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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSustainability Plan IntroductionOSHKOSH SUSTAINABILITY PLAN INTRODUCTION We live in a time in which increased population growth, high levels of consumption and the desire to feed growing economies have created escalating demands on our resources - natural, human and social - on a local, regional, and global scale. These demands negatively impact the natural environment, our communities and the quality of our lives. In the face of these challenges, people worldwide have developed a growing concern for the environment and a desire to live sustainably. In 2007, the Oshkosh Common Council took steps to address these pressures locally by signing the U.S. Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement and by forming the Energy & Environmental Advisory Board (later changed to the Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB)) to ensure that Oshkosh can continue to meet its current needs — environmental, economic and social - without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same. The Board was created to help Oshkosh as a community begin to think, plan and act more sustainably — to help Oshkosh address the root causes of problems rather than the symptoms of those problems, and to provide criteria for evaluating the long -term rather than the short -term impacts of decisions — in short, to help Oshkosh think about the future when decisions are made about the present. The Board is making recommendations on policies that include goals and strategies for the City government and all sectors of the community, to conserve and enhance our local resources, safeguard human health and the environment, maintain a healthy and diverse economy, and improve the livability and quality of life for all community members in Oshkosh. In 2008, additional steps were taken to form a Sustainability Plan Steering Committee (SPSC) to begin the process of creating a plan to guide the community's sustainability efforts. The SPSC - a large group of community stakeholders that included elected and appointed officials, City staff, citizen representatives, and representatives from schools and the business community. The SPSC met numerous times over the course of months to discuss the myriad issues related to the sustainability of the community. They evaluated the long -term sustainability of Oshkosh using a framework comprised of three forms of community capital that need to be managed with care in order to ensure that the community does not deteriorate. These include natural capital — the natural environment and natural resources of the community; human and social capital — the connectedness among people in the community and the education, skills and health of the population; and financial and built capital — manufactured goods, buildings, infrastructure, information resources, credit and debt. The result of this process is this Plan, which represents the community's vision of Oshkosh as a sustainable city. SUSTAINABILITY PLAN STRUCTURE The Sustainability Plan is founded on nine Guiding Principles that provide the basis from which effective and sustainable decisions can be made. 1. The Concept of Sustainability Guides City Policy Oshkosh is committed to meeting its existing needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The long -term impacts of policy choices will be considered to ensure a sustainable legacy. 2. Protection, Preservation, and Restoration of the Natural Environment is a High Priority of the City Oshkosh is committed to protecting, preserving and restoring the natural environment. City decision - making will be guided by a mandate to maximize environmental benefits and reduce or eliminate negative environmental impacts. The City will lead by example and encourage other community stakeholders to make a similar commitment to the environment. 3. Environmental Quality, Economic Health and Social Equity are Mutually Dependent Sustainability requires that our collective decisions as a city allow our economy and community members to continue to thrive without destroying the natural environment upon which we all depend. A healthy environment is integral to the city's long -term economic and societal interests. In achieving a healthy environment, we must ensure that inequitable burdens are not placed on any one geographic or socioeconomic sector of the population and that the benefits of a sustainable community are accessible to all members of the community. 4. All Decisions have Implications to the Long -term Sustainability of Oshkosh The City will ensure that each of its policy decisions and programs are interconnected through the common bond of sustainability as expressed in these guiding principles. The policy and decision - making processes of the City will reflect our sustainability objectives. The City will lead by example and encourage other community stakeholders to use sustainability principles to guide their decisions and actions. 5. Community Awareness, Responsibility, Participation and Education are Key Elements of a Sustainable Community All community members, including individual citizens, community -based groups, businesses, schools and other institutions must be aware of their impacts on the environmental, economic and social health of Oshkosh, must take responsibility for reducing or eliminating those impacts, and must take an active part in community efforts to address sustainability concerns. The City will therefore be a leader in the creation and sponsorship of education opportunities to support community awareness, responsibility and participation in cooperation with schools, colleges and other organizations in the community. 6. Oshkosh Recognizes its Linkage with the Regional, National, and Global Community Local environmental, economic and social issues cannot be separated from their broader context. This relationship between local issues and regional, national and global issues will be recognized and acted upon in the City's programs and policies. The City's programs and policies should therefore be developed as models that can be emulated by other communities. The City will also act as a strong advocate for the development and implementation of model programs and innovative approaches by regional, state and federal government that embody the goals of sustainability. 7. Those Sustainability Issues Most Important to the Community will be Addressed First, and the Most Cost - Effective Programs and Policies will be Selected The financial and human resources which are available to the City are limited. The City and the community will reevaluate its priorities and its programs and policies annually to ensure that the best possible investments in the future are being made. The evaluation of a program's cost - effectiveness will be based on a complete analysis of the associated costs and benefits, including environmental and social costs and benefits. 8. The City is Committed to Procurement Decisions which Minimize Negative Environmental and Social Impacts The procurement of products and services by the City and Oshkosh residents, businesses and institutions results in environmental, social and economic impacts both in this country and in other areas of the world. The City will develop and abide by an environmentally and socially responsible procurement policy that emphasizes long -term values and will become a model for other public as well as private organizations. The City will advocate for and assist other local agencies, businesses and residents in adopting sustainable purchasing practices. 9. Cross - sector Partnerships are Necessary to Achieve Sustainable Goals Threats to the long -term sustainability of Oshkosh are multi- sector in their causes and require multi - sector solutions. Partnerships among the City government, businesses, residents and all community stakeholders are necessary to achieve a sustainable community. The Sustainability Plan also includes nine Goal Areas: • Sustainable Atmosphere • Sustainable Economy • Sustainable Energy • Sustainable Environment • Sustainable Food • Sustainable Land Use /Development • Sustainable Strong, Safe & Healthy Community • Sustainable Transportation • Sustainable Waste Management To check our progress toward meeting these goals, numerical indicators will be developed and specific targets will be set for the city to achieve by the year 2020 in these nine Goal Areas. INDICATORS For each Goal Area, specific Indicators have been developed to measure progress toward meeting the goals. Indicators are tools that help to determine the condition of a system, or the impact of a program, policy or action. When tracked over time indicators tell us if we are moving toward sustainability and provide us with useful information to assist with decision - making. Two types of indicators are tracked as part of the Sustainability Plan. System level indicators measure the state, condition or pressures on a community -wide basis for each respective goal area. Program level indicators measure the performance or effectiveness of specific programs, policies or actions taken by the City government or other stakeholders in the community. Many of the goals and indicators measure more than one area of sustainability. TARGETS Specific Targets have been created for many of the indicators. The targets represent aggressive yet achievable milestones for the community. Unless otherwise noted, the targets are for the year 2020 using 2009 -2010 as a baseline. For some indicators, no specific numerical targets have been assigned. This was done where development of a numerical target was determined to be not feasible or where limits on data type and availability made it difficult to set a numerical target. In many of these cases a trend direction was substituted for a numerical target. GLOSSSARY Terms throughout this document that may be unfamiliar to the general reader are defined in a Glossary. Words or phrases defined in the glossary are shown in italics the first time they appear in the document. LEADERSHIP, GUIDANCE AND IMPLEMENTATION The Sustainability Plan Steering Committee (SPSC) assumed the initial leadership role on behalf of the community in the development of the Sustainability Plan. At the City staff level, an interdepartmental Sustainability Advisory Team (SAT) was created to coordinate existing City activities so they are consistent with the Sustainability Plan goals and facilitate the future implementation of innovative programs and policies to achieve the goals. Members of this group serve as Sustainability Plan liaisons to their respective departments. Between them, the SPSC and the SAT are responsible for developing a comprehensive implementation plan for meeting sustainable goals and targets, and for coordinating implementation, both interdepartmentally and between the City and community stakeholder groups. REPORTING Following the Common Council adoption of the Sustainability Plan, the SAB, SPSC and City staff will present Council with a baseline indicators report and an Implementation Plan. The indicators report will be updated and presented to Council annually. The report is intended to provide useful information to Common Council, City staff and community members on progress being made toward meeting goals and targets of the Plan, and will provide a basis for decision - making about policies and actions that influence the City's ability to meet the goals and targets. GOALS, INDICATORS AND TARGETS EXAMPLE Goal Area: Sustainable Energy Energy use • Total citywide use (also report per capita and by sector) Renewable Energy use Percent of citywide energy use from renewable and more efficient source • Total renewable energy use (also report by sector) • Total energy use from clean distributed generation sources in SM (also report by sector) (Target pending completion of Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Strategy) By 2020, 25% of all electricity use in Oshkosh should come from renewable sources By 2020, 1 % of all electricity use should come from clean distributed generation sources in Oshkosh. Greenhouse Gas Emissions • Total citywide emissions (also report per capita, by source and by sector) Waterway Protection Water Conservation • Total citywide use (also report per capita and by sector) • Percent local vs. imported • Potable vs. non - potable At least 30% below 2009 -2010 levels by 2015 for City Operations At least 15% below 2009 -2010 levels by 20120 citywide. Reduce overall water use by 20% by 2020. Of the total water used, non - potable water use should be maximized Increase percentage of locally- obtained potable water to 70% of total by 2020. Natural Environment Goal Area: Sustainable Atmosphere Goal Area: Sustainable Economy Goal Area: Sustainable Energy Goal Area: Sustainable Environment Goal Area: Sustainable Food Goal Area: Sustainable Land Use /Development Goal Area: Sustainable Strong, Safe & Healthy Community Goal Area: Sustainable Transportation Goal Area: Sustainable Waste Management GLOSSARY EXAMPLES active recreation: recreational opportunities including sports and other activities that typically require playing fields, facilities or equipment. affordable housing: any housing that is deed restricted for, and occupied by, households earning less than % of the Winnebago County median family income. alternative fuel vehicles: vehicles that operate on fuels other than gasoline or diesel. Alternative fuel vehicles include those that operate using compressed natural gas (CNG), liquid natural gas (LNG), propane, electricity, hybrid of gasoline and electricity, and hydrogen. alternative (and /or sustainable) modes of transportation: for the purpose of this document alternative (and /or sustainable) modes of transportation include transportation by public transit (bus or rail), bicycle, walking, or alternative fuel vehicles.