The Civics of Sustainability

An Overview BY JOEL MILLS

For those working in the field of community sustain- Addressing the growing urgency of climate change ability, reading the news these days might seem de- and national renewal will require substantial in- pressing. The challenges are dramatic. On April 20, novation and adaptation at the regional and local 2010, the explosion of a British Petroleum oil rig in levels. At the local level, municipalities across the the Gulf of Mexico ignited what is now the worst country have begun mobilizing to meet the chal- environmental catastrophe in our nation’s history, lenge. To date, 1,042 municipalities have signed on with estimates of the scope of the oil spill reach- to the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Climate Protec- ing as high as sixty thousand barrels per day. The tion Agreement. With more than 81 percent of the Gulf crisis has highlighted America’s continuing de- U.S. population, cities and metropolitan regions will pendence on oil, and our ever-expanding carbon have a central place in strategies addressing climate footprint. change on an effective scale. In recent years, the level of interest in applying new tools to meet our Currently, even the most energy-conscious challenges has grown dramatically in the public sec- Americans have twice the carbon footprint as tor. In February 2009 a broad partnership launched the average global citizen. The United States Sustainable New Jersey as a voluntary certification comprises about 4 percent of the earth’s population program for the state’s municipalities seeking to but emits about 25 percent of the total global develop strategies for long-term sustainability. By greenhouse gases. In contrast to China, the United August of that year, 214 municipalities across the States emits more than seven times as much per state had signed on to the program. In May 2009, person. And compared to India, Americans produce Living Cities released a report that found four out more than twenty times as much per capita. of five big cities now ranking sustainability as a top- five issue. There is little doubt that sustainability has Patterns in consumption and energy use have been come of age. trending negative over the long run. Total U.S. emissions have risen by approximately 14 percent in The Sustainability Paradigm the last twenty years. Most projections lead us to In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commis- the conclusion that an ever-expanding population sion offered what may be the definitive explanation will continue to fuel this trend, exacerbating al- of the term: “Sustainable development is develop- ready strained resources. The nation’s population ment that meets the needs of the present without reached 300 million in 2006, and it is projected to hit compromising the ability of future generations to 350 million by 2025. Expansive land use policies meet their own needs.” However, given sustainabil- and continued growth will put severe pressure on ity’s broad meaning, it has been subject to a range our ability to decrease our carbon footprint and of interpretations. In recent years, the term sustain- adapt to a changing climate. ability has been widely adopted by both the public and private sectors. In fact, it is so overused that it Our nation’s condition is fragile by most estimates. has given birth to a new lexicon, with words such as In perhaps the most disturbing development, recent “greenwashing” (on the model of “whitewashing”) studies reveal that the American public doesn’t grasp gaining currency to describe the many attempts to the severity of the challenges faced today. A recent co-opt the issue. Gallup poll revealed that 48 percent of Americans believe the threat of global warming is an exagger- This edition of the National Civic Review is orga- ated claim; the poll registered the highest percentage nized as a survey of community sustainability. It of doubters in the thirteen years the organization has represents a compilation of diverse community ex- been asking the question. periences that focus on how a range of successful

c 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) National Civic Review • DOI: 10.1002/ncr.20022 • Fall 2010 3 strategies are being applied in community settings its limited resources to become an All-America and on various scales, from neighborhoods and City and a national model for preservation and cities to regions. Each place featured in this edi- sustainability? r tion demonstrates how communities are addressing How can a modest rural town such as sustainability within their own context, and each Greensburg, Kansas, not only recover from a dev- of them has defined its sustainable vision and goals astating tornado but position itself as a national through a unique community narrative. In particu- leader in sustainable development, such that two lar, these cases feature some examples highlighting presidents have referred to it as a model for the critical connection between building civic capac- others? r ity and achieving success toward becoming a more How are established communities that have un- sustainable place. dergone transformative revitalization in previous eras, such as Chattanooga, Tennessee, redefining their processes for modern challenges and devel- Despite the negative tone of the national news cy- oping the next generation of leadership and sus- cle, there are profoundly positive stories developing tainable community enterprise? under the radar, at the local level. These communities all have great stories to share. In Philadelphia, civic leaders have convened the com- The Importance of Civic Capacity munity to build a grand civic vision for their waterfront. In Los Angeles, a youthful movement of r Since 2005, the Center for Communities by De- “creatives” and professionals is producing exciting sign has engaged in pro bono technical assistance new opportunities for a downtown that was long projects on sustainability issues with more than since considered extinct after enduring the negative forty communities. One of the common state- impact of decades of city sprawl. In Tampa, a group ments we hear from communities illustrates the of design professionals formed the Urban Charrette, challenge facing local jurisdictions today: “We an organization dedicated to engaging the commu- don’t need another plan. We have plans—they nity in a common conversation about sustainability. all sit on the shelves. We need an implementa- In Chattanooga, a new generation of civic leader- tion strategy.” The simple fact is that many com- ship is redefining the “Chattanooga process” for munities are struggling to put in place effective the twenty-first century. Collectively, these narra- structures and processes to achieve success. In tives offer an illustrative group of potential mod- some places, the politicized nature of public di- els and approaches for the rest of us. In accom- alogue is driving apathy and conflict, preclud- plishing bold, context-specific goals, they have also ing development of effective partnership and col- produced remarkable similarities in how they ap- laboration. Therefore, civic capacity—the ability proach public work, and as a group they hold criti- to leverage all of the collective resources avail- cal value for other communities and partners in the able in a given community toward achievement field. of public work—is at the heart of any inquiry about today’s success stories. Despite the nega- These communities excel in their ability to engage tive tone of the national news cycle, we’ve found the whole community in public work, identify com- through our work that there are profoundly pos- mon purpose, and build vibrant partnerships for suc- itive stories developing under the radar, at the cess. The numbers alone speak volumes about their local level. These stories have gone largely unno- capacity: ticed, but many of them offer us unique insights r into the opportunities we have to engage in trans- Greensburg, Kansas, engaged hundreds of people formative change. In these places, the focus is not in a town of fewer than fifteen hundred. r only on what gets done but more important how Philadelphia engaged more than four thousand it is done. How can a small city of only sixty residents in its development of a Civic Vision for thousand residents, like Dubuque, Iowa, leverage the Delaware Waterfront.

4 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 r Envision Utah involved more than eighteen thou- It takes a vision. As the proverb tell us, “without a vi- sand participants in a two-year regional planning sion, the people perish.” Successful communities are process. defining collective visions of their future, and work- r Chattanooga Stand attracted more than twenty- ing together deliberatively to realize those visions. six thousand residents in the “largest survey- All of the communities involved in this edition have based visioning campaign” in the world. engaged in some form of visioning as a preliminary step in doing public work. Philadelphia has a proud These communities apply a variety of engagement claim to being the original city of grand visions. To- techniques and formats to produce remarkably sup- day, it is renewing that tradition through comple- portive public processes. Public involvement tools tion of the Civic Vision for the Central Delaware. varied from online engagement to in-person engage- The city’s Great Expectations process leading up to ment, from public workshops and presentations to its last mayoral election demonstrates the power of surveys and summits—and those are just the exam- public processes in framing a city agenda that tran- ples from one community profiled here. The abil- scends politics. Dubuque has won a host of awards ity to supply a range of access points and a broad and received considerable national recognition for platform for participation enhances their ability to leveraging its historic assets to create a model sus- leverage cross-sector partnerships for success. These tainable district. The process was driven by the vi- community processes stress the civic realm over the sioning and planning work the community engaged political realm. They are able to transcend conven- in over a two-year period, and it continues to em- tional roles and dependency on the public sector power stakeholders through phases of implementa- by forming broad-based, cross-sector approaches tion. Envision Utah formed to help shape a series to common issues. In each case, civic efforts held of growth scenarios for the Salt Lake region, and more weight than purely political or governmental it has since expanded the work to other regions in responses to the challenge at hand. As a result, they the state, taking its visioning and scenario-building involved a broad approach to community problem framework to a larger scale. Greensburg has rede- solving that leveraged a variety of local resources fined its community identity and set forth a bold and assets: new direction for itself that is grounded in sustainable principles. r In Dubuque, Iowa, Dubuque 2.0 was formed as a process to help forge public-private partnerships to build the community’s future. Process and partnerships lie at the center of com- r In Chattanooga, a coalition of nonprofit leaders munity success. and citizens wanting to engage the community in a broad visioning process created Chattanooga r Stand. Process and partnerships lie at the center of com- r In the Salt Lake City region, Envision Utah was munity success. Successful communities recognize formed to lead a regional visioning process in- that sustainability is a communitywide endeavor, volving many jurisdictions in discussion of long- and they mobilize all of their existing assets in term growth strategies. pursuit of public work. These communities have the capacity to build novel partnerships, con- Keys to Success vene broad-based stakeholders, and involve insti- A common caveat we hear from communities tutions in cross-sector collaborations to achieve demonstrates the challenge for localities: “Things success. They are adept at employing a range of are different here. What works other places won’t public processes to identify key partnerships for necessarily work here. Things are difficult here. We implementation. The Dubuque 2.0 process was have some unique challenges.” Each community has designed as a deliberate attempt to create a plat- its own sense of exceptionalism in confronting sus- form for public-private partnerships, and the city tainability issues. Local context is always important, has been successful in partnering with local and but as these communities illustrate there are also national organizations to implement the commu- some common ingredients for success. nity’s agenda.

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 5 r The Chattanooga Stand process engaged twenty- leaders and organizations, and collaborate to turn six thousand residents in visioning surveys, using vision into action.” r partnerships with local research partners to ana- In Los Angeles, the Downtown Neighborhood lyze the results and demonstrate points of conver- Council’s Sustainability Committee has organized gence among potential partnering interests in the tree-planting initiatives, worked on urban revital- region. ization and beautification projects, and actively engaged downtown stakeholders in a dialogue about a future vision for the area. Civic Leadership and Community Renewal One of the most important developments in many Across these communities, organizations are imple- of these communities has been the presence of new menting the mantra of Jane Jacobs that “cities have civic intermediaries who are playing a critical role the capability of providing something for everybody, in imparting facilitative leadership to the broader only because, and only when, they are created by community. In the larger urban markets, a new gen- everybody.” eration of civic leaders is emerging and leading a nascent movement for sustainable regeneration of downtown centers, new thinking about planning Conclusion and design, and collaborative work on sustainabil- We hope that this edition of the National Civic ity. These civic intermediaries are playing roles as Review will make a modest but valuable contribu- both conveners and focal points for implementation: tion to current knowledge and understanding about how sustainable communities evolve. Taken collec- r The Urban Charrette has mobilized dozens of lo- tively, these communities are important examples cal design professionals to implement important and models regarding the key attributes of success- demonstration projects in Tampa, as well as fa- ful communities. More important, they represent an cilitated an ongoing community dialogue about emerging narrative about how America will take the future of the city. on its most pressing challenges during the next half r Chattanooga Stand describes its core mission as century. These communities are not only renewing “citizen making” and is actively working to serve and redefining themselves collectively; they are help- as an important connector across the commu- ing to redefine America and are all making impor- nity, empowering citizens to work together. Stand tant contributions to the emerging narrative of the is now “committed to providing the community twenty-first century. the information, tools, and resources necessary to identify shared priorities through public dialogue, Joel Mills is director of the American Institute of Architects Center for Communities by Design. build stronger connections between residents,

6 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 Optimism and a Thousand BY ASHLY ANDERSON, JOANNE FIEBE, Charrettes EVAN JOHNSON, AND TARYN SABIA

During the development of Tampa, Florida’s Com- wildlife on the Hillsborough River. Today these his- prehensive Plan in late 2007, our organization, the toric neighborhoods struggle to maintain their place Urban Charrette, saw an opportunity to engage var- in the broken urban fabric after being severed by ious stakeholders to help contribute by addressing highways. Remnants of brick streets and rail tracks planning and sustainability for neighborhoods in the covered by asphalt represent Tampa’s coming of city. After countless conversations and meetings, it age during the rise of the automobile. Ad hoc plan- was apparent that it was time to act and offer leader- ning ultimately shaped Tampa’s sprawling develop- ship in using design as a tool for change. We hosted ment pattern, both within the city limits (especially several Saturday morning workshops and forums in a series of master planned communities known to help define our direction. Knowing we needed a as New Tampa) and in the suburbs, which spread process to bring together all the facets of our city, into the surrounding counties and strained infra- we submitted a proposal to the American Institute structure systems. This physical disconnection of the of Architects (AIA) Communities by Design for an built environment contributed to the detachment of SDAT (Sustainable Design Assessment Team). The Tampa’s social and political infrastructure. Orga- SDAT technical assistance grant provided expertise nizations worked tirelessly to bring Tampa back to in two areas essential to Tampa’s future: sustainabil- life, but they were confined to separate silos. As a re- ity and design. sult of poor planning, lack of design, and disjointed civic life, the only thing certain was that Tampa was not sustainable. Timing: State of Change Florida’s population did not begin to experience As it has for the last fifty years, growth will continue rapid growth until the twentieth century. The as- to be the most significant challenge and greatest op- cent to being the fourth most populous state took portunity for the city. Through 2025, the popula- place after World War II, when increased wealth and tion of Tampa is projected to grow by 21.6 per- the automobile allowed millions of Americans to be- cent. In recent years, under the administration of come mobile. This migration brought a vibrancy and Mayor Pam Iorio, the city has begun to proactively energy to Florida that have continued to this day. address how growth can be used as a means for The perspective of these newcomers was different creating a more sustainable built environment. The from that observed in earlier American migrations. new Tampa Comprehensive Plan (the Plan) is the According to historian Gary Mormino (p. 11): most significant of these initiatives. As the primary policy document shaping growth and development in the city of Tampa, the Plan (Tampa Compre- Several generations of Americans helped fulfill hensive Plan: Building Our Legacy A Livable City) the modern Florida dream. Scarred and shaped plays a significant role. The Plan represents a change by the Great War and the Good War, the Roar- in how the city handles land use decisions, focuses ing Twenties and the Great Depression, these growth, and includes the policy framework for a citizens brought to Florida a deeply held system multifaceted approach to achieving sustainability. of values enshrining freedom, individualism, and In addition, the Plan fosters capacity building of or- the pursuit of happiness. ganizations to help move the city of Tampa toward its goal of becoming a truly livable city. Once known as the Cigar Capital of the world, Tampa saw early development filled with cultural The Urban Charrette, a Tampa-based collaborative clubs, compact neighborhoods connected by more of young professional designers, is adaptable, con- than fifty miles of streetcar lines, a bustling port, and textual, and holistic in its approach and practice

c 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) National Civic Review • DOI: 10.1002/ncr.20023 • Fall 2010 7 related to issues of sustainability and urban design. Members of the website facilitated a conversation In many ways, we are modeled as an ongoing char- about sustainability, design, and their community. rette. (We deﬁne the term as an intense, collabo- Evolving beyond the initial conversation, this use of rative design process.) Through key projects such technology to work with a diverse audience has be- as the Tampa Sustainable Design Assessment Team come a clearinghouse for urban design issues in the (SDAT), we hope to make the Urban Charrette a area. resilient voice in our community. For example, we organized a project, the result of a charrette, called Conceptual Kiley to draw attention to the neglect The project taught us that we must identify proactive of a local urban garden designed by the renowned ways to use charrettes in creating a positive culture landscape architect Dan Kiley. It incorporated artists of change. and urban design. The Urban Charrette asked local artists to create sculptural trees to stand in place of those that had been lost, bringing public aware- The Urban Charrette’s outreach efforts encouraged ness to the park’s past and potential future. The stakeholders to share ideas and be active listen- project taught us that we must identify proactive ers. With a broader format and larger audience, ways to use charrettes in creating a positive cul- the SDAT gave diverse community groups the op- ture of change. The Urban Charrette recognized the portunity to come together in a single process. AIA’s SDAT grant as a catalyst for a different form Through open conversation, the City of Tampa, or- of civic participation. To quote the AIA website, the ganizations, and businesses actively listened to one program brings together architects and other pro- another. The successes of the SDAT visit and result- fessionals from across the country to “provide a ing report were not only the insights and actionable roadmap for communities seeking to improve their recommendations conveyed but the new relation- sustainability.” We believed it was the right vehicle ships that were formed. These organizations shared for our organization to continue its mission to bring a similar vision for Tampa and saw the value and agencies, organizations, and individual citizens to- importance of helping to make SDAT a success for gether to discuss the needs of Tampa from different the Urban Charrette and the community as a whole. perspectives. Our organization listened earnestly to the community and talked constructively about the collective future and how these groups could have Shared Learning an impact. To get this project off the ground, the Ur- Shared learning is important to our framework be- ban Charrette engaged the leadership of the City of cause it establishes a collective understanding. We Tampa, the Hillsborough County City-County Plan- use workshops, visioning sessions, charrettes, and ning Commission, the University of South Florida, forums not only to educate the public but more community organizations, and local planning and important to help us gain deeper understanding architecture professionals. The experience and local of community issues. A successful process encour- knowledge of this guiding committee made them an ages the public to contribute meaningful insight. We asset to the process. A three-day SDAT visit helped achieve this by posing relevant questions, maintain- deﬁne a vision and framework for a more sustaining a design focus, and shaping the conversation by able Tampa, called Connecting Tampa. way of input on creative solutions to key issues.

The logistical challenges and fundraising require- The organization continues to use the concept of ments for the SDAT represented an important building a collective understanding in our current capacity-building exercise for the Urban Charrette. programming, including our Open Mic series. This In addition to brochures and ﬂyers, we sought serves as a forum for community discussions. The collaboration with the community beyond the tra- fundamental optimism of our organization and our ditional media. We designed a user-friendly social focus on design steers this participatory program networking platform, and we encouraged the SDAT toward opportunity and away from common com- participants to create a personal proﬁle and con- plaints. Since SDAT, this monthly series has become tribute to the website Tampa’s Sustainable Future. a driving force of community interaction for the

8 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 Urban Charrette. The topics of discussion focus on response to the final SDAT report, establishing five issues of sustainability at the neighborhood scale. Tampa-centric sustainability focuses. One of our most successful conversations was Com- munity Gardens, which served as a catalyst for local As a result of the goals of SDAT, the Urban Char- citizens to develop a new garden in the Seminole rette initiated a project entitled Street-to-City, a se- Heights Neighborhood. ries of self-empowering programs designed to give citizens a perspective on their communities so as to As part of our community design program, the Ur- develop the knowledge to improve their environ- ban Charrette planned and facilitated a charrette for ment through design, partnerships, and education. the Tampa Downtown Partnership: Water Taxi De- We recognized the need to partner with a Tampa- sign Charrette. Every city that resides on the water’s based institution. The University of South Florida edge has the opportunity to distinguish itself through offers graduate-level research for nonprofits and great waterfront design. Port cities such as Tampa government agencies. The partnership produced not are unique communities because of the interplay be- only much needed case-study and best-practices re- tween the built and natural environments. The rela- search for Street-to-City but also a multidisciplinary tionship of the city’s inhabitants to the water’s edge perspective. The Urban Charrette needed informa- captures the spirit of place and encourages ingenu- tion on local, national, and international strategies ity. The Hillsborough River has played an important for neighborhood capacity building; the research role in Tampa’s estuary, cultural heritage, and econ- team produced unique strategies that can be incor- omy. The Water Taxi Charrette was equally impor- porated into neighborhood educational modules. tant to our education about the river and its impact on the community. It taught us that the river, as an Through the Urban Charrette’s relationship with organizing feature, can realize its value once again. the Tampa Downtown Partnership, we offer an urban eating space at the Downtown Farmer’s Much like a charrette, shared learning builds con- Market each Friday. In turn, the Urban Charrette sensus through a collaborative process. Our shared advertises our upcoming events at the market. One learning process allows us to be adaptable as an Friday in February we took it a step further. An organization and maintain a holistic perspective on interactive design demonstration, entitled Mobility Tampa. Market, started with an impromptu workshop at an Open Mic. Local designers sketched complete street concepts onto a section of downtown Tampa. Those Implementing Design drawings led to a full-scale demonstration of a com- Exceptional urban design is the foundation of a suc- plete street at the Friday market. Landscaping, bike cessful and healthy community. Design, as a tool, lanes, cross walks, a bus shelter, mixed zoning, cafe´ is central to the Urban Charrette’s mission because seating, and on-street parking invaded an otherwise it constitutes a foundation for building a collec- auto-centric streetscape. Many commuters who typ- tive understanding of Tampa’s vision. Consistently ically do not experience downtown except through talking about quality, contextually sensitive design their office windows walked through the demon- has helped us build trust with the Tampa commu- stration and asked a lot of questions. This tangible, nity, which in turn has brought the Urban Charrette full-scale model started a conversation and offered a unique opportunities and partnerships. new perspective on what citizens should expect from the design of Tampa’s streets. The Tampa SDAT has resulted in a new, clearer message for the Urban Charrette, one that raises the A consensus vision developed during the SDAT visit level of design awareness by establishing a design inspired the Urban Charrette to identify five sus- vocabulary in order to share a sustainable vision tainability focus areas: transit, natural assets and for Tampa’s future. Since the conclusion of SDAT, public space, community building through the arts, the Urban Charrette has focused on this vision local economy, and neighborhoods. We translated of Tampa by fostering new design partnerships, new these place-making devices into easily understood types of interactive design demonstrations, and, in topic areas that help to define a sense of place in

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 9 Tampa. Our goal is to incorporate them as organi- References zational features of the mission of each new project American Institute of Architects. “About the AIA. to develop a clear path for the future of our design Programs & Initiatives: Sustainable Design Assessment collaborative. Teams (SDAT).” 2010. http://www.aia.org/about/initiatives/ AIAS075425. The Urban Charrette recently celebrated its third Mormino, G. Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams: A Social birthday. Our work has led to lasting community History of Modern Florida. Gainesville: University Press of partnerships and a growing presence of quality ur- Florida, 2005. ban design projects, making us a valued resource for the city. We were asked to participate in the sustainability component for the recent 2018/2022 FIFA Ashly Anderson is an allied member of the American Society World Cup proposal. Neighborhood organizations of Interior Designers. have asked us to assist them in their planning efforts. We have completed two transit-oriented charrettes, JoAnne Fiebe has worked as director of planning and devel- the Tampa Water Taxi Charrette and the TECO opment for a Tampa-based construction ﬁrm. Line Streetcar Signature Station Charrette. Most Evan Johnson is a certiﬁed planner (AICP) and board member exciting, life is beginning to return to Kiley Gardens. of the Urban Charrette. The City of Tampa restored and reopened the park, though funding is still needed for the trees. The Taryn Sabia, founder of the Urban Charrette, received Urban Charrette is developing a campaign to foster the 2008 Creative Catalysts Award for Creating a Livable Community. community support to replant the lost crepe myrtles.

10 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 Deﬁning, Inspiring, and

Implementing Sustainability BY LAURA CARSTENS

Situated in a beautiful, natural location along the nity often not discussed in a city master plan or re- Mississippi River, Dubuque is distinctive because of lated to one another through a community engage- its steep hills and river bluffs—geographic features ment process—before smart growth and sustainabil- that many people do not expect to find in Iowa. ity became national buzzwords. Dubuque has been gaining recognition as a leader in the sustainability movement, another unexpected The Dubuque Comprehensive Plan looks at the city attribute of this town of sixty thousand. as a whole and the surrounding region, with a policy statement, goals, and objectives established Located where Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois meet, for the physical, economic, and social environments Dubuque is Iowa’s oldest city. It is the regional cen- of the community. Since 1995, the plan has reflected ter for commerce, industry, education, and culture. the three principles of sustainability: environmental, Our community now takes pride in the slogan “Mas- economic, and social equity needs. terpiece on the Mississippi,” but this wasn’t always the case. The plan consists of fourteen elements. The physical environment includes the elements of land use and In the 1980s, Dubuque had double-digit unem- urban design, transportation, infrastructure, and ployment, declining population, vacant storefronts, environmental quality. The economic environment and deteriorating neighborhoods. A billboard pro- includes the city’s fiscal and economic development claimed: “Would the last person to leave Dubuque elements. Unlike many city master plans, Dubuque’s please turn off the lights?” also includes the social environment, encompassing nontraditional elements such as health, housing, hu- In the face of decline, community leaders from the man services, education, cultural arts, recreation, private and public sectors came together in four public safety, and diversity. community-visioning efforts over the past twenty years that helped change Dubuque. These leaders Each element includes a policy statement, followed focused on grassroots efforts to address planned by goals, and then objectives for each goal. The and managed growth, downtown and neighborhood goals and objectives are broad in scope; specific pro- revitalization, riverfront redevelopment, economic grams, sites, or projects generally are not found in growth, and diversity so as to become a sustainable, the plan. In creating the plan and its subsequent up- green community. dates in 2002 and 2008, we have engaged the public through comment sessions, focus group meetings, With this transformation, Dubuque is poised for a open houses, displays, and public hearings. leadership role in the sustainability movement. Sus- tainability is often equated with being “green” and The city’s commitment to sustainability has led to the triple bottom line of people, profit, and planet. greater awareness of this environmental planning As a city planner, I believe that sustainability is good approach. People have more understanding that our environmental planning; think of your community community is like an ecosystem, where everything is as an ecosystem, where everything is connected to truly linked to everything else. everything else. Defining Sustainability: Dubuque’s Approach This is the approach that the City of Dubuque Defining sustainability at the community level can undertook in 1990–1995, as we engaged the com- be accomplished in any number of ways, and the munity in a visioning process and then defined a definitions vary from city to city. These definitions comprehensive plan linking aspects of the commu- generally reflect three components: social, economic,

c 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) National Civic Review • DOI: 10.1002/ncr.20024 • Fall 2010 11 and environmental. A common definition is from In 2007, 150 community members participated the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development: in stakeholder meetings to discuss targeted vi- the ability of a community to “meet the needs of the sions and ideas. More than twenty presenta- present without compromising the ability of future tions were made to community organizations to generations to meet their own needs.” Another is gather input. The meetings were organized into the long-term, seventh-generation view of the Iro- small business, business associations, and retail- quois Nation: making decisions based on how they ers; developers and lenders; nonprofit organizations; will affect not only our generation but also seven large business, industry, utilities, and the Greater generations to come. Dubuque Development Corporation; institutions, health care, and religious; and transportation orga- In 2006, the Dubuque City Council identified sus- nizations. There was also a meeting for the general tainability as one of its top priorities. From here, the public. mayor and city council might simply have defined sustainability for the community. Instead, they cre- In addition to public meetings, more than 860 com- ated the Sustainable City Task Force in 2007 to help munity surveys were collected in 2007. The survey develop a vision statement and principles that would results, along with other data compiled by the task further define the sustainability initiative through force, were used to help guide development of the community involvement and input. sustainability vision statement and guiding principles. Specific strategies and action steps to imple- The task force comprised representatives from local ment sustainable initiatives were also explored. The government, schools, utility companies, religious or- Sustainable Dubuque model has three pillars of sus- ganizations, neighborhood associations, youth orga- tainability, as seen in Figure 1. nizations, nonprofits, environmental organizations, and business stakeholders. The city hired a local firm The vision statement for Sustainable Dubuque was to work with city staff and the task force. The task developed at the grassroots level and adopted by the force met regularly for two years to develop a pro- city council. It is that Dubuque is a viable, livable, cess to get input from the citizens of Dubuque about and equitable community. We embrace economic what is important to them and what sustainable ini- prosperity, social and cultural vibrancy, and envi- tiatives they would like to see incorporated into a ronmental integrity to create a sustainable legacy vision statement and strategic document. for generations to come.

Figure 1. The Three Pillars of Sustainable Dubuque

12 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 r This vision statement is supported by eleven key sus- Community knowledge: Dubuque is a commu- tainability principles identiﬁed by Dubuque citizens. nity that values education, empowerment, and These principles are not new, and many examples al- engagement to achieve economic prosperity, en- ready exist in our community. They are part of the vironmental integrity, and social and cultural vi- community values that our citizens want to preserve brancy. r and leave for future generations. These eleven prin- Reasonable mobility: Dubuque is a community ciples are organized here according to Dubuque’s that values safe, reasonable, and equitable choices three-part sustainability model. to access living, work, and play opportunities.

Inspiring Sustainability: Dubuque’s Approach Environmental Integrity The City of Dubuque cannot lead the commu- r Healthy air: Dubuque is a community that val- nity’s sustainability movement alone. Our partners, ues fresh, clean air; reduced greenhouse gas emis- the Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce and the sions; and minimized health risks. Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, have r Clean water: Dubuque is a community that values formed Dubuque 2.0 to conduct a community dia- water as the source of life and seeks to preserve logue on making sustainability sustainable, seeking and manage it in all forms. to create jobs and save individuals and businesses r Native plants and animals: Dubuque is a com- money. munity that values biodiversity through preservation, restoration, and connection of nature and Dubuque 2.0 is a venue to present sustainable ideas, people. share best practices, and measure results from the community’s sustainability efforts. It is also a process that encourages public-private partnerships to Economic Prosperity shape our community’s future. r Regional economy: Dubuque is a community that With this initiative, Dubuque is taking a unique ap- values a diversified regional economy with oppor- proach by supplying our residents and businesses tunities for new and green markets, jobs, prod- with the tools and information necessary to mea- ucts, and services. r sure and manage their use of resources. With this Smart energy use: Dubuque is a community that knowledge, people can make educated choices to values energy conservation and expanded use of change behavior, reducing their costs and identify- renewable energy as a means to save money and ing long-lasting sustainable opportunities. protect the environment. r Resource management: Dubuque is a community Dubuque 2.0 builds on the city’s sustainability plan that values the benefits of reducing, reusing, and to make our community economically prosperous recycling resources. r as well as socially and culturally vibrant, and to Community design: Dubuque is a community that improve our environmental integrity. It centers on values the built environment of the past, present, community engagement with businesses, schools, and future, which contributes to its identity, her- nonprofits, and neighborhoods in a comprehensive itage, and sense of place. sustainability process. Dubuque 2.0 presents opportunities to learn about sustainability and change be- Social and Cultural Vibrancy havior. This initiative seeks to help people and businesses save money and resources, open new markets r Green buildings: Dubuque is a community that and improve competitiveness, and reduce our impact values a productive and healthy built environ- on the planet. ment. r Healthy local foods: Dubuque is a community Implementing Sustainability: Dubuque’s Approach that values the benefits of wholesome food from Since 2006, the City of Dubuque and its partners local producers, distributors, farms, gardens, and have undertaken numerous projects to help imple- hunters. ment sustainability as a priority:

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 13 r Hiring a sustainability coordinator r Creating and hosting an annual Growing Sustain- Implementing sustainability at the community level able Communities Conference means that you must plan for sustainability by r Creating an asset map of sustainable initiatives in incorporating sustainability principles into plans, the community r policies, codes, and guidelines. Adopting the Sustainable Dubuque model r Developing a green pledge card, partnering with the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Of- their sustainability, and achieve balance among cul- fice of Sustainability r tural, environmental, and economic systems. Partnering with IBM to become the first Smarter Sustainable City in North America The Dubuque SDAT conference in 2007 focused on r More initiatives are listed on the website five major land use and urban design issues: (www.sustainabledubuque.org). r Urban sprawl versus planned and managed In addition to these projects and initiatives, which growth r are part of the Sustainable Dubuque initiative, im- Bluff development versus preservation r plementing sustainability at the community level Stormwater runoff versus management r also involves moving forward with plans. As a city Traditional development versus sustainable de- planner, I believe that sustainability is sound urban sign r planning. Planners tend to take a broad and long- Neighborhood disinvestment versus neighbor- range view, considering the interrelatedness of the hood revitalization components of the big picture. All planning decisions should be assessed or based on all three sus- Community members worked with national SDAT tainability elements. Progress in only one area to volunteer consultants to identify ways to achieve the detriment of the others is not fundamentally economic prosperity, ecological integrity, and social sustainable. equity.

Implementing sustainability at the community level In 2009, the Dubuque SDAT Report was incorpo- means that you must plan for sustainability by in- rated into the Sustainable Dubuque Plan as well as corporating sustainability principles into plans, poli- the city’s new Uniﬁed Development Code (UDC). cies, codes, and guidelines. In doing so, you’ll over- The UDC combined and updated the city’s zoning, come challenges in a sustainable, balanced, inte- subdivision, site development, and historic preserva- grated way, translating vision into action. Here are tion regulations. Although traditional development a few examples of how Dubuque is implementing a is still allowed, it is now the exception. Subdivision sustainable vision. and site development regulations have been extensively revised to promote sustainable measures, such as conservation subdivision design, solar access, Sustainable Design low-impact development, and accommodations for In 2007 the American Institute of Architects pedestrians, bicycles, and public transit. (AIA) Center for Communities by Design selected Dubuque to receive technical assistance under the Historic Millwork District Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT) pro- In 2009, the National Trust’s Ofﬁce of Sustainability gram. SDAT is AIA’s community assistance program selected Dubuque, Iowa, and Seattle, Washington, focusing on the principles of sustainability. The col- to participate in a Preservation Green Lab demon- laborative SDAT program brings together teams of stration project. This project has at the heart of its volunteer professionals (architects, urban designers, mission the concept that the embodied energy (en- planners, and others) to work with community deci- ergy previously used to create a product or building) sion makers and stakeholders to help them develop found in historic structures needs to be at the heart a vision and framework for a sustainable future, fur- of a city’s sustainability strategy. The Preservation nish a roadmap for communities seeking to improve Green Lab in Dubuque will focus on the Historic

14 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 Millwork District and uniting historic preservation on the plan’s recommendations and to identify mar- standards with smart energy systems for adaptive ket demand. building reuse. Implementation of the Historic Millwork District At the turn of the twentieth century, the Historic Master Plan has begun, with completion of a Dis- Millwork District was one of the largest millwork- trict Energy System Feasibility Study; design of ing concentrations in the nation. There were dozens streets, utilities, and streetscape improvements that of companies, with some twenty-five hundred jobs. balance Complete Streets accessibility with historic Most industries closed in the 1960s and 1970s, preservation; and adoption of Architectural Design however, and the area has sat largely vacant since Guidelines and a Planned Unit Development (PUD) then. ordinance with custom zoning and sustainable development regulations. Today, the Historic Millwork District is seventeen blocks of brick warehouses with more than a mil- The Historic Millwork District Master Plan incorpo- lion square feet of vacant space; streets with his- rates the sound principles of environmental planning toric pavers, gravel, and railroad tracks down the and urban planning as a model sustainable district. center; active millworking and metalworking indus- The framework on the master plan is organized into tries; and limited off-street parking or green space. five infrastructure systems, or layers. These urban An elevated freeway and railroad tracks on the east ecosystems are water, energy, development, vege- and south now separate the Historic Millwork Dis- tation and open space, and arts and culture. Each trict from the Mississippi Riverfront and the Port infrastructure system sets forth goals and objectives of Dubuque, a $400 million brownfield redevel- for district revitalization and sustainability. opment of entertainment, office, and commercial uses. Downtown lies to the east. To the north is Blue Infrastructure: Water. Water consists of rain and the Washington Neighborhood, a low-to-moderate- stormwater, wastewater, and domestic water. The income neighborhood with the city’s oldest housing, overall goals of the blue infrastructure are to im- the highest percentages of rental properties and mi- prove water quality, reduce reliance on water sup- norities, and the lowest property values. ply and wastewater management systems, manage stormwater locally, and reduce the district’s “water Despite these barriers and challenges, we have a footprint” (similar to a community’s carbon foot- vision of sustainable development for the historic print). district. The vision found in the 2009 Historic Millwork District Master Plan is for “a com- Orange Infrastructure: Energy. Energy includes the munity reconnected with surrounding neighbor- electrical, heating, and cooling infrastructure. The hoods, reenergized with housing, retail, offices, overall goals of the orange infrastructure are to re- galleries, entertainment, and employment, and reduce per capita energy consumption; enhance effi- imagined as a laboratory for sustainable practices cient electrical and HVAC systems that minimize and technologies.” the district’s carbon footprint; and create and use locally available, alternative, and renewable en- The planning process engaged a twenty-two- ergy sources. Possible options are being evaluated: member project steering committee, along with city re-creating the historic districtwide heating and officials, city staff, property and business owners, cooling system, producing onsite energy, and moni- neighborhood representatives, a grassroots group toring energy use. advocating for district revitalization, artists and preservationists, and the general public. Use of vi- Gray Infrastructure: Development. Development con- suals with multiple focus groups and public input sists of buildings, parking, streets, and other redevel- meetings to supply information, share ideas, and opment. The overall goals of the gray infrastructure give feedback characterized the planning process. In are to use the embodied energy of historic buildings, addition to the master plan, an economic feasibility preserve historic significance, increase the pedestrian and market study was conducted as a reality check experience, create better access to other districts,

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 15 organize land use patterns to cluster complementary sities. National partners are the National Trust for land uses, ﬁnd creative parking solutions, and foster Historic Preservation’s Ofﬁce of Sustainability, the opportunities for new construction—all at minimal International Council for Local Environmental Ini- environmental cost. tiatives (ICLEI), and IBM’s Smarter Sustainable City initiative. Green Infrastructure: Vegetation and Open Space. Veg- etation and open space includes vegetation, parks, So, what are the factors contributing to a successful and open space. The overall goal of the green in- sustainability initiative in Dubuque? frastructure is to create strategic locations for open space, pervious places, gardens, and recreation ar- First, critical to success is a strong and committed eas. These green spaces may be developed as private leadership that makes sustainability a community outdoor space on rooftops and in courtyards, and priority. Without the leadership of the mayor and as public space in green corridors. city council, a plan cannot take root.

Red Infrastructure: Arts and Culture. Arts and culture Second, developing long-standing strategic partner- consists of arts and cultural spaces, amenities, and ships is important for integrating the various eco- expressions that reinforce the area’s identity. The nomic, environmental, and social elements of our overall goals of the red infrastructure are to nur- sustainability plan. ture the arts community in the district, collaborate and encourage expression of historical and cultural Third, community engagement at all stages— identity, and create a sense of place (art can be ev- visioning, planning, and implementation—is neces- erywhere, and architecture is art). sary for the sustainability plan to reﬂect the desires and views of the citizens. A top-down approach In addition to these integrated strategies, strong will not educate or empower our residents and busi- partnerships and cooperation between the public nesses. and private sectors form the cornerstone for the Historic Millwork District. The strategic partners Finally, integrated strategies for planning and im- include private property owners; city, state, and fed- plementation require communication, feedback, and eral governments; downtown development organi- knowledge. Inspiring sustainability must reach be- zation; economic development corporation; and the yond city hall to employers, schools, neighborhoods, chamber of commerce. Additional partners are lo- and individuals to change behavior. cal grassroots advocates for sustainability, arts and culture, and historic preservation; nonproﬁts; the community foundation; AIA Communities by De- Laura Carstens has been planning services manager for the City of Dubuque, Iowa, since 1989. sign; public utilities; and area colleges and univer-

16 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 Small Physics in Social Change

Chattanooga’s Visioning Process BY JOSHUA H. MCMANUS

Promoting civic engagement regionally is as over- Place making was essential in that effort. RiverCity whelming as it is nebulous. Planning agencies, gov- Company, a local not-for-proﬁt focused on down- ernment programs, and private foundations in the town development, was one project launched out Southeast have historically operated with the ex- of Vision 2000. Among the past decade’s work is perience of the individual in mind, and healthy redevelopment of Chattanooga’s Riverfront, long local input keeps regional planning in this area separated from the city by a multilane road and largely sustainable. Soliciting user feedback in in- signiﬁcant environmental degradation. A once- stitutional processes, though, is different from en- abandoned industrial site is now a popular park; gaging a whole community—a lesson we learn daily a condemned road is now the world’s longest in Chattanooga, Tennessee. pedestrian footbridge.

Chattanooga is home to Stand, the world’s largest From the beginning, Stand’s vision was different survey-based community visioning effort. It started from Vision 2000. A planning group joined Culp, in 2008 with Mayor Claude Ramsey’s call to ac- Hinton, and me and together we committed to “cit- tion. Following an intensive bidding process that izen making”—giving the public outlets for civic en- brought a Volkswagen manufacturing plant to the gagement. It would start with a four-question sur- city, Ramsey addressed Chattanooga’s Rotary Club vey but lead to something far more meaningful. We and asked, What comes next? How could or- wanted to build the capacity of Chattanoogans to ganizations, businesses, and especially individuals actively engage in the process. leverage this economic driver for the greater local good? Over the course of five months in summer 2009, we planned to ask as many residents as possible four Perhaps it was the tale of the automotive industry’s simple questions: decline, and of midsized cities devastated by it, that fueled Ramsey’s request. Whatever the mayor’s mo- 1. What do you like about the Chattanooga region? tivation, the plea didn’t fall on deaf ears. Business 2. Imagine the best possible Chattanooga region. leaders responded from across sectors, including a Describe it. group of individuals supporting entrepreneurship lo- 3. What challenges must be addressed? cally: Stephen Culp, CEO of Smart Furniture; Wade 4. What actions, big or small, can you take to help? Hinton, today Volkswagen’s chief counsel; and I as cofounder of the nonprofit CreateHere. We share In setting goals, a timeline, and milestones for dis- the belief that Chattanooga’s legacy will be a sur- tribution of these questions, we looked to our peers. prising one. Among the two most influential visioning efforts we researched were Portland’s VisionPDX and Cal- Contrary to popular opinion, Chattanooga is a hub gary’s imagineCALGARY, where organizers col- for innovation, business development, industry, cre- lected eighteen thousand surveys in under two years. ative enterprise, and, notably, community visioning. On the basis of these timelines and numbers, we set Stand was successful because it followed another ef- the aggressive goal of collecting twenty-five thou- fort dating back two decades. Vision 2000, launched sand surveys in five months. in 1984, supported revitalization of the city’s downtown corridor and an increase in arts and cultural CreateHere stepped in at this point, furnishing or- development citywide. Regionally, Chattanooga is ganizational resources to support the planning com- known for civic engagement because of this pivotal mittee’s goal. Stand headquarters was housed in moment in our history. our offices, and a team of designers and writers

c 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) National Civic Review • DOI: 10.1002/ncr.20025 • Fall 2010 17 prepared to launch the visioning effort by producing questions. By July 30, the total number of completed collateral, including volunteer guides, informational surveys was 13,184; approximately one week later, brochures, and a dynamic website featuring the sur- on August 7, we had 14,623. On August 28, with vey and resources for community organizing. 19,000 surveys, Stand became the world’s largest visioning effort, surpassing imagineCALGARY. Over The survey went live on May 3, 2009. Early on, we the next three weeks, the team would collect an anticipated most surveys would come from an online additional 6,000 surveys, meeting our goal on push, in addition to strategic partnerships with busi- September 18 with 25,000. By September 30, the last nesses employing upwards of one thousand people. day of the collection phase, the team had gathered We were wrong in regard to both assumptions. By 26,263 surveys—again, 80 percent of them through the end of the summer, more than 80 percent of the face-to-face conversations. We hoped that would be surveys had been collected through face-to-face con- just the beginning of the process. versation. Additionally, we found that a top-down approach did little to inspire ownership among re- spondents, and as such our survey return rate was remarkably low through these outlets. The Results For the next six months, the data were entered into A group of volunteers and paid ﬁeld organizers ad- a database by hand and then coded by the Univer- ministered surveys at as many public and private sity of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Center for Ap- events as possible, including Riverbend, an annual plied Social Research, after which the Ochs Center music festival where we collected 10 percent of the for Metropolitan Studies, a local research organiza- survey total in ten days; county fairs in outlying tion, analyzed the data pool. Each survey response areas; National Night Out events; neighborhood as- was broken down and coded with any combination sociation meetings across the Chattanooga Region; of seven rubric themes and countless subcategories. and even a rodeo. We connected with churches, Those rubric themes are place: natural; place: man- schools, interest groups, and media outlets. Though made; government; play; people; work; and educa- it took a month or so to catch our stride, by June tion. All told, the dataset includes 1.2 million coded 15 we had collected 6,795 surveys. Our pace would pieces of information, representing more than three quicken signiﬁcantly from then on. hundred thousand unique line responses.

Naturally, it was difficult to balance survey collection with the far more important goal of creating a We knew as early as October 1, 2009, that making community-owned and meaningful visioning effort. the enormous dataset digestible was our biggest It’s often a matter of choosing quantity or quality, but in this case we needed both. In addition to challenge—even more difficult than collecting the “drop-in” canvassing opportunities, we held open surveys. planning meetings and organized events that were Stand-specific, all with the goal of preparing the public for what followed the survey collection phase. The dataset was enormous—overwhelmingly so. We Specifically, we connected with three city council had access to the data only a few weeks before it members and hosted district barbecues. Although would be made publicly available in April 2010. Stand was on the agenda, the goal was to frame We knew as early as October 1, 2009, that making smaller neighborhood-focused visioning conversa- it digestible was our biggest challenge—even more tions; survey collection at these events was typically difficult than collecting the surveys. We struggled to low, but it was important in the process nonetheless. identify CreateHere’s role in moving the visioning process forward. What would Stand become, com- To give the collection team due justice is impos- pared to other efforts? Would it be a series of rec- sible, but suffice it to say, it was a grueling sum- ommendations for regional planning, or a resource mer for every person on our team who picked up to guide our own work? The biggest question was, a clipboard and asked neighbors the four Stand “Should we lead by example or simply make the

18 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 data available, encouraging open source informa- The numbers are telling. Although 5,912 responses tion sharing?” We opted to do both. indicated that education was a challenge, only 878 knew of ways in which they could help. It’s no sur- The process started by encouraging individuals prise, because education is a daunting issue across to make conclusions—flexible, not firm—from the the country, especially in Tennessee, where we are data. For example, in the theme of education ranked forty-one in the United States in student there are some interesting assumptions that can be achievement. The goal of Stand now that the col- made in a cross-question analysis. There were 5,912 lection phase is over is to inspire more people to responses that identified education in question three, find meaningful answers to question four—for ev- “What challenges must be addressed?” Here are a ery reaction, an equal action. few of those answers:

r Public Education. I know this is tired but it’s gotta The survey process itself was, for many, an act of be said constantly until something changes. r civic engagement, and we are using that act of Providing each child with a ﬁrst-class education “small physics” to propel greater community action and educational experience. r in the future. EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION

What’s more, 3,626 responses included education as The silver lining, despite what the data indicate, is part of a “best possible Chattanooga Region.” Some that the survey process itself was, for many, an act of them read as follows: of civic engagement, and we are using that act of r “small physics” to propel greater community action Public education that people move here for. r in the future. People participated and involved their The region would have the best educational sys- networks, with the promise they would be included tem from preschool to graduate programs in the in other processes later. This is where visioning can southeast United States. It would be a model for start to focus on citizen making. others. r Hub of education and job readiness from high As an organization, we’ve been able to break down school to college graduates. a few trends in the dataset at large that speak to the important role citizens will play in Stand’s future Finally, there were only 878 responses that in- success. CreateHere has committed to these con- cluded education in the action they could take to clusions, questions, and corresponding actions, all help. Here are some responses pulled from ques- inspired by Stand data: tion 4, “What actions, big or small, can you take to help?” Our city equals our citizens. Thirty years ago, r we wanted to love Chattanooga, and we con- Engage in conversations regarding education and nected quality of life with natural and manmade quality of life issues. Encourage others to partici- environments. Stand responses show that we’re pate in the conversation. r ready now to focus on the people populating Mentor young men and women who are inter- our region—how they live, work, and play in ested in my ﬁeld. r this place we call home. During the next thirty I can provide community-centered training and years, how can we focus on the people of Chat- education sessions at various community centers. r tanooga who populate this place? How can we Be an involved parent and participate in my promise high quality of life for the young, the child’s school and academic development. r old, and everyone in between? Support a city/county tax designated for educational milestones. r Grant-funded project to bring fruit, water, and Beautiful, but we’ve got baggage. Chattanooga’s walking to elementary schools. scenic beauty is a source of pride for citizens,

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 19 many of whom remember a time when it was not on “data rollout.” This included giving presenta- quite so lovely. We treasure the renewed beauty tions to leaders and advocacy groups tailored to of our city and need to ensure that planning their needs, distributing the Ochs Center report and growth efforts keep Chattanooga clean and on the data, promoting visioning in general for safe—from our parks to our roads, to our houses other cities, and producing tangible pieces to en- and ofﬁces. How will impending growth affect courage local engagement. Among those pieces of our natural and built environments and the ways pro-engagement collateral is a manifesto called “Re- in which we interact with them? How can we newing the Chattanooga Way,” which we made preserve the pride we feel in Chattanooga? available online, on paper, and on a twenty-ﬁve- foot banner to which people could sign their name. Education informs everything. Stand survey re- It asked Chattanoogans to pledge to be better neigh- sults show concern about Chattanooga’s future bors, more vocal citizens, and active participants in in three key areas: education, crime, and jobs. Chattanooga’s legacy of visioning. We crave public safety and access to quality education, and as a city we are ready to say that Although there was small-scale animation to cele- the safety of our streets and schools determines brate the release, we also planned for large com- our opportunities. How can we connect across munity summits in a series aptly named “Stand and differences, pairing individuals and resources? Deliver.” Because the data indicate education, pub- How can we make Chattanooga a safe, prosper- lic safety, and the environment are the most press- ous, and well-informed city? ing issues facing the community, we will facilitate a summit focused on each one. Live or work, we’ve got a place to share. Stand Each Stand and Deliver summit starts with produc- survey results show that our downtown is a tion and distribution of ground-setting documents— valuable asset, regardless of where we live in infographics, best practices, data, and interviews the region. For many, it is a hub for regional with local experts. These research pieces will be commerce, local business, and impressive attrac- widely available in several formats, and they will tions. The fact is, downtown is everyone’s busi- play a major role in engaging more than a thousand ness. How can we grow the local economy in people in two twenty-four-hour citizen summits. In downtown and in every neighborhood? How each theme, citizens will pitch potential projects, can we stimulate urban vitality? What activities produce asset maps, connect with diverse skills sets, keep us here? and act on the needs and strengths of the propos- als. At the end of the summits, groups will have ac- Changing culture, serving culture. We know tionable plans to launch projects working to make how to recycle, pick up trash, and vote, but our Chattanooga better. community wants to do more. Complex community problems can’t be solved in an eight-hour CreateHere is committed to facilitating a change workday, and the gap must be closed between process that improves education, crime, and envi- wanting to volunteer and actually volunteering. ronmental issues locally, in addition to support- How can we foster a spirit of volunteerism in ing existing organizations already making strides in Chattanooga? How can we promote opportuni- these areas. It’s crucial that citizen involvement be ties, small and large, for citizens to give freely of designed into every step of this process, from plan- their time and engage? ning to participation to implementation. Stand and Deliver is about each of us supporting our individ- Stand, Then Deliver ual and unique ability to do good whether we are With those commitments in mind, we have also an educator, leader, creative young person . . . the asked organizations, leaders, and citizens to make list goes on. These projects will be transformative in connections in the data. For this very reason, the encouraging connectivity and asking us to promote complete set is available online through a search- intersections among issue areas, neighborhoods, and able database, and we spent much of spring 2010 backgrounds.

20 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 A Work in Progress Deliver: Crime.” The survey collection phase, as CreateHere is only a few years old, but since the with the rollout and now the summits, has been launch in July 2007 we have incubated programs met with both refreshing optimism and deep cyni- promoting connectivity among arts, economic, and cism. In embracing both of these responses, we have cultural development initiatives. We are a ﬁve-year had to return to a few fundamental beliefs in what project and intend to close our doors on December Chattanooga can and should be. We agree that 31, 2011. With just over a year to do our work, public institutions should become platforms for we have switched gears and are focusing entirely on community-owned action and residents should be- what the Stand data tell us and where Chattanooga’s come citizens, engaged and enthusiastic. This is at collective imagination will lead our community. the heart of Stand, CreateHere, and, we believe, sustainable engagement projects around the world. Needless to say, the hard part has just begun. At the time this article went to press, we were in the Joshua H. McManus is cofounder of CreateHere, a place- planning stages for the ﬁrst summit, “Stand and based cultural change initiative in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 21 Sustainable Democracy in BY ASHLEY ZARELLA HAND, WITH THE Downtown Los Angeles SUPPORT OF GUNNAR HAUSER HAND

With municipal budgets declining across the United subjugation of the population to an automobile- States, local governments (city and county) must oriented culture, and a slow awakening to an alter- learn to work more efficiently and with far fewer re- native transit-friendly lifestyle. Depletion of natural sources. The economic downturn is an opportunity resources and public budgets will remain a critical to take a fresh look at how community needs are met issue for generations to come. The situation in Los and how cities themselves are administered. Sustain- Angeles is not unique to California, but problems able democracy is the incorporation of grassroots here occur in such magnitude, thanks in part to re- organizations into the decision-making process for gional interdependence, that best practices at the lo- a more comprehensive and streamlined reallocation cal level hold valuable lessons for all municipalities. of city services. By codifying direct involvement of community members into the betterment of their Background own neighborhoods, local government can foster a Like many other U.S. cities, downtown Los self-sustaining democracy that facilitates participa- Angeles suffered a post–World War II exodus of res- tion, empowers action to meet community goals, idential population from the urban core out to the and offers a relevant forum of civic engagement. suburbs. The disappearance of a streetcar system and other tragic forms of blight left Downtown Los A case study of the Downtown Los Angeles Neigh- Angeles on a list of zip codes “not to live in,” even borhood Council (DLANC) Sustainability Commit- as it remained an economic and regional govern- tee demonstrates how a city can harness grassroots ment center. After a decade of residential (mostly community organizations and volunteerism, lever- new condos and renovated lofts) and entertainment aging resources and the principles of sustainability development (Staples Center, Nokia Live, and the to effect a cultural and structural change to provi- Disney Concert Hall), introduction of an adaptive sion of city services and public infrastructure. Needs reuse ordinance and changes in perception of down- are not being met, communities want change, and town areas in general have transformed this nine-to- the democratic process must respond or else risk five central business district into a twenty-four-hour leaving constituents disenfranchised. As cities grow community. and become more complex, it is necessary to create a more dynamic framework to assess community As reported by the Downtown Center Business Im- input and optimize strategic decision making. Sus- provement District, 39,537 people lived in Down- tainability as a concept can refocus city departments, town Los Angeles in 2008, an increase from 28,878 realign decision making to increase collaboration, in 2006. Researchers for Casden Real Estate’s enhance effectiveness, and narrow budget gaps. “Multifamily Market Forecast” found in 2009 that Downtown LA, with just over thirteen hundred new units, accounted for a fourth of all new units Case Study: Los Angeles built in Los Angeles County. The residential pop- With a sinking credit rating and looming budget cri- ulation is still overwhelmed, however, by a daily sis, the City of Los Angeles is an extreme example influx of more than four hundred thousand people, of the impact the current recession has on local gov- predominantly single-occupancy-vehicle commuters ernments across the United States. The challenges who work in the downtown neighborhood but leave faced by Los Angeles have made national headlines, at the end of the day. As a regional transit hub, the and they are indicative of the diminished capacity neighborhood sees thousands of people pass through of local governments to deliver services and meet every day, and more will come with continued the needs of diverse communities citywide. We have expansion of public transportation and construction witnessed the demise of American urban cores, the of a new high-speed rail system.

c 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) 22 National Civic Review • DOI: 10.1002/ncr.20026 • Fall 2010 Downtown LA encompasses many smaller neigh- DLANC was incorporated in 2002 and has par- borhoods, including some of the region’s premiere ticipated in a significant share of the recent trans- historical and cultural assets. The Broadway The- formations downtown. In keeping with its bylaws, ater District, for instance, has one of the largest the neighborhood council represents business, res- concentrations of historic theaters located on one ident, and other stakeholder groups (e.g., artists, street and is a defining (albeit underused) jewel of arts, cultural and education, homeless, social ser- Los Angeles. Unfortunately, these nodes of activity vice providers, private sector workforce, public sec- are fragmented and physically remote from one an- tor workforce) on a twenty-eight-member publicly other. Separated by freeways and unfriendly streets, elected and city clerk–certified board of directors. these districts lack the connective tissue so neces- There are seven standing committees: affordable sary to bring them together as one Downtown LA. housing and social services; arts; education; parks, Although nearly all of downtown is within a two- recreation, and open space; planning and land use; mile walking distance, perceptions regarding safety public health and safety; and sustainability. and comfort discourage pedestrians, effectively di- viding the community. The Civic Center is a vir- The Los Angeles budget crisis has exacerbated the tual ghost town on weeknights and weekends, relationship between neighborhoods and the city separating Chinatown from the rest of downtown, in recent years, and the Department of Neighbor- and Skid Row is a psychological hole in the map. hood Empowerment (DONE) has failed to adapt Yet the broader community has the potential for to the needs of the neighborhood councils it ad- growth and increased density in the coming decades ministers. DONE has been incapable of furnishing as more buildings are converted, rehabilitated, and resources and support to the system and even en- constructed. These land use changes (many of the cumbered progress with slow response time and red area’s barren parking lots are destined for large de- tape. These setbacks show the failure of the local velopment projects) must be matched with upgrades government to effectively use its human capital, but to the transportation system and public right-of- they constitute ample opportunity as well for the way, our most valuable and plentiful open space. Sustainability Committee and its potential to ad- With significant elbow grease and creative thinking, vance the goals of sustainability for the city and many self-proclaimed urban pioneers have emerged create a more walkable neighborhood. to lead a significant grassroots transformation of downtown into a more livable environment. The re- DLANC Sustainability Committee cently adopted Downtown Street Standards is an Launched in October 2008 by Ashley Zarella Hand example of a paradigm shift occurring, although with the support of Gunnar Hauser Hand, the slowly, in Los Angeles. Sustainability Committee is empowered by volunteerism and partnerships. Through a planning process, the Sustainability Committee has worked with Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council the community to identify topics of interest or con- The Los Angeles Neighborhood Council system cern, study them, and present research findings with was a solution at a time of crisis for the city. data-driven recommendations for consideration by The local government was being challenged for other neighborhood councils and the city council. its failed representation of neighborhood interests, By focusing on general issues and resources that are and entire communities were threatening secession. relevant citywide, the Sustainability Committee has With a charter revision in 1999, the City of Los developed a “resource toolkit” to help leverage com- Angeles created a system of self-determined neigh- munity needs across a variety of organizations and borhood associations, funded (currently $45,000 facilitate community involvement in creating a tem- annually) by the city but each unique in its bylaws, plate for the solution. election procedure, boundaries, and stakeholder definitions. Neighbors worked together to define The Sustainability Committee is structured to sup- their neighborhood councils, and the city has now port and lend its name to small groups and individu- officially recognized and funded eighty-nine organi- als who want to effect change in their neighborhood. zations. In this sense, the committee is a vehicle to promote

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 23 local leadership on sustainability issues. If a commu- people can collect what they need to grow locally. As nity member wants to start a tree planting project a kickoff to the Skid Row Tree Planting Project, the on his or her street, help design our website, or Sustainability Committee hosted a “tree fair” and just participate in the development of a downtown invited tree organizations to promote their programs sustainability plan, the committee is there to facil- focused on urban forestry, fruit trees, and commu- itate any level of interest. The Sustainability Com- nity gardens; it also conducted tree survey training mittee has grown into a network of stakeholders for our pilot project volunteers. Hosted in the Cen- who act as a framework for community-based ini- tral Public Library, this event attracted people inter- tiatives that enhance the livability, affordability, and ested in tree planting, including representatives from efficiency of Downtown LA. a local grocery store who used resources from this event to kick off their own tree planting project. Af- With basic strategies for education, outreach, and ter the success of the Skid Row pilot, which planted advocacy, city-supported grassroots engagement thirty-one trees along the city’s industrial backbone, can expand the capacity of local government to meet the Sustainability Committee developed a how-to identified sustainability goals. These organizations guide on tree planting projects in Downtown LA, can help the city identify needs, lend more under- which has helped several other tree planting projects standing to inform reallocation of services, and dis- get started without reinventing the wheel. seminate information for increased participation in programs designed to meet sustainability goals. Local government can facilitate a network for neighborhood councils to access information and down- Education load best practices and consolidate their outreach at “Park[ing] Day LA 2008”—a block party spon- the community level. From the onset, the Sustain- sored by a variety of local officials, businesses, and ability Committee has focused on going through all nonprofits to celebrate the need for more parks the required steps of the bureaucracy, documenting downtown—was one of our first events as DLANC the process, and offering our insights for future gen- directors. As opposed to the traditional “guerrilla” erations. Too many community-based initiatives are nature of the event, the Sustainability Committee crushed by the complexity of the process, and large received a permit for a street closure, laid down local bureaucracies are difficult to navigate. With AstroTurf, and conducted extensive outreach on city our reports and experiences in hand, the govern- services at our temporary park-for-a-day. By sup- ment, bureaucracy, and people can work together porting a feel-good event that offered the public and plan for a better, more effective procedure education and outreach materials on topics of inter- for efficient implementation of community-based est (local basketball leagues, dog parks, open space, initiatives. recycling), the neighborhood council served as an organization with broad reach that passes along A primary objective has been to develop and main- valuable information to the community—not to tain a resource toolkit to empower and ignite com- mention a good time with local music, live art, and munity engagement in sustainable best practices. To a mini dog park. After the event, the Sustainability increase participation and ultimately meet regional Committee developed a report to outline the steps goals for reduced emissions, for instance, it is neces- to plan a similar event, and others have used this in sary to create a walkable urban environment where their own communities elsewhere in the city. people are encouraged to get out of their cars and get some exercise by walking from home to work. The Sustainability Committee has emphasized By educating the community on the benefits of walk- knowledge as a key asset for any community. Green ing, understanding issues around pedestrian and cy- living and open space have been pervasive themes clist safety, and determining what will ultimately in almost all of our projects, and our goal is to em- benefit the neighborhood through research and power the community to adopt best practices. The investigation, individuals are empowered to address Urban Garden Guide (2010) gives downtown resi- a particular concern or topic of interest. The toolkit dents information on classes and workshops, local represents documentation of these efforts, supplying gardening supplies, and some guidance as to where resources for civic engagement.

24 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 As a grassroots organization, we find it takes a little ier to identify common interests and projects to meet creativity to determine the best way to encourage these needs, and grassroots organizations can be in walking, pedestrian and cyclist safety, and an a position to assume the role to meet these needs improved streetscape within its means (total 2009– more efficiently than citywide government can. 10 committee budget: $6,000). As a professional city planner, Gunnar initiated revision of the DLANC Each volunteer brings a network of friends, as- Planning and Land Use Committee’s (PLUC) “De- sociations, and specialties that increase the poten- velopment Principles, Criteria, and Guidelines” and tial of the overall organization to reach more peo- formally introduced the concept of “sustainable” ple. We have leveraged these existing networks and development to the Neighborhood Council. As the forged new relationships to extend our reach. We city-sanctioned neighborhood voice, the PLUC re- have partnered with stakeholders to help us under- views downtown development projects and offers stand sometimes complex issues. In turn, the Sus- community input. The revised guidelines incorpo- tainability Committee has tracked and reported on rate standards such as LEED, landscape and build- community feedback to the DLANC Board, city ing design guidelines for low-impact development council, city departments, and other stakeholder (LID), and a starting point for an improved ur- groups while fostering a positive, inclusive environ- ban environment. The planning committee bene- ment for civic engagement. fited from a professional planner’s volunteer time and developed reasonable community expectations and topics for consideration with a public process. If the city relied more heavily on neighborhood-level There will always be more work to be done, but organizations for community feedback, it could po- this was a positive step toward a more strategic sustainability plan for the neighborhood. tentially eliminate departmental budgets for outreach and public relations and focus on delivery of The Sustainability Committee strives to foster indi- essential services. vidual commitment to best practices at home and in the workplace, which can have a remarkable cu- mulative effect in a dense neighborhood. Education By sharing best practices with other neighborhood is the first step in identifying solutions and empow- councils, the Sustainability Committee has evolved ering individual action. By creating a resource for into a knowledgeable resource for the City of Los the neighborhood to access local educational op- Angeles and increased the efficiency of our volunteer portunities, whether through other organizations or hours. Our volunteers help us establish needs, iden- sponsored by the neighborhood council, the Sus- tify lacking services, and focus on increasing partici- tainability Committee has helped people understand pation in existing city services (water, energy, waste) what they can do to help sustain their community. that may address those concerns. If the city relied more heavily on neighborhood-level organizations Outreach for community feedback, it could potentially elimi- After several months of surveying participants in the nate departmental budgets for outreach and public early meetings of the Sustainability Committee, we relations and focus on delivery of essential services. saw that the neighborhood had concerns and interest By representing anyone with a vested interest in in issues as varied as the stakeholders represented. Downtown LA, this grassroots organization has A 2009 introduction to place making and a commu- superseded traditional institutional boundaries and nity charrette by James Rojas and Project for Pub- engaged a civic-minded population that desires im- lic Spaces (New York City) gave the Sustainability provement where they live, work, and play. Committee insights regarding healthy public space. Whether on Skid Row or from the American Insti- In addition, as the Sustainability Committee identi- tute of Architects (AIA), people all share the need fies city services that are affordable and practical for for more green space, hospitable open space, shade, stakeholders, the city can begin to eliminate redun- and recreation. Because the scale of the neighbor- dant and underused programs to close their budget hood is more “human,” it can be substantially eas- gaps. If there is no demand, it should not be a city

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 25 service supported by public funds. Some needs are NIMBYs (not in my back yard) were impressed by also difficult for the city to address and should be the professionalism of this process, the caliber of ex- handled by networks of other community stakehold- pertise at the table, and our ability to bring people ers. In turn, the city has given outreach material to together on common issues. The objective is to create the Sustainability Committee to help increase par- a comprehensive community greening strategy that ticipation in programs in demand in our neighbor- enables us to guide future development and decision hood (for example, the new multifamily recycling making to more sustainable solutions for both our programs). built environment and public health; the support of these stakeholders is critical to its success. The Sustainability Committee has used a variety of its own tools to facilitate outreach to the As a community voice, the Sustainability community, among them maps, emails, a blog and Committee has empowered individuals to raise website, bilingual posters and handouts, and of- issues of interest by creating a forum for discussion fice hours. In a community with a diverse pop- and research. In return, we are able to access ulation, we cannot always rely on the Internet city leadership with data-driven solutions and to get the word out about what is happening in recommendations as a city-sanctioned organization. the neighborhood; by establishing one evening of When one community member took time to research the week, volunteers can set aside some time to the impact of Styrofoam waste on our landfills, come into the DLANC office and work with the documented other municipal policies, and presented Sustainability Committee chairs on their neighbor- his findings to the committee, we wrote a letter hood initiatives. We have expanded our capabili- requesting an ordinance study to ban this material in ties by developing templates for outreach to make restaurants. Upon receipt, the Bureau of Sanitation it easier for us to mobilize when needed. We have solicited our research to help them understand the offered extensive outreach for other projects and potential impact this might have. By empowering organizations that are addressing our mission, and one individual, a volunteer, we efficiently gave the more community members are taking an active role city a basis for evaluating existing city services and in spreading the word about what we are trying to ordinances. accomplish together. Because we are a volunteer-led organization, we fo- Advocacy cus on maximizing the time the community is will- The most significant role of the Sustainability Com- ing to give by tapping into what already exists and mittee is advocate for the neighborhood. Initially, mobilizing support for initiatives and ideas already we focused on bringing in expertise to enhance our conceived. The Sustainability Committee recently capacity and build a reputation in the community supported a Car-Free Friday program meant to en- as a positive resource. In 2009, the Sustainability courage people to get out of their cars and onto Committee applied for an AIA Sustainable Design bicycles. Developed by the LA Bicycle Coalition, Assessment Team (SDAT) grant, which gives com- the Sustainability Committee viewed this program munity assistance to cities looking to establish and as a great way to encourage use of public tran- attain sustainability goals. The grant brought a team sit and walkable streets and has sent letters to the of professionals from across the country to assist the city council to encourage their support. Because the neighborhood council in understanding its potential infrastructure for this program, including business within the existing framework of the city, leveraging incentives, has already been developed, the Sustain- partnerships and existing resources, and ultimately ability Committee can focus on increasing awareness driving a vision for a greener future. to garner more grassroots support.

With months of preparation and ongoing commu- By becoming a trusted voice of the Downtown LA nity projects, the Sustainability Committee brought community, the Sustainability Committee has be- in a broad range of stakeholders to participate in the gun to champion causes long neglected in the city. SDAT visit. Organizations that have traditionally Using the power of suggestion, we help city govern- dismissed neighborhood councils as misinformed ment become more informed about local issues. By

26 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 generating broader awareness of some of these is- communities, cities, regions, and states. A few sug- sues, we also create a more informed public that gestions for how you can lend sustainable democ- has the tools to successfully effect a behavioral and racy to your neighborhood: cultural shift to a more sustainable or less wasteful lifestyle. Change comes from within, and nothing will change unless we change our own behavior and then that of Moving Forward our households, families, neighborhoods, communi- There are myriad challenges to grassroots en- ties, cities, regions, and states. gagement, and strong personalities can derail its legitimacy and weaken potential. If structured appropriately for its mission, however, a grassroots organization can be accessible, engaging, and Learn from others, and avoid reinventing the transformative. When DLANC went through its wheel whenever possible. Check out what the roles-and-responsibilities exercise for the board Sustainability Committee has done in Down- of directors, everyone was invited, but it was town Los Angeles in only a couple of years, Ashley’s leadership that produced a recommenda- at www.downtownsustainability.com. Use this tion and implemented results. In this sense, lead- website as a resource for ideas and a starting ership becomes a necessary component to a quality point if you are thinking about volunteering your grassroots organization but should be balanced with time. Local governments usually offer a lot more opportunity for broad participation and decision than the average citizen is aware of, and their making. Leaders must delegate and empower others frustration is a result of lack of information. The to work toward common objectives. If the leader is Sustainability Committee has focused on pro- the one who ends up doing all your work, then you moting existing programs and services in a way probably have not inspired many people to become that strategically maximizes benefits for all. involved. In fact, you have probably been taken advantage of. Get involved with your community through a local chapter of a national nonprofit, business im- Municipal governments should seek to actively pro- provement district, or home association. These mote and engage grassroots organizations in the groups are the foundation for a coalition to pro- decision-making process and furnish resources to in- mote sustainability. If you think in terms of sus- crease their capacity. By empowering these groups, tainability, you will see that all our interests are whether official or quasi-official, local governments interrelated and can benefit one another. If your can extend the municipality’s effectiveness through local government does not have a neighborhood use of free citizen hours. The return for these citizens council system, or if you are unsatisfied with is delivering on the change that they seek and feeling it, work to change it or create a new one. The a strong sense of community ownership and pride city department that oversaw LA’s neighbor- as a result of their impact. With sustainability as a hood councils was just merged with another city framework, you can engage a wide audience with department thanks to cost-saving measures. This various interests. Sustainability is an overarching is an opportunity to promote a more efficient principle to coordinate the community’s goals and and sustainable neighborhood council system. objectives. The Sustainability Committee can act as a conduit for any individual interest in the com- You can engage all members of the community munity, while the collaborative approach increases by recognizing individual skills and supplying productivity and cost-effectiveness with the support a multitude of mechanisms for engagement. As of multiple community partners. one of the SDAT members, Jim Dier, advised us, we need to sustain a “yes we can” attitude Change comes from within, and nothing will change toward civic engagement and avoid the pitfalls of unless we change our own behavior and then “no.” With a little time and enthusiasm, together that of our households, families, neighborhoods, we can change the world.

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 27 References 2010, from http://dlanc.com/planning/dpluc-development- “2010 Casden Real Estate Multifamily Market Forecast.” principles. Marshall School of Business & School of Policy, Planning, “Downtown Street Standards.” City of Los Angeles, 2009. and Development, University of Southern California. Re- Retrieved June 28, 2010, from http://www.urbandesignla trieved June 28, 2010, from http://www.usc.edu/schools/ .com/downtown guidelines.htm. sppd/lusk/casden/pdfs/multifamily-report-2010.pdf. Downtown Center Business Improvement District. “Down- Ashley Zarella Hand currently works as an architectural de- town Los Angeles: Demographic Study 2008.” Retrieved July signer for the international ﬁrm AECOM. 7, 2010, from http://www.downtownla.com/ﬁles/DCBID- Gunnar Hauser Hand is currently on the board of the Los Downtown-LA-Demo-Study-2008.pdf. Angeles Chapter of the American Planning Association and is Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council. “Devel- chair of railLA, a coalition of architects and planners working opment Principles, Criteria and Guidelines for the Eval- to bring high-speed rail to California. uation of Proposed Projects.” 2009. Retrieved June 28,

28 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 Creating a Civic Vision for the

Central Delaware Riverfront BY HARRIS M. STEINBERG

The Delaware River is a significant natural resource the Delaware River, each with parking for more that begins in upstate New York and empties into than four thousand cars. There was no credible the Atlantic Ocean 360 miles to the south. Along process for making informed choices about public its route, the river creates the border between the space, riverfront access, the quality of development, states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania and serves stormwater management, transit, and the compre- the Port of Philadelphia. The industry that flour- hensive impact of growth on the city and region. ished along the river from colonial times until after World War II gained Philadelphia the reputation as Philadelphia’s outmoded zoning code caused the “workshop of the world.” Following World War projects to be subjected to political pressure, II, like many older industrial centers in the United with compromises brokered between neighborhood States, Philadelphia was dramatically affected by the groups and developers. Philadelphia had adopted a National Interstate and Defense Highway Act of prevailing ethos of “any development is good devel- 1956, relocation of industry to green fields outside opment.” By the summer of 2006, development in- central cities, and the movement toward suburban- tensity along the central Delaware riverfront reached ization. Over time, most of the industry along the a crescendo. Fueled by historically low interest rates Delaware riverfront in Philadelphia closed. Inter- and a ten-year residential property tax abatement state 95 was built along the river in the 1970s and program on construction, the central Delaware was 1980s, severing it from the dense residential neigh- the crux of the development debate in Philadelphia. borhoods adjacent to the river and rendering public access to the waterfront difficult. Civic Engagement and Physical Planning in At the dawn of the twenty-first century, planning by Philadelphia the Philadelphia City Planning Commission had be- Beginning in 2003, PennPraxis, the clinical arm of come an ineffective tool for economic development. the School of Design at the University of Pennsylva- The vast postindustrial parcels that lined the river nia, in partnership with Chris Satullo of the edito- came to be viewed as sites for large-scale land uses rial board of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Harris that would attract automobile traffic. Rather than Sokoloff of the Center for School Study Councils at protect the river as a public trust, the city encour- Penn’s Graduate School of Education, developed a aged suburban-style land uses along the river. The civic engagement process for large-scale urban plan- “central Delaware,” a 1,146-acre, seven-mile-long ning projects. Balancing citizen values with expert area bounded by Oregon and Allegheny Avenues, best practices to create civic planning principles, the the river, and Interstate 95, had become a disparate 2003 Penn’s Landing Forums successfully engaged landscape of shifting uses with an active port, limited the public, design professionals, academics, and and poorly accessible public spaces, and the remains government officials in rethinking waterfront devel- of the industrial past. opment in Philadelphia. The newspaper played a critical role in both convening and framing the pub- Adding to development pressures was the Com- lic dialogue. Following the success of the forums, monwealth of Pennsylvania’s 2004 decision to al- the Inquirer, the Center for School Study Councils, low casino gaming in the state, with Philadelphia and PennPraxis produced the 2005 Franklin Confer- mandated to receive two five-thousand-slot-machine ence on School Design, which permitted citizen input casinos. It was clear that at least one, if not both, into the School District of Philadelphia’s $1.6 billion of the Philadelphia casinos would be located along capital program. In 2005 and 2006, PennPraxis partnered with Sandra Shea and the editorial board c 2009. Originally printed in Proceedings of the February 2009 Participation and Design Symposium. Reprinted with permission. of the Philadelphia Daily News on the Slots and the

c 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) National Civic Review • DOI: 10.1002/ncr.20027 • Fall 2010 29 City series, which tested the physical implications of The civic engagement process for the central Pennsylvania’s gaming legislation. Delaware followed that of the Penn’s Landing Forums designed in 2002 by Satullo, Sokoloff, and These efforts earned PennPraxis a reputation as an Steinberg: honest broker in complex urban planning issues. In r the summer of 2006, with development pressures Elicit values that citizens share about the water- mounting along the central Delaware and with the front. r Philadelphia City Planning Commission moribund, Educate the public with best practices from other PennPraxis was asked by Philadelphia First Dis- cities. r trict Councilman Frank DiCicco to consider lead- Create planning principles that are based on citi- ing a public planning process for seven miles of zen values and best planning practices. r the riverfront. PennPraxis Executive Director Harris Test the planning principles through a design Steinberg, in consultation with PennDesign Dean charrette. r Gary Hack and Shawn McCaney, a program officer Publicly present the design ideas according to of the William Penn Foundation, agreed to consider values-based, citizen-derived planning principles. r the project, under these conditions: Create an iterative feedback process between the public and the design team. r r The process would be citizen-driven Work with the press to ensure that the process r The process would be open and transparent remains open and transparent. r The press would be involved r The process would advance recommendations for Thanks to the size of the project area, the politi- an implementation agency or strategy that would cized nature of the riverfront with land speculation be accountable to the public voice over many years, the possibility of two casinos with widespread opposition, and the intensity of public Councilman DiCicco brought the idea to Philadel- scrutiny as PennPraxis was treading where the city phia Mayor John F. Street, who approved the pro- had failed for more than forty years, PennPraxis posal, with the William Penn Foundation agreeing to worked quickly to gain public trust. “Street is fund the effort. On October 12, 2006, Mayor Street outsourcing the job to PennPraxis,” wrote Inga signed an executive order authorizing the work. A Saffron, the Inquirer’s architectural critic. “Its ad- forty-six-member advisory group chaired by the ex- vantage is credibility; it doesn’t answer to any polit- ecutive director of the Philadelphia City Planning ical bosses.” Commission was seated to guide the process. The advisory group included representatives of federal, PennPraxis met with almost all fifteen civic associa- state, and city offices as well as local business and tions before the first formal advisory group meeting. nonprofit leadership. Importantly, fifteen riverfront Additionally, PennPraxis led three walking tours of civic associations were represented on the advisory the river. I wrote commentary pieces for the local group. newspapers welcoming citizens to the walks, stat- ing in a Daily News commentary that “this is our moment, Philadelphia, let’s get to the water’s edge.” Ensuring Public Voice in Creation of the Civic Vision More than three hundred people attended the walks. Philadelphians had lost faith in their government’s Thus the role of the public and the press was estab- ability to adequately plan for their communities lished, indicating that an open, public relationship without resorting to “pay-to-play” politics. To guar- might keep politics at bay. antee an open process, PennPraxis partnered with the Penn Project for Civic Engagement, led by long- Augmenting the effort was the launch of time collaborator Sokoloff. Accomplishing a trans- PlanPhilly.com by PennPraxis. PlanPhilly, an alter- parent process with Philadelphia’s factionalized native media website dedicated to design and plan- political and development process would be chal- ning in Philadelphia, was to be run by Matt Golas, lenging. The press and the public would become the a professional journalist. Golas hired professional civic force field to ensure the project’s success. journalists to cover the waterfront planning process

30 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 and maintained video records and reporting on all Principle Sessions public meetings, events, and issues associated with In mid-February 2007, PennPraxis and the Penn the project on the website. PlanPhilly also served Project for Civic Engagement held three public as the main outreach arm for PennPraxis through- forums designed to create planning principles for out the process, with an e-mail distribution list that waterfront development. The forums were again at- grew to nearly four thousand members. tended by more than four hundred people, with trained moderators working once more with the Values Sessions public in small groups. These forums would cre- The possibility of having two casinos located along ate the values blueprint on which the civic vision the river motivated citizens to participate in the vi- would rest. Given the gathering storm around the sioning process, with many confused as to the pur- casino design issue, it was increasingly difficult to pose of the planning process. Some felt the process hold the public’s trust without producing design was designed to allow casinos; others thought the drawings. Many members of the public wanted to PennPraxis-led meetings were anti-casino forums. In ensure that the plans did not include casinos. To December 2006, PennPraxis and the Penn Project for retain the project’s integrity, PennPraxis remained Civic Engagement convened three forums designed neutral, arguing that the riverfront vision was not to elicit input on what people valued about the river. use-specific but rather about creating a template for More than 850 people attended the three sessions, future growth that could accommodate many types many drawn by the state’s pending casino license an- of development. nouncement. Working in small groups with moderators trained by Sokoloff, the conversation focused on civic values and away from casinos. The process To retain the project’s integrity, PennPraxis remained was covered by the local media, including radio and neutral, arguing that the riverfront vision was not TV, with PlanPhilly providing in-depth reporting. use-specific but rather about creating a template for future growth that could accommodate many types On December 20, 2006, the state awarded two casino licenses in Philadelphia to operators with cen- of development. tral Delaware riverfront casino locations. The Street administration favored casinos as an economic development tool, thus igniting a firestorm of commu- Arriving at principles was not easy, with opposition nity protest. to casinos heightening tensions between the process and the public. At the third principle session, held Best Practices on February 20, 2007, at Furness High School in With values established at the December forums, South Philadelphia, more than three hundred mem- PennPraxis produced a series of best practices pre- bers of the International Longshoremen’s Associ- sentations to inform citizen-derived planning prin- ation (ILA) attended and strongly expressed their ciples. More than four hundred people attended opposition to casinos and the perceived bias against presentations in early February 2007 to learn port growth in the planning process. They were con- about success stories from Seattle, Boston, New cerned that casinos and other nonriver-dependent York, and Portland. Experts in ecology, riverfront development would take away union jobs. They planning, stormwater management, public works, used the public forum as an outlet to express their politics, and riverfront implementation gave presen- frustrations. tations demonstrating the breadth of issues involved in creating a world-class waterfront. Panelists were With facilitation by Sokoloff and mediation by Jim encouraged to write commentary pieces for the In- Paylor, national vice president of the ILA, cooler quirer before the session, and a full page of opinion heads prevailed. “There is a lot more development by national experts was published in advance of the happening or potentially happening on the Delaware public meeting. This again demonstrated the impor- besides casinos. This process is not about taking a tance of the relationship among the press, the public, stand on casinos. It’s about reflecting the best way and the planning process. to re-vision the Delaware Riverfront as a whole,”

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 31 r Paylor told the crowd, enabling the work of the Southern reach of the river. Walter Hood, land- evening to proceed. scape architecture, Berkeley, California. This area included large postindustrial tracts converted into Seven principles emerged: big-box retail centers, a second casino site, and the working port. r r Reconnect the city to the river’s edge Connections to the neighborhoods. Denise Scott r Honor the river Brown, planning and urban design, Philadelphia. r Design with nature The goal for this group was to provide a frame- r Strike the right balance work for extending streets from the adjoining r Take the long view communities, a regional riverfront trail system, r Protect the public good and civic gateways. r r Make it real, Philadelphia The boulevard. Gary Hack, planning and urban design, Philadelphia. This group was charged The Design Charrette with exploring the potential for creating an urban With citizen-derived planning principles, PennPraxis boulevard. The future of I-95 was a key aspect of convened a design charrette to test the principles. the work of this group. Working closely with lead planning consultant WRT and the staff of the Philadelphia City Planning Com- The design teams were asked to respect civic plan- mission, PennPraxis assembled five design teams to ning principles. Importantly, they were not asked prepare the first graphic representations of design to come up with an actual design but to lay the ideas for the riverfront. foundation for development of the vision. The workshop was covered extensively by embedded reporters The Inquirer’s architectural critic, Inga Saffron, fol- from PlanPhilly.com who furnished live written and lowed the selection of the design team. “PennPraxis video updates to the public from the charrette. . . . has selected five internationally recognized designers to lead a three-day brainstorming event in At the March 3, 2007, public presentation of March,” wrote Saffron. “All have tackled isolated, the charrette’s ideas, attended by more than five former industrial landscapes similar to the Delaware hundred Philadelphians, each leader presented the riverfront and found ways to make them accessible team’s ideas to the public. The concepts that were and meaningful to the public.” The teams included presented included: members of the local design community, city and r state officials, and the general public. More than Create smaller parcel sizes to connect the adjoin- eighty people worked together over three days to ing neighborhoods to the river through extension arrive at planning concepts that would guide the ul- of the existing city street grid. r timate manifestation of the civic vision. Take seriously the impact of climate change and sea level rise on planning for the area. r The teams and their leadership were as follows: Reuse industrial infrastructure for “green” energy technology. r r Northern reach of the river. Peter Latz, landscape Integrate the industrial past into the public open architecture, Germany. The area included two space system. r hundred acres of former industrial rail yards, one Create high-tech employment centers that con- casino site, an underused electrical station, and nect working-class neighborhoods with the river. r an historic park. Create parks every half-mile to ensure that each r Central reach of the river. Richard Bartholomew, neighborhood has a place on the river. r architecture and urban design, Philadelphia. The Connect the new parks with a recreational trail area included six hundred feet of roadbed that system. r separated the city from the river (I-95 and Colum- Design a boulevard that includes mass transit and bus Boulevard) and a tangle of highway ramps serves as the key organizing element for a new and interstate connections, Penn’s Landing pub- street grid with a hierarchy of streets to disperse lic spaces, and scattered development. traffic.

32 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 r At the central section of the project area, cover, monthly as the vision took shape. All advisory group sink, or remove the interstate in order to recon- meetings were open to the public and covered exten- nect the city with the river. sively by PlanPhilly, and mainstream and alternative r Create civic gateways under the elevated portions presses. of the interstate between the river and neighborhoods. Casino issues continued to dog the planning pro- r Allow a wide mix of uses along the waterfront. cess. In May 2007, the Philadelphia City Planning r Manage stormwater through smart ecological Commission approved the site plan for the casino infrastructure. destined for the northern section of the project area. This caused a rift between the civic associations On Monday, March 5, Saffron wrote on the front and the Planning Commission. In June, the advisory page of the Inquirer: “After three days of inten- group, led by the representative from Society Hill sive workshops designed to generate fresh ideas for Civic Association, moved to have the PennPraxis vi- Philadelphia’s languishing Delaware waterfront, five sion include drawings with and without the casinos. dozen bleary-eyed planners and architects put aside This helped save the process from collapsing. their maps, satellite photos and sketches on Satur- day evening, and jointly called on city and state of- During the summer of 2007, members of the de- ficials to deal with the highway canyon that cuts off velopment community began to focus attention on the city from the river of its birth.” The next day, the project. The process was coming to be viewed March 6, the Inquirer’s editorial affirmed “Burying as a new way of planning in Philadelphia, one in I-95: Costly But Worth It.” which public process and informed civic dialogue were central to decision making. In a city known for Refinement, Engagement, and Some Bumps in the Road transactional planning, this began to concern some After five months, nearly three thousand Philadel- consultants experienced in working within the ex- phians had participated in the creation of the civic isting system. In particular, some owners and their vision. Through effective public outreach, sophisti- representatives objected to the proposal for extend- cated civic engagement, and strong press and me- ing a street grid over existing properties. dia relationships, the riverfront planning process captured the public’s imagination. Following the Working with the Planning Commission staff and design workshop in March 2007, PennPraxis, work- members of the city’s law department, PennPraxis ing closely with the planning firm of WRT as its confirmed that the city had the legal ability to place lead consultant and the staff of the Philadelphia new streets on the official city plan. At a public City Planning Commission, refined the vision us- meeting of the Planning Commission in October ing the three planning networks that grew out of the 2007, PennPraxis presented the emerging vision to charrette: the commission for informational purposes. The vi- r Movement. SA network of streets across the sion included a street grid and network of parks and project with light rail, a central boulevard, and open spaces. Some development community mem- explorations for the future of I-95 bers attempted to discredit the vision. Members of r Open space. A network of parks and open spaces the press were present, among them Sandy Shea, ed- to connect the public with the river, manage itorial page editor of the Daily News, and Saffron stormwater, and increase park space from 8 to of the Inquirer. Both wrote commentaries and edi- 330 acres torials in support of the vision. By this time, more r Development. Development guidelines for a than four thousand Philadelphians had participated pedestrian-scaled, urban extension of Philadel- in the yearlong planning process. phia to the river Public Presentation of the Vision PennPraxis worked with the Penn Project for Civic Press coverage leading up to the November 2007 Engagement to present the planning concepts to public presentation of the civic vision was exten- community members for feedback in the summer sive. The implicit partnership between the press and of 2007. The advisory group continued to meet public enabled PennPraxis to deliver on its promise

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 33 of a citizen-driven, open, and transparent planning. Civic Engagement were able to establish and sustain Brad Maule, writing in the widely read local blog public trust over a thirteen-month public planning PhillySkyline.com, noted: “The people crying foul process thanks to several factors: at this plan are not listening to reason. There is r As an arm of the School of Design at the Univer- room for everything in a periodic, long term trans- sity of Pennsylvania, PennPraxis was viewed as a formation of an ugly, post-industrial riverfront into neutral party not beholden to special interests. a working, cohesive, coherent, organic riverfront.” r The role of the William Penn Foundation was crit- Chris Satullo, former editorial page editor of the ical to the success of the project. The foundation’s Inquirer and a columnist at the time, wrote that investment in the project enabled PennPraxis to “the plan would compel the city to abandon its implement a process on a scale not previously at- piecemeal, deal-by-deal method of building its river- tempted in Philadelphia. front.” On the day of the launch, Saffron, writing r The executive order signed by Mayor Street gave again on the front page of the Inquirer, said, “The the project the imprimatur of city government. nonprofit group charged with bringing order to the r The Penn Project for Civic Engagement’s exper- haphazard development of Philadelphia’s Delaware tise in designing and facilitating civic dialogue es- waterfront will issue a major policy report tonight tablished a respectful methodology for a public that calls on the new mayor to launch an aggressive conversation. effort to reshape the auto-dominated strip into a r Creation of planning principles based on civic val- pedestrian-friendly environment.” Saffron went on ues established a common language for a design to write that “while the PennPraxis blueprint fo- response that reflected the voice of the public. cuses on the central riverfront, it is also a plea for a r PennPraxis’s relationship with the press, both thoughtful, preemptive approach to planning.” mainstream and alternative, kept the process under close public scrutiny. On the evening of November 14, 2007, PennPraxis r The combination of strong civic participation and presented “A Civic Vision for the Central Delaware” continued press support allowed an open and to an overflow crowd of more than fifteen hundred transparent process. Philadelphians at the Pennsylvania Convention Cen- ter. After an animated video flyover of what the Creation of Civic Vision for the Central Delaware waterfront might look like in thirty years, there took place against the backdrop of a mayoral was a standing ovation from the audience, which election that hinged on political reform. Michael represented a cross section of Philadelphia with Nutter, the incoming mayor who was elected a week members of the working class, young professionals, before the public launch of the vision, ran on a plat- students, and politicians all gathered in one room. form that included reform of Philadelphia’s broken The success of the planning process is summarized planning and development process. by Feather Houstoun, president of the William Penn Foundation. Houstoun, who was seated at the front Following launch of the vision, PennPraxis worked of the capacity crowd that evening and could not see with the fifteen civic associations that partici- the people behind her, commented to me that “ap- pated in the planning process by executive order plause for different parts of the vision came from to create the Central Delaware Advocacy Group. different parts of the rooms, almost like a political CDAG’s mission is to advocate for implementa- convention with different constituencies approving tion of the plan. With CDAG, PennPraxis issued different ideas.” An Action Plan for the Central Delaware: 2008– 2018 (http://www.planphilly.com/vision). Nutter’s deputy mayor for planning and economic develop- Lessons Learned and an Ongoing Process ment, Andrew Altman—a planner with waterfront Creation of the civic vision for the central Delaware experience—supported the vision, and in June 2008 was an active and iterative process that involved cit- Mayor Nutter embraced the plan before five hun- izens, professionals, academics, and policy makers. dred citizens. He vowed to reform the Penn’s Land- In designing and implementing such a public engage- ing Corporation, the nearly forty-year-old public ment strategy, PennPraxis and the Penn Project for agency that had failed to develop the waterfront.

34 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 “PennPraxis’ plan for the Delaware waterfront is Maule, B. “14 November 2007: Showtime on the expected to turn on a major reconstitution of the fal- Riverfront.” Retrieved Feb. 2, 2009, from http://www tering agency,” wrote Saffron and Marcia Gelbart .phillyskyline.com/archive 0711b.htm. under a banner headline in the Inquirer. Saffron, I. “Welcome Step, and High Time, on Waterfront Master Plan.” Philadelphia Inquirer, Oct. 6, 2006, p. A6. In January 2009, Nutter delivered on his promise to Saffron, I. “Brainstorming on the Delaware.” Philadelphia reform the opaque Penn’s Landing Corporation. In Inquirer, Feb. 8, 2007, p. B3. a Philadelphia Daily News editorial that followed Saffron, I. “City’s Biggest Block: The Great I-95 Divide.” the January 30 event, editorial page editor Sandra Philadelphia Inquirer, Mar. 5, 2007, p. A1. Shea hailed the creation of the new corporation as Saffron, I. “A Walkable Waterfront.” Philadelphia Inquirer, “the result of 18 months of a very public planning Nov. 14, 2007, pp. A1, A12. process, a shining example of consensus building for the common good.” Saffron, I., and Gelbart, M. “Call to Reform Penn’s Landing Corp.” Philadelphia Inquirer, June 26, 2008, pp. A1, A10. The lessons learned from the process of creating Satullo, C. “Citizens Invited to Explore Values, Vision for the Civic Vision for the Central Delaware are that Waterfront.” Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 11, 2007, p. C7. transparency, accountability, and integrity are criti- Shea, S. “Ending 40 Years of Folly?” Philadelphia Daily cal to a public planning process. Gaining public trust News, Feb. 8, 2009. Retrieved Feb. 15, 2009, from through sustained civic dialogue is vital to demo- http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/39300417.html. cratic egalitarian city planning. An honest and on- Steinberg, H. “Rethinking the River with Your Help.” going relationship among the public, the press, and Philadelphia Daily News, Oct. 25, 2006, p. 17. elected ofﬁcials can create a place for seeking excel- lence in the built environment. Harris M. Steinberg is adjunct assistant professor of city plan- References ning, School of Design, University of Pennsylvania and executive director, PennPraxis, School of Design, University of “Burying I-95: Costly But Worth It.” Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania. Mar. 6, 2007, p. A10.

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 35 Moving Beyond Recovery BY ROBERT BERKEBILE AND Sustainability in Rural America STEPHEN HARDY

There are some things you learn best in calm, These new building techniques require trained and some in storm. builders and creative thinking. There are hundreds of new businesses that potentially feed the vision of Willa Cather, The Song of the Lark, 1915 a sustainable rural America, and the communities that embrace new market opportunities will lead Rural communities across the country are in crisis their peers. By developing new sustainable materi- and searching for prosperity. Whether caused by a als, rural communities could even attract scientific disaster or steady decline, this is a real crisis. How researchers and entrepreneurial manufacturers. can we reverse the population decline of our heart- land, and what is possible in places with bountiful Then again, building is only one small aspect of a renewable resources, direct connection to the land, sustainable approach to rural development. There and a history of strong action? If, as some suggest, are many other sectors that also come with eco- a crisis is a terrible thing to waste, and if the op- nomic, social, and environmental benefits. One portunity is properly shepherded, we could be on example particularly relevant in rural areas is re- the precipice of a shift toward the recovery of small- newable resources. As a country, we are moving to- town vitality. ward a lean carbon economy, and from this it will be possible for our rural communities to tap their im- Throughout our history as a country, farmers have mense wind, solar, and biomass resources to become worked their fields and fed the country. They un- the nation’s largest energy producers. Not only do derstand what it means to care for the land. Our these resources create new jobs, they also generate rural communities are close to the natural sys- cleaner air and cleaner water. There is little doubt tems that power a sustainable economy. It is pos- that renewable energy is a potential boon for many sible to leverage this knowledge and use it as a small towns. competitive advantage in a potentially enormous new sector of the American economy. To do these The quality of life in a small town is a powerful things, we have to be smart about how we invest in marketing tool, and as technological innovations our communities, and we need to allocate catalytic continue to shrink the distance between home and funding to help transform some of the country’s office the feasibility of a dispersed business model is poorest areas into economically stable, productive on the rise. It is now possible for someone to live in economies. a small town and participate in the global economy. We must continue this progress and ensure every Innovations in sustainable design offer some new community has access to high-speed telecommuni- opportunities. It is possible to build new homes, cation networks. Rural economies can be reshaped schools, and businesses that consume far fewer re- to embrace holistic solutions. With a renewed sense sources, increase productivity, and improve human of economic vitality and dedication to quality of life, health. Many of these things can be done for no our rural communities can secure their future. cost premium, and virtually all have rapid economic paybacks. In communities where people are stabler and less likely to make frequent moves, the bene- Tornado Hits Greensburg, Kansas fits of more efficient, healthy, and durable buildings On May 4, 2007, an EF-5 (Enhanced Fujita Scale), could be enormous. For residents on fixed incomes, two-mile-wide tornado hit Greensburg, a town of this is no small accomplishment. Offering incentives 1,389 in southwestern Kansas. The tornado is still that allow our rural communities to embrace better the most powerful on record in the United States, long-term decision making is critical to securing the and the disaster leveled more than 90 percent of the future of small-town America. town’s buildings, killed ten people, and prompted a

c 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) 36 National Civic Review • DOI: 10.1002/ncr.20028 • Fall 2010 writer in the New York Times to observe, “Nature Street revealed one lone building standing along a had performed a coup de grace” on this “Kansas corridor that had been relatively unchanged for the town” (June 24, 2007). preceding century.

A second look reveals that this disaster was not Even at this early date, we were far from the only the only threat to Greensburg’s future. For decades, envoy already in town. FEMA and the National this rural Kansas town had struggled with an unsta- Guard were in charge, clearing debris and setting ble economy. With few opportunities for the youths up temporary facilities. It wasn’t long before the list who were leaving the area, Greensburg’s population of outside federal resources grew to include the De- had aged and decreased from nearly two thousand partment of Agriculture, Environmental Protection in the 1960s. The town was on a familiar rural de- Agency, Department of Energy, and National Re- cline. To many onlookers, Greensburg was known newable Energy Laboratory. State ofﬁcials, the news as a “dying town.” Conventional wisdom held that media, and countless volunteers also came to town, the tornado had merely ﬁnished it off. bracing against what was a very long and very hot summer.

The citizens of Greensburg found that the buildings As days went by, the community of Greensburg be- had been swept away, but the relationships forming gan to transition from survival mode toward re- the bedrock of their community remained intact. covery mode. The work of FEMA’s recovery team helped establish a path out from the piles of debris into temporary housing and through the early stages of community planning. Two large circus tents were The citizens of Greensburg had a different idea. erected in the city park to house community meet- Emerging from the rubble of their ruined town, ings, prayer sessions, and planning conversations. they found that the buildings had been swept away, South of town, “FEMAville” sprouted a new street but the relationships forming the bedrock of their network lined with white trailer homes, and the community remained intact. Drawing strength from community began dealing with the constant push these relationships, the citizens of Greensburg de- and pull between wanting to build back exactly what cided to rebuild. They recognized that things were was there before and the hope of creating something not working before and pledged to do it right. This dramatically different that would position them for agricultural community based its recovery strategy success. on respect for the land and rededication to future generations. In the wake of this terrible disaster, Public Process the community rallied around a vision of a sustain- A pervasive public process was fundamental to es- able future. tablishing a unified community vision, goals, and a strategy to move from devastation to renewal. As Recovery designers, we began by learning about the place and Three days after the storm, an envoy to then- the values of the community through an open dia- Governor Kathleen Sebelius came to our offices in logue about opportunities for the future. Kansas City with a request for us to visit Greensburg and deliver whatever assistance we could to the The first public recovery planning workshop set the community’s rebuilding efforts. Having worked in tone for the recovery process. Hundreds of people the 1993 floods and in post-Katrina New Orleans, gathered under a large tent erected on the east edge we knew the challenges facing the town. Our first of town, eager to share their ideas for rebuilding. visit to Greensburg confirmed our worst fears. It is The planning team started the conversation by ask- impossible to describe the total devastation. Build- ing three questions: “What are the community trea- ings were turned inside out. Hundred year-old ma- sures?” “What are the barriers to rebuilding?” and sonry schools, businesses, and homes were turned to “What would you like to change to create a vital piles of rubble, and the community’s extensive tree future for Greensburg?” Because a neutral observer canopy was stripped completely. A walk down Main facilitated the meeting, citizens felt free to tell the

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 37 truth about their concerns and hopes for the future. Water: Treat Each Drop of Water as a Precious The workshop was active; people moved around, Resource. Many new facilities in Greensburg incor- looked at maps, and created their own drawings. porate stormwater harvesting techniques, and the The community created a map of the treasures and new Main Street streetscape represents completion landmarks that survived the storm. Placement of of a landscape element that uses only nonpotable the new school was a high-priority decision, and water for irrigation as well as incorporating na- the community formed several scenarios during the tive plantings and underground cisterns, a high- meeting. City staff, high school students, and other efficiency irrigation system, and reclaimed brick citizens presented the findings alongside the plan- pavers. ning team. The planning team learned about the community values during this process, and just as Built Environment: New Development Should Be importantly the community members reunited with Durable, Healthy, and Efficient. City projects will lead their neighbors and formed stronger relationships. the way by becoming examples of green practices The workshop created a foundation for rebuilding; that are built to last. On December 17, 2007, the it was these relationships that constituted the solid city council passed a resolution requiring all publicly bedrock on which Greensburg was rebuilt. funded city buildings of more than four thousand square feet to be built to the U.S. Green Building The tent remained a community gathering space Council’s LEED Platinum certification level. Greens- throughout the recovery process, hosting several burg is the only city in the world with this commit- design workshops, community meetings, and even ment, and it is now positioned to be the home of the Sunday morning church service. During the work- first eight LEED platinum buildings in the state of shops, the design team shared information about op- Kansas. tions for sustainable design and, together with the community, adapted it to local conditions. From this process, the community formed a vision and pre- Energy: Promote a High Level of Efficiency in New sented it to the planning team. That effort evolved Construction and Look to Renewable Sources for into this statement: Generation. Last fall marked completion of a new 12.5 megawatt wind farm just south of town. Greensburg needs about 3 megawatts for its own Blessed with a unique opportunity needs, and the remainder is sold out onto the grid, to create a strong community making the town completely powered by renewable devoted to family, sources. Also, through assistance provided by the fostering business, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, new homes working together for that received energy ratings are performing 43 per- future generations cent better than standard homes built to code.

At its heart, this vision is about constantly im- Renewal and Economic Development: Make Proactive proving and strengthening community. A powerful Decisions That Use This Opportunity to Reverse the De- statement memorializing generational thinking, it cline of the Community and Build a Progressive City became the guiding principle for all decisions made with a Strong Future. Ultimately, the sustainability of in the comprehensive plan. Greensburg relies on the ability to bring new high- quality jobs to town. The vision of a green Greens- The resulting Greensburg Sustainable Comprehen- burg offers a signiﬁcant competitive advantage. The sive Plan is built around twelve progressive goals available resources, amenities, and clean energy re- dealing with the built environment, hazard mitiga- sources that are planned for Greensburg create a tion, economic development, resource management, host of potential economic development opportuni- housing, transportation, infrastructure, parks and ties. Currently, six to eight medium-sized manufac- green corridors, and future land use. Each goal is turers are in negotiations with the city and the State holistic in nature and would have a dramatic impact of Kansas with the intention of locating anywhere on the rebuilding effort. from forty to two hundred new jobs in Greensburg

38 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 because of its dedication to sustainability and avail- The immense challenges in Greensburg’s reconstruc- able renewable energy. tion, and the townspeople’s desire to embrace com- monsense green solutions, make it an ideal model The John Deere dealership, owned by the Estes fam- for the sustainable rural community. There is an op- ily, serves as perhaps the best model of economic portunity to repair the destruction with a stronger revitalization. This farm equipment dealership was community and a promising new way of life. This completely destroyed by the EF-5 tornado. The own- is not about disaster recovery but instead a strategy ers vowed commitment to the goals of their commu- to capitalize on the opportunity to build replicable nity to rebuild better than before, and they pledged systems capable of change from the ground up. They to achieve LEED Platinum certification. have the opportunity to get it right, on a highly visible stage. Greensburg could become a community During the process of designing their new high- with strong leaders who reach out to neighbors—a performance facility, the Estes family found op- community where new businesses grow, where sus- portunities to expand on new efficiencies in their tainability in its truest sense is embraced, and where operation to create benefits for their customers and lessons learned grow outward to bolster rural pros- the communities in their region. They created a sub- perity. sidiary wind turbine business to make renewable energy available to their clients and are selling tur- Lessons for Other Communities bines out of their second new facility to customers Among the most exciting aspects of Greensburg’s across the country. Additionally, the family ob- amazing reconstruction efforts are the implications tained permission to install cell phone transmitters for other small rural towns. Greensburg is pioneer- on every wind turbine tower they install, supplying ing the relationships, economics, and form of the uninterrupted data service for their clients’ sustainable rural community. The lessons learned computer-controlled farming equipment, and better in Greensburg could be transferred to thousands of cell phone service for the rural communities where struggling small towns across the nation. Even large their clients live. metropolises are taking note and learning relevant lessons. Greensburg is redefining what is possible in rural America; it is serving as a model for the sus- The Future tainable rural community of the future. Since the disaster, Greensburg’s remarkable rebuilding efforts and commitment to sustainability have Setting Visionary Goals gained attention on the national stage. CBS News Greensburg is proof of the often-quoted maxim by spent an entire week in Greensburg broadcast- Daniel Burnham: “Make no little plans; they have ing their daily Early Morning Show live. President no magic to stir men’s blood.” The ability to set George W. Bush gave the commencement address audacious goals in the face of overwhelming inertia for Greensburg’s graduating class of 2008, the first- is truly a lesson for communities of all sizes. Had ever high school commencement address given by a the community not set out on such an ambitious president of the United States, and commended the agenda, funding, interest, support, dedication, and town on its efforts to rebuild sustainably. President success would have been diminished. This has been Barack Obama has twice mentioned the town in ad- shown to be true in many communities across the dresses to the country. In the spring of 2008, the country. Without bold vision, inertia is likely to win Discovery channel launched a thirteen-part docu- out. mentary following the rebuilding of Greensburg, on its newly launched Planet Green channel. This on- On-the-Go Implementation going work and the commitment to a third season of The planning team worked with the city to con- programming is testament to the continued dedica- duct an on-the-go approach to implementation. This tion of the residents of Greensburg to the principles approach led to the launch of two important and of sustainability. The portrayal of the process is also highly visible projects simultaneously with adop- raising awareness of the planning process and the tion of the plan, the Greensburg Business Incubator work of professional planners and designers. and the Downtown Layout Scheme. The momentum

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 39 generated by these projects instilled good faith in the reduce costs, generate immediate employment, and potential of the plan. reduce the environmental footprint of the rebuilding process. Without a plan, materials are likely to be Blending Sustainability Plans and Comprehensive burned or buried. Planning One of the biggest missed opportunities in planning today is the separation of climate and sustainability Conclusion initiatives from the comprehensive planning process. The lessons from Greensburg have real implications Comprehensive plans benefit greatly from the holis- for communities of every size. By thinking about tic approach required when creating sustainability planning and development holistically, a relatively and climate plans. Indeed, the comprehensive plan small taxpayer initiative can dramatically improve of the near past is not only outdated but often coun- the outlook for the entire community. terproductive in its myopia and encouragement of unintended consequences. A well-executed compre- When we talk to people about the story of Greens- hensive planning effort should dramatically improve burg, we often hear “Yes, but they were lucky the quality of life in a community and drastically re- enough to have a tornado that allowed them to start duce long-term fiscal maintenance and operational with a blank slate.” To which the mayor of Greens- costs. burg often responds that he “would gladly trade an intact community for the blank slate.” Greens- Disaster Preparedness burg is in the process of experimenting with sustain- The importance of a disaster preparedness plan is able community design with great motivation, but difficult to overstate. Regardless of the type of dis- against all odds. The truth is that if Greensburg can aster, knowing what to do immediately after the make sustainable community building work, anyone event is critical to how it can be overcome. Hav- can. To quote the mayor one last time: “The only ing a plan for where people can regroup, how to way to start is to just get started.” find help, what the key decisions are, and how you want the disaster recovery planning to take place al- Robert Berkebile is a principal at BNIM Architects, Kansas lows a community to improve the recovery process. City, Missouri. One key example is reuse of damaged materials. If Stephen Hardy is director of planning at BNIM Architects. done correctly, material reuse can speed recovery,

40 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 The Envision Utah Process BY SOREN SIMONSEN

Along with those inalienable rights of life, liberty, to businesses and citizens who receive little or no and the pursuit of happiness, most Americans con- benefit from the new construction. r sider mobility to be one of their most basic and The flight of formerly urban businesses to the precious freedoms. This is understandable, because suburbs, often subsidized by taxpayers, weak- transportation systems support almost every aspect ens urban central business districts and the entire of our lives, from work to recreation. With the pro- region. liferation of the private automobile and construction of a nearly ubiquitous network of roads and high- In addition to this study’s highlighting of economic ways during the last century, residential and busi- concerns, dozens of community health studies un- ness developments gradually and easily spread out dertaken since 1987 have linked air pollution— across the country. Yet the problems and limitations predominantly unhealthy particulate matter from inherent to this kind of car-based development— vehicle emissions—to an increase in urgent medical commonly referred to as sprawl—are now tak- care and premature death. Pollution and environ- ing their toll through increased traffic congestion, mental degradation are creating staggering health environmental degradation, escalated health risks, risks and economic costs. and mobility challenges for the young, the old, the poor, and the disabled—or about one-fourth of our The Federal Role for Sustainable Communities population. In response to these circumstances, the federal gov- These problems are a growing concern for the long- ernment has taken renewed interest in supporting term economic viability of our communities as well. effective regional responses to the myriad challenges Trade associations and private companies in major facing our communities. In 2009, the Department metropolitan areas are increasingly recognizing that of Transportation, Department of Housing and a region’s economic health depends on a balanced Urban Development (HUD), and Environmental transportation infrastructure. In 1995, for example, Protection Agency announced an unprecedented In- Bank of America prepared a landmark study that teragency Partnership for Sustainable Communities identified the effects of suburbanization, congestion, to better coordinate federal transportation, environ- and transportation problems on business activity mental protection, and housing investments and to and economic development. Although focused pri- identify strategies that support sustainable regions marily on California communities, the study’s gen- and communities. Through their partnership, the eral conclusions are applicable to any metropolitan three agencies collaborated on establishing a set of region: guiding livability principles that will set the direction for future federal investments: r Road-weary commuters spend more time travel- r Provide more transportation choices. Develop ing to work and other destinations because of in- safe, reliable, and economical transportation creased vehicle-miles traveled, leading to fatigue choices to decrease household transportation and loss of productivity. r costs, reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign Many workers cannot compete in the job market oil, improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas because transportation alternatives do not afford emissions, and promote public health. access to remote job centers. r r Promote equitable, affordable housing. Expand The costs of new infrastructure along the ur- location- and energy-efficient housing choices for ban edge and of mitigating environmental im- people of all ages, incomes, races, and ethnicities pacts from transportation projects are passed on to increase mobility and lower the combined cost of housing and transportation. r This article is adapted from “Effective Planning for Regional Transporta- Enhance economic competitiveness. Improve eco- tion” by Soren Simonson, originally published in Livability 101, 2005. nomic competitiveness through reliable and

c 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) National Civic Review • DOI: 10.1002/ncr.20029 • Fall 2010 41 timely access for workers to employment centers, munities must vastly increase their efforts to include educational opportunities, services, and other ba- public transit, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities in sic needs, as well as expanded business access to order to reach a proper balance. Fortunately, the markets. public and private sectors in many forward-thinking r Support existing communities. Target federal communities are finding ways to take the incremen- funding toward existing communities—through tal steps necessary to develop viable, multimodal such strategies as transit-oriented, mixed-use regional transportation systems. development and land recycling—to increase community revitalization and the efficiency of For example, when the Denver region faced a large public works investments, and safeguard rural shortfall in transportation funds in 2001, the Denver landscapes. Metro Chamber of Commerce courageously advo- r Coordinate and leverage federal policies and cated numerous increases in taxes and fees onvarious investment. Align federal policies and funding to products, assets, and services—including gasoline, remove barriers to collaboration, leverage fund- personal property, drivers’ licenses, motor vehicle ing, and increase the accountability and effective- registration, and toll roads—to build needed public ness of all levels of government to plan for future transportation projects (rail transit and highways) growth, including making smart energy choices over a shorter period, greatly increase other pub- such as locally generated renewable energy. lic transit systems and services, improve efficiency r Value communities and neighborhoods. Enhance of highway construction and maintenance, and im- the unique characteristics of all communities prove transportation-demand management through by investing in healthy, safe, and walkable increased public awareness. They even went so far neighborhoods—rural, urban, or suburban. as to propose creation of a tax on vehicle-miles traveled. They took such action because they recognized Earlier this year, HUD announced the launch of that the consequences of this shortfall in transporta- a $100 million Sustainable Communities Regional tion funds—decreases in both quality of life and Planning Grant program to present a framework for global-market competitiveness—were far more se- implementation. The program is designed “to create vere than the effect of the increased taxes. stronger, more sustainable communities by connecting housing to jobs, fostering local innovation and In the late 1990s, faced with regional road conges- building a clean energy economy.” As a result, it tion and air-quality problems, the Metro Atlanta will lend support for building regional linkages be- Chamber of Commerce formed the Metropolitan tween land use policies and transportation systems. Atlanta Transportation Initiative (MATI). In 1998 The initiative will fund grants to multijurisdictional MATI successfully lobbied the Georgia legislature and multisector partnerships, as well as metropoli- and the governor to create a regional agency re- tan planning organizations, representing a major sponsible for planning and allocating resources for federal investment in sustainable regions and an im- highway and transit projects within the purview portant new opportunity to facilitate more effective of the Georgia Regional Transportation Author- regionalism across the country. ity. The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce also issued a resolution that (1) identified transporta- Working Together to Find Solutions tion corridors with an unacceptable level of con- Federal support for sustainable solutions is increas- gestion and (2) advocated the flex trolley, a bus ing dramatically, but the challenges facing local ju- rapid-transit system operating in dedicated corridors risdictions will require place-based approaches and within existing roadways that can serve as a cost- strategies. It is difficult to define a balanced re- effective interim step toward supplying expanded gional transportation system. Every community and rail networks. These recommendations by the busi- region must recognize its own opportunities and ness community have increased the political capi- constraints. Most important, community leaders— tal that local and state policy makers need to make political, business, and institutional—must work to- the tough appropriation decisions that, in turn, will gether to achieve the desired health and economic result in implementation of more suitable regional benefits. What is clear, however, is that most com- transportation initiatives.

42 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 Envision Utah: Implementing a Regionwide executing the recommendations. The coalition’s re- Approach port, “Envision Utah Quality Growth Strategy,” un- In addition to establishing alliances between the veiled in January 2000, identified specific planning public and private sectors, civic leaders must measures: coordinate with neighboring political jurisdictions r in developing regional transportation plans. This Promote development of a regionwide transit sys- is particularly true for large metropolitan areas, tem (including public and private buses, light rail, where adjacent jurisdictions inextricably share both and commuter rail, among other options) that is the opportunities and the problems associated with effective and convenient. r transportation systems. Envision Utah, a grassroots Foster transit-oriented housing and commercial regional planning initiative in the Salt Lake City development that incorporate and encourage var- metropolitan region, illustrates some of the posi- ious forms of public transportation. r tive outcomes of such a broadly coordinated effort. Encourage both new and existing developments In 1997, a coalition of business, civic, and political to include a mix of uses in a pedestrian-friendly leaders launched this large-scale visioning process. design so that walking is an attractive option. r Their purpose was to study the long-term effects Support development of a network of bikeways of growth based on uncoordinated local planning and trails for recreation and commuting. efforts over a ten-county metropolitan region, and recommend policy changes that would preserve and As Envision Utah described it, the Quality Growth enhance the region’s quality of life. Issues of par- Strategy represented “a strategy developed by the ticular concern included prosperity of business and people of Utah to make our lives better—that industry; conservation of natural, recreational, and provides more choices for how we, and the next agricultural open space; improvement of air qual- generation, would like to live.” According to the ity; better delivery and more efficient use of water, report’s transportation modeling, such recommen- energy, and other vital resources; and appropriate dations could result in a projected reduction of housing and transportation choices for a rapidly 2.4 million vehicle-miles traveled per day by 2020, growing and changing population. as compared to the status-quo baseline scenario. At the same time, average speeds would increase by 12.5 percent, commute times would decline by More than seventeen thousand business leaders, 5.2 percent, and transit trips would increase by elected officials, executives and staff from state and 37.5 percent. These systemic improvements came with a proposed reduction in road spending of ap- local agencies, and numerous community stakehold- proximately $3.5 billion and an increase in transit ers took part in a two-year visioning and strategic spending of $1.5 billion, for a net savings of $2.0 planning process. billion. Additionally, over the next twenty years, 171 square miles of land would be saved from development. More than seventeen thousand business leaders, elected officials, executives and staff from state and Since the Quality Growth Strategy was released, a local agencies, and numerous community stake- new light-rail system opened in 2000 and was ex- holders took part in a two-year visioning and panded in 2002 and 2003. As a result, the region strategic planning process. Through initial surveys has already seen a major increase in transit spending. and town meetings, they explored the effects of With the support of “Envision Utah” stakeholders, various transportation and land use decisions ac- and the overwhelming success of the early phases cording to models of current planning trends and of the light-rail system, more than a hundred miles alternative growth-management approaches. Later, of major rail and bus rapid-transit projects are now participants helped evaluate specific strategies for in the works. In addition, more than two hundred implementation of a preferred growth scenario, miles of regional, nonmotorized trails for commut- including identification of the types of public and ing and recreational use by bicyclists and pedestrians private cooperation that would be most effective in have been planned, substantial portions of which are

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 43 now in development or have been completed. Even oped by Envision Utah has also been used as a guide more important, many communities have adopted for similar regional planning measures in Chicago, updated general plans and zoning ordinances that Los Angeles, Austin, and other major metropolitan offer more compact development alternatives to sup- areas. As regions recognize the tremendous need and port and enhance these transportation systems and compelling reasons for a multimodal transportation address other health, safety, and quality-of-life is- network of streets, transit, trails, and highways, and sues for area residents. use a broad coalition of business and political leadership to implement systems that permit balanced A Model for Others transportation options, the mobility needs of all can The broad coalition of support for and participa- be met while ensuring the health and well-being of tion in Envision Utah, by businesses, residents, and communities and regions for generations to come. state and local officials, has significantly and posi- tively affected the approach to transportation plan- As cities and metropolitan areas become increasingly ning in the region. This process of integrating trans- large and complex, the need for effective regional portation and land use planning through meaningful planning will be even more apparent and important. involvement of stakeholders continues to guide ma- Lessons learned from these early success stories will jor transportation planning efforts in the Salt Lake serve as a blueprint for future efforts. region. Since development of the Quality Growth Strategy, Envision Utah has expanded statewide to Soren Simonsen, a licensed architect and certified planner facilitate similar processes in regions across the state. with Community Studio, serves as a member of the Salt Lake City Council. The grassroots coalition and public process devel-

44 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 Local Governments and the Economics of Community

Sustainability BY DEREK OKUBO

The late John W. Gardner, who chaired the for local governments to implement changes too po- National Civic League (NCL) board of directors litically difficult to address before now. during the early 1990s, often said that the key in community change was finding ways to awaken and Uncontrolled development and sprawl meant more unleash the human potential within its residents. In- infrastructure and municipal services in outlying ar- deed, our own experience with the All-America City eas, and therefore more costs for local government Award and our Community Services department at and residents. Consequently, development had to NCL has demonstrated that citizens across sectors— be smarter, focusing on redevelopment and in-fill government, business, nonprofits, and community- to avoid the extra expenses and take advantage of at-large—are capable of achieving what might existing infrastructure and services. Changes in the previously have been perceived as impossible. Com- economy meant that a community’s retail sector had munities achieving remarkable results were effective to be diverse, to offer local consumers broad choices, because of the skilled ways in which people worked or else the city would lose sales tax revenue. Com- together to address highly complex issues. munities began recognizing that to become more effective in these areas, they had to find the means for Without doubt, sustainability is a complex topic working together effectively across viewpoints and with multiple definitions, a variety of assumptions interests. Doing so meant taking the time and energy on the part of key players, and many approaches to to come to common understandings of the issues at finding solutions. However, a number of commu- hand, the desires of everyone, and the strategies to nities have found ways to define and address sus- achieve them. tainability so as to make sense for them. They have demonstrated that the perceived barriers to environ- In this article, key staff and managers from four local mental health and economic development are not governments—El Paso, Texas; Chapel Hill, North as formidable as once imagined. Business and envi- Carolina; Mankato, Minnesota; and Eau Claire, ronmental sustainability can work together; such a Wisconsin—were interviewed to share their insights link is necessary in today’s world of economic con- into their own sustainability efforts. Their learning straints and limited resources. included experiences in producing internal change within their governments and in bringing about In the fall of 2009 the National Civic League con- broader community change. As you read the exam- ducted a number of interviews with city and county ples, consider the actions these remarkable people managers across the nation to explore how they took to make their hopes and dreams reality. All were coping with the economic downturn. In one in- of these efforts are an ongoing work in progress, terview, Joyce Wilson, the city manager of El Paso, but there are many practices critical to the successes Texas, observed, “One thing is for sure. With the experienced to date. No one entity alone has (or has economic crisis, the sustainability movement now to have) all the answers; many players are necessary has a platform.” Indeed, subsequent conversations to effect change, and relationships do matter. with other managers reaffirmed Wilson’s words. Their municipalities, they felt, would be in even worse financial shape had it not been for their sus- A Community on the Move: El Paso, Texas tainability efforts over the previous years. The eco- The city of El Paso, Texas, has a population of about nomic downturn has produced challenges not seen 613,000, and the county has more than 740,000. for generations, but it has also posed an opportunity Its entire metropolitan area covers El Paso County.

c 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) National Civic Review • DOI: 10.1002/ncr.20030 • Fall 2010 45 El Paso is the sixth largest city in Texas and the twenty-second largest in the United States. Ciudad The message was clear: El Paso was determined to Juarez sits directly across the Rio Grande River, cre- be a role model, and sustainability was a priority ating an international metropolitan area of more that was not going away. than two million people. The climate in the region is warm and arid, with piercing hot summers and mild, dry winters. and sustainability was a priority that was not going Since 2000, El Paso has been a community on the away. move. In 2004, voters approved a measure to change their government from a strong mayor to a council- Soon after, Howell convened an inclusive sustain- manager form to become more responsive and add ability planning process to identify clear goals and continuity in its service to residents. In 2005, a new a plan of action. The process took six months, with mayor and five new council members were elected. participants meeting all day every three weeks. Tran- Mayor John Cook convened a council strategic plan- sit was an obvious challenge in the sprawling city. ning session to create a focus shared by the elected Five years ago, Sun Metro, El Paso’s public trans- body. Some key ideas energized the council. Among portation service, was in shambles; the challenges those that emerged was for El Paso “to become the were confirmed when audits revealed serious prob- premier community in the southwest.” To do so, lems. The city had begun to retrofit its buses to council members recognized that El Paso had to use natural gas in the 1990s; the city is now buy- become more sustainable. “It was mentioned that ing natural gas vehicles to replace those that were we have to pursue sustainability or we will die,” retrofitted five years ago, and the technology has said Marty Howell, sustainability program manager improved since then. for the city. “We could not continue to do things with high costs, particularly in a tough economic El Paso also focused on energy retrofits. Lone Star time.” Energy set aside money for local governments to dip into for energy improvements. El Paso used In 2007, communitywide curbside recycling be- that money to replace signal lights with LED (light- gan to help address challenging solid waste issues. emitting diode) bulbs in all five thousand intersec- The first month revealed an astonishing 85 per- tions. Within eight months, the investment was paid cent participation rate throughout the entire com- back in energy cost savings. El Paso is now real- munity. Practically “overnight,” El Paso had one izing savings of $50,000 a month. The city has of the top twenty recycling programs in the na- also retrofitted fifty-four buildings and put in en- tion. The response indicated the appetite of residents ergy management systems where building managers for becoming more sustainable. Also in that year, can manage the facilities remotely. The projected City Manager Wilson was appointed to the Sus- savings are $20.4 million dollars over the next ten tainability Steering Committee of the International years. City/County Management Association. In 2008, local Sierra Clubs lobbied Mayor Cook to sign the City pools are heated by solar energy, producing as U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, a U.S. much as $47,000 in savings for a single pool. The Conference of Mayors initiative to support mayors contractor for the solar panels guaranteed the sav- in combating global warming in their cities. The city ings to the city and said he would write a check if council unanimously endorsed Mayor Cook’s sign- the savings weren’t met. The savings were indeed re- ing the agreement. That same year, the city council alized. The city borrowed money from the state for decided that all new city buildings would meet LEED the solar and used the savings to pay off the loan; it silver certification standards. (LEED is an interna- is now harvesting the savings for other areas of con- tionally recognized standard for green building.) In cern. The city was also recently awarded stimulus 2008, the Office of Sustainability was created and money to change three thousand street lights, which Marty Howell was hired to manage it. The message will soon generate additional savings in the coming was clear: El Paso was determined to be a role model, years.

46 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 Development and Growth spending $2 million a day on new buildings—with “Many residents have to travel thirty to forty min- all new buildings meeting LEED standards. Fort utes from outlying areas to make it to work,” noted Bliss has been named as the Army’s Renewable En- Howell. “The housing affordability index was also ergy Center, where all new technology is going to out of whack.” To address the housing issue, the be tested. The City of El Paso will be able to learn city rewrote “every piece of paper on development firsthand from the Fort Bliss experience because of and growth in the past three years,” Howell said. their relationship. The process of rewriting codes was challenging and involved a lengthy, inclusive process with builders and developers to create the new codes. “We have Exploring Collaboration to nudge, nurture, and nag developers to avoid The mayor saw that the many sustainability efforts sprawl,” commented Howell. The codes have helped in the community were fragmented, so he convened set standards to assist with all future development. a workshop to explore collaboration. UR-GREEN was formed as a result. UR-GREEN membership in- Currently, the city has convened a community fo- cludes builders, UTEP, refinery companies, the City cus on planning for four key transit corridors for of El Paso, entrepreneurs, home raters, and solar bus and light rail. The goal is to create viable cor- companies whose goal is to advance the green econ- ridors where LEED silver-certified transit terminals omy in El Paso. “They care more about the region act as hubs. The current challenge is getting devel- than [about] their own organizations,” said How- opers to buy in during a period of economic down- ell. A team from UR-GREEN was recently selected turn, but the mind-set is always on problem solving for special training with the Green Jobs Academy through the barriers that emerge. “We are looking through the Institute for Sustainable Communities at alternatives at every turn,” Howell said. “We are in Washington, D.C. The partners look forward looking at abandoned buildings, malls, and such. We to applying their learning to new programming in want to let developers know that we will go through El Paso. the door for you and with you.” The sustainability mind-set is also being realized with the help of key Howell is constantly out in the community, meet- partners such as Fort Bliss, the University of Texas- ing with residents and organizations and exploring El Paso (UTEP), and community organizations such multiple ways of getting the word out. Websites, as UR-GREEN (Upper Rio Grande Renewable En- newsletters, breakfast meetings, meetings with local ergy and Efficiency Network). nonprofits, green organizations, and federal agencies all build the relationships required for effective Green building practices for residences are becom- collaboration. The activities and meetings have re- ing the norm in El Paso. In 2004, 0.4 percent of vealed a desire on the part of key players to turn new residences were Energy Star rated. Howell de- many isolated events into integrated events to coor- scribed one instance where a contractor contributed dinate activities and produce greater impact. “We free installation of solar on a regional home builders’ feel very strongly that we can’t be successful unless association building as a demonstration. Builders we have deep support from the community,” How- saw the ease of installation (completed within two ell said. “We have to have that support in order to days), permitting (within a few hours), and the sub- move to the next level.” sequent savings and tax credits as icing on the cake. The result was ten presales on new homes in one One challenge he noted was overcoming the notion week. Being green is also a great marketing tool for that sustainability is basically “tree hugging” and builders and helps with long-term home affordabil- that business and environmental concerns don’t mix. ity by keeping energy costs down. Sustainability relates to community health, however, and green efforts have proven to help with the bot- Fort Bliss, located east and northeast of El Paso, tom line. Another challenge is to find the money up is experiencing explosive growth, with twenty-one front to start new efforts. “We are constantly trying thousand new troops and thirty thousand family to find ways to do things without adding a dollar of members expected by 2013. The military base is cost,” Howell added.

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 47 Another challenge is when stakeholders have a Because of the progressive attitude and focus on single-issue focus and act as though their one area innovation, UNC has played a significant role in of interest is the most important and must be ad- advancing new ideas for the town. One example dressed above everything else. Overcoming narrow was a fare-free transit system for all residents in focus meant a lot of conversation, sometimes in Chapel Hill. UNC students actually voted to place a planning sessions and other times one-on-one, but fee on themselves to pay for the transit so it would the sustainability planning process assisted greatly benefit the entire community. Students noticed that in helping people see how everything was connected lower-income residents had to pay for the service and not singularly focused. Creating a shared vision while they could show their student identification helped set a target and was later helpful in refocusing and ride free. “It became an equity issue for the stu- people when necessary. dents,” said Chapel Hill City Manager Roger Stan- cil. Staff and the UNC administration also saw it Howell said one of his most significant roles is was easier to pay for transit than to fight for more as matchmaker, connecting diverse groups to ven- parking and parking decks. dors and businesses. “Since I’m here, everyone who is curious and interested comes to me,” he explained. Chapel Hill is a community where a resident can “Every time I give a talk, I get waves of emails after- drive five minutes and be in the country, where ward. Without this position, where would they go? residents can buy eggs from local farmers. Urban I am a hub. I may not know much about biodiesel, boundary planning and preserving the small-town but I know who does. I connect those people character are priorities that were set a number of together. years ago by the council in accordance with the desires of residents. An “active living by design” ap- “El Paso investing in a sustainability office and hir- proach focuses on land use patterns that promote ing a program manager is a strong statement,” he walkability. “We are built out, so all development said. “That the manager and council hired someone is multiuse and transit oriented,” said Stancil. “Ev- shows the level of commitment of the city. It cre- ery new development has to have components of ates the very real perception that this is important.” housing, commercial, and retail.” Open space is a With the commitment of the elected body, the city community priority, and the town has set aside a manager, and a passionate and approachable pro- thousand acres that will never be developed. Cit- gram manager, El Paso is well on its way to turning izen advisory boards and commissions related to sustainability into reality. sustainability are another aspect of partnering with residents.

When UNC pitches the university to potential fac- The Value of Partnerships: Chapel Hill, ulty and students, Chapel Hill’s quality of life is North Carolina one of the selling points used to attract students Chapel Hill is home to the nation’s oldest public and faculty. This feeling of being a part of a livable university, the University of North Carolina (UNC). community is an important basis for the collabo- The school was chartered in 1789, the same year rative partnership between the town and the uni- the town of Chapel Hill was chartered, and in many versity. The partnership began in 2004 when the ways the community resembles a company town. university approached the town to talk about po- Today, the town covers nearly twenty square miles tential changes to carbon emissions in Chapel Hill. and has a population in excess of ﬁfty-four thou- UNC had participated in a global conference in the sand residents; the university has twenty-eight thou- United Kingdom and made a pledge to initiate activ- sand students of which ten thousand live on campus ities in its hometown. The town was receptive to the and the rest reside in the community. The univer- idea and since that time has received a lot of assis- sity and town share the community’s main corridor, tance from the university. The ﬁrst step was placing Franklin Street, on which UNC owns several build- a graduate intern to help monitor emissions. This ings. As a result students, faculty, and residents reg- led to additional capstone courses that were project- ularly come into contact with one another. and client-based, in which questions brought up by

48 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 departments were explored and answered during the fixtures in five units of a public housing develop- semester. UNC’s approach to the town was timely. ment. They wrote a report to the council that fo- It wasn’t long afterward that a town committee be- cused on the goal of the project, what the audit told gan to focus on sustainability. An ordinance was them, the approach taken, and the interim results: a enacted for town buildings to meet LEED standards, 30 percent reduction in water consumption. The and the city fleet began to look at alternative fuels council was thoroughly impressed and asked them- and greater efficiency. This approach and assistance selves what more they could do. What started with from UNC have helped produce a 9 percent drop in fixtures in five units ended up placing fixtures in all fleet emissions since 2005. public housing units (all with 3.5-gallon-per-flush toilets or better) with the use of Community Devel- Grow Local, Buy Local opment Block Grant (CDBG) funds. “The decrease The town, with the help of the university, cham- translates into cost savings and ultimately impacts ber of commerce, and local businesses, created a home affordability,” explained John Richardson, Grow Local, Buy Local campaign. “We don’t have who heads the town’s office of sustainability. “In huge chain stores such as Kohl’s and Wal-Mart. We the same vein the program is now looking at home have small, local entrepreneurs,” said Stancil, “but energy audits and conservation measures. OWASA, we are still outpacing the state in local sales. Resi- UNC Institute for the Environment, and 36 South dents shop and eat locally. All the local restaurants [a local energy auditing company] are collaborating list the local farmers they buy their products from. with the town on the project.” It’s a movement that has been around for a long time and has helped save us during this economic The Importance of Place: Mankato, Minnesota downturn.” Located in south central Minnesota, Mankato is the Blue Earth County seat (the name refers to the fertile The university continues to play an important role ground, which has a bluish tint). Mankato’s popula- in local sustainability efforts. For instance, a UNC tion is in excess of thirty-six thousand. With North student group called HOPE (Homeless Outreach Mankato at its side, the total population of the Poverty Eradication) at UNC came to the town Mankato/North Mankato region approaches fifty council and asked them to consider supplying land thousand residents. Mankato is home to Minnesota for a community garden to go along with a project State University (MSU), whose student population is for the homeless. The community garden would be estimated to be around seventeen thousand. Three a jumping-off point for people experiencing home- smaller private colleges are in the region as well. lessness to assist them with life transitions. The town Location is an important part of the city’s identity; gave access and surface rights to a vacant fourteen- there is an appreciation of the abundant natural re- acre plot for creating the garden. Last fall the stu- sources, wilderness areas, and forests. Simply be- dent group and the town’s Parks and Recreation cause of the natural beauty of the region, awareness Department put in the infrastructure for the garden. of preservation is widespread. Community sponsors were recruited for each plot, to either work it themselves or sponsor others to In the early 2000s, Mankato became a state leader in use the plot for $100 a year. Men from the shelter water reclamation. It started when the city took ad- are transported to the site to work the garden for vantage of an opportunity. A gas-fired turbine power their own benefit and the community’s. The ribbon- plant was built and had a need for water for cooling. cutting ceremony for the garden was held in April The city began collecting and treating wastewater, 2010. producing a high-quality effluent that is now being used for cooling and irrigation. Additionally, the Less Water, More Savings city invested about $40 million in a treatment fa- Another sustainability partnership is among the cility for domestic water, making a conscious effort town, area school districts, Niagara Conservation to move away from tapping deep aquifers. In the (which donated the equipment), Orange Water and long run, these two elements will sustain water re- Sewer Authority (OWASA), and the UNC Institute sources and allow growth without dependency on for the Environment. Students installed new toilet additional sources of water. In the same decade, the

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 49 city converted a coal plant to a waste plant that fo- trees but in drainage and development and open cuses on recycling. They also created strong urban space. Residents, the city, financial institutions, de- boundary and sprawl programs in place and collab- velopers, and builders alike realized that taking all orated with other towns along municipal boundaries of the variables into consideration saves money be- and outlying areas to put in growth agreements. cause not every part of a development has to be Planning practices since the 1990s and through the graded. Development can take advantage of the 2000s always included environmental and impact natural land. “Developers liked it,” Mankato City studies. Manager Pat Hentges said, “and residents liked it because it makes housing more affordable too.” A New Vision In 2006, the greater Mankato region completed a Because of the Envision plan, the Mankato region community visioning and strategic planning project now enjoys a riverfront park, a natural habitat park, that was convened by the cities of Mankato and stronger conservation efforts in rural areas. and North Mankato, the chambers of commerce, Transportation studies were once concerned only Greater Mankato Economic Development, and with roads. Now they also focus on bikes and walk- Mankato State University. The eight-month pro- ing. From Envision, an advocacy group emerged that cess, facilitated by the National Civic League, had is handling the bicycle aspect of the transportation a core stakeholder group that was consistently plan, further illustrating the positive role of resi- two hundred–plus at the ten meetings. The work dents in helping implement the plan. Another goal teams met regularly between sessions as well. “The from the plan was to get the region designated a Envision 2020 process provided an opportunity Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which would to get [sustainability] into the community,” said place them in a better position to venture into re- Paul Vogle, director of community development. “It gional initiatives. put everyone on the same page and allowed the political momentum necessary to move sustainability forward.” The strongest qualitative indicator of success is the number of diverse partners involved in moving the Local initiatives focused on green protection areas initiatives forward. along the river, open space, environmentally friendly development approaches, and green buildings. Dur- ing the process, Blue Earth County was in the design phase of a new county building. On the basis Citizen Advocacy Plays Key Role of input from the stakeholder group, the plans were Both Hentges and Vogle feel the strongest qualita- redesigned. The new county building is designed to tive indicator of success is the number of diverse LEED silver standards and is currently undergoing partners involved in moving the initiatives forward. certification. This demonstrated a commitment by There is strong support from businesses, the univer- the county and a contribution to other efforts that sity, cities, towns, the two counties in the region, and have snowballed. In fact, a variety of buildings in residents. The Envision process has moved many of Mankato have been retrofitted, and all new build- the activities to advocacy groups and less-traditional ings (public and residential) are being designed to institutional groups. Citizen advocacy groups are receive LEED silver certification. Local architectural playing a key role in planning for transportation firms are now focusing their building designs to meet and energy conservation. The advocacy groups do those green standards. not work in a vacuum and regularly partner with local institutions. For instance, electrical meters to The visioning process reinforced the desire of resi- help residents monitor the energy efficiency of their dents to preserve the local ecosystem, a viewpoint homes are now available for checkout from local that has emerged across perspectives and sectors. libraries. Neighborhood associations that used to For example, in the Hilltop section of Mankato (a focus on parochial issues are now key participants forested hill targeted for additional residential de- in helping make homes in the neighborhoods more velopment) it spurred interest not just in preserving efficient.

50 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 Support from local officials has also increased as department had its own perspectives on how sus- they learn more about the potential cost savings as- tainability had an impact. Huggins said having the sociated with green initiatives. “With the tough eco- broad departmental focus made the process longer, nomic times, policy makers are saying we have to but the buy-in ended up in a stronger plan. Through do it,” noted Hentges. “The savings with infrastruc- the discussions, they were able to bring it all together ture and the ease with which we can deliver services such that every city office was contributing to cre- has helped a great deal.” The water initiatives have ate benefits, both within their own departments and already shown dividends. Accessing aquifers costs governmentwide. money; the water reclamation plant is now treating waste at a higher level and effluent trading credits Impressive Results are realized so that savings can be focused on other The city is tackling a number of areas, with impres- areas of need. sive results. For the past thirty years, they have incorporated systems to capture methane at the sewer treatment plant and convert it to meet the electrical A Clear Vision: Eau Claire, Wisconsin needs of the plant. This practice produces a sav- A number of factors converged around 2007 to ings of a little over $200,000 annually. Since 2000, make Eau Claire, Wisconsin, a leader in the sus- the water treatment has used geothermal energy to tainable community movement. As with Mankato, help run the plant. Hobbs Ice Arena has three sheets the Eau Claire region was in the process of com- of artificial ice and uses heat recovery from the ice pleting a community-based visioning and strategic chillers to run other equipment in the facility. planning process called Clear Vision, where a number of sustainability goals emerged. The city council The city used a $500,000 energy performance con- adopted a resolution to make Eau Claire an “eco- tract to make HVAC improvements to city hall, municipality,” incorporating ecological and social which guarantees an annual $73,000 energy sav- justice values into its charter. The economic crisis ings. They implemented expanded use of electronic was emerging for local municipalities, forcing the transmittals and revised procedures to reduce total city to look even more closely at cost efficiencies. organizationwide photocopies by 23 percent annu- Finally, the International City/County Management ally, which resulted in a 32 percent reduction in the Association was also focusing on sustainability as a total cases of paper purchased. key goal area with its internal strategic plan. In 2008, the city changed all paper dispensers in Also that year, City Manager Mike Huggins sent public restrooms to an electronic type that reduced a staff person to a green building conference. “He paper towel use by 50 percent. In 2007, the city also came back all jazzed,” recalled Huggins. “And so replaced 122 toilets at a city housing project for we created an interdepartmental Green Team that an annual reduction of 2.3 million gallons of water focused on the things we should be doing internally used and $9,200 in annual savings. In the same year, to have a coherent program as an organization. The they replaced water closet flush systems at city hall Green Team had to spend time defining sustainabil- to yield an annual savings of 750,000 gallons in ity and why we should care. We had to get an op- potable water. erational policy definition. We realized we couldn’t be saving the entire globe.” Organizing the Effort While the governmental practices were progressing Building capacity within staff was an important step. in Eau Claire, sustainability efforts within the com- Getting the various departments to participate in munity (driven by organizations, schools, and coali- creating the work plan was hard work, but the pro- tions) were both abundant and fragmented. Huggins cess of working together produced an understanding realized that organizing the various sustainability ef- that being more sustainable as a governmental orga- forts was going to be necessary in order to bring the nization was a priority. It meant carving out time for desired benefits. The city adopted an amendment to people to work on the issues while dealing with the the comprehensive plan to include a sustainability fiscal crunch that every municipality faced. Every chapter. The city, in partnership with community

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 51 groups, schools, Clear Vision (a large community- The city has always been open to partnering, and it based strategic planning effort), the Green Team, is having an effect with sustainability. We are now and the university worked together to put all their even seeing sustainability rippling through our pro- mutual sustainability ideas into an organized chap- fessional associations.” ter. A series of community workshops were also implemented to help generate specific policies that created the chapter. Conclusion One of the key elements for success in these four During the Clear Vision community process, sus- community sustainability programs was recognizing tainability was identified as a priority area. One of that local government is a role model for the broader the goals is to get other local governments to become community. If local government was unwilling to eco-municipalities throughout Eau Claire County. change, how could they expect the community to The task force, made up of community residents, is do so? “Local government has to be a role model,” in the process of meeting with all Eau Claire County noted Eau Claire’s Huggins. “We have to exercise governmental bodies (thirteen towns, two villages, stewardship with how we as an organization prac- three cities, and the county board) to promote in- tice sustainability first before branching out to the terest in becoming official sustainable communities community.” and adopting the Natural Step Framework for sustainability. The Natural Step is a nonprofit organi- Creating an internal governmental structure such zation with origins in Sweden; it offers a framework as a sustainability office can help overcome inter- toward creating a sustainable society by focusing nal turf and power struggles. It also signals that lo- on economic, environmental, and social aspects of cal government is serious about sustainability. John community. Richardson, who heads the Chapel Hill Office of Sustainability, noted the importance of approach- In late summer of 2009, the Clear Vision Eau Claire ing sustainability with departments in an encour- Sustainability Task Force began working with Eau aging way—no slap-on-the-wrist approaches—and Claire County Extension and Joining Our Neighbors creating a culture through interaction by identify- Advancing Hope (JONAH), a faith-based coalition ing things together and “embarrass them with their that focuses on environmental justice, to bring an successes.” The sustainability office is currently de- EcoTeam community sustainability initiative to Eau veloping and designing a sustainability award for Claire County households, businesses, churches, individuals and divisions. and neighborhoods. EcoTeams are groups that are formed in neighborhoods, workplaces, churches, “The key is to get employee involvement and to and other gathering places to furnish tools and get their say in how sustainability can be applied,” practices that are implemented to make the com- noted Richardson. “The 2010 work plan takes one munity more sustainable, and to have fun while of three approaches: explore and gather informa- doing it. EcoTeams became a second initiative tion and propose recommendations for action to the presented to county governmental boards when manager; pilot project-testing the projects; and im- Clear Vision visited with them about becoming plementation of projects where we go full bore. It’s eco-communities. a phased approach, like climbing a ladder.”

By mid-January of 2010 ﬁfty-seven people and forty- Another critical element is having a prioritized plan one households were working on or had completed of action for both local government and the com- the six-step process for EcoTeam development as munity as a whole. “Some view sustainability as presented in The Green Living Handbook, by David the panacea,” Richardson said. “The reality is that Gershon. Church groups, neighborhood associa- sustainability is a goal and is something you work tions, civic groups, and workplaces in Eau Claire toward. It is such a huge topic that it’s easy to be- County communities have adopted the EcoTeam ap- come overwhelmed. My advice is to prioritize and proach. “The civic infrastructure is so strong here in create a manageable plan and achieve some early Eau Claire,” Huggins said. “We are very citizen-run. success.”

52 National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 “Have a plan to point to,” urged Howell of El Paso’s type of dialogue can take place. We’ve gotten better Office of Sustainability. “Our plan has different fo- at it, and the dialogue has become easier.” cus areas and provides a real benefit to remind people that we have a direction and specific priorities. Finally, willingness to build partnerships, both likely One of my primary roles is using the plan and build- and unlikely, is crucial. Sustainability is too coming the type of support necessary to move things plex a challenge for local government to tackle forward.” alone. “Tapping into universities is a two-way street of benefits,” said Richardson. “Students benefit by Communication was absolutely essential to working and learning in real-world situations, and strengthen the key human factors of building we benefit by being able to tackle a variety of areas.” relationships and trust—the basis for developing strong partnerships to move sustainability forward Get environmental agencies, such as the regional on a communitywide basis. “Clarity as to what office of the Environmental Protection Agency, in- you mean when you say ‘sustainability’ is crucial,” volved in working with planners and have open and said Howell. “People will be thinking a variety of honest dialogue about the issues. Regulating agen- things when you say it. Define what you mean by cies aren’t necessarily good planners, and planners sustainability.” aren’t necessarily aware of environmental impacts. Getting them together early in the planning process Sharing information on the “payback time” on in- helped the implementation in the long run. Another vestments and the subsequent savings also supplies suggestion is to call on people with technical exper- the necessary proof to change mind-sets. “Find suc- tise to help with options. In the case of the Mankato cess stories where the triple-bottom-line items are region, this meant partnering with MSU and busi- being achieved, and share them—constantly,” How- nesses to help others think things through. ell said. “Demonstrate that it is already working! It makes economic sense and community sense. We are All of the officials interviewed for this article shared saving money. The investment is worth it.” the insight that they still view their efforts as a work in progress. They recognize that mistakes, conflicts, Huggins agreed that showing tangible cost savings and unforeseen challenges are a natural part of the helped. The savings that occurred allowed city de- process. Sustainability is a change in culture; it is a partments to use those resources to further capital process and not an event. Nevertheless, these mu- improvements. For example, solar panels were in- nicipalities show that the change can happen with stalled to heat public swimming pools throughout some quick wins and then snowball into broader the city; the payback was realized within three to community change. five years. Seeing the results has helped build the case for investing more in the future. Reference Having an open and honest dialogue is critical, said Gershon, D. Green Living Handbook: A 6 Step Program to Create an Environmentally Sustainable Lifestyle. Woodstock, Hentges of Mankato. “Dialogue is the key to all N.Y.: Empowerment Institute, 2008. of this,” he said. “As a result, there is a strong will and ease with which initiatives and policies can be implemented and produce the progress that we’re Derek Okubo is senior vice president of the National Civic League. seeking. We now have a variety of forums where this

National Civic Review DOI: 10.1002/ncr Fall 2010 53