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Sustainability and the Comprehensive Plan
April 14, 2016 Austin, MN
Transforming the way we produce, distribute, and consume energy to be both
economically and environmentally sustainable.
Sustainable Communities:
• GreenStep Cities• Renewable Energy Planning• Resilience/Sustainability Planning• ENERGY STAR® Challenge• Metro CERT
Sustainability In Austin – What is Sustainability?
- 1987 the Brudtland Commission issues
a report to the United Nations in 1987,
calling for a new framework for
development activities around the
globe.
- Development activities often diminished
the functioning of natural systems and
frequently disrupted social and
community systems.
- Sustainable development
meets the needs of the present
without compromising the
ability of future generations to
meet their own needs.
- Diminished natural and social systems
ultimately undermined the goals of
development.
Sustainability In Austin – What is Sustainability?
1. Clean up your messes
2. Share
- Sustainable development
meets the needs of the present
without compromising the
ability of future generations to
meet their own needs.
Sustainability In Austin – GreenStep Cities
- Austin has been a GreenStep City since
2011
- Currently a Step 2 City, ready to move
up to Step 3
- Austin’s Comprehensive Plan process
uses the GreenStep Cities framework
and best practices to guide the Plan’s
sustainability and resiliency elements
Sustainability In Austin – GreenStep CitiesStep 3 Qualified!
Step 3 Qualified!
Step 3 Qualified!
Buildings and Lighting Best Practices Land Use Best Practices Transportation Best Practices
Action 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 141 2 2 2 2
2
3 2
4 2 2 -
5 3 - 2
6 - 2
7 -
Needs #15, action 1 Needs #24, action 2
Environmental Management Best Practices Community Development Best Practices
Action 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 281 - 2 2 3
2 -
3 2 - -
4 -
5 2
6 - 3 3 3
7
8
GreenStep Cities BP 29
What is Resiliency?
Resilient Cities Framework >
Leadership & Strategy
Economy & Society
Infrastructure &
Environment
Healthy Communities
GreenStep Cities - Resiliency Best Practice
4. Increase social connectedness through
engagement and capacity building . . .
1. Integrate climate resilience into planning
and budgetary processes
2. Prepare to maintain public health and
safety during extreme weather, proactively
reduce risk
3. Provide opportunities for economically
vulnerable residents . . .
5. Protect public and critical facilities and
infrastructure . . .
6. Increase the capacity of buildings and
infrastructure through resiliency . . .
7. Make long-term investments through
sustainable best practices to prepare for
anticipated impacts and resiliency over time
Resiliency Best Practice – City of Austin
1. 163 residential properties bought out
after floods in the 1980s and 90s.
2. Loss Avoidance Study analyzed the
avoided loss, based on the 2004, 2008,
and 2010 flood events
3. The buyouts have paid for themselves
in avoided loss several times over.
4. Moreover, some of the buy-outs
created green and park space, that
have their own value-added component
Get More Out of Your Plan: Infrastructure & Environment
Manage Increased
Stormwater Runoff
Mitigate Urban Heat Island
Effect
Limit Impact of Invasive
Species
Resilient City Infrastructure
Increase vegetative cover throughout city.
Incorporate green infrastructure into stormwater
management practices.
Limit contaminants in stormwater runoff.
Assess waste water infrastructure for
vulnerabilities.
Encourage residents and businesses to practice
water conservation.
Get More Out of Your Plan: Energy Infrastructure
Reduce Emissions
Improve Air Quality
Enhance Reliability
Back-up Critical InfrastructureDevelop enhanced partnership with utility to
support local energy systems (local generation,
micro-grid etc.).
Set city energy efficiency and renewable energy
goals for the city.
Achieve SPARC certification.
Install renewable energy and battery storage at
critical infrastructure sites.
Encourage residents and businesses to
participate in energy efficiency and renewable
energy programs.
Get More Out of Your Plan: Heathy Communities
Access to healthy food
options
Access to recreation
Good Air Quality
Support vulnerable
populationsImplement cool pavement policy.
Conduct a Health Impact Assessment.
Encourage local food options.
Increase and improve access to recreation.
Reduce emissions from stationary and mobile
sources.
Identify vulnerable populations (age, ability,
language, income, etc.).
Get More Out of Your Plan: Economy & Society
Diversify economic base and build economic
opportunity and access
Increase social connectedness through direct
engagement of populations that are generally
underrepresented in community participation.
Engage residents in broad sustainability and
resilience education.
Integrate climate into city budgetary process. Robust city budget
Strong community
engagement
Thriving local economy
Empower vulnerable
populations
Encourage private building owners to take basic
actions to prevent damage from weather events.
Existing Conditions
Desired Conditions(Vision, Goals, & Policies)
Strategies
Comprehensive Planning: Resilience Framework
Solar Ready Community
Existing
Conditions
(Infrastructure &
Environment:
Active Solar
Example)
Austin’s rooftop solar “reserves are approximately
equal to 45% of the total electric energy sales in the City
Desired Conditions
(E&I: Active Solar
Example)
Comprehensive Planning: Resilience Framework
Vision: Austin transitions to a sustainable energy system.
Goal: Austin maximizes use of its local solar resource.
Policies:
I. 25% of new residential developments and 20% of
commercial buildings have rooftop solar systems installed.
II. Land unsuitable for development is used for solar farm or
gardens.
Strategies
(E&I: Active Solar
Example)
Comprehensive Planning: Resilience Framework
I. Adopt zoning ordinances that enable accessory and
appropriate principal use solar development.
II. Identify Austin’s solar resource and prioritize sites for
solar development.
III. Install solar-with-storage systems on critical public
facilities and encourage installations on private critical
facilities to accelerate recovery from extreme weather
events or disrupted electrical service.
IV. Provide educational and financial resources for residents
and businesses to know their solar options and make
investments.
Comprehensive Planning: Resilience Framework
Existing
Conditions
(Leadership and
Strategy:
Addressing
Vulnerabilities)
0% 5% 10% 15% 20%
Elderly (population over 65)
Poverty Level
Non-English Speaking
Less than high schooldiploma (population over 25)
Vulnerable Populations
State of Minnesota
City of Austin
Desired
Conditions
(Leadership and
Strategy:
Addressing
Vulnerabilities)
Comprehensive Planning: Resilience Framework
Vision: Austin residents enjoy economic opportunity, social
stability, and healthy lives and environment.
Goal: Economic upward mobility is reflected across all
communities of culture, language, and household type.
Policies:
I. Ensure access to capital and business assistance for
entrepreneurs from all cultural or language subgroups
II. Reduce or eliminate racial or cultural disparity in
educational outcomes.
Strategies
(Leadership and
Strategy:
Addressing
Vulnerabilities)
Comprehensive Planning: Resilience Framework
I. Develop business assistance programs that target
entrepreneurs in cultural minority populations.
II. Promote and celebrate Austin’s cultural diversity as an
asset for business and capital recruitment.
III. Continue to minimize language barriers in the provision of
public and private sector services and programs.
Austin Comprehensive Plan
Austin Draft Vision Statement
Austin Minnesota is a diverse and welcoming community providing a full range of employment and housing options within attractive, walkable neighborhoods, well maintained parks, and natural areas, convenient shopping, a vibrant mixed use downtown offering multi-generational arts, cultural and entertainment activities, connected by a safe and accessible multimodal transportation network.
Austin Comprehensive Plan – Sustainability and Resilience Themes
Sustainability
1. Sustainable Economic Development2. Sustain Existing Building Stock and Infrastructure3. City Leadership to Enable Private Sector Action
Resiliency
1. Address Social and Economic Vulnerabilities2. Better City/County Cooperation 3. Safe Growth and Climate Adaptation
Thank you.