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HomeMy WebLinkAbout111709 SUSTAINABILITY PRSNT Virginia Beach Sustainability Efforts Clay Bernick Department of Planning Environmental Management Center November 17, 2009 Sustainability –What is It? “development that meets the needs of the present without ? compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” -United Nations World Commission on Environment & Development, 1987 “meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of ? future generations to meet their own needs” -Bruntland Commission (1983) World Commission on Environment & Development Virginia Beach’s Advantages Multiple renewable energy resource opportunities (e.g. Wind, ? Biodiesel) Unique, strategically critical geographic location ? Strong military and maritime industry in region ? Favorable climate ? Exemplary natural resources ? Strong agricultural base ? Naturally attractive location and connectedness to the environment ? Strong educational base with tremendous further potential ? Related City Activities Mayor’s Alternative Energy Task Force ? Green Ribbon Committee ? Joint Energy Committee ? Clean Waters Task Force ? Economic Vitality Team Green Jobs Work ? Group Blue Ribbon Committee ? Virginia Beach Examples of Interconnectedness For Promoting Sustainability BRC PUBLIC WORKS SAT ECONOMIC PLANNING GRC DEVELOP- JEC MENT Council Directives to Date Council resolved on September 23, 2008 to develop a Sustainable Virginia Beach Initiative to be known as “Go Green Virginia Beach” to: Meet or exceed applicable state or federal regulatory requirements ? and provide for periodic compliance reviews of City-owned operations and properties; Maintain an Environmental Emergency Response Plan to effectively ? address potential incidents; Create a Sustainability Plan for the City of Virginia Beach to be ? presented to City Council by March 31, 2010. The Plan will establish 1, 5, and 10 year sustainability targets as well as define initiatives designed to reach the targets set out in the Plan; and Establish a Sustainability Advisory Team, in order to oversee and ? coordinate these efforts within the City organization and with the community, and to promote, implement, oversee, recommend, and track sustainable practices and activities. City Actions to Date Climate Protection Agreement –November 2005 ? City Council Endorsement of Initial Sustainability Efforts - ? September 2008 VML Go Green Virginia 2008 - ? September 2008 Green Meeting Industry Council Platinum Member – ? September 2009 ? AIA SDAT Grant – ? September 2009 VML Go Green Virginia 2009 - ? October 2009 Virginia Green Program – ? Climate Protection Agreement Cities’ Commitments Under the Agreement: ? Strive to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets in their own ? communities, through actions ranging from anti-sprawl land-use policies to urban forest restoration projects to public information campaigns Urge their state governments, and the federal government, to ? enact policies and programs to meet or beat the greenhouse gas emission reduction target suggested for the United States in the Kyoto Protocol Strive for 7% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 ? levels by 2012 Urge the U.S. Congress to pass the bipartisan greenhouse gas ? reduction legislation, which would establish a national emission trading system VML GO Green Virginia An initiative of the VML to encourage local governments to reduce ? energy usage and promote sustainability Named Certified Green Government in 2008 ? Named Silver Award Certified Green Government in 2009 with 20 ? percent improvement on City score Topics addressed: Government Policy Adoption; Energy Efficiency; ? Green Building; Waste Management; Vehicles; Land Use/ Transportation; Water/ Air Quality; Employee Incentives; Education/ Community Participation; Schools; Innovation Virginia Green Virginia Green is the statewide program that works to reduce the ? environmental impacts of Virginia’s tourism industry.It is a partnership between the Virginia Tourism Corporation and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.The program awards Virginia Green Certification to tourism-related business such as hotels, restaurants and attractions taking voluntary actions to reduce harmful impacts on the environment. City Achievements to Date: ? First VA certified Convention Facility ? First VA certified Destination ? 32 VA certified Hotels ? 20 VA certified restaurants ? 13 VA certified events ? 4 VA certified attractions ? AIA and SDAT Program May 2009 Advance Team Site Visit ? September 2009 Full Team Site Visit ? Interviews ? Public Meetings and Input ? Initial SDAT Recommendations & Draft Report ? Other AIA Selected Communities for 2009 Beatrice, Nebraska ? Chattanooga, Tennessee ? Cleveland, Ohio ? Eagle River Valley, Colorado ? Hilo, Hawaii ? Indianapolis, Indiana ? Los Angeles, California ? Orange, Massachusetts ? Port Angeles, Washington ? Past selected communities include Detroit, Fort Worth, New ? Orleans, Tampa, Albany, Tucson, Syracuse, Oklahoma City AIA & SDAT Program Steering Committee Councilwoman Rosemary Steve Herbert (Deputy City ?? WilsonManager) Councilman Bob DyerCynthia Whitbred-Spanoulis ?? (Economic Development) Nicole Davilli (Hampton Roads ? AIA)Clay Bernick (Planning) ? Karen Forget (Lynnhaven Ross Brockwell (Public Works) ?? River NOW) Initial SDAT Recommendations Urban Design -walkability & connectivity; articulate neighborhoods; ? establish connections; centers along transit boulevard; mixed use development at beach; open space; phased implementation Agriculture –neighborhood markets; preserving farm(er)s/watermen; ? connecting to the “country” best practices; local food system Transportation & Complete Streets -provide viable choices to shift a ? proportion of SOV to alternate modes (light rail, bus rapid transit, bicycle and pedestrian systems); complete streets Green Economy -Increase Communication; Grow the Energy ? Efficiency Sector; Pursue Renewable Energy Investments; Prepare Your Workforce; Leverage Growth Along Light Rail to Create Communities Initial SDAT Recommendations Virginia Beach sustainability is: ? NOT simply a series of actions ? A comprehensive lens of how we look at EVERY city action ? Community engagement ? Lower energy use & higher renewables ? Viable multimodal transportation options ? Mixed use walkable redevelopment ? Farms AND the farm economy ? Healthy natural systems ? Ready for sea level rise ? Green Economic Development ? Next Steps Completion of AIA SDAT Team Process ? Completion of First Sustainability Report by SAT ? Formal Council Establishment of City Sustainability Program ? (Physical Location in City Organization, Staffing, Budget, Relationship to Quality Organization/Management Leadership Team/Strategic Issue Teams) Add as Item on City Council Pending Items List ? Designate Council Liaisons ? Focus Public Information and Education Efforts ? Revise City Procurement Policy ? Develop Energy Strategy ? Designation of Department and Program Staff Contacts ? Why Sustainability? Save City Money ? Convention Center as Model ? Study Potential for Reorganization to Better Utilize Limited City Resources ? Aggressively Pursue Grants and Other Funding Sources ? Better Sustain Natural Environment ? Green Infrastructure, Urban Forestry Management Plan, TMDL Implementation ? Plan Development Agricultural Strategy ? Oyster Heritage Restoration Strategy and Seafood Industry ? Better Sustain Built Environment ? Energy Efficiency Retrofits ? Building Lifecycle Costs ? Gray Infrastructure Maintenance ? Attract Sustainable Economic Development ? Alternative Energy Development –Offshore Wind, Biodiesel ? Expanded Research Partnerships with ODU, NSU, TCC and Others ? Workforce Training and Development for Green Jobs ? What can a Sustainability Strategy help Virginia Beach do in the Longer Term? Workforce development, retention and attraction of young ? professionals Bolstered tourism and increased recognition; defined local niche ? Improved infrastructure ? Optimized operational and maintenance costs ? Increased City revenues ? Attraction of general businesses insisting on “green” locales and ? recruitment of green industry Increased opportunities for potential investment ? Diversification and enrichment of our local economy ? Questions? VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA – A Community for a Lifetime … and A Community for Lifetimes to Come!