The Sustainable Comprehensive Plan

Wallace Roberts & Todd, LLCWRT

APA National ConferenceMinneapolis, MN

April 26, 2009

Agenda

1. Introduction and Emerging Trends

2. Sustainability in the Comprehensive Planning Process

3. Case Study: Union County Comprehensive Plan

• Union County Background• Community Outreach• Cultivating Community: A Sustainable Comprehensive Plan for Union County

4. Questions and Discussion

David Rouse, AICP, Principal, Wallace Roberts & Todd

Shawn McLaughlin, AICP, Planning Director, Union County, PA

Robert Kerns, AICP, Associate, Wallace Roberts & Todd

Introduction and Emerging Trends

The 21st Century Comprehensive Plan

• Values-Driven

• Collaborative

• Thematic Based

• Linking Process and Outcome

• Regional in Focus

• Beyond Paper

Source: The 21st Century Comprehensive Plan, presentation and paper prepared by David Rouse, Michael Chandler, and Jon Arason for the 1999 National APA Conference in Seattle, WA

• Critical Environmental Stresses (Lester Brown)1

– Deteriorating oil and food security

– Climate change: rising temperatures and sea levels

– Emerging water shortages

– Natural systems under stress

– Growing divides between rich and poor

• Two Great Oversights of Our Time (Rob Hopkins)2

– Peak oil

– Climate change

1 Plan B 3.0, 20082 The Transition Handbook, 2008

Sustainability Issues

• Definitions

…Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Brundtland Commission, 1987)

…Development that improves the long-term health of human and ecological systems (Stephen M. Wheeler, Planning for Sustainability, 2004)

• The Three “Es”

– Environment– Economy– Equity

What is Sustainability?

• The Leaders

– Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan: Towards a Sustainable Future

– Portland, OR: Portland Plan

– Plan NYC: A Greener, Greater New York

– Greenburg, KS: Sustainable Comprehensive Master P:lan

• Other Examples

– Minneapolis, MN: Plan for Sustainable Growth

– Salem, OH: Sustainable Comprehensive Plan

– Washtenaw County, MI: A Sense of Place, A Sustainable Future

• Cities with Extensive Sustainability Initiatives

– San Francisco

– Chicago

Sustainable Comprehensive Plans

• State Legislation

– California: Climate change legislation

– Massachusetts Green Community Act (Comprehensive Energy Reform)

• Natural Step Framework

– Eco-Municipalities (Sweden)

– Santa Monica, CA Sustainable City Program

– Grassroots initiatives (e.g., Lewisburg, PA)

• Transition Initiatives

– 64 adopted Transition Initiatives as of 6/08

– 54 in UK, 4 in New Zealand, 2 in US, 1 in Ireland

– US communities: Boulder, CO and Sandpoint, ID

Emerging Trends

Sustainability in the Comprehensive Planning Process

• Outreach / Input

• Analysis

• Synthesis/Choice

• Plan Development

• Implementation

Typical Comprehensive Planning Process

• Outreach / Input: “Values-driven” planning meets the “environmental imperative”

• Analysis: Sustainability scan

• Plan Development: Sustainability “building blocks” (organizing the plan)

• Implementation: Sustainability indicators and tools

Sustainability in the Planning Process

• Energy Reduce fossil fuel usage and carbon emissions through the planning and design of communities, sites, and buildings

• ResiliencyReduce vulnerability to external environmental and economic threats through planning, design, and increased reliance on local resources, goods, and services

• Mobility Locate and design transportation systems to reduce reliance on the automobile andpromote alternative modes

• StewardshipPreserve and restore natural, cultural, and built resources. Integrate natural and humanecological systems in the planning and design of communities

• EquityProvide housing, transportation, and employment opportunities for persons of all socioeconomic backgrounds and abilities

Sustainability Principles

Vision: Define in relation to environmental challenges and sustainability principles

Education: Frame sustainability issues to resonate with community

• Economic Challenges

– Impacts of volatile energy costs

– Fiscal impacts of inefficient development patterns

• Environmental Challenges

– Impacts on climate change and security

– Vulnerability to natural and human disasters

• Social Challenges

– Lack of affordable workforce housing

– Effects on community health (obesity)

Outreach / Input

• Sustainability Scan: How sustainable is your community?

• Level 1 (Qualitative)– Review existing plans, policies, and regulations

– Evaluate land use patterns / infrastructure systems

• Level 2 (Quantitative): Impact modeling (e.g., INDEX by Criterion Planners)

– Carbon footprint /greenhouse gas emissions

– Energy consumption

– Stormwater runoff

– Traffic impact modeling

– Fiscal impact modeling

– Land consumption/development patterns

Analysis

• Model 1: Conventional Plan Elements

• Establish overarching sustainability framework

• Define sustainability principles and themes with the community

• “Activate” framework, principles, and themes through strategies and actions in different elements

• Land Use

• Transportation

• Housing

• Natural & Historic Resources

• Agricultural Resources

• Recreation and Open Space

• Community Facilities

• Economic Development

Potential New Elements:

• Energy Conservation

• Community Form

• Hazard Mitigation

Plan Development: Building Blocks

• Model 2: Systems Approach

• Organize elements into “systems”

• Define sustainability principles and themes with the community

• Emphasize interconnectedness between elements

• Energy (utility infrastructure, energy sources/ production, conservation)

• Food (local networks, production, distributions, health, access)

• Mobility (complete streets, connectivity)

• Green Infrastructure (greenways, sensitive environmental resources, urban “greening”, etc.)

• Housing (community character & form, types, affordability, need vs. supply)

• Economic (employment, diversity, accessibility, local “asset-based” community development)

• Social (education, recreation, cultural and historic resources, safety and security, community health)

Plan Development: Building Blocks

• Action Plan– Types of actions (policy, regulatory, capital

investment)

– Schedule / timeframes

– Responsible parties

• Capacity-Building / Partnerships– Municipal government

– Other levels of government

– Non-profit organizations / institutions

– Private sector businesses

– Citizens

• Plan Monitoring– Measures of progress (sustainability indicators)

Implementation

Union County Background

• Located along the Susquehanna River 60 miles N of Harrisburg,165 miles NW of Philadelphia, and 200 miles E of Pittsburgh

• Comprehensive plan for 13 municipalities

• 3 multi-municipal plans

Union County Background

New York, NY Union County

Washington DC

Philadelphia, PA

Harrisburg, PA

• Attractive rural quality of life with strong agricultural heritage and small towns / villages

• Forests and agriculture represents 60% and 30% of total land use, respectively

• Access to major urban areas via I-80 and other routes

• Historic downtown districts in Lewisburg and Mifflinburg

• Bucknell University is located in Lewisburg

Union County Background

Existing Land Use

• 80% of County zoned for Agricultural or Woodlands / limited low-density housing is permitted in most of these districts

• Residential housing growth: 14% from 1990-2000 and 8% from 2000-2006

• 40% housing growth projected by 2030 / highest growth expected in agricultural townships

Union County Background

New Structures 2001-2006 (+1,000 units)& Land Preservation

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

Popu

latio

n

Year

Union County Population, 1820-2050

2000

Total Land Area Needed for 2006-2050

@ 1 DU/Net Acre*

+ 8,826 Housing Units

= 10,590Net Acres in

Union County*

* 1) An additional 20% in land area is included in acreage calculation to accommodate utilities and ROW; 2) Gregg Township is included in the total projection, but is excluded from the Planning Area totals.

1 2 4 miles

640Acres

Community Outreach

• Website • Advisory Teams• Branding, Advertising & Marketing• Citizen Survey• Public Forums• Meeting In a Box• Stakeholder Interviews• Municipal Officials Meetings• School Programs

Outreach & Involvement Techniques

www.cultivatingcommunity.net

• Countywide Plan Advisory Team • 28 volunteers – Represented diverse County stakeholders• Met every other month on average

• 3 Multi-Municipal Advisory Teams • Elected Officials & Planning Commissioners• Met as needed

Advisory Teams

Citizen Survey Results

Outreach & Involvement Themes

• Energy Conservation & Sustainability• Preservation of Agriculture & Natural Resources• Growth Management• Create Trails & Pedestrian-Friendly Development• Expand Public Transportation• Vitality of Town Centers• Regional Cooperation• Concern About Quality of New Growth• Economic Opportunity for Current Residents• Strategic Infrastructure Investment

Cultivating Community: A Sustainable Comprehensive Plan for Union County

Union County will be a prosperous and beautiful valley in 2030 by:

Vision Statement

• Protecting precious natural resources & agriculture

• Supporting sustainable economic growth

• Promoting its unique town & country lifestyle

The western region will be a home for rural enterprise and

connecting with nature.

The central region will be the heart of Union

County’s agricultural and small town heritage.

The eastern region will be a center of county government, medical service, and higher

education in a town and country setting.

Three concurrent regional visions will contribute their special strengths to achieving these goals:

Citizen Direction & Sustainability

Continue Small Town Patterns

Future Growth Management Framework

Recommended Growth Management Framework

What the Future C

ould Look Like

Union County’s Cultivating Community Comprehensive Plan: A Hybrid Approach

• Topical Plan Elements• Natural and Agricultural Resources• Land Use• Housing• Economic Development• Cultural, Historic, and Recreational Resources• Community Facilities, Utilities, and Energy Conservation• Implementation

• Integrating Factors• Sustainability Principles• Sustainability Keys• Sustainability Indicators

Sustainability Principles

1. Focus new development in and around established communities

• Promote reinvestment in existing towns and villages

• Develop in close proximity to existing infrastructure

2. Preserve rural resources

• Maintain agriculture and prime farmland soils

• Preserve sensitive natural features and scenic views

3. Conserve energy

• Decrease fossil fuel consumption

• Reduce automobile use / promote transportation alternatives

4. Conserve fiscal resources

• Limit the negative impacts of new development on municipal budgets

• Limit the negative impacts of new development on community services

1. Natural and Agricultural Resources - System Integrity

2. Land Use - Mixed Use

3. Housing - Diversity

4. Economic Development - Building Local Assets

5. Transportation – Multi-Modal Choices

6. Cultural, Historic, and Recreational Resources - Adaptive Reuse

7. Community Facilities, Utilities, and Energy Conservation - Energy Conservation

Sustainability Keys

System Integrity

Sustainability Key

• Maintain integrity of woodlands, greenways, waterways, wetlands, habitats, open space, soils, and agricultural lands

Sample Sustainability Indicators

• Water Quality• Animal and plant indicator species• Agricultural / forest lands preserved (e.g., easements, TDR)

– Natural and Agricultural Resources

Natural and Agricultural Resources

Sample Actions

• Create a countywide Green Infrastructure Plan

• Educate farmers about alternative livestock production systems with lesser impacts on land and water quality (e.g. organic, free-range, non-confinement, grass-fed meat and poultry)

Cultivating Community

Mixed Use

Sustainability Key

• Strengthen the County’s traditional land use pattern of compact, mixed-use development focused on small towns and villages

• New development inside vs. outside growth areas• Vertical vs. horizontal mixed-uses• Carbon footprint / greenhouse gas emissions

Sample Sustainability Indicators

– Land Use

Cultivating Community

Land Use

Sample Actions

• Prepare regulations to promote walkable, mixed-use communities (e.g., TND, form-based zoning, incentives, etc.)

• Develop conservation subdivision / tree preservation standards for use in rural areas

Housing Diversity

Sustainability Key

• Provide choices in housing types and prices to meet different segments of the County’s population

• Mix of housing types vs. housing demand based on demographics• Affordability• Access to services (e.g., community facilities, parks and recreation, retail)

Sample Sustainability Indicators

– Housing

Housing

Sample Actions

• Provide different housing types in designated growth areas for a changing and aging population

• Implement a “green building” program through new code requirements / incentives, education, grants / loans, and partnerships (electric companies)

Building Local Assets

Sustainability Key

• Build economic activities that:• Draw on County’s intrinsic values – high quality of life, fertile

agricultural soils, quality educational and medical institutions• Reduce dependence on outside resources (e.g., use locally produced

goods and services rather than imported goods)

• Locally-owned businesses• Employment opportunities / living wages

Sample Sustainability Indicators

– Economic Development

Cultivating Community

Economic Development

Sample Actions

• Focus programs on businesses that “fit” with growing industry clusters • Healthcare• Education• Lumber and wood products• Diversified manufacturing• Hospitality/tourism

• Expand partnerships with area educational / healthcare institutions

Cultivating Community

Transportation Choices

Sustainability Key

• Provide convenient choices for people to use different forms of travel (autos, bicycles, transit, and walking) to meet their mobility needs.

• Reduction in vehicle miles traveled (VMT)• Length of sidewalks / bike lanes / multi-use trails• Connectivity index

Sample Sustainability Indicators

– Transportation

Cultivating Community

Transportation

Sample Actions

• Designate a network of on-road routes with adequate paved shoulders for non-motorized travel (horse and buggy, bicycles)

• Provide for pedestrian / bicycle facilities in land development / roadway improvements (e.g., traffic impact study ordinances, roadway design guidelines)

Adaptive Reuse

Sustainability Keys

• Refers to modification or rehab of existing structures to serve new uses (e.g., “recycling: former schools for retail, office, or residential uses)

• Historic resources recognized / preserved• Recycled buildings• Heritage tourism activity

Sample Sustainability Indicators

– Cultural, Historic, and RecreationalResources

Cultural, Historic, and Recreational Resources

Sample Actions

• Implement a countywide preservation program to encourage rehab or adaptive reuse of historic resources and other older buildings

• Designate Union County as part of the Middle Susquehanna State Heritage Area

Energy Conservation

Sustainability Keys

• Energy is required for all life’s activities; minimizing energy usage both conserves resources and yields economic returns by lowering costs.

• Compactness of infrastructure systems• Renewable energy installations• Green buildings• Reduction in VMT

Sample Sustainability Indicators

– Community Facilities, Utilities, andEnergy Conservation

Community Facilities, Utilities, and Energy Conservation

Sample Actions

• Support opportunities for energy production on farms (e.g., methane from dairies, regional manure digester)

• Upgrade high school facilities as model “green” facilities• Sustainable building systems• Site / stormwater management

practices• Multi-modal transportation access

Union County’s Cultivating Community Comprehensive Plan: Implementation

• Geographic Scale• Countywide Action Plan• Multi-Municipal Action Plans

• Actions• Types (regulatory, policy / planning, capital investment, partnerships)• Timeframes• Responsibilities• Funding sources

• Monitoring• Annual Assessments / Work Programs• Measures of Progress (sustainability indicators)

Key Issue: Capacity-Building

• Union County and its municipalities have a small population and limited resources• Three municipalities do not have zoning ordinances

• Partnerships among the public, private, and nonprofit / institutional sectors will be key to success• Public / public (e..g., PA State Agencies / Union County / municipalities)• Public / private (e.g., Lewisburg Area Recreation Park – LARA / Playworld;

Pennsylvania House redevelopment)• Public / institutional (e.g., Union County / Bucknell University)

The Sustainable Comprehensive Plan

Wallace Roberts & Todd, LLCWRT

APA National ConferenceMinneapolis, MN

April 26, 2009

Contact Information

David Rouse, AICP, Principal, Wallace Roberts & Todddrouse@ph.wrtdesign.com

Shawn McLaughlin, AICP, Planning Director, Union Countysmclaughlin@unionco.org

Robert Kerns, AICP, Associate, Wallace Roberts & Toddrkerns@ph.wrtdesign.com

www.cultivatingcommunity.net