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.