Presentation at 2016 Massachusetts Sustainable Campuses and Communities Conference

1. Municipal Leadership and Sustainability:
“Planning & Policy for Sustainability”
Sustainability on Campus & Main Street
April 16, 2016
Sarah LaValley
Conservation, Preservation & Land Use Planner
Northampton Office of Planning & Sustainability

2. Northampton Sustainability
Leadership

3. Northampton=5-STAR Community

4. • Aspirational
• Ambitious
• Achievable
• Accountable

5. Community Conversation
1st US LEED Gold KFC/Taco Bell
Is this as good as it gets?

6. Built Environment
• Mixed use compact development
• No downtown parking requirements
• Density, infill, brownfields
• Urban design standards

7. Current
1800 1850 1900
1950
Population Density

9. Other Side of the Story
Unstainable Development Patterns

10. Source: habeas corpus, Anna Schuleit
Village
Hill
Jail

11. Development in the RIGHT places

13. Housing Affordability
• 12% of residential units affordable
• Focus on downtown & transit affordable units
• Infill with a mix of housing: some <1,250 ft

14. Transportation
• Vision Zero approach
• Multiuse trail network
• Complete Streets policy
• Zipcar
• Transit
• 50% of area park & ride lots
• 23% of area bike paths

17. Climate and Energy
• 20% reduction city energy
• Energy concierge program
• Micro-grid
• Energy & Sustainability Commission
• At all scales: Mandated street trees
• Zoning incentives and requirements
• Average home <50 HERs rating

18. Climate Adaptation

19. Climate Adaptation Framework
Hazard mitigation, health & disease,
food & vegetation, land use

20. Economy and Jobs
• Focused Economic Development Coordinator
• James House Adult Education
• Quality of life

21. Education, Arts & Community
• Arts & Culture focus
• Academy of Music
• Historic preservation
• Celebrate diversity

22. Equity and Empowerment
• 12% affordable housing- CITY commitment
• Environmental justice
• Youth Commission

23. Health and Safety
• Active living– bike paths, recreation, exercise
• Community collaborations
• Healthy food- agriculture, community gardens
• Focus on environmental justice
• No-build in 500 year floodplain
• Micro-grid for storm survival

24. Natural Systems
• Parks and recreation for all neighborhoods
• 0.5%/city year as conservation
• Working lands
• Wetlands regulations
• Endow conservation

25. Water
Flora & Fauna Environmental Justice
Planning Goals
Assembling Open Space: Case
Studies Wayne Feiden,

26. Conservation
-Goal: 25% of city pristine
-Goal: walkable to neighborhoods
Working lands
-farmland & farmers
-community gardens
Recreation
-expand and develop

27. Multiuse Trails- serve 75% of city
Pavement to Parks
Heritage Landscapes

28. Municipal Leadership and Sustainability:
Planning & Policy for Sustainability
Sustainability on Campus & Main Street
April 16, 2016
Sarah LaValley
Conservation, Preservation & Land Use Planner
slavalley@northamptonma.gov
Questions?
Discussion?