DOCSLIB.ORG

Towards a Better 'Public Melbourne': Draft Urban Design Strategy

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Towards a Better 'Public Melbourne': Draft Urban Design Strategy draft Table of Contents Foreword Part One: Background and Context 1.1 WHAT IS THE PUBLIC ENVIRONMENT? 1.2 WHAT IS THE URBAN DESIGN STRATEGY? 1.3 AN INTEGRATED PLANNING FRAMEWORK 1.4 FORMAT AND CONTENT OF THE STRATEGY Part Two: Urban Design Principles 2.1 THE SUSTAINABLE CITY 2.2 WHAT MAKES A GOOD PUBLIC ENVIRONMENT? 2.3 CLEAR STRUCTURE 2.4 CONNECTEDNESS 2.5 DIVERSITY draft2.6 ANIMATION 2.7 CONTINUITY AND CHANGE 2.8 AUTHENTICITY 2.9 EQUITY 2.10 GOOD FIT WITH PEOPLE’S INTENTIONS Part Three: Enduring Assets and Melbourne Today 3.1 WHAT ARE MELBOURNE’S MAIN ASSETS? 3.2 A FINE TRADITION OF URBAN DESIGN 3.3 TODAY’S CITY AND ITS PEOPLE 3.4 TOWARDS A BETTER PUBLIC MELBOURNE Part Four: Key Directions and Opportunities 4.1 A CITY THAT IS BUILT TO LAST 4.2 A CITY THAT WELCOMES ALL 4.3 A WALKING CITY 4.4 A CREATIVE CITY 4.5 A CITY THAT BALANCES CONTINUITY AND CHANGE 4.6 A CITY THAT REALISES ITS POTENTIAL THROUGH LEADERSHIP, RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS Part Five: Implementation, Monitoring and Review 5.1 MAKING IT HAPPEN 5.2 URBAN DESIGN FRAMEWORKS AND INITIATIVES 5.3 MONITORING AND REVIEW References Sharing Your Views draft Foreword The City of Melbourne is developing an Urban Design Strategy entitled Towards a better Public Melbourne to guide the development of Melbourne’s public spaces over the next 10-15 years. The public environment is the fundamental supporting framework for the economic, cultural and civic life of any urban area. The strategy provides a vision and framework for urban design in Melbourne that builds on the city’s fine history of achievements in planning and design, and addresses contemporary issues and challenges. It identifies values, directions and opportunities for improving the liveability and prosperity of Melbourne’s public realm in social, environmental, cultural and economic terms to ensure that ‘Public Melbourne’ realises its potential and has a sustainable future. It also provides some principles and directions to assist in providing a focus for individuals and groups across the community and Council to identify desirable directions to be undertaken, with potential opportunities to address them. draftThe public environment is the ‘common ground’ of the city, therefore it is necessary to ensure the opinions of all who share the city are taken into account. Council is now inviting comment on the draft Urban Design Strategy: Towards a better Public Melbourne. A summary version, Towards a better Public Melbourne in Summary, is also available. Council’s objective is to encourage feedback from the community on issues the City believes are important to the future planning of Melbourne’s public environment. The strategy is seen as a significant instrument for enabling Council to work with the community towards outcomes that will genuinely satisfy its needs and desires for public spaces. Your response will help determine how the issues raised in the strategy are taken forward, so please take the time to share your views about issues contained in this document, or any others you would like to raise. Please refer to the end of this document for details on how and where to provide your response. Once the final strategy is developed, the Melbourne City Council will consider it for formal adoption. This document and the summary version of the Urban Design Strategy are available on the City of Melbourne’s website at www.melbourne.vic.gov.au. The City of Melbourne in 2020 will be inclusive and safe and will exhibit outstanding design qualities and sense of place, ensuring a socially, environmentally, culturally and economically sustainable future for its people. draft Part One: Introduction 1.1 What is the public environment? A city is more than the sum of its parts. In a social and political sense, the public The public environment is therefore best Individual streets, parks, buildings and environment comprises land, buildings, described as a continuum, rather than waterways are important, but the character institutions and open spaces that are in a simple distinction between public and and amenity of a city depend on the way in collective ownership. Though it supports private, as it involves interactions between which these elements are combined with its business and commercial functions and the public and private realms. Importantly, community to form a complex and dynamic accommodates the needs of individual it must not privilege private values at the entity. consumers, its primary purposes are to expense of public rights. Various elements of sustain the communal life of the city and urban design must be consciously brought The public environment is the ‘common underpin the social and cultural life of its together so they reinforce one another. Urban ground’ of the city. It ‘comprises all parts of inhabitants. design initiatives need to be supported the physical environment that the public can by complementary economic, social and experience or have access to and that form In a cultural sense, the public environment environmental policies and programs to the setting for community and public life. The often carries particular qualities that reflect maximise benefits – it is not enough to public realm provides an inclusive setting for draftour identity and memory. It has dimensions address the physical environment in isolation. cultural, social, recreational and commercial that respond to and support our individual interaction, as well as the physical space and and collective desires, expresses our sense connections that allow movement from one of place and identifies our location on the The benefits of a high-quality public realm are place to another.’1 historical continuum. particularly evident in Melbourne. The city’s calendar of sporting and cultural events is Public places hold the various elements In a physical sense, the public environment supported by a network of large and small of the city together. Streets and plazas link includes all those parts of the city that people venues. In everyday life, citizens encounter developments and organise buildings into are free to use. However, patterns of access Melbourne’s parks, gardens, promenades groups. Infrastructure and open spaces and activity often blur the boundaries between and pedestrian-friendly streets. Preservation punctuate the urban fabric with recognisable public and private ownership. The various of the city’s 19th century heritage of ordered boundaries or centres of activity. Waterways levels of ‘publicness’ can be described as and finely interwoven framework of streets and offer an underlying natural physical pattern. follows: other spaces has resulted in a safe, civilised These connections and groupings determine and healthy urban environment conducive to 1. Uncontested public space – the how a place is experienced and understood walking as the primary means of local travel. publicly owned component of the urban by people. In many respects, the public environment where there is an domain defines a city, giving structure and Melbourne also has a history of generous unambiguous right to access and use. coherence to an otherwise complex assembly investment in public places, matching private prosperity with similar capital resources in the of independent parts. 2. Privately owned spaces that invite public public arena. Combined with the city’s subtle access and use, on the basis that the natural landform, this means Melbourne is first public uses them with an appropriate social and foremost a product of design. Whereas conduct. This also includes the facades of other Australian cities benefit from dramatic private buildings that frame public space, natural settings, Melbourne depends on and associated landscape and design conscious, considered enhancements of the treatments. public realm for its physical amenities and 3. Spaces where an ebb and flow naturally charm. The ‘uncommon quality’ of the city’s occurs between public and private activity. ‘common ground’ contributes to Melbourne’s reputation as an eminently liveable city. 4. Private places that are physically inaccessible yet remain visibly accessible to passers-by. 1 1.2 What is the Urban Design Strategy? Urban design can be defined as: ‘the design This draft Urban Design Strategy sets out to: of the buildings, places, spaces and networks • Provide a vision and framework for urban (both public and private) that make up our design in Melbourne that builds on the city’s towns and cities, and the ways people use fine history of achievements in planning and them.’2 It is about making the connections urban design, and addresses contemporary between people and places, between public issues and challenges. and private space, between the natural and built environment, between movement • Identify values, directions and opportunities and urban form, and between the social for improving the liveability and prosperity of and economic purposes for which urban public Melbourne in social, environmental, space is used.3 In its broadest sense, urban cultural and economic terms. design contributes to a comprehensive, • Establish the importance of the City of integrated, and vision-led, design-based, Melbourne’s leadership role, and the place and community-oriented and culturally relationships and partnerships that will responsive approach to how towns and cities ensure that ‘Public Melbourne’ realises its draftare managed. These are inclusive definitions potential and has a sustainable future. that address both the public and private domains of cities that embrace the social It does this by: as well as physical dimensions of the urban • Presenting a series of urban design environment, and are also inherently linked principles that are recognised and to people’s behaviour and the meanings that demonstrated worldwide. people attach to places. • Providing core concepts to use in future This draft Urban Design Strategy provides urban design projects and policies. values and directions that aim to assist • Offering some key directions and the public sector as well as Melbourne’s opportunities in simple language as a basis residential, business and tourist populations.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Urban Sustainability: from Theory Influences to Practical Agendas
    sustainability Review Urban Sustainability: From Theory Influences to Practical Agendas Maria Spiliotopoulou 1,* and Mark Roseland 2 1 School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada 2 School of Community Resources & Development, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 30 July 2020; Accepted: 2 September 2020; Published: 4 September 2020 Abstract: Achieving sustainability goals is complex and requires policy coherence; yet effective action for structural change has been elusive partly because global issues must be primarily addressed locally. Agreements such as the UN Global Goals and the New Urban Agenda and current pressing problems such as the 2020 pandemic demonstrate that it is impossible to tackle global socio-ecological system issues without addressing urban vulnerabilities and consumption models. This article presents a critical review of theoretical roots, conceptual influences, major debates, limitations, and current trends in community and urban sustainability. Broader sustainability theories and intellectual traditions of the last two centuries have shaped current urban agendas, most of which however do not cater to a systemic approach and may lead to policies that do not integrate all three pillars of sustainability. While cities are challenged by the difficulties of addressing multiple objectives, meaningfully engaging citizens, and consistently tracking progress, the limitations of urban sustainability application can lead to lost opportunities, lack of credibility, and increased public skepticism. Fundamental changes are required in local decision-making and citizen mobilization to move from current piecemeal approaches towards long-lasting urban sustainability and successful implementation of global goals.
    [Show full text]
  • Michigan, Anne Arbor
    Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems1 By Peter Newman Professor of City Policy Director, Institute for Sustainability and Technology Policy Murdoch University Perth, Western Australia And Chair, Sustainability Roundtable, Western Australian Government. 1 The 3rd Annual Wege Lecture, Center for Sustainable Systems, University of Michigan, Anne Arbor Abstract The United Nations Environment Program has facilitated a process of examining how cities can begin to change by learning from natural ecosystems. Ten principles (the Melbourne Principles) have been developed – vision, economy and society, biodiversity, ecological footprint, model cities on ecosystems, sense of place, empowerment, partnerships, sustainable productions and consumption, governance and hope. These are examined and illustrated to demonstrate the strength of the concept and their relevance to the future of cities: The paper suggests that innovation often has used mimicry of natural systems and the ecocity movement globally is showing how this can be done. Introduction Peter Wege had a ‘life changing experience’ while flying a training plane over Pittsburgh when the city’s smog prevented him from seeing the airfield. This paper is part of that tradition – it examines the work of many people who have sensed that cities have lost their way in the 20th century and need to rediscover a more fundamental understanding of how to exist more sustainably. My own personal journey was strongly influenced by living in the San Francisco Bay area during the first oil crisis when oil vulnerability
    [Show full text]
  • Program Evaluation of ARC's Tourism, Cultural Heritage And
    Program Evaluation of ARC’s Tourism, Cultural Heritage and Natural Asset-Related Projects Prepared for: The Appalachian Regional Commission September 2010 Regional Technology Strategies, Inc. with Mt. Auburn Associates and Appalachian State University www.rtsinc.org Cover photos courtesy of Jason Riedy under a Creative Commons license Program Evaluation of ARC’s Tourism, i Cultural Heritage and Natural Asset-Related Projects Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................. iv SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY ......................................1 SECTION 2: PROJECT DATA AND ANALYSIS ......................................................5 SECTION 3: ESTIMATING IMPACTS FROM THE PORTFOLIO OF ARC TOURISM, CULTURAL HERITAGE AND NATURAL ASSET-RELATED PROJECTS .......................................................................................................................29 SECTION 4: REFINING METRICS AND METHODS FOR MEASURING EMPLOYMENT IMPACTS ..........................................................................................31 SECTION 5: SUSTAINABILITY & THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE .....................44 SECTION 6: TBL & SUSTAINABLE TOURISM .....................................................55 SECTION 7: THE ARC PROJECT PORTFOLIO & THE TBL ...............................64 SECTION 8: A MODEL FOR IMPLEMENTING TBL IN RURAL AMERICA .66 Appendices Appendix A Advisory Panel list .............................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Sustainability Policy
    Sustainability Policy Responsible Directorate Infrastructure Responsible Business Parks and Sustainability Unit/s Responsible Officer Manager Parks and Sustainability Affected Business Unit/s All Objective The objectives of this policy are to: • Provide a clear statement of Council's intent to achieve a sustainable community within the City of Stirling and to exercise community leadership on sustainable development; • To provide guidance to City Officers in relation to the type of information provided to Council on key decisions that impact on the sustainability of the City; • Acknowledge that sustainability is an ongoing objective and to provide a commitment to attain sustainability by ensuring a coordinated framework for implementing sustainable development, building on existing programs offered by the City; and • Provide leadership by incorporating sustainability policies, strategies and practices into council’s own operations. Scope This policy applies to all City Councillors in decision-making and staff in operations, processes and program delivery. Policy The City of Stirling believes that sustainable development is one of the most pressing issues of our time and acknowledges that it has a vital role to play at the local level in ensuring and promoting sustainable development. Through its governance role, Council therefore seeks to advance and strengthen the four interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars of sustainability – environmental protection, social development, economic development and governance in the Stirling Local Government Area. Key Principles The following ten principles provide a set of core values for consideration to help staff implement this Sustainability Policy on operational, strategic and governance issues and guide decision making. Reports to Council and decision making should address these principles to determine the level of influence on sustainability in our community and operations.
    [Show full text]
  • Iclei World Congress 2003
    COUNCIL REPORT Agenda Item 5.13 27 November 2003 ICLEI WORLD CONGRESS 2003 Committee Environment, Sustainability and Indigenous Affairs Presenter Cr Risstrom Purpose 1. To report on the key outcomes for Council arising from the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives World Congress held in Athens from 3-7 November 2003. Recommendation 2. That Council note this report. Council Report Attachment: 1. Environment, Sustainability and Indigenous Affairs Committee, Agenda Item 3.8, 20 November 2003 ENVIRONMENT, SUSTAINABILITY AND Agenda Item 3.8 INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE REPORT 20 November 2003 ICLEI WORLD CONGRESS 2003 Division Sustainable Development & Strategy Presenter Robyn Leeson, Manager Environmentally Sustainable Development Purpose 1. To report on the key outcomes for Council arising from the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) World Congress held in Athens from 3 - 7 November 2003. Background 1. The objectives of the World Congress are to: 1.1. exchange information on challenges experienced and successes achieved by local governments in the area of sustainable development; 1.2. evaluate strategies to accelerate local action in this area; 1.3. develop specific programs to advance such strategies and commitments; and 1.4. input into the development of the ICLEI Strategic Plan 2004 – 2009. 2. The World Congress is organised by ICLEI and attendance is by invitation only. Councillor Risstrom was invited in his capacities as: 2.1. a member of the ICLEI Executive and Management Committee; and 2.2. the leader of the ICLEI – Australia/New Zealand delegation. 3. Councillor Risstrom and Robyn Leeson attended the Congress on behalf of Council. Travel was endorsed by Council’s Travel Committee.
    [Show full text]
  • The Role of Indicator-Based Sustainability Assessment in Policy and the Decision-Making Process: a Review and Outlook
    sustainability Review The Role of Indicator-Based Sustainability Assessment in Policy and the Decision-Making Process: A Review and Outlook Didem Dizdaroglu School of Urban Design and Landscape Architecture, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey; [email protected]; Tel.: +90-312-290-2602 Academic Editor: Tan Yigitcanlar Received: 8 May 2017; Accepted: 9 June 2017; Published: 16 June 2017 Abstract: In order to regulate natural processes and control the scale of human activities, sustainability assessment needs to be integrated into urban planning. In this context, indicator-based sustainability assessment tools are fundamental instruments that provide information to support policy and decision-making. Indicators are necessary to monitor the implementation of the policies and provide feedback needed to accomplish the desirable state of sustainable urban development. This paper aims to explore the role of indicator-based sustainability assessment in policy and the decision-making process. Therefore, it reviews the identified sustainable development indicator initiatives and addresses the research gaps in the literature for future improvement of sustainability assessment frameworks. It concludes with a discussion that the major problem in sustainability assessment lies in the gathering of reliable and accessible data. Keywords: sustainable city; sustainability assessment; indicators; policy-making; decision-making 1. Introduction Expanding urbanisation is one of the leading problems of rapid population growth today. According to the United Nations’ world urbanisation prospects report, 54% of the world’s population resided in urban areas in 2014 and this number is expected to reach 66% by 2050 [1]. As a result of this scale and speed of the growth, providing adequate infrastructure and flexibility to support the needs of this growing population has led to the development of new approaches to the concept of ‘sustainability’.
    [Show full text]
  • A Cities Approach to Sustainability
    A Cities Approach to Sustainability by Daniel Hoornweg A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Civil Engineering University of Toronto © Copyright by Daniel Hoornweg 2015 A Cities Approach to Sustainability Daniel Hoornweg Doctor of Philosophy Department of Civil Engineering University of Toronto 2015 Abstract This thesis provides a response to the question of how we might achieve greater sustainability, and from that sustainable development. An engineering approach, or applied science (physical and social), integrated within a multi-stakeholder partnership, is proposed. A road map to a partial, or ‘shadow agreement’ is proposed, that would hopefully serve as the start of a global process leading to comprehensive sustainable development. An argument is made why cities are the most likely actors to design and bring about such an agreement. An agreement among the world’s larger cities (those urban areas with 5 million or more residents by 2050) is possible, and is likely a necessary, but not sufficient condition to achieve sustainable development. Each city is viewed as a unique system as well as collectively within a ‘system-of-systems,’ and more broadly within local and global ecosystems and economies. Global boundaries and objectives such as the Sustainable Development Goals are down-scaled and applied at a metro-city level. Population projections are provided for the world’s larger cities (in 2025, 2050, 2075 and 2100). Along with the hierarchy of sustainable cities, two new tools are developed in this thesis: (i) a cities approach to physical and socio-economic boundaries, and: (ii) sustainability costs curves.
    [Show full text]
  • The 10 Melbourne Principles
    The 10 Melbourne Principles 1. Provide a long-term vision for cities based on: sustainability; intergenerational, social, economic and political equity; and their individuality. A long-term vision is the starting point for catalysing positive change, leading to sustainability. The vision needs to reflect the distinctive nature and characteristics of each city. The vision should also express the shared aspirations of the people for their cities to become more sustainable. It needs to address equity, which means equal access to both natural and human resources, as well as shared responsibility for preserving the value of these resources for future generations. A vision based on sustainability will help align and motivate communities, governments, businesses and others around a common purpose, and will provide a basis for developing a strategy, an action programme and processes to achieve that vision. 2. Achieve long-term economic and social security. Long-term economic and social security are prerequisites for beneficial change and are dependent upon environmentally sound, sustainable development. To achieve triple bottom line sustainability, economic strategies need to increase the value and vitality of human and natural systems, and conserve and renew human, financial and natural resources. Through fair allocation of resources, economic strategies should seek to meet basic human needs in a just and equitable manner. In particular, economic strategies should guarantee the right to potable water, clean air, food security, shelter and safe sanitation. Cities are the locus of human diversity; their policies, structures and institutions can significantly contribute to fostering cohesive, stimulating, safe and fulfilled communities. 3. Recognise the intrinsic value of biodiversity and natural ecosystems, and protect and restore them.
    [Show full text]
  • Melbourne 2030 – Planning for Sustainable Growth Prepares the Groundwork for Where We Will Live
    Hard copies of this document are available from Information Victoria. © State of Victoria 2002 ISBN 0 7311 8739 3 Since time immemorial, Aboriginal people have cared for this land and its natural and cultural resources. This long and unique association continues today through the Aboriginal communities who live and work in metropolitan Melbourne. Accordingly, the Victorian Government is proud to acknowledge Aboriginal people as the original inhabitants of this land. Ministers’ messages Ministers’ messages Growing metropolitan Melbourne Melbourne is one of the world’s most liveable cities because of the foundations laid out by a succession of earlier plans. To protect what we like about Melbourne for future generations, we must now take stock and plan a more compact and sustainable city. With our population set to grow by one million by 2030, Melbourne 2030 – planning for sustainable growth prepares the groundwork for where we will live. Families in new suburbs will have the schools, transport and other services they need, existing suburbs will be protected from overdevelopment and our productive land will be retained. Melbourne 2030 is an action plan to ensure the benefits of growth are shared fairly across the State, and in a sustainable way. Initiatives include protecting our rural vistas, such as the Dandenongs, Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula, by setting an interim growth boundary that will have immediate effect on planning decisions. Twelve ‘green wedges’ will be protected and 10 new parks created. Our ageing population and a big increase in one-and-two person households, will promote a better mix of housing with, as a start, more than 130 major sites identified for potential large residential developments and 25 centres with a capacity for higher density housing.
    [Show full text]
  • Melbourne Principles for Sustainable Cities LE EN N T V R IRO E NMEN T a L
    INTERNATIONALLE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY C ENTRE nagement eries No.1 eries No.1 Integrative Integrative Ma S United Nations Environment Programme Nations Environment United Industry and Economics Technology, Division of Melbourne Principles for Sustainable Cities Preamble Cities are fundamental for economic opportunities and social interaction, as well as cultural and spiritual enrichment. However, cities also damage the natural environment and exploit natural resources in an unsustainable manner which can jeopardise long-term prosperity and social wellbeing. This is of global concern, as more than half of the world's population lives in cities and trends indicate that this will increase. The transformation of cities to sustainability will require cooperation between various levels of government, resource managers, the business sector, community groups and all citizens. Their collective and individual contributions are essential in achieving a common purpose. Improving the sustainability of cities will not only benefit their inhabitants, but also significantly contribute to improving the wellbeing of people around the world. A Vision for the Creation of Sustainable Cities Objectives of the Melbourne Principles To create environmentally healthy, vibrant and sustainable Sustainable development is defined by the Brundtland cities where people respect one another and nature, to the Commission as 'development that meets the needs of the benefit of all. present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'. The Melbourne Principles for Sustainable Cities have been developed to assist cities that wish to achieve this sustainable development objective. The Principles provide a simple set of statements on how a sustainable city would function. The Melbourne Principles are intended to guide thinking and provide a strategic framework for action.
    [Show full text]
  • Holistic Approaches to Societal Change: Why Do You Think You/We Can Make Improvements in Society?
    Holistic Approaches to Societal Change: Why do You Think You/We can Make Improvements In Society? 11th International Conference on Innovation & Management ICIM 2014 November 18, 2014 Prof. Donald Huisingh Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment University of Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee [email protected] SKYPE; huisinghdon Outline of this presentation What are the roles • Of history in guiding us to sustainable futures? • Of crises? • Of good examples? • Of alternative paradigms? • Of creativity? • Of ethical/spiritual values? • How can we integrate these elements into holistic and integrated approaches to achieve equitable, post-fossil carbon societies, which are truly sustainable?? Janus, the Roman God of gates and doors, beginnings and endings “Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed” Jared Diamond focused upon "societal” collapses due to environmental, climate change, hostile neighbors and trade partners in assessing their responses or lack of responses to Survival or Collapse.” He hoped we would learn from history! What can we learn from history? What can we learn from history? What can we learn? What can we learn from history? What can we learn? Can we learn? What are The Roles of Crises to Motivate People to Change; What Roles have Crises had as Motivators for Making Changes? • Carson’s “Silent Spring” – pesticides-(1962) • Ozone layer thinning- halogenated substances- (1974 -1985) • Bhopal – (1984) • Colburn’s “Our Stolen Future”- endocrine disrupters-(1995) • Three Mile Island (1979) Chernobyl
    [Show full text]
  • Sustainable Urbana: an Approach for Strategic Planning
    DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES Community Development Services m e m o r a n d u m TO: Mayor Laurel Lunt Prussing and Members of the City Council FROM: Elizabeth H. Tyler, AICP, Director, Community Development Services DATE: April 24, 2008 SUBJECT: Sustainable Urbana: An Approach for Strategic Planning Introduction and Background In the midst of dramatic global climate change, increasing consumer demands, and the depletion of available affordable resources, as indicated by the City Council, it is timely and beneficial for the City of Urbana to undertake strategic planning and implementation for sustainability. Sustainability is a framework rooted at the nexus of the environment, society, and the economy. It is a planning tool intended to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Many cities and countries throughout the world have recognized the importance of addressing their environmental footprint in order to be more financially sound and to ensure a high quality of life throughout the long-term future. For over 30 years, the City of Urbana has exhibited an understanding of the importance of minimizing its impact on the environment for ecological, social, and economic benefits. This understanding has been shown through a number of efforts including, being a charter member of the Tree City USA program, maintaining and expanding the U-CYCLE recycling program since 1986, including goals related to sustainability in the Urbana City Council Common Goals Initiative, established in 2005, and becoming one city among 829 that have signed the U.S. Mayor Climate Protection Agreement, which establishes a commitment to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol target within each city and to urge the state and federal government to enact policies which do the same.
    [Show full text]