 20 p m
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Soma Aiken, Rich Haubert, Vic Pfennighausen, Bob Souter, and Darla Wertz
GUESTS PRESENT:
John Donlevy
APPROVAL OF NEDMTES:
Minutes of July 12, 1999, meeting were approved
EQUIPMENT/FACHXrY REPORT:
1 The SWR & Power Meter is not world Vic will check it out and if needed send it
out for repairs All other equipment is operational
2 Vic is checking out miine water filters for the generator and a serge protector for the
whole budding.
COUNCIL AGENDA fTEM lIp.T'X.l I(,�
Y"
Community and Economic Development
Department
STAFF
CRA ITEM () COUNCIL ITEM (X) MEETING DATE: NOVEMBER 9,1999
FUNDING REQUIRED NO FUNDING REQUIRED X
SUBJECT: Sustainability Principles - Request for City Council to Review
Planning Commission Packets
The staff of the Community and Economic Development Department is respectfully
requesting that the City Council review materials in future Planning Commission
packets We are preparing to update our Conservation Element of the General Plan,
and for that we will be conducting various workshops with the Commission Data is
extensive and approval of the element will require a firm commitment by the City
Council
Please review the attached APA guidance for sustainable development, as a first step
in this process
Attachment "A Planner's guide to Sustainable Development"
w-1. 1plannmglcc\sustainabddy l l-99 wpd
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i, , American Association
PASPlanning Advisory Service
Report Number 467
i
5
Figures
1-1 The Need for Sustannabilnty Some Example Headlines
2-1 The Concept of Sustainabihtv _
2-2 Key Characteristics of Sustainabihty
2-3 Eleven Elements of Sustannability Requiring Understanding and Acceptance
24 World Population Growth _
2-5 Conventional vs Steady State Economics
2-6 The Brundtland Commission's Key Concept for Sustamabdity
2-7 Themes of Agenda 21 _
2-8 Statement of U.S Civility for Habitat 11 .._.
2-9 A New Consensus
2-10- Sustainable American Goals-
2-11 Recommendations for Strengthening Communities
2-12. Roles of the EPA's Office of Sustainable Ecosystems and Communities
2-13 Vision Statements of the Minnesota Sustainable Development Initiative
2-14 Common Goals for Minnesota State and Local Plans
3-1 Continuation of Trends _............. .. __ .�.„ _ ... „.
3-2: Key Tenets of Sustainable Development
3-3 The Olympia, Washington, Strategy for
Reducing Greenhouse/Ozone-Depleting Gas Emissions _
3-4. Benefits of Reducing Automobile Use
5-1 Seattle, Washington, Neighborhood Plaruung Process
5-2. Santa Monica, Cahforrua, Sustainable Development Principles
5-3 Santa Monica, Cahforiva, Goals for Sustamability _
5-. City of Santa Monica, California, Progress in Aduevnng Sustainabrhty _
5-5 Chattanooga, Tennessee, Revision 2000 Goals
5-6 Cambridge, Massachusetts, Civic Forum Mission Statement _......
5-7 Cambridge, Massachusetts, Sustainable Community Characteristics
5-8 City of Olympia, Washington, Sustamabihty Philosophy
54 The Olympia, Washington, Sustainable City Partnership
5-10• Sustainable City Criteria Used in the Review of the
Olympia, Washington, Comprehensive Plan _
4
7
7
8
9
10
11
11
12
12
13
14
15
15
16
17
18
22
25
_____37
38
39
_ .—. __ 41
... _ 44
_ 46
47
... „ _ 48
______50
_ .�. 51
Tables
3-1 A Matrix of Connections 20
5-1. Sustamabihty Trends in Seattle, Washington 35
5-2. Santa Monica, Cahforrua, Sustamabilrty Indicators and Targets_.. _ ...._„_„ „ ... 40
Chapter 1. Global Problems, Local Solutions
As nor approach the second nnllama m, m a more secular age, there is a grmmg concern Heat hft
on earth is miperOW by the dmvudwn of nature wrought by hunt% nrterventmn
—AMEW BLOWERS, PLAMM FM A SUSTAWABLE ENVMMMBT
1 ur the past 150 years or so, our planet has
undt, rgone a rate of change unprecedented in human
In.tt,ry The industrial revolution of the nineteenth and
in t n tieth centuries has forever altered patterns of
hurnan development and rates of connsumpbon of the
%%tarid s resources. Perhaps most significantly, it has
t n thud us to transform natural systems to better greet
tatr needs This capability has fundamentally changed
tit, wav we perceive our relationship with the rest of
tit, world, thereby helping to foster the feeling that
Ituman -progress" is unlimited
I lea% rapid change has, of course, had many positive
t ilm t% on human life. We have vastly increased our
prtaductive capabilities, making a range of goods and
r% aces previously unheard of available to ordinary
t atvt ns New forms of transportation and
a animunications have unproved mnobility to places and
.t t tom. to information. Perhaps most importantly,
advances in medicine have made it possible to virtually
I laminate many diseases and outer social health
I art tbk-ins that have plagued humankind ind for a nturms,
%a% mtngly without solution.
In recent decades, however, it has become increasingly
apparent that the advances that we have made have not
tanx without a substantial price. Problems that the
industrial revolution has solved have merely been
rt pLiced by a new set of problems, marry of which have
l+trn caused by those same scientific and technological
.advances. Our giant strides in medicine, for example,
have helped allow a 600 percent explosion in world
I•aiptilation an less than WO years, substantially shammg
tix natural resources that enabled such growth in the
I art place and actually increasing human misery in
tl•utlute termis in many parts of the world Pollution
rt ated by the industrial processes developed in the past
t ntury and a half threatens not only local environments,
Init the global atmosphere as well- Although largely
tint. hocked human development has created substantial
%%t alth for many of us, it has in many ways amplified
.anal and economic inequities by concentrating wealth
and power among a relatively few individuals.
We have begun to recognize many of the symptoms
at this global crisis Concern about such issues as global
warming and species extinction is widespread We
have, however, yet to fully come to grips with the root
causes of our dilemma. Although we continue to
develop technical fixes to individual environmental and
social concerns, this reactive, case -by -case approach to
problem solving has yet to come up with any long-term
solution to the fundamental sources of the ills of
mdusb7 laization and human development
One of the fundamental problems we continue to face
is that, rather than recognizing the badamental links
between a healthy environment, strong economy, and
supportive social network our political systems
continue to view human activity as outside the natural
world. In the absence of this reckon, we continue to
tinker with the current system in hopes that
technological progress will ultimately free us from our
dependence on nature. Consequently, all we really seem
to be doing is delaying the mtevdable day whert we are
aonfim-Aed with the reality that 'busitess as usual' is
no longer possible.
The evidence of an approaching calamity is, in many
cases, overwhehnmtg. On a seimtmagly daily basis, we
are barraged with news about deforestation, ozone
depletion, widespread starvation im many "developing'
countries, and other global environmental and social
disasters that are ether here or fast approadung The
headline stones highlighted in Figure 1-1 are but a few
of the indications that the earths opacity to
accommodate growth in human activity is limited and,
in marry rases, shrinking —in shoM that humiankind is
heading in directions that are not conducive to long-
term sustai_rtability
Even these state-, national-, and global -scale disasters
represent only the tip of the weber& In any local
newspaper on any given day, one can typically find
numerous accounts of smaller -scale catastrophes
Farmhand and open space are obliterated on a daily
basis as the urban fringe is pushed farther and farther
out, seemingly threatening to create one endless suburb
from coast to coast. Communities all over the country
face solid waste crises as landfills we rapidly being
filled while community opposition to siting new
facilities leaves our refuse with no place to go Crime
Fr � t ter
r
ess,
f its
Ilion
-ohd
1
een
ted
•e
rat
tion
ted
in
v on
he
6v%vut• that encourage social interaction, narrow
otrc-, t• .hide trees, a network of Miring and jogging
th• and markets, offices, and parks within walking
dlat.soui of homes The Port of Cape Charles, Virginia, is
. uric ntly developing what it calls a Sustainable
14%hmslogies Industrial Park Designated one of four
nukh I industrial parks by the Presidents Council on
lcfifi.taufiahle Development, the park will house
bli�fincw.e� that have made a commitment to profit with
s+nvircnfimt-ntal and social integrity_ The city of Austin,
Tram, hi% developed a 'Green Builder Program" to
inusk ecologically friendly constriction practices for
cliff remdential and commercial buildings. The
program rates the eco-hiendlmess of proposed
building!, and provides technical assistance and, in
ifiiiiiu cars, funding to help developers improve the
ovilco fical integrity of structures.
I.uc al activist groups aII over the country are also
1wginning to take steps to introduce sustamabdity
aysnct lH% to the American public For acample, Urban
&-til o;y, an Oakland -based group dedicated to building
ecologically sensitive cities, has recently prepared a
Itfurprud for a Sustainable Bay Arai, which compiles steps
that IM% Area communities are taking to confront the
a.uc. that threaten the quality of life throughout the
.miff I rancisco Bay region. In developing the Blueprint,
thl+an Ecology underwent an extensive collaborative
r1f ort rc aching hundreds of individuals, government
is pre%entatives at the local, regional. ate, and federal
levels, business leaders, and community -based
organizations This outreach effort and the group's
recently released book of the same name are important
first steps in this initiative coming to fruition
Even corporate America is beginning to embrace the
concept of sustainabdity In its 1995 publication Beyond
Sprawl (cosponsored by the California Resources
Agency, the Greenbelt Alliance, and the Low Income
Housing Fund), for example, Bank of America outlines
many of the social and environmental costs of
CahfomWs suburban sprawl, including loss of
community, deterioration of inner cities, and the loss of
open space. In response to these concerns, Bank of
America has called for a "new development model" that
creates more compact and efficient development
patterns.
Is any one of these individual efforts likely to undo
the damage that has been done or significantly improve
the health of the planet? Probably not, but through
efforts such as those described above (and discussed
later in this report), people from all areas of the globe
are planting the seeds of change that may ultimately
allow us to step back and fundamentally reevaluate the
way we view the world and our place in it. By
emphasizing the importance of community, the
interrelatedness of systems, and long-term health ratifier
than short-term gain, this dedicated group of pioneers is
leading the way toward a new approach to human
development--oe with a more sustainable future
i
b , FP V ,
the history of thought on the topic and describes the
current approaches of various international, national,
and state organizations. The intent is to provide the
practicing planner a broad background on the general
theory of sustamabihty and to introduce current and
upcoming programs that could affect how sustamabthty
is likely to be applied in the future
Figure 2-3 Eleven Elements of Sustalnablbty
Requiring Understanding and Acceptance
1 There are inviolate physical principles that govern
nature's dynanucs.
2. We do not and cannot manage nature
3 When we alter an ecosystem, we make it more
fragile.
4 We must reinvest in living systems as we do
busmess.
5 Only a unified systemic world view is a sustainable
world view
6 Doubt our knowledge while trusting intuition and
accepting our ignorance-
7 What is to be sustained needs to be specs ed
8 Sustaimbility is a continual process not a fixed end
point.
9 We must be accountable for the mutualistic
symbiotic relationship among communities,
ecosystems, and economies.
10 We must make Choices and give things value then
pass them along to the next generation.
11 We need to Come to gasps with ecological limitations
to land ownership and the rights of private
property
Chris Maser Sustainable Co —pity Development
SUS'TAINABILITY'S ROOTS A BRIEF HISTORY
Although it has only recently begun to become part of
the mainstream of social and environmental thought,
the concept of sustainabihty has actually been around as
long as have human societies The law of the Iroquois
notes that "In our every deliberation, we must consider
the impact of our decisions on the next seven
generations " Although the world was a very different
place when this idea was conceived, such prose clearly
describes a way of thinking and living that continues to
apply today
With the advent of the industrial age, such notions of
long-term sustamability gave way to a more narrow
focus on the immediate and foreseeable future As the
industrialization and development of the nineteenth
and twentieth centuries made previously unfathomable
levels of production possible and modern medicine
made every disease seem defeatable, it began to appear
as though the world had no limits The seemingly
endless possibilities presented by our ever-growing
productive capacities shaped the way entire generations
viewed their relationship with the world The sense of
community and balance that existed in communities
throughout the world was largely replaced, at least in
much of Western society, by an emphasis on growth
and personal success Not surprisingly, this change was
accompanied by a change in humankind's perceived
relationship with the rest of the natural world Rather
than coexisting with nature, we began to see our
relationship with nature as one of conflict Our ultimate
goal became freeing ourselves of our dependence on
natural systems, and technology appeared to be
taking us there Not until the turbulent 1960s was
there any serious backlash against the growth
mentality of the industrial society and renewed
recognition of the natural limits by which human
development is bound
Rethinking Fertility
The exponential growth of worldwide human
population was probably the most obvious factor
limiting our ability to sustam our hfestyles m the late
1960s The level of population growth that had occurred
m the previous 50 years or so was unprecedented in
human history (See Figure 2-0 Consider that in the
vear 1 the worldwide population was about 200 milhon.
Although the general trend over the next several
centuries was an expandmg human population, it took
more than 1,5M years for world population to double
Only in the eighteenth century did world population
begin to rise steadily From 1750 to the early part of the
twentieth century, population grew at a then
unprecedented rate of about 05 percent annually By
1900, the worldwide population had reached 17 billion,
doubling in only 150 years. By 1950, the annual growth
rate had reached two percent and by the 1960s finally
peaked at about 2.4 percent, a rate that, if unabated,
would result m a doubling of worldwide population m
only 29 years.
Further complicating the situation, this remarkable
growth was not evenly distributed throughout the
world In most of the -developed' world (where the
ability to accommodate population growth was greater),
fertility has fallen to near or, in some cases, even below
replacement rates. Much of the "developme world
was, on the other hand, experiencing remarkable
population growth Exacerbating the problems
associated with such growth was the mabihty of many
equatorial ecosystems to accommodate large human
populations, particularly those trying to umpleaient
Western -style agricultural methods and technologies
The result was a level of starvation and human
suffering previously unheard of in history haotucally,
this fact was painfully brought into many of our living
rooms by one of the wonders of the industrial soaety's
vast couumumcations system —the television Even the
"developed world" was beginning to feel the
population pinch in the form of the increasingly
obvious pollution problems related to high per capita
consumption and resulting overuse of resources
the history of thought on the topic and describes the
current approaches of various international, national,
and state organizations. The intent is to provide the
practicing planner a broad background on the general
theory of sustamabthty and to mboduce current and
upcoming programs that could affect how susbunabdity
is hkely to be applied in the future
Figure 2-3. Eleven Elements of Sustainability
Requiring Understanding and Acceptance
1 There are inviolate physical pnnonples that govern
nature's dynamics.
2. We do not and cannot manage nature
3 When we alter an ecosystem, we make it more
fragile-
4 We must reinvest m living systems, as we do
business.
5 Only a unified systemic world view is a sustainable
world view
6 Doubt our knowledge while misting intuition and
accepting our igisiorance_
7 What is to be sustam1,ed needs to be speafe&
8 Sustainabihty is a continual process, not a fixed end
point
9 We must be accountable for the mutualistic
symbiotic relabonAW among communities.
ecosystems, and economies.
10 We must make dioois and give things value, then
pass them along to the not ge neraoon.
11. We need to come to grips with emlogtcal limitations
to land ownership and the rights of private
property
Chris 11111 r smftmd a CA Xsfy Drodoprext
SUSTAINABILITrS ROOTS: A BRIEF HISTORY
Although it has only recently begun to become part of
the eau v;bvam of social and envuenmental thought,
the concept of sustainabt7ity has actually been around as
long as have human societies. The law of the Iroquois
notes that "In our every deliberation, we must consider
the umpact of our decisions on the next seven
generations." Although the world was a very different
place when this idea was conceived, such prose dearly
describes a way of dunking and living that continues to
apply today
With the advent of the industrial age, such notions of
long-term susbunabihty gave way to a more narrow
focus on the immediate and foreseeable future. As the
mdustriahzation and development of the nineteenth
-ind twentieth centuries made previously unfathomable
It %t N of production possible and modern medicine
made every di--c tut •., tilde to 11 11.1- it iv 1 Iti 1.1 11s1'tar
as though the world It Ill it,, Itialit I I,.
endless possibiliht-. isrt.e lilt at I-1 1-11, .. 1 ► I-1%%lilt,
productive calmutlt—It,l+tl lh- tl Il •nine . lie ritions
viewed their rdalion%lul- li ail tl,. %%--11.1 1 h- 1114 ilf
community and h.tl Ili-. It, tl a .I tell III -.ltitiuntilltl
throughout the world l I I it . Il I- I-1 1 - -I it It 1.1 in
muchofWesttnt.,tt,il I-1 tit.n11-11, 1 14.%%Ill
and personal.uttty \,-i .ill 11 It it tlu -It im t was
accompanied by a t It ill► t In IIIItn Ini.In 1 1+ set tlltil
relationship with cite nil ill Ili. ittltn 11 i 1.1 1% alhtr
thancoexisting with imatirt — It, t ,al Ile -, 1-11,
relationship with miltor, i%tstu to t t-111ti. I (site ultimate
goalbecame frt'tln�,,glr.a Ila tit t•ist 1, i-. title tilt on
natural system% anti la t illta-I-1► l 11-1 al, -1 1,- let
takmg us there_ Nut until 11„ [tit little ill 11uta1 ll t.
there any seriuu% to it LI i.h 1t loll 1 1114 1 1..%% lit
mentality of the indn•ln 11 a-. I. 1l ut.l I- In tic d
recognition of the it ilur if limit 1,% t. lie- II Illsm in
development It tbuund
Rethinking Fertility
The exponential }�na. tit t.l .. t•t Lllt tutu huts tin
population was pruit,ildm Ilia III,- 1 1e1-t lull 1 1. I.,r
limiting our ability it,.u.l nn anti 111.- 1 II mil tltt Litl
1960s.Theleve_IillIvllnlldi-.,,I. % lit lit ,tItill atturred
in the prevxm% 90 ve or%air tits u , unlit t a -.la flivil in
human histury Vwt I is list ' I I t t-it I. It I IIt at cal Ilk
year 1 the wuridwitit ItelstiLdu,n %% a al+till 'Ill' mullion.
Although the you r it in tit an a a tit- its %, A %,1 II
centuries was an t all.utaiuts lain, lot i+•Intl stet-m it kx)k
more than 1,50) vt or%t.,r ll.nl.l i+'I all ahteji to- -luulblt
Only in tht inghte, little, t►t,n l -lilt %%. 1I.I 1+e1 ill ahtllt
begin to rtx.ttaallh 1 l,ajit 1 411.. its. . ,I% ltilll ill the
twentieth ctnitury Iteind du- , % ai , filet,
unptecedtnted r Ile ter) ilteul I I 1+ 1. - all 1111111 111v fly
1900, the woridwith 1tllitil Slum It tat 1- 1- 1w 1 1 : Iwlhon,
doubling in univ F;0 %a or lit 1 a dl list ilunl.tl i ruwth
rate had reathed Iwaa it let ill stuf i-%'h- 1140% homily
peaked at alxnd 2 1 It-rt a -tit a I it, I Is t1 it n11.11%ilvd,
would re-eult tit -I thnlb1111► cite i. to It lit 1.1, past-telatiun In
only 29 ytmr`.
Ftirtherconti,lia Most lit, visa itutte list ra nairL.ible
growth wa% not[ a It nit Jt IIit.1it, al IIts. nn ISO loot Ilx
world In mtr4 ill IN .111, I-•1r.1 --slat ill lam -the
abdiity tit attatmttutl 11t Impel ahtm I. lt.11th - 1.1,nater),
ferblity huts talk to it, its loan is ..-ma - I a- a %a n llekiw
reFdaRntmyli raja-% xhu is -d it% -It t a la -port) _ m%lorkl
was, on tlx ulht r It.soul I .1+ I is it. tut it ut.arLildt
populatitingmath I%I,tlitlimp Ills l-talldtcal%
associated with %tu I, a itintla to a Ili cal it -Holy all many
equatorial tlift"It lit. its is a imism ti it, I art a human
populatxlm h.trtuiaLarh Ili.-.4 h%im la-toal•knient
Western-%tyk it,nt mllul at jilt if —I uul 1,• hlaa,logies
The result w i% I h 1. 1 .d .1 ail it en lout hams lot
stuffering pri%u,ti,I% unha sill .-1 it, Iu.1ur% Irunitally,
this fact w i-epon,1ulh 1-1-as Ill little at, ill% ,d axrr living
rooms by Situ ill the 1 4-1 lilt uulti.Irt it •ilClt'ty's
vast comntunit iIulil .l.l- Ill lilt it la l,.eam 1 ven the
"developttil llurld It I. It 1 nuilnl lot It t I lilt
population pant h lit tilt I-n m --I lit, In, rt a.utt,ly
obvious ptilholum l,ttelslt m. it I still le- hn,h Ix r t apita
consurrpttun.lntl lt11d11i1► %na iri., oil rtvnirtt�.
1 p* "
The Limits to Growth made a clear statement that,
because the world's resources are finite, economic growth
would meet an absolute limit as well Although the
report's conclusions drew considerable criticism at the
time, many of its notions continue to form the theoretical
Ww!, for current thought on sustainable development
In the aftermath of The Limits to Growth, a select
group of economists began to further probe the
que+tions raised by the Club of Home report. Possibly
th4L best known advocate for a "steady-state economy"
w.m (and still is) Louisiana State University economist
t Icrman Daly, whose 1977 book Stmay-State Eaomomms
t% %till widely regarded as the leading work on the
rciinomics of sustamability Advocating the then radical
vit,w that "enough is best,' Daly expanded on the
earlier ideas of economists such as Kenneth Bouldmg
iM Evesy Domar to develop a theory of economics that
emphasizes minimizing, rather than m xuriumg, both
pnxiuction and consumption
In place of the Amerx an -style free market system,
Figure 2-5.
Conventional vs. Steady -State Economics
Cona ntionaf Econoenca
♦ Advocates mamniabon of production and
consuiaption
• Emphasizes continual eooiiomic growth and
recognizes no physical constraints to growth
♦ ignores costs associated with resource depletion
Steady -State E monacs
♦ Advocates minimization of both production and
consumption
• Requires a constant stock of physical wealth (capital)
and people
♦ Recognizes the Im ass to growth in the -human
economy' diciabed by a finite world
which promotes eeonomw growth as the answer to
every societal problem (a condition Daly called 'growth-
marne), Daly advocated 'an economy an which the total
population and the total stock of physical wealth are
maintained constant at some desired levels by a 'muu-
mal' rate of maintenance throughout and by physical
production and consumption rates that are equal at the
lowest feasible level' (Daly 1972)_ The ideal economy
would imitate nature's model, with a dosed -loop
system of material cycles powered by the sun.
Fundamental to the notion of a steady-state economy
is the recognition that economic (human) activity
creates neither matter nor energy Rather, human
activity merely converts low entropy forms of both
matter and energy (soil, sunlight, etc) into high entropy
forms that are useful to humans (cars, televisions,
microwave ovens) Because the earth is a dosed -loop
system with finite limits, every gain of the human
economy, by definition, must come at the expense of the
,.natural economy " Consequently, there are finite limits
to the amount of low entropy matter that can be
converted to human uses before natural systemis and
feedback loops begin to fail. Although still not part of
the mainstream of economic thought in the United
States, steady-state economics continues to gam greater
acceptance and remains a key element of much of the
international work on sustamability
SUSTAINABl1XrY GOES MAINSTREAM
Our Common Future
The concept of sustaumbility really began to reach the
mainstream of environmeintal and economic thought
with the pubhmtion of the Lhuted Nattons' World
Commission on Environment and Development report
Our Common Future in 1987 More commonly known as
the report of the Brundtland Commission (named for
the Commission Chair, Norwegian Prime Munster Gro
Harlem Brunddutd), it was the first major international
cooperative effort to introduce the concept of
sustainable development into the mainstream of
political thought_ It also provided the fast widely used
definition for nstaiiable development, one which
remains the most commonly used the world over
Development which meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet char own needs.
The Brunddand Commission framed the
sustamability, issue around two central questions.
1 is it possible to increase the basic standard of living
of the world's expanding population without
unnecessarily depleting our natural resources and
further degrading the environment upon which we
all depend? and
2. Can humanity collectively steep back from the brink
of environmental collapse and, at the same tune, lift
its poorest mesibers up to the level of basic human
health and dignity?
In response to these questions, the Commission
established five key eotroepts for achieving long-term
sustai-nabihty (See Figure 2-6 )
preservation of the natural environment was a
fundamental goal of the Brunddand Commission.
However, what is truly significant about Our Common
Future is that is was the first international policy
document that drew the connection between economic
and environmental well -bong Embracing the ideas of
the steady-state economists, the commission asserted
that sustamable development involves more than
growth, as it requires 'a change in the content of
growth, to make it less material- and energy -intensive
and more equitable in its impact " In short, long-term
sustaiiiability can be achieved only through "quality
growth' that considers such issues as resource
depletion and social and economic equity in place of
our historic focus on gross output.
Agenda 21
On June 13, 1992, leaders from nearly 100 countries
around the globe convened in Rio de Janeiro to plan the
10
Figure 2-8 Statement of U.S Civility for Habitat II
• Support sustainable lraddwaids by providing access to adequate housing, food water education and social economic, and
environmental justice
♦ Commit to lustue—social eWffomu emronmental and gender —by ending disaimu+ahon and violence against women,
encouraging commitments to inclusive agendas, ensuring equal access to jobs, and practicing multi-racial/cultural,
community -based, integrative decision making
♦ Enable croic engagement and fowl gommance by encouraging broad public participation in the development of human
settlements and mcreasmg empowerment through service-onented leadership, open communratnon, sectoral
partnerships, and cooperative mechanisms
♦ Build lust and sustainable communities by encouraging consensus -based planning, providing opporturities for lifelong
learning, strengthening local economies, and emphasizing urban/rural connections
♦ Institute new indiratorslisesures of progress and success by championing the adoption of new indicators of progress
and prosperity by governments and institutions, urging governments and businesses to adopt accounting systems
that incorporate the full costs and benefits of production and consumption, and encouraging societal measures of
success based on contributions to the collective weU-bemg rather than on wealth, materialism, and excessive
individualism
♦ Promote sustainable production consumption and trade by developing economic policies that promote corporate
accountability, full employment and environmental restoration, emphasizing greater local control of local economies,
and supporting environmentally sound agricultural production practices
♦ Reallocate resources by shifting tax policy to favor adequate wages and employment and to disooarage unsustainable
resource use, and eliminating subsidies that cause environmental degradation and diminish health and quality of life
♦ Redefine national security by considering not only military threats, but the threats of global eivuoome taL economic, and
social crises, and focusing on developing human capacity a healthy economy, and a sound environment
scams Us ivenvwk for iiabwt in
chartered for two years, the Council was composed of
25 leaders from government, industry, and environmen-
tal, labor, and civil rights organizations. As defined in
Executive Order 1285Z its mission was three -fold.
1 To develop and recommend to the president a
national sustainable development action strategy that
will foster economic vitality;
2. To develop an annual Presidential Honors Program
recogng outstanding achtevemems in sustainable
development:, and
To raise public awareness of sustainable
development issues and participation in
opportunities for sustainable development.
The Council set out in 1993 to fulfill these objectives
through a broad -based public input, education, and
planning program The product of more than three
years of work is Sustainable America. A Nero Consensus,
the Council's blueprint for achieving national sustain -
ability, which was released in February 1996 The
Council blueprint adopted the Brundtland Cohnmis-
sion s definition of snstainahility, supplemented with its
own vision statement, which is provided in Figure 2-9
(More detailed information about the PCSD is provided
at http://www whitehouse_gov/WH/EOP/pcsd/
tndex_htinl )
To implement this vtsronr the Council has devdoped
10 national goals, as shown in Figure 210. Representing
a broad spectrum of topics ranging from health and the
environment to equity to partiapabon in civic affairs,
these 10 goals recognize that issues of society, economy,
and the envuvnment are ftm liy inter+oonnecbed.
The Council developed pohcy recontinendations for
implementing each goal, as well as a set of ''indicators
Figure 2-9. Suslainabfe America:
A Neer C@Mnm
Yisrow Statement
Our vnsaoa is of a life-sustauung Earth. We are
committed to the achievement of a drgnhfWd. peaceful.
and equitable existence A sustainable United States wilt
have a growing economy that provides equitable
opporturutres for satisfymg hvehhoods and a safe,
healthy, high quality of life for aurierit and future
generates Our nation will protect its environment, its
natural resource base and the functions and viability of
natural systems on which all life depends.
V- " Peedats Camel an Sauawbit Dr dapasr
Figure 2-11 Sustainable America:
Recommendations for Strengthening Communities
Commionty-Drwen Strategic Planning
Create a commuuutydnven, strategic planning process
that brings people together to identify key issues, develop
a vision, set goals and benchmarks and determine actions
to Improve their community
Collaborative Regional Planning
Encourage communities in a region to work together to
deal with issues that transcend lmnsdictional and other
boundaries
BWU=g Dmgw and Rdiabilitatrorr
Design and rehabehtate buildings to use energy and
natural resources efficiently, enhance public health and the
environment, preserve historic and natural settings, and
contribute to a sense of community identity
Commarity Design
Design new communities and improve vushng ones to use
land efficiently, promote mixed -use and mixed -income
development, retain public open spao-- and provide
diverse transportation options
Comiminrty Grvi7vth Maaagement
Manage the geographical growth of eim" communities
and siting of new ones to decrease sprawl, conserve open
space, respect nature s carrying capacity, and provide
protection from natural hazards
Creation of Stro■g, Diversified Local Economies
Apply economic development strategies that create
diversified local economies built on unique local
advantages to tap expanding markets and technological
innovation
training acid Lifdoeg Lenrrrrsg
Expand and coordinate public and pnvate training
programs to enable all people to unprove their skills to
match future job requirements in communities on a
continuing bay.
Exinrommental Economw Development
Capdahze upon economic developtne nt opportunities from
busumm s and mdustns that target environmental
techriologmm recyCIMg, and pollution pm%e nhon to emote pbs
Redevelopment of Brownfield Sites
Revitalize br+ownfields, which are emitam mahkL abandoned,
or unde used lid, by mnaivng theme man attractive for
redev by providmig regulatory 6=1bty, reducing
process barriers` acid assessing grter6dd development to
reflect necessary infrastructure costs
Cocoon Piendmes Chun d an Susumubie Deg .. S d...6k Aa ww A MW Canwe 1995
the officers new roles. Among these are a survey of
ecological, environmental, and quality-of-hfe goals and
indicators developed at the community/ecosystem
level, the development of a computer model that
integrates ecological and economic conditions in a series
of feedback loops to reflect the effects of these two
boors on each other, and development of a set of
sustainabi7ity udices for the rural and urban areas of
the Southern Appalachians. The Office is also handing
several programs initiated by communities and IRA
regional offices. Among these are a demonstration
pro)ect maned at restoring an area m Galveston Bay
(Texas) and a workshop to develop ecological goals for
the San Francisco Bay Delta.
Probably the most publicized of EPA's recent efforts
to integrate environmental Ilea and economic
recovery is the Brownfieelds Action Agenda grant
program. Under this program, the agency provides
S20 AM grants for the cleanup of contamunated sites in
areas suffering from blight. The goal is to develop
successful redevelopment models for contaminated
sites that communities can replicate_ As of sprung 1996
EPA had awarded about 60 such grants
ULS Deparbamt of Energy In Marcia 1996, the
Departmient of Energy established a new office called the
Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development to help
communities design and rmplemad new strategies to
enhance local economies, environmients, and the quality
of fife. Iiie office provides informtation and consulting
services that help communities advance sustatnabthty by
mnurrumig energy consumption. This emphasis on
reducing demand is a significant shift from DOE's
historic focus on identifying new energy supplies to meet
ever-mc easing demand. (Additional information is
available at http: / /www.sustauu bl a Aoe gov )
The centerpiece of the Center's efforts is a new model
to help communities understand how their growth and
development decisions affect long-term sustamabihty
Known as PLACE'S (PLAnnmg for Community Energy
Economic and Environmental Sustainabnhity), this
computer model uses energy effidency as a numure of
community sustainabrlity By allowing communities to
compare the efficiency of various alternatives for the
use of land, design of neighborhoods, operation of
buildings and kLftzstnicture, and management of
transportation systems, PLACE'S provides a useful tool
for gauging the effects of a community's land
development choices. The DOE hopes that this tool will
help facilitate an mclusionary public process that
balances community values and integrates
environmentaL economic, and social concerns.
Already, PLACE'S has been used in a number of
planning exercises throughout California, Oregon, and
Washington_ Pro)ects for which the model has been
used include military base master planning, mner-city
redevelopment, an evaluation of citywide land -use
Tj
b
t ,a
In 19%, the legislature, in accepting the mitiative's
report, called for a special task force to recommend a
new approach to managing land use and development
in Minnesota. After seven public meetings in the state's
"growth corridor," the task force published Common
Ground Achiewng Sustainable Communities in Minnesota
The report proposes a new framework of principles,
goals, and local and state responsibilities designed to
lead to a more coordinated, cost-effective and
sustainable approach to development The 12 goals for
grading both state and local decisions are shown in
Figure 2-14
The proposals of the seven teams and the task force
were condensed into a draft strategic plan for the state,
Challenges for a Sustainable Minnesota, which was
released for public review by Governor Carlson in
August 1995 Challenges espouses many of the themes
commonly regarded as keys to creating sustainable
communities, such as changing economic signals, taking
an ecosystem approach to managing natural resources,
engaging People at the community level, mtegratmg
sustainabdity into education, and establishing public
private alliances for sustainable development.
In January 1996, Governor Carlson appointed 30
business, civii . and environmental leaders to the
Minnesota Round Table on Sustainable Development.
The Round Table, whose mission is to be a "societal
catalyst" for sustainable development in bUnnesota, is
carrying forward what they see as the most compelling
and doable elements of the strategic plan These
include:
- collaborating with communities to identify
sustainable development opportunities,
- seeking common ground on land -use decisions,
a recogniang pioneering sustainability efforts by
individuals, businesses, and communities,
- working with business to align econonuc incentives
with sustainable development goals, and
• coaiaiunicating with people across the state to both
educate therm and learn about their sustainable
development goals.
Interest in sustainable development is also on the rise
within M'nuiesota's stage legislature. In April 1995,
Governor Carlson signed a bill that defines sustainable
development and directs Minnesota's Office of Strategic
and Long -Range Planning to publish a guide, including
model ordinances, for local sustainable development
planning The law also asks the Environmental Quality
Board to coordinate state agency self -assessments on
how their mission and programs reflect the principles of
sustainable development, or how they could be changed
to do so
Figure 2-14. Co mon Goals for
Minnesota State and Local Plans
• Guide change through planning
• Coordinate planning for aompati'bihty
♦ Include citizens in planning and decision making
• Respect and foster diversity among commumntes
• Use integrated mformabon as a foundation for plaits
and decisions
• Consider the long -tam social, economic- and
environmental costs of giawth and &wdopmemt
♦ Pay the full environmental, social, and ewnomrc
costs imposed by new growth
♦ Use natural resources and public finds effiaeiely
♦ Preserve features of local, regional, and statewide
significance
• Respect the limitation of the natural environment to
support growth and devidopme nt
♦ Foster hvable communities by encouraging safe,
pedzan-fnerndly devdopment that integrates a
diverse mix of housing and pbs public transit,
bum, pubbc spaces, and recreational arcs
• Enhance Mmaesata's economic strength and
caaapetitiveness
16
L�a
Figure 3-2
Key Tenets of Sustainable Development
Sustawabk deaelopanud requires a new way of tlunkmg that is
future onented/long term NOT
budget/electon/short term
bounded by lints NOT
lacking natural restraints
natural/geographic NOT
artificial/political
means oriented NOT
ends oriented
holistic/mterm nnected NOT
hierarchical/separated
Participatory NOT
autocratic
Scut Adapind ban the oiyop a riaa.Voo. smuua!& Guy PMVM
As such, sustantabtlity first and foremost requires
changing our thought process for approaching
development issues in our comnmunities. A half dozen
key tenets of this new way of thinking are desrnbed in
Figure 3-2.
Future Oaented/Long Term
Sustamability is last as concerned with planning for
future generations (or future election terms) as it is with
planting for the present generation. Many elected
officials still don't look much beyond the next election
when contemplating local development issues. As a
result, even 'long-range planning documents typically
don't consider more than a la to 20-year time frame
What may be new (or rediscovered) is the comnmutment
to extend the tiara horizon beyond a reasonably
predictable future. To the extent that data or courage
will allow, we need to try to forecast the future and put
the decisions we are making today within a different
temporal context, to start talking about generations, not
necessarily years. We are planning to make thugs better
for ourselves and future generations. Tune scales
should be thought of not m election tests.
adaunrstrations, or min mental years, but rather
generations, decades, and even centuries. Getting a
community on a track toward being sust unable does
not happen overanghL nor does it happen over the
course of a couple of months, a year, ar evm a couple of
years. It is a process requiring patience foresight, and
time. Therefore, susbunnabihty programs and criteria
need to be clear enough to span terms of elected
officals and be useful for those who will inherit them -
Bounded by Limits
Susbouble planning approaches development with a
consciousness that is aware of limits to a community's
local development and population potentat--a concept
that borrows heavily from the notion of carrying capac-
rty From an ecological perspective, canymg capacity is
usually defined as the maximum population of a given
species that can be supported mdefirutely in a specified
habitat without permanently nmpauung the productivity
of that habitat The term as generally used by planners,
however, means the ability of natural and man-made
system to support the demands of various uses. It refers
to inherent limits in the system beyond which change
cannot be absorbed without producing instabthty,
degradation, or irreversible damage (Godschalk and
Parker 1975) The most basic example of an absolute
carrying capacity limit (as discussed in Chapter 2) is the
earth's finite ability to produce food and other needs for
a burgeoning population. A real threat, and one worthy
of global attention, this limit provides the community
planner with little to work with. Thus, community
planners find themselves wrestling with what Godsdolk
and Parker (1975) identify as three separate but mated
carrying capacities: environmental, perceptual, and
institutional- For example, environmental carrying
capacity is the limit at which human activity will lead to
undesirable changes in the envuomunent. The concept
rests on an assumption that there are certain hurts the
environment itself (eg., regional-Ievel ecosystems or
bioregions) tmposes on development. The process of
living off the interest of ecological resources has clear
(although not uncomptieated) applicability to such issues
as groundwater extraction, air and water contamination,
use of agricultural and fb:+est lands, and mamb aance of
btodivensity and habitat (Beatley 1995) Operational
mnethods to define specific and quantitative natural
carrying capacity limits, however, have yet to mature to
the point of becoming planning tools, Rarely can are
find an absolute limit Gee., one that cannot be changed or
expanded by additional mvestme nt of resources or
technology) Therefor- carrying capacity analysts
requires a certain degree of professional judgment to
comprehensively account for all the important elements
and the dynamics of the mterz,dationships within an
environmental system A sustainable community
recognizes that the potential for human development is
finite and seeks to live, develop, and operate within the
natural 'haute identified (For a more detailed analysis
of carrying capacity on a local level, see Godsc alk and
Parker 1975, Basile 1977, or Wackernagel and Rees 1996 )
Natural/Geographic
In a snmular vein, susbunabdity requires approaching
natters based on thew natural and geographic
characteristics, not artificial and political units. Most
I
limits a whole array of potential solutions Because this
approach to problem solving fails to address the root
causes of the problem in question, it is ultimately
doomed to failure
Issues can be better addressed by using sustainable
development as a "lens" through which we more
clearly see the interdependence of natural, built,
political, economic, and organizational systems To
more effectively and holistically address the root
causes of problems, we must ask how strategies
affecting one dimension or issue invariably will affect
another How will decisions affect the aggregate
situations The matrix presented in Table 3-1 below
provides a first step towards realizing some of these
connections It examines functional areas with which
planners are often directly involved —land use,
housmg, transportation, environment, and econonuc
development —and illustrates how each functional
area affects and is affected by the others. By
recognizing and accounting for these effects,
communities can make better decisions with an
understanding of the aggregate situation and focus
on the interrelationships among the elements.
Economic
Development
Etrvb mod
Tramportatioe
Lsed Use
eripkayment bcabon
land costlavallability
cost of public services
tape of housing
lobsitioasing balance
Communities can improve integration on many level
among various environmental issues, among envuon-
mental, economic, and social issues, among local lunsdic-
tions, and between the public and private sectors.
Sustainable development recognizes that the whole of
the system is much more than the sum of its parts.
If we change the way we make
decisions, we will change the decisions
we make
Jim MacNeil
Uereeral
Uld C inin&wton on
Environment and Development
Participatory
Ideally, sustai_nability is about focusing on the desired
outcoames for people —a pursuit that broadens the
process by which a community discovers, considers,
and tackles particular issues. The uidmiduals within the
Table 3-1. A Matrix of Connections
network of pals XW
open spare
sutabi ly of development
air QW ty
wato *aft
SW rrasta disposal
vel>tck miles traveied
vrabMy of transit
vasty of pe desbiatn and
ticycle bavd
location of services
denser of deiielopment
demand for par"
houssi9 mix
density
Honing 19 balance
type of employment
hatisirig location
access to open space
Homy
property tax rate
pbsftxmmng balance
variety of jobs
variety of housing prices
site design
access to open space
use of solar energy
natural system protetion
air quality
water demand
viabfiry of transit density
messitift to open space
housag affordability
fin terms of attendant
0)(Fe)
demand for parking
location of services
Transportation
accessibr"
location of
viabi ily of transit
location of employment
density of employment
fug cost impacts
demand for parking
positive business
environment
habitat fragmentation
air Quality
water qualily
open spy
EsMamed
open space
carrying ceW*
land aub bility
brormfields
mfill
sauna SoMwabie Sa de.19%
20
Figure 3-3 The Olympia, Washington, Strategy
for Reducing Greenhouse/Ozone-Depleting Gas Emissions
Municipal Operations development, require solar orientation and access,
♦ Encourage use of carpools, busses and bicycles by establish incentives for energy and space -efficient
city employees subdivuon design, zone for mixed -use neighborhoods)
♦ Use Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard
nuleage ratings in selecting new vehicles (currently
40 mpg)
♦ Improve maintenance of existing vehicles
• Consider purchase of alternate fuel vehicles or
conversion to alternate fuels
♦ Reduce use of city vehicles (e g , by changing routes,
employing police bicycle patrols)
♦ Acquire more bicycles for city employees (e g , for
meter readers, travel to meetings, personal errands)
♦ Incorporate energy efficiency and renewable energy
tech mologies in constructing or retrofitting city -
owned facilities or operations
• Evaluate potential for reducing or capturing methane
emissions from sewage treatment plant
♦ Expand purchases of recycled products
♦ Use building and automobile air conditioners that do
not use CFCs
♦ Recycle automobile and building air conditioner CFC
mots
♦ Reduce or ehmmate purchases of products using CFC
as a blowing agent
♦ Expand in-house waste reduction and mgdmng
imam
♦ Invest city funds in environmentally sound securities
RASulatton
♦Consider global warning umphatuons in
implementing growth management legislation
♦ in updates of zoning code and development
standards, consider revisions to reduce vehicle use
and increase tree cover (e g , revise street standards to
encourage bike paths, street trees, slow streets, and
bicycle/pedestrian paths, rev ss+e parking
requrreaments, require open space in all new
SMWC oly®p- W—N-gt— cdlaba+ wacmtas lam tvice
THE PLANNER'S ROLE IN
PROMOTING SUSTAINABILITY
The planning profession has been slow to pick up on
the theory, tools, and examples of sustainable develop-
ment Numerous professional societies, including
architecture, landscape architecture, and civil engineer-
ing, have issued declarations on sustamnabdity and
a
♦ Consider changes in transportation plans and polices
to encourage public transportation and other
alternatives to private auwmmobdes
♦ Consider changes in the budding code to increase
energy efficiency of new commercial buildings
♦ Explore city authority for regulating use of CFCs in
Olympia, such as requiring use of capture -and -recycle
equipment for automobile air conditioner repairs.
prohi�ttmg sale of air conditioner refrigerant for do-it-
yourself repairs, and requiring reclamation of CFCs
upon disposal
♦ Consider including impact on greenhouse and ozone -
depleting gas emissions in the city's environmental
review process
Educabonflnecietwes
♦ Assist in developing Intercity Trariwt six -year plan to
mclude more mcentives to bus use (e.g, downtown free
zoew- mole frequent peak -hour nuns, bicycle tamers)
♦ Offer momtrns for city employees who walls, bike,
carpool, or bus to work
♦ Convene a regional forum to explore mformaton,
education, and other mmoentives for energy conservation
♦ Offer recognition/awards for private businesses and
ocganmtions that promote energy efficiency and
reduce air polhition
• Lobby for state lepush bon anowmi; mcenaves for such
pnogramus as alternative energy aid reduced vehicle use
♦ Lobby in support of dean air and global warming
legislation
♦ Study state packaging task force recommenndations and
support revisions to allow local authority to regulate
CFC and other o zone-depletmmg products
♦ Encourage state government to adopt staggered work
hours and provide umtentives for employees to reduce
auto use
development. The Amencan Planning Association, on
the other hard, has largely remained silent on the issue
While each of the case studies showcased in Chapter 5
involved planners in one way or another, none of the five
originated in community planning. departments
There are countless examples of community "best
practice" case study material that remain unused in
r
Identify Unsustauuble Actions
Current planning in most communities has
developed a momentum for deasions—a momentum
taking us away from sustainable planning A first step
in changing that momentum requires identifying
instances where sustainable practices could be better
and more thoroughly addressed. Planners must become
better at pointing out the unsustatnabtltty of
conventional planning and development policy (Beatley
1995) and offer remedial measures to improve such
actions For example, planners could
• assemble a -punch list' of currently pending
unsustainable projects (e g , automobile -dependent
land -use patterns, development in hazard -prone
areas, decreases in the share of affordable housing
stock) and offer remedies that would help to aim
these projects in a more sustainable direction,
• identify and question the criteria used to make
decisions on development projects and offer to
clarify the criteria using principles of sus ainability,
and
• identify instances in which the communication
between various agencies (or between agencies
and the public) has broken down, thereby
decreasing the effectiveness of collaborative
planning and review, and offer remedial measures
to department heads
Promote and Clarify an Alternative Vision
As much as anything else, sustainable development is
limited by the negative expectations people have about
what a sustainable society will look like and the
complications it will involve. The Image that many have
is of a spamian, materially backward life or a life that
means great sacrifice and living with less (Beatley 1995)
Citizens, professionals, and even elected officials alike
may be quick to ask, How is sustatnability better7, What
does it mean for me?, and What additional work will I
have to do? Developers may fear stifling bureaucratic
procedures and longer delays for permit processm &
Buelness owners may fear stricter regulations and
higher overhead costs. Private land owners may fear
mcreasing encroachment on private property nghts.
planners can help each of these groups understand
why the vision of a sustainable future is a desirable
and compelling one. They can describe this
sustainable future in ways that inspire people to
envision and anticipate this future, not simply fear
the changes it will bring about The above -mentioned
concerns may have some validity in the short term
because changing the way of doing business requires
time and flexibility However, planners need to be
equipped to demonstrate the long-term benefits of
such actions and help a community choose the future
it would prefer at the cost it is willing to pay Long-
term visions (and benefits) of sustainable planning
may involve
• sc;appmg unclear regulations and development
expectations for flexible design requirements with
precise performance measures,
24 r
• trading stifling and drawn -out multi -agency review
procedures for quicker and easier review, and
• turning in a scattered and undecided future for the
community for a clear vision accompanied by
objective criteria to guide decisions for arriving at
that viston.
Promoting Integrated Planning and Policies
often, goals, objectives, and policies are considered
and administered within the confines of their specific
functional areas. For example, goals specific to land use
are usually addressed through traditional land -use -
related measures (zoning, public facilities, etc.) while
affordable housing objectives are often addressed
through nonngovernment organuzahons. The provision
and maintenance of sidewalks is adaun>stered by
department of engmeerin& Generally speaking, these
departments, each of which is fulfilling its own lughly
specialized niche, have relatively little contact with one
another
A key role for planners in the
development of integrated policy is to
make the complexity of the interactions
intelligible to decision makers and their
constituents so that decisions are better
unformed.
Terry Moore a" Pant Thmsnes
The Tmmpw taho W1.md Use Cmnwtm
This separation of tasks fails to recognize the
mterrelabonslups of many strategies and fails to take
full advantage of how a particular strategy in one
area could help to advance the objectives of another
area In many cases, a creative solution to one
planning problem can actually help address several
others. For example, the illof automobile use
on the environment (air pollution, fossil fuel
consumption, noise) are well documented and
understood by citizens, planning commissioners, and
elected officuds. And the goal of reducing automobile
dependence has made its way into the transportation
plan for many communities. Attention to the
connections between decreased automobile use and
other elements of a sustainable community, however,
are not as well understood and, as a result, are often-
times left undtsscovered. (See Figure 3-0
Using these selling points in a condensed and easily
understood manner, the rase for reducing automobile
use becomes increasingly convincing Without the
above selling points, however, the benefits may go
unrealized_ Similarly integrated arguments could be
nude for a host of sustainable ideas. By habitually
pointing out these connections in staff reports, hearings,
and other public and private forums, planners can help
both elected officials and the public to better
understand the importance of dunlang about planning
and community development in a holistic mariner
Serve as the Guinea Pig
One of the most valuable roles a planning department
can assume is that of reeducating the community
through example As part of the Santa Monica
Sustainable City Program, city operations served as a
role model for the community by developing its own
environmentally and socially responsible procurement
policy As part of that policy, the city plans to develop
purchasing policies for almost 50 categories of goods
and services As it turns out, volunteering the city as a
"guinea pig' was a particularly successful strategy In a
similar vein, planning departments can serve as a
guinea pig to gain the support of sustainable city
operations. For example, planners could sell their office
environment as one pursuing "every day" sustainable
actions such as:
• ordering and using only 100 percent recycled and 100
percent post -consumer paper,
• photocopying all documents double sided,
• purchasing an office bicycle for department staff to
use as transportation means when inspecting various
job sights, etc., and
• encouraging a "brmg-your-owndrsh' program for
use in departmental events to minimize the use of
disposable materials.
These kends of actions will have minimal effect on the
overall sustamabilnty of a community The overall ment,
however, in terms of helping reorient the community
toward susbunability is immeasurable_ Its greatest ment
is to demonstrate a commitment toward sustainable
development practice from the planning department —a
commitment to be replicated by other departments and
ultimately, the entire community
Listening To and Working with the Community
If a community is going to work toward a vision and
respond to changes that will help them make
sustainable actions, it is imperative that the end they are
working toward is indeed their end It is easy for
planners, being relatively familiar with the subject
material, to substitute their own vision for that of the
community's More important than presenting the
answer, however, is helping the communuty arrive at its
own answers Therefore, in order to allow the
community to take ownership of its future, the best role
for the practicing planner is generally that of a
facilitating listener
CONCLUSION
This report urges planners to assume a stronger role
in plannmg the future of commurutiem In many
people's nunds, the role of the planner has ahugs been
about securing a more sustainable future (i a allocating
resources wisely, reducing waste, making transport
cheaper, easier, and better) In this respect,
sustamabu7nty may require planners to emphasize what
people thought they should have been doing all along —
helping people arrive at the future they desire. What
may be new (or rediscovered) is the commitment to
extend the time horizon beyond a reasonably
predictable future and clarifying possible outcomes and
opportunities that are available. As members of a
profession dedicated to making communities, states,
nations (and for that matter, the world) more livable
and humane, it is the planning profession's
responsibility to ensure that our vision includes not just
the current generation but future generations as well.
26
Chapter 4. Bringing It All Together.
Sustainability at the Local Level
The previous chapters (a) establish the need for a new
paradigm, (b) describe some of the key characteristics of
such a paradigm, (c) outline dimensions for government
involvement, and (d) posit a role for the planning
professional The next steps involve putting these ideas
to work within the context of a community program to
promote sustainable development. The last two
chapters of this report describe elements of a model
sustannabilnty program and profile five US cities with
sustannabilnty initiatives.
Each community has unique characteristics that
influence its progress on sustamability_ It almost goes
without saying that the same strategy that will receive
rave reviews in Olympia, Washington, will run up
against a brick wall in Chattanooga, Tennessee There is
no magic wand or special recipe for a successful
sustainable development agenda Determining and
coordinating the specific tenets of a local sustamability
program is an endeavor that must be left to the
individual community to work through. Some
initiatives are driven by community citizens, while
others are driven by city council members, some may be
geared around specific issues such as global warming,
while others are oriented more generally at improving
the overall quality of life. If approached with the right
underlying philosophies, a range of approaches can
move a community toward long-term sustainabihty
There are, nevertheless, common elements of
programs or processes that have been used by
communities pursuing such an agenda_ For example,
each of the five community programs highlighted in
Chapter 5 uses some variation of a mission statement to
describe its community initiative This chapter outlines
critical elements that make up an ideal sustainable
development program. It is important to keep in mind
that, given financial constraints and political realities,
not every community will be able to u nplement every
tenet of the ideal sustainable community This does not
make a program unsuccessful, nor does it mean that
doing what you can to promote sustainabdity is a
fruitless exercise The most important thing is to initiate
the critical process of reorienting the community
toward a sustainable mundset.
A dozen elements are described here and are broken
mto three categories The categones—in the beginning,
creating the mfiastructure, and implemientatwn and
monitoring—pmvide a rough time line for when in the
process the elements are likely to come together The
Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies has
published a workbook, A Patkway to SustoraiNity
(1995), that outlines issues and processes to consider
when developing a community's sustainable
development strategy_ While this chapter reinforces
many of the general processes in that workbook, it also
describes in greater detail various elements of a
susta•_nability Program -
The rdernhfrratwe of various elements is intended to be
comprehensive. The desarptwe of each element is not In
other words, the intent is to provide enough
information to establish a foundation for sWtmg a local
sustamabilnty program Specific details regarding the
structure and mnplemneritation of any local program will,
of course, vary from community to community
depending upon the structure of local government,
political circumstances. and the lewd of public
mmautment
The subject matter for each eleawnt discussed below
could constitute a PAS technical report in and of itself
There is considerable literature on marry of these topics
(as some of them have constituted good plarmmg for
years)
IN THE BEGINNING
The Steering Committee
Most often, the first task any community striving for
sustainable development must address is the formation
of a group of individuals who will be responsible for
the overall development, adaun>,stratan, and
monitoring of the program. A "steering committee" is a
generic term used for this group, which may also
commonly be referred to as a task force, community
forum, blue ribbon panel, round table, working group,
etc Whatever its name, its membership needs to
connect to a broad base of support from community
leaders, and its support must demonstrate an initial
commitment from leadership This initial leadership is
what will provide the inanpetus to get the program up
and running Committees typically should not be
limited to elected officials but should include leaders
from a variety of backgrounds, including business
27
a
Knowing the answers to these questions in part
determines how aggressive the program can be and
which of the described program elements are even
possible
'cell me, I forget
Show me, I remember
Involve me, I understand
Chinese proverb
Vision
While general visions of a sustainable planet are
helpful (President's Council for Sustainable Develop-
ment, State of Minnesota Vision), they can leave an
individual community hungry for something specific to
work on. A vision is the overall image a commiuity
wants for its future —manifested through a unique set
Of dnaractenstics In order to steer a sustainable devel-
opment program, a clear vision is imperative To an
extent, visioning takes self -assessment the next step by
further reaching into the community and understanding
what it values Most often, it is a facilitated process that
may require community meetings, focus groups,
surveys, radio talk shows, newspaper articles, television
shows, or other forms of outreach In a sense, a vmon
represents a political compact between the government
and the citizens about what they want their community
to becomie (Lawrence 19%)
The following questions provide examples of the land
of issues any community must resolve as part of its
vmonmg process
• What community characteristics are valued most?
• What characteristics has the community expressed an
interest in preservmg7
• What processes or programs are important enough to
be granted a higher level of priority*
• What characteristics are important enough to be
mnproveP
If you don't know where you are going,
you might end up someplace else
Casey stemgel
As part of the vision, a community may wish to
develop a definition of sustainable development that is
specific to the local context and explicitly addresses
context (needs and issues of the community) as well as
the temporal and spatial scales Many definitions (and
many sustai*nability programs for that matter) are
biased toward one of the three attributes of a
sustainable community (environment, economy, and
society) This is because certain interests are pushing
particular concerns onto the agenda or possibly because
we do not think all "three legs of the stool" can be
supported simultaneously This is all right if the bias
reflects the goals and aspirations of the community at
large It is important, however, to remember that
achieving a balance among social, economic, and
environmental considerations is imperative in
improving community sustamability
Cnteria for Decision Malang
Sustairnability requires a new and holistic noble system
for the community —a value system that decision
makers will stand behind This value system is reflected
through specific criteria, usually in the form of
principles, that serve as a checklist to ensure that future
activities are consistent with the vision and definition
the community has established_ While existing
principles from a present comprehensive plan may
already be closely aligned with the mission of
sustainable development, having the specific criteria
couched within the context of sustainable developmuent
reconfmans the commitment to a new value system. The
criteria need to be specific, clear, and concise in order to
provide a useful picture of what is expected and where
the community is heading
CREATING THE INFRASTRUCTURE
Partnerships
If sustai*abihty is about multiple agencies and
institutions cooperatively pursuing projects, the ground-
work that encourages such interactions is essential. Three
general -circles" must be convened goveinmient,
businesses, and the community (citizens, NGOs, etc.)
Often, the seed for a program will germinate and bloom
in one of these circles with the ultimate intention to
spread to other circles, but never really does. As a result,
a single faction may busily work away, continually
wondering why other interests don't share in its vision.
To prevent this pitfall, equal representation of all ardes
is necessary in the initial visioning process as well as the
deve1oQaietit of specific programs.
The use of specific mnovative part slops can be
employed to more aggressively and effectively operate
programis. tees use transportation as an example. A
sustainable transportation (and subsequently, transit)
program creates links with a number of agencies to help
create demand for the transit system and help
administer it. In this example, the following
partnerships (and potential roles they may serve) may
be valuable.
• Local school district to schiedule bus routing
assignments that complement one another
• A large employer or local university to create
parking pricing programs that encourage transit
patronage
• A clamber of commerce to help implement parking
pricing strategies and to facilitate attractive
downtown transit stops
• The artist community to encourage tasteful and
attractive art in transit stop locations.
Reading into all domairm of a community's
operations cannot be accomplished without public
29
l
the workload of many people s jobs and the issues of
successful programs, there simply is not enough time to
devote to maintaining sustainable development
programs ,on the side ' Granted, a program will
typically need to mature a bit before the community will
see fit to assign a staff person (that is why there are
champions in the interim) Time and time again the
organizers of sustainability initiatives claim "if they had
only outlined a yearly budget as part of the yearly
budget process, they would be much better off " just as
bicycle and pedestrian coordinators are maeasmgly
common in city government, sustainable development
coordinator positions are also springing up Additional
funds may be needed for facilitating meetings, traveling,
newsletter publications, indicator pro", etc
Technical Analysis
Whereas the action plan provides a blueprint for who
will do what, a comprehensive sustainable development
program requires technical analysis for decision
making —,a method for "how it will be done " Technical
analysis may be as simple as calculating pro)ected
buddout under current zoning regulations and
associated impacts (or carrying capacity) on various
public services (e g , water, wastewater treatment, solid
waste, etc) These impacts, however, are relatively
elastic and their capacities can, for the most part, be
expanded with little effort. A more complex example is
calculating the natural carrying capacity of regional -
level ecosystems It is important to identify the various
limits to developmental pressures and then seek to live,
to develop, and to operate within them (Beatley 1995)
As discussed in Chapter Z the US Department of
Energy's Center of Excellence for Sustainable
Development has developed a rather specific
methodology for analyzing the effects of alternative
development sceranos on community sustauiability
This methodology, which is geared around energy
consumption, may prove a useful tool for helping
communities begin to analyze local circumstances. If
issues other than energy (unique biological resources,
for example) are considered antical, a community may
instead wish to develop its own methodologies
Indicators and Data Collection
Effectively designing strategies and policies for a
sustainable community requires a clear understanding
of the community's successes, problems, and future
challenges Information about kev trends affecting a
community reveal whether the communitv is headed
toward or away from sustamability in various areas and
the velocity of change By tracking trends via indicators,
a community can examine the unpacts of existing
policies and anticipate how likely they are to satisfy the
aspirations of future and current citizens Indicators
must not simply measure things but, instead, desabe
the direction of the community in a way which aught
compel individuals or institutions to action Indicator
protects that collect data and tell people what the data
mean are not likely to lead to more sustainable
communities. Indicator pro)ects that provide
information and let people within the community
decide what it means for them and how they want to
change things in response seem to work better
(Lawrence 1996)
Of course, one of the primary advantages of using
sustamability indicators is that these measures an Help
a community better focus its efforts on specific areas in
need of attention A number of communities
throughout the country (mcludmg four of the five
highlighted in Chapter 5) have used indicators as the
foal point of their programs in an effort at self -
assessment and consequent reeducation. Commonly
used indicators include environmental data (e.g., air
pollution levels, solid waste diversion levels, lass of
wetlands), social data (eg , low-income housing data,
literacy rates, come rates), and economic data (e.g.,
unemployment rates, poverty rates, percentage of
locally owned businesses) These lands of data may be
good starting points Communities, however, should
also consider issues that are important in their local
context For example, communities in the Pacific
Northwest may be particularly concerned about their
effect on wild salmon runs, whereas Midwestern
agricultural communities may be especially concerned
about the loss of farmhand to suburban sprawl. It is
important that the indicators reflect the concerns of the
community they are intended to characterize. (Far a
more detailed discussion and analysis of mdreaWm see
Lawrence 1996c, Community Environmental Council
1995, Sustainable Seattle 1995; and Maclaran 1996) A
listing of onterm that various agencies and communities
have used, or suggest usmg, to develop indicators ss
included in Appendix B
31
(.I
Chapter 5. Communities Making a Difference:
Case Studies of Successful Sustainable
Development Programs
Based on a broad survey of sustainable development
initiatives, Chapter 4 identified and described elements
that should be included as part of the "idear program.
This chapter profiles the efforts of five communities to
provide a more detailed account of how some of the
elements of an ideal sustainable development initiative
are played out.
Dozens of communities throughout the country have
meta able development programs. Some programs
have been initiated by city departments or leaders,
others have been initiated by community groups, still
others are proactive public/pnvate partnerships. This
chapter showcases efforts in five communities that are
ahead of the game and diverse in their political,
geographic, and demographic climates. They are:
1 Seattle, Washington
2. Santa Monica, California
3 Chattanooga, Tennessee
4. Cambridge, Massachusetts
5. Olympia, Washington
This group includes one large metropolitan area
(Seattle), two large suburbs on opposite ends of the
continent (Santa Monica and Cambridge), a medium -size
city (Chattanooga), and a relatively small city (Olympia)
These eonimumbes offer a range of ideas and approaches
for planners from all lands of communities. A descnp-
bon of each community's efforts follows. A summary
chart that compares elements of the processes of each
program appears in Appendix C.
SEAT ME, WASHINGTON-
A GRASSROOTS APPROACH
It is not surprising that Seattle, a leader in flunking on
a variety of planning and environmental issues, is also
at the vanguard of thought on sustainable development.
Home to such American icons as Microsoft, Boeing,
AT&T Cellular Communicabonns, and Starbucks, this
city of just more than 500,000 people is widely
considered one of America's most livable, in no small
part due to of the city's beautiful natural setting, with
clean air, sparkling waterways, and majestic mountain
views. The desirability of the city is, however, also
largely due to an attitude toward civic affairs that
fosters a real sense of aommumty Long a place with a
strong environmental ethic, Seattle is an innovator on
many environmental fronts The city's recycling
program, for example, is tied with Orakland's for best in
the country, with a 500 percent increase in total recycled
products river the past two decades.
Even so, all is not as well as it may appear on the
surface. The city's traffic congestion n ranked among
worst in the nation. Drinking -water quality and park
acreage in the city compare poorly with that of many
other large cities. Outlying open lands are bemg
gobbled up at an unprecedented rate as development
a+Peps into the Cascade Mountains, A 1994 World
Resources Institute enviionaimtal quality survey of 75
metropolitan cities ranked Seattle 65th. Mayor Norm
Rice has declared that "the lifestyles we (Seattleites) are
leading are simply not n stainer >a "
Fortunately, many people in Seattle recognize these
problems and appear to be wiEbmg to tackle diem head
on. Both the local citizenry and the city government have
taken a series of positive steps to move the city down a
path of sustamaWity by initiating a number of aaricrete
actions and, perhaps more unportandy, by beginning to
reeducate Seattlertes to adopt a sustaukable mi ndset.
Sustainable Seattle —Leading the Way Through
Community Activism
Seattle's initial efforts to achieve sustainability were
spearheaded not by any city departaenrt, but rather by a
local nonprofit group called Susta= k Seattle- With a
current raster of 75 active participants and more than
300 members, the group has developed and tracked a
set of "indicators" of sustannability that local policy
makers use to gauge their progress toward the long-
term viability of the community
The idea for the indicators project originated at a
November 1990 conference sponsored by the Global
Tomorrow Coalition, a now -defunct think tank that had
been based in Washington, D.C. The Sustainable Seattle
r
L
33
)4"1f irt�w
sustainability, indicating the tough road ahead for the
city to achieve long-term sustainability
Results like these, however, should be read with
caution —two years can provide data but not necessarily
statistical validity or long-term trend viability And that
is an important issue when dealing with public
perception The public that buys into a sustamability
effort might be discouraged when confronted with such
results When using indicators, take into account which
may be vulnerable and how they are vulnerable to
economic cycles Also ask whether there is a lag time in
song the results of policy change For example, some
actions to reverse a problem like groundwater pollution
aught not show measurable results for many years
Mother Nature may act very slowly in terms of human
perception_
'lice areas in which improvements in sustainability
have been found in Seattle are largely those that reflect
personal lifestyle changes, such as solid waste recycim&
pollution prevention, voter participation, and hbrary
use. This seems to indicate the presence of a highly
educated local citizenry that is able to make responsible
personal choices when there is a perception of some
level of control. On the other hand, many of the "big
picture- issues (wild salmon populations, wetland
acreage, biodiversity, personal income distribution, and
poverty) have exhibited signs of declining sustamability
in only a two-year period Such issues are closely
related to a host of regional, national, and global forces
that are beyond the control of any individual The short-
term indication appears to be that reversing trends in
these issues may require government intervention at the
city, state, or possibly even national level.
Sustainable Seattle plans to continue publishing its
indicators report every two years. But, because
reporting sustainability is not the same thing as
achieving it, the group is now attempting to turn its
efforts toward implementing long-term changes that
will lead the community to a more sustainable future.
For example, a Sustainable Seattle policy group advises
local governments on developing policies that
encourage sustainable practices. A separate group is
also being formed to provide similar advice to leaders
in the local business community Also in process is a
guide to sustainable living that will give practical
advice on how individuals, families and
neighborhoods can practice sustainability in their
day -today lives
Table 5-1 Susfainabilitr Trends in Seattle, Washington
Dediolft
No Discernible Trend
la wen
Sedabaillift Treed (14)
or Unchanged (18)
3101nalnftTheo (8)
Wild Salmon
pedestrian Fneridiy Streets
Eevnroome d
Wetlands
Impervious Surfaces
Air Quality
Biodiversity
Open Space to Urban Visages
Soil Erosion
Residential Water Consumption
Population
PoRtm Pnwenbon and
PgmIafim and
Farm Acreage
Vehicle Miles Traveled
RenEwable PAsource Use
Resoerces
Renewable and Nonrenewable
Fuel Consumption
Sold Waste Generated and
Energy Use
Re*W
Distitebon of Personal Income
Hea4h Care Egwidti res
Real Unemploynwd
Economy
Housrrq Affordability Ratio
Work Required for Basic Needs
Employmerit Concenbabon
Children Living in poverty
Community Capital
Emergency Room Use
Adult Uterary
High School Graduation
Ethnic Diversity of Teachers
yaws andInstructm
JuvenileCrime
ya
Eduatie■
nteer Involvement uh Schools
Youth Involvement in
Community Serve
Public participation in the Arts
Equity in Justice
Voter Paroerpabon
Health sod
Childhood Asthma
Low Birthweight Infants
Library and Community Center
Commeeily
Gardening Act"
Usage
Neghborriness
perceived puppy of Life
swn,v SusUwabk eaftle, ins
4
35
Figure 5-1. Seattle, Washington, Neighborhood Planning Process
• Comprehensive Plan Elements set goals for the aly
and for neighborhoods
• Neighborhood Planning Element and accompanying
resolution describe a neighborhood planning program
that results in comprehensive and collaborative
neighborhood plans
• Neighborhood Planning
Guidelines
• Generic Scope
• Toolbox
Comprehensive
Flan Amendment
sMU, cAY of sau1.. ro.or • SNAMEW svwea"K
• Comprehensive
• Issue -specific
• Mayoral and City
Department Review
• City Council Review
and Adoption
Zoning
Capes
Facilities Needs
• Residents
• Businesses
• Institutions
• Special Interests
• City Government
Other
37
s
t
Figure 5-3 Santa Monica, California,
Goals for Sustailabillty
Resource Commmation Policy Goals
• Promote the use of conservation technologies and
practices to reduce the use of nonrenewable resources
Develop local, nonpolluting, renewable energy, water,
and material resources, and expand recycling
technology m these areas
Transportation
• Maximize the use of alternative forms of transportation,
including walling, bicycling, public transit, and car
pools/ndeshare
• Develop innovative traffic policies that reduce negative
impacts from vehicles and limit pavement area to the
• implement work schedules that reduce the number of
employee commuter days
• Advocate the regional development of public
transportation systems
city Because all of the indicators are based upon current
programs, data is readily available This simplified the
data collection process and allowed the city to spend
more of its resources on implementing projects The
indicators were selected for two primary reasons they
are measurable, and they represent areas over which the
city ttself an exert some control through city policy
What is also different about the Santa Monica
program is that, since the project was city -sponsored
from the start, the city was able to take the next logical
steps m the program development. They were: (1)
setting numeric targets for improving conditions in
areas represented by each indicator and (2) developing
and implementing specific projects than can snake
identified goals a reality This emphasizes that the city
is striving to achieve real results, not just pie-rn-the-sky
pokibazuhg and makes it easier for decision makers and
the public to see real progress
The year 1990 was set as a base year against which all
future progress will be measured. Real, achievable
targets to implement each of the primary goals by the
year 2000 were established The base year condibons
and 2000 targets for each indicator are presented in
Table 5-2 Targets were developed m a variety of ways.
Some were dictated by state or other legislation For
example, the targets for reducing landitlled solid waste
were taken directly from the Cahforna Integrated
Waste Management Act (AB 939), a statewide law
requiring all communities m the state to develop plans
to reduce landfilled solid waste by 25 percent by 1995
and 50 percent by 2000 Others (energy and water
usage, for example) were developed in consultation
with service providers to determine what kinds of
Pollution Prevention and Publw Health Protection
♦ Protect and enhance environmental health and public
health by reducing or eliminating the use of hazardous
and toxic materials by residents and busmesse
minimizing the levels of pollutants entering the air,
soil, and water, and lessenmg the risks that
environmental problems pose to public health
Ensure that no one geographic or soaoeaonoauc group
in the city is bung unfairly affected by environmental
pollution
Community and Exonamw Development
♦ Encourage the development of compact, mixed -use,
pedestrian-orierited projects
Promote the growth of local businesses that provide
employment opportunities to Santa Monica res dents
♦ Facilitate education programs that enrich the fives of all
members of the community
reductions were technically feasible. Still others (a 15
percent reduction in the use of hazardous materials, for
example) had no real scientific basis but lust seemed
like reasonable goals_
In contrast to the findings of the 1995 Sustainable
Seattle indicators update, a 1995 progress report on the
Santa Monica Sustainable Cores Program found the city
moving toward sustainabilfty on most fronts, including
energy and water efficiency, solid waste generation, and
the development of affordable housing (see Figure 5.4
on page 41) Only bus ridership has shown a dear trend
away from sustainability, aHhhough the decrease in
ridership can be attributed at least in part to the
recession of the early to mud-1990s. Such progress can
be attributed both to the fad that the indicators bang
studied are based on city programs that were already
underway and the fad that the city selected indicators
over which the city itself has some control.
Nevertheless, the program provides the commnituty
with a comprehensive look at how such programs are
doing and, perhaps more importantly, how they are
H nked to one another Moreover, the fad that real,
measurable progress is being demonstrated should help
provide the political will to aggressively pursue the
program in the future
Program Implementation
The city's Environmental Programs Division was
rnsponsible for tracking mmdicators and overseeing the
implementation of projects to achieve the overall
objectives. Environmental Services staff have already
developed and implemented a number of programs
sumee the adoption of the program Among the frost was
,o
Designed to illustrate the potential effectiveness of
making responsible purchasing decisions, it involved
replacing 17 categories of cleaning products used by
city custodial services with less toxic or nontoxic
cleaners for a 10-month trial period Over the course
of the trial period, custodial staff tried a number of
alternatives After 10 months of experimenting, staff
were asked to recommend the most effective
products The city considered these recommendations
as it developed a new set of purchasing specifications
for clearing products and ultimately awarded a
contrail for the purchase of less toxic alternative
products in 15 of the 17 product categories The
benefits of the program have been many and vaned
As one aught expect, the city has reduced its use of
hazardous materials substantially (by more than 3,200
pounds per year) and has achieved an overall cost
savmgs of 5 percent. An unexpected benefit has been
a reduction in the amount of sick time taken Finally,
by mvolvmg the custodial staff in the decision -
making process, city tanitors were empowered to
improve the sustamability of day -today activities at
the city
Other current and future protects include:
1 the development of purchasing specifications to
promote the purchase of environmentally preferable
products and services,
2. a vehicle replacement program designed to achieve a
year 2000 target of 75 percent of city velucles using
reduced emission fuels, and
3 the creation of guidelines for sustainable
construction and development techniques This
program is anticipated to include a mix of
performance standards and incentives for reducing
resource consumption, waste generation, and
pollution, and safeguarding the local environment
and public health
Planning Department Involvement
The Santa Monica Planning and Community
Development Department was not heavily involved in
the program's genesis. Because the program was
initiated by the Environmental Task Force and is being
implemented primarily by the Environmental Programs
Division, planning department staff were largely
unaware of the program during its formative stages,
Since the reeducabim process began during the
formation of the city's interdepartmental working
group, however, the planning department has
embraced the concept and now intends to incorporate
sustainable concepts into future planning efforts,
including future updates to all General Plan elements.
In fact, the updates currently underway for the
Circulation and Open Space Element of the General
Figure 5-4. City of San Monica, California, Progress in Achieving Saslainability
Sustainabildy Indicator
Decreasing
Sostainabililly
Water usage
Lanfdled solid waste
Wastewater flows
Ridership on Santa Monica bus Ones 50% reduction
Dry weather storm drain discharges
to ocean
Known underground storage tank sites
requiring cleanup
Deed-reshmW affordable housing units
Community gardens
Creation and implementation of a
sustainable schools program
Public open space
Base Year
(11 Increasing
Sustainabilily
15% reduction
21% reduction
18% reduction
30% reduc on
28% reduction
26% increase
No change
In progress
<1 % increase
F
01
N
1 v
r r r
The opportunity for real input into the public process
that Vision 2000 offered created a groundswell of
enthusiasm and civic pride that changed the way the
community saw itself By 1992, a renewed interest in
making the community a better place had resulted in
the initiation of more than 200 individual projects to see
these goals through to fruition All told, these projects
represented a $790 milhon investment in the
community In total, 37 of the 40 original goals were
partially or fully completed in only eight years.
Since 1984, the visioning process has been ongoing as
the community continually reevaluates its progress and
sets new goals Chattanooga Venture hosted
conferences on the environment in 1990 and 1991
attended by a number of leading national experts,
which were important to the community educationally
and as a means by which community leaders
established relationships with national leaders. In 1993,
the community held another visioning process,
ReVision 20M, to assess the community's progress and
establish new goals_ The public meetings, in which
more than ZW people participated, resulted in 27 new
goals and a central community goal of becoming a
nationally recognized center for environmental
improvement (see Figure 5-5 on page 44) By 1994, that
theme was further refined to becoming a -sustainable
community in which people choose to live, work, and
raise their families' (City of Chattanooga 1994)
In its Information Book presented to the President's
Council on Sustainable Development in 1994, the city
outlined valuable lessons that it learned as part of its
community visioning process These includes
Commundywuk putuYpation Creating a culture
receptive to sustainable development requires a
process that involves and educates the public in
community planning and decision making
InterrdaW systems Chattanooga made a conscious
decision not to select a few items as pnonbes but
rather to seek opportunities in its entire social
fabric Integral to that decision is a fundamiental
undestanding of the interrelatedness of economic,
ecological, and social systems.
Balance of vision and actwrL Long-term goals must be
balanced with projects that can involve people
immediately and produce visible results_
Pubtrc/primte collaboration. Bold ideas with broad -
based community support lay the best foundation
to attract the public and private support and build
the mechanisms necessary to make these initiatives
a reality
Asset -based development_ Sustainable development
must be based on the strengths of a community
Chattanooga has identified and built on its two
greatest strengths. the area's natural beauty and the
generosity of its people_
Posrtrae working solutions Solutions already exist A
positive attitude toward change can be harnessed
by finding and building on positive working
solutions here and in other places
Sustainable Development Elements
Although integrating ideas into a vision of the city's
future is the real cornerstone of the success of
Chattanooga's approach to sustainable development,
the community is implementing a number of programs
that involve planners Some of the keynote projects that
have been implemented in several areas that the
community considers vital to the attainment of long-
term sustainabihty are described in the following
paragraphs -
Energy and transportation. Chattanooga is pursuing
a number of ideas to improve energy efficiency and
promote the use of alternative transportation modes.
For example, the Chattanooga Trade Center soon to be
under construction downtown will be a model for
sustainable design, incorporating- (1) a grass roof that
absorbs ultraviolet rays, provides insulation, and
collects storm water, (2) a solar aquatics system that will
treat sewage on -site and reuse grey water, and 0) the
use of natural ventilation and solar power The ultimate
goal is zero discharge of waste. The building will
include ongoing educational exhibits of
environmentally sound construction technique and
practices -
Chattanooga has also emerged as a leader in the
development and use of electric transit vehicles through
an mnovative pubhc-private partiraslup that may be
the single best example of the aty's cooperative,
proactive approach to achieving sustainability The
local transportation authority received grants from a
number of federal and local sources. The grants were
used to fund procurement contracts to promote electric
transit vehicle manufacturing and market expansions_
The contracts helped to motivate entrepreneurial
investors to provide the initial capital for the
manufacture of electric buses. Sucre the programs
inception in 1991,10 electric buses have been put into
service in a downtown shuttle route~, a company that
manufactures eiectnc buses has been formed, and a
nonprofit group to promote electric vehicles has been
started
In September 1991, the Chattanooga Area Regional
Transportation Authority (CARTA) created a prorate,
not -for -profit corporation, the Electric Transit Vehicle
Institute (E M, to research and promote ETV
technology By the summer of 1992, CARTA and Elul,
working in tandem, had put the aty's first two electric
buses into operation on a downtown shuttle loop That
fall, CARTA awarded a contract to a local start-up
company called Advanced Vehicle Systems (AVS) to
manufacture and deliver an addrtronal 12 electric buses.
Key to motivating AVS to provide the mutual capital to
launch the electric bus -experiment' was CARTA's
commitment to buy electric buses and willingness to
accept evolvmg, less -than -perfect products during the
early stages of the program. These concessions provided
AVS's investors the comfort level necessary to make the
initial investment in the program as well as the freedom
necessary to make design improvements in a 'learn as
you go- environment.
The electric bus program, in combination with the
Chattanooga's downtown shuttle system, has benefits
that are both environmental (reduced air enussions,
43 F
reduced traffic in the downtown area) and economic
(the creation of a new local industry with a now
national customer base, $12 million in shuttle system -
related development) The city's experience
demonstrates not only that public -private partnerships
can work, but also that environmental stewardship and
econonuc development can go hand-m-hand
Natural resources Located in the heart of the 41,000-
square-mile watershed of the Tennessee River,
Chattanooga is implementing a number of programs for
protecting the resources of the Tennessee River and its
tributaries. The North Chickamauga Creek Gorge
Watershed Protection Project, for example, brought
together such diverse interests as the city of
Chattanooga, Hamilton County, the National Park
Service, the American Wh itewater Affibabort, the
Bowater Corporation, and the Tennessee Valley
Authonty to develop a plain for the preservation of
biotic, historic, and cultural resources in the gorge. As
part of this cooperative effort, the Bowatef Corporation
designated 1,095 acres of its property in the gorge as a
'Pocket Wilderness'
In 1989, the city opened the first phase of the
Tennessee Riverpark and Greenway System, a multiuse
facility designed to both provide recreational
opportunities and protect the natural resources of the
Tennessee River A remarkable achievement of public/
private cooperation, the Rnverpark has been pmtly
designed, financed, coned, and managed by local
businesses and chantable orgaruzations, private
mdividuals, city and county governments, and various
agencies at the state and national levels. In 1993, the
Walnut Street Bridge, dosed to vehicular traffic since
the 1970s, was reopened as a pedestrian "linear park
Trails are ultimately planned to form a continuous
greenway system that links neighborhoods, businesses,
schools, and other local destinations.
Sustsfirable coaamnuisea Recognizing that a
community is not truly sustainable until the basic needs
01 of all its citizens are met, the city is implementing a
series of programs to promote social and economic
justice Foremost among these is a neighborhood
revitalization program being ranged out by the
Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise, Inc. (CNE) A
nonprofit organization created in 1986 to develop,
finance, renovate, and manage affordable housing for
low- and moderate-mcomne cozens, CNE is dedicated to
providing the opportunity for all Chattanooga to live
in decent and affordable housing.
Since 1987, CNE has completed improvements on
more than 4,000 units at a cost of more than $65 milhon-
Thne program, furnded from a collaboration of public and
private sources, was recognized in 1984 as a national
model for its contribution to making Chattanooga one
of "the most livable cities in America "
Eco-Efficwncy In order to accommodate the
continued production of high -quality goods and
services while protecting the environment, the
community is strongly encouraging the redevelopment
of older industrial districts, or brownfields Possibly the
best example of this commitment to the recycling of
land is the city's effort to reeneigize the city's South
Central Business District. Historically characterized by a
mix of industry and housmg, the district had
experienced a slow decline over recent decades as much
of its industrial base closed down or moved away
The planning process for the South Central Business
District began in September 1994 when the city held a
stakeholder meeting with local residents, business
representatives, and community leaders to identify
issues that the plan should address. This was followed
by an October 1994 one -day workshop in which more
than 100 people developed seven rough concept plans,
all of which demonstrated a surprising level of
consensus on the vision of the area's future Common
themes that came out of the public process included
• a desire for more pedestrian -oriented, mixed -use
commercial areas and neighborhoods,
• enthusiasm for innovative eeo-mdustrial
technologies and industries,
• providing a mix of pb jenerating, ressdential, and
commercial uses within an urban fabric and
• creating a pedestrian/bicycle greenway throughout
the area that links the area with the rest of the city
The result of this public process and the subsequent
staff work is a plan that will accommodate a mix of
uses, including a special site designated for -eco-
mdustnar uses that provide well -paying
manufact>aing jobs with a commitment to
environmental quality The intent is to create a 'zero -
zone where one business's waste become the
fuel for a neighboring business. Other planned projects
include transforming the Ross Meehan Foundry, an
abandoned industrial site, into an ecology center that
will serve as a living laboratory and model of
environmerntal education and restoration.
PopriLtfoe and a msraniptwit. The city has
undertaken a number of efforts to minimize per capita
resource consumption and unplanned population
growth The Orange Grove Materials Recovery Facility
(lei, for example, allows the aommuaity to recover
and reuse materials from its waste strum, thereby
reducing strain on local landfills. However, it does
much more than that. The MRF is a partnership
between the city of Chattanooga and Orange Grove, a
nonprofit shelter workshop for people with dnabA ties,
that employs and trams Orange Grove clients. The
facility has proved to be ideal for job training and the
rehabihtatxm of people with diabiffibm By reducing
resource consumption, creating more than 70 local jobs,
and providing on-the-job trarnmg, this program links
the environment, economy, and society
To address the issue of teen pregnancy, the Harriet
Tubman Express was created Under this programs,
mentors within the Harriet Tubman housing
development in Fast Chattanooga work with small
groups of teenage women The program ninapproacchessocial,
the
pregancy issue a holistic way, addressing the
psychological, spiritual, and physical makeup of each
woman- The program provides educational
opportunities, job skill training, sel-teems building,
and the exploration of creative talents for each woman
The traditional approach to the problem (education
1,45
Figure 5-7. Cambridge, Massachusetts, Sustainable Community Characteristics
Economic Sec unty
A more sustainable community indudes a variety of businesses industries and institutions that are environmentally sound
(in all respects), financially viable, provide training, education. and other forms of assistance to adjust to future needs,
provide jobs and spend money within the community; and enable employees to have a voice in decisions that affect them.
A more sustainable community also is one in which residents money remains in the community /
Ecological Itegrity
A more sustainable community is in harmony with natural systems by reducing and converting waste into ranharmful and
beneficial products, and by using environmental resources for human needs without undermining their ability to function
over timhe.
Outlay of Lfe
A more sustainable community recognizes and supports peopWs evolving seise of weR4x=g, which mrh des a sense of
bdongmg, a sense of place; a sense of self-worth, a sense of safety, and a sense of connection with nature, and provides
goods and services that meet people s needs both as they define them and as on be accommodated within the ecologhal
integrity of natural systems
Empowerment with Respow&lItty
A more sustamable community enables people to fed empowered and take regme sMity bused on a shared vision, equal
opportunity, ability to access expertise and knowledge for their own needs, and a capacity to contribute to decisions that
affect them
The CCF posts a daily calendar of activities in
Cambridge that includes public service announcements,
and it also publishes a quarterly newsletter These
activities expand the community's eorimunication and
networking resources, which, in turn, provide greater
publiaty for community events and encourage civic
Plion.
erhaps the mast effective mechanism employed by
the CCF, however, is its strategy referred to as
"reaching m'—ensurmg Participation by various
sectors and interest groups by going to them to include
than m the forum, rather than waking for various
groups to come to forums. 'Readung in' broadens the
base of participants and enables diverse viewpoints to
be heard through various ways. Specifically, 'reaching
m' mechanisms include
appointing representatives of the city council to serve
as 'bridges' to their constituencies, which allows
groups to discuss concerns within then own local
context and enables the Forum to hear from
individuals who are not comfortable speaking out in
large group meetings or in unfanuffiar environments;
selecting forum topics that already resonate with
some concerned people in Cambridge (e g , youth
employment and education), which generates
involvement through topics that people already want
and need to talk about;
grounding each forum in seeking a solution for a
corhmanrty problem and assigning responsibility to a
particular group (e g , neighborhood community
watch), which ensures that various groups are given
their "tmrer and provides an overall structure for the
meetings, and
• including local artists in events (e-&, high school
gospel choir), which helps ensure that as many
groups as possible feel part of the program.
Consortan for Regrond Srrsttia rtl/ The CCF is
fortunate in that the Consortium for Regional Sustain -
ability (CRS), based at nearby Tufts University in Med-
ford, Massachusetts, is conducting applied stistamable
development policy research concurrently with CCF
activities. In fall 199Z the CPS was awarded a one-year
grant from the US. Environmental Protection Agency to
conduit a policy research project armed at defining a
sustainable community pity Based on experiences pined
from working with the Cambridge mutative, the CPS
described four characteristics of a sustainable eamaumttT
economic seamty, ecological integrity, quality of life, and
empowemhetht with respouisibibty. Gee Figure 5-7 )
After defining the four basic components of a
sustainable community, CPS's fortis switched to
understanding what rdicatars can be used to measure
progress towards then:. While the indicators were
developed and identified through an academic rather
than a community -driven process, they provide a
foundation for identifying the critical dements of
susta_mabdity in Cambridge and how these elements
should be measured -
Progress beyond the CCF
The CCF continues to be the primary vehide for civic
dialogue, however it does so under the guise of the s
4-
11DitI
better integrated with other programs. The core group
looked to the concept of sustainable development to
provide an umbrella under which the city could also
address other issues. Olympia has always had an
extremely strong environmental ethic but lacked an
organizing framework.
Around the same time, the Washington State
Department of Ecology was looking for pilot
demonstration projects as part of their Washington
Environment 2010 `Action Agenda," a comprehensive,
long-term approach to addressing the environmental
unpacts of growth and planning for natural resource
protection. In October 1990, the Olympia City Council
accepted an invitation from the state's Department of
Ecology to develop a pilot project as an Enviromunent
2010 Sustainable City Olympia was awarded the grant
because of its track record of innovation and
envm+onmental concern, and undertook the challenge
with little precedent and without a final work product
in mind
The city used Earth Day 1991 to launch a
comnmunntywide process for developing a vmon of a
sustainable future. They initiated two concurrent and
collaborative pi uses --one centered around global
warning and the other around city operations.
Global Warming Task Force
The city council thought it would be best to tackle
mdividual elemments of a sustainable community (eg ,
as quality, water quality, social issues, etc.) on an
annual basis_ The 1991 topic, global warming, was
chosen as the target issue Subsequently, the city council
appointed a Global Warming Task Force to identify city
actions that could mmun ze global warming_ The Task
Force consisted of two citizens and representatives hum
the city manages office, park's department- planning
department, health departm eriL and transportation
dr4mon. This group met five tines over a five -month
period to review work products prepared by the public
works department The work of the task force resulted
in a final report to the city that outlines the steps that
were followed, documents the results, and
recommends future actions The recommendations
are a six -year plan for three action strategies: (1)
reducing greenhouse gas emissions; (2) increasing
tree cover, and (3) preparing for climate change Each
year, priority actions will be proposed for funding in
operating and capital budgets
Sustainable City Task Force
In the second and concurrent process, the
Department of Public Works spearheaded a staff
initiative to improve government operations so that
they would more squarely address issues of
sistaumbi hty Specifically, the Department of Public
Works was interested in integrating the dension-
malang process for the provision of public works
services and developing a framework with which they
could combine limited budgets and rank the provision
Of uhlitaes_
This initiative created a Sustainable City Task Force
of representatives from almost all city departments,
including public works, current planning, advanced
Plaiining, parks, sewers, administrative services, the
city manager's office, and the fire and police
departments While this group has had arguably the
greatest effect on implementing sustainable
development actions within the city, its mception was
not easy
Leading the charge was the Olympia Department of
Public Works -tea department known locally for aligning
itself with relatively short-term projects and other new
and "glitzy" program When other departments were
approached to participate as part of the task force, they
were apprehensive and reluctant to commit staff time
and resources to another seemingly -new- and
'unproven program. Therefore, the assistant city
manager and the director of the pohcy and program
division of public works held a series of meetings to
outline the long-term benefits of such a program and
the expectations of participating departmental
representatives, and to ensure specific milts and
efficiently run nxvbng& As it turns out, the time spent
up -front convincing city departments of sustainable
development benefits was some of the most valuable
time spent on the project because it served as a
springboard to generate buy-m from each of the
department heads. As a result, departmental
representatives were more laikely to participate, and the
department heads placed a greater value on what
emerged from the task foi ce. Working group members
act as the Sustainable City liaisons for their respective
departments. Thar responsibilities include:
• communicating relevant Sustamnable City
information to department staff,
• assisting in the formulation, implementation, and
overall evaluation of internal policies and programs;
and
• reporting to the working group about new and
existing sustainable programs or policies in their
respective departments or divisions.
In the early stages of the effort this task force held
monthly half -day meetings. Meeting agendas were
prepared by the department of public works, their
structure was rigid, and they addressed only issues
pertinent for the work of the Sustainabiility Task Force.
Their first assignment was to prepare a sustainable city
philosophy and cater= for evaluating administrative
and policy decisions Meetings are now held
approximately twice each year to share information and
to explore issues where an integrated approach would
be valuable -
Sustainable Community Roundtable
In late 1991, a thud dimension to the Sustamiability
City effort was created —the Sustainable Community
Roundtable_ The Roundtable was initially meant to
represent citizen groups with diverse neighborhood,
business, and environmental interests. It soon became
incorporated as an independent nonprofit organization
with a mission to 'facilitate a process of dialogue,
vision, action, and celebration to help create sustainable
communities in the South Puget Sound Region' At its
4°
Figure 5-10 Sustainable City Cntena Used in the Review of
the Olympia, Washington, Comprehensive Plan
Environmental Criteria
Economic Criteria
Dots the goal or policy
Does the goal or policy
♦ conserve nonrenewable resources through efficient use
♦ support a transition to full -cost pricing (prices reflect
environmental and human costs of producbonP
and careful pianrung7
♦ encourage sustauuble economic development that
♦ conserve earthly and aquabc ecosystems (land, water,
air, wildhfe)7
♦ restore ecosystems that have been degraded and/or
fragmented?
♦ encourage use of renewable resources (water, soils,
forest)7
Social Crrterta
Does the goal or policy
♦ work towards meeting everyone's basic human needs
(e g , warm, dean, safe place to live with enough food,
dean water, and health are)?
♦ foster strong relationships within families,
neighborhoods, school, and comnmunity7
♦ foster a culture of planning (history, traditions, rituals,
sacred spaces)'
♦ encourage diversity (ethnic, age, gender, income) and
respect for all?
♦ provide opportunities for productive work and creative
self.exp r
Summary
Olympia, Washington, is a prime example of a
relatively small community that successfully uses
sustainability as a theme for internal policy making
and employee education After being awarded a
modest grant, the community launched an ambitious
program centered on three fronts the Global
Warmmg Task Force, the Sustainable City Task Force,
and the Sustamability Roundtable Through pursuing
additional Washington State resources, employing
services of nearby Evergreen State College students
for data analysis, report wasting, and other duties,
and drawing upon and unifying a commuuutywide
recognizes the limits of growth?
♦ move towards reline on natures income' (eg , solar
energy) without depietmg its-nprtaC (e g., fosstl fuels)?
♦ reduce waste and maeaw useful We of goods by
conserving, reusing, and recycling materials?
♦ increase energy efficiency and rehanee on renewable
energy r+esources7
PoldwAl Criteria
Does the goof or policy
♦ encourage risk taking and creativity to generate new
ideas, fresh discoveries, unexpected connections and
untried solutions to move beyond the status quo?
♦ support the teaching of skills needed for participation in
local government (e.g, hstenmg, evaluating,
Mauer problem sol`nng)'
• encourage active participation by many people at all
levels of public life'
♦ create opportunities for citizens and public officials to
discuss policy issues without polanzation?
♦ promote collective decision makmg through
cooperation, consensus, and mediation
environmental ethic, the community has been able to
sustain a dynamic program for more than a half -
dozen years Strong leadership withm the city
manager's office and the department of public works
drive change within the Sustainable City Task Force
The tireless efforts of the Sustainable Roundtable
continue to support the city's mission by
coordinating regionwide educational processes and
publishing communitywrde indicator reports It is
through such work that decisions and actions in
Olympia are now pursued in a truly holistic sense,
serving as a role model community for the State of
Washington and the rest of the nation.
51
CRA ITEM ()
SUBJECT
STAFF REPORT
COUNCIL ITEM (7) MEETING DATE November 10, 1999
REVIEW AND REASSIGN REPRESENTATIVES/ALTERNATES TO
VARIOUS GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS
Due to the recent resignation of Council Member Singley and the appointment of Council Member
Larkin, it is necessary to reassign representative and alternate positions to various government
organizations
Below is a list of the organisations with the current representatives
Omnitrans
Representative
Herman Hilkey
Alternate
Dan Buchanan
SCAG
Representative
Lee Ann Garcia
Alternate
Tom Schwab
San Bernardino Valley Water
Representative
Dan Buchanan
District Advisory Committee
Alternate
Tim Singley
League of California Cities
Representative
Lee Ann Garcia
Inland Empire Division
Alternate
Dan Buchanan
City Selection Committee
Representative
Byron Matteson
SANBAG
Representative
Dan Buchanan
Alternate
Lee Ann Garcia
Solid Waste Task Force
Representative
Herman K&ey
Alternate
Tom Schwab
Ommtrans Tec Advisory
Representative
John Donlevy
Alternate
Tom Schwab
California Joint Powers
Representative
Tim Singley
Insurance Authority (Board
Alternate
Tom Schwab
of Directors)
Alternate
John Donlevy
San Bernardino County Gang
Representative
Jim Singley
& Drug Task Force
Partnership Strategy Review
Representative
Herman Hdkey
Committee
COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NO.8�!