This document outlines a sustainability plan for a community with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It provides background on climate change risks like rising temperatures and increased precipitation. It then describes the benefits of sustainability for residents and lists indicators to measure current performance in areas like land use, transportation, energy, and waste. Finally, it proposes an action plan to encourage efficient land use and transportation, utilize cleaner energy, and reduce waste through reducing, reusing and recycling. It sets a target to reduce the community's greenhouse gas emissions.

1. sustainability plan
an element of the master plan

2. why does it matter?
• Rising Temperatures
SOURCE: Office of the New
Jersey State Climatologist,
Rutgers University, 2008

3. why does it matter?
1. Rising Temperatures
2. Increased Precipitation
SOURCE: Office of the New
Jersey State Climatologist,
Rutgers University, 2008

4. why does it matter?
1. Rising Temperatures
2. Increased Precipitation
3. Water Level
SOURCE: Office of the New
Jersey State Climatologist,
Rutgers University, 2008

5. Sustainable Community Benefits to Residents
 Establish and maintain a quality of life based on shared values
adopted by the community
 Establish links between issues that often are viewed as separate
(i.e., economic development, housing, public safety and transportation)
 Equitable distribution of critical resources and opportunities for
the current generation as well as for future generations
 Enhanced quality of life/ improved livability
 Economic development that better supports community
infrastructure with quality tax bases* and creates potential for
increased community prosperity by providing diverse, high-quality
local jobs for a greater portion of the population
•That is, reflecting true costs of community resource use and applying “user pays” principle.
SOURCE: How to Become an Environmentally Sustainable Community - A Primer, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Planning &
Sustainable Communities, January 2006, Table 1.

6. emissions analysis.
Source of GHGEMISSIONS
SOURCE of GHG Emissions
(for Cherry Hill)
7% for Cherry Other
Hill
Homes Mobile
Business Commercial
30% Residential
Transportation
29% Other
35%
SOURCE: DVRPC, 2009

7. Total average CO2 emissions per
U.S. household per year
(MTCO2E) = 21.28
Total average CO2 emissions per
Cherry Hill household per year
(MTCO2E) = 20.69

8. emissions analysis.
2005 GHG Emissions (Gross)
1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000 Other
600,000 Mobile
400,000 Commercial
200,000 Residential
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9. indicators.
Amount of Open Space (acres) 1,364
LAND Amount of Developed Land (percentage) 87%
USE. Number of Green (LEED©-Certified) Buildings 0
Mixed-Use zones 1

10. indicators.
Traffic Congestion: Mean Travel Time to Work
(minutes) 26.2
Transportation Mode: Percent Driving Alone to
TRANSPOR- Work 80.2%
TATION. Vehicle Ownership: Average Number of Vehicles per
Household 2
Miles of bike paths 5.5

11. indicators.
Municipal Gas Consumption (Annual Therms) 223,219.33
Municipal Electricity Consumption (Annual kWh) 6,368,542.6
ENERGY. Fuel Use for Municipal Vehicles (gallons) 211,755.80
Total Municipal Water Consumption
(gallons per year) 2,968,094,000

12. indicators.
Recycling Rate
(Annual Tonnage/% of waste stream) 34,993 (60%)
Paper & Containers Recycling
(Annual Tonnage/% of waste stream) 9,032 (15%)
WASTE.
Solid Waste Rate
(Annual Tonnage/% of waste stream) 23,365 (40%)
Sanitary Sewer (average gallons per day) 12,000,000

13. action plan.
LAND USE.
Encourage and facilitate responsible development
with efficient land use that reduces sprawl.
1. Implement and standardize efficient land use practices.
2. Establish a municipal Green Building Program.
3. Improve existing and continue to assemble meaningful open space.

14. action plan.
TRANSPORTATION.
Promote transportation and mobility options that
reduce pollution emissions.
4. Encourage programs that reduce commuter trips.
5. Incrementally improve municipal fleets for efficiency and less GHG
emission.
3. Invest in public infrastructure to promote non-vehicular and more
efficient transportation systems.

15. action plan.
ENERGY.
Utilize cleaner energy sources that minimize negative
effects and maximize energy efficiency.
1. Serve as a model of building efficiency, by implementing the
recommendation of the municipal energy audit.
2. Establish energy-saving strategies, through government employee
policy and training for all community services and facilities.
3. Encourage energy efficiency of public utilities for emergency services,
schools, businesses, and community residents.

16. action plan.
WASTE.
Reduce waste by reducing, reusing, and recycling.
1. Establish internal government paper reduction strategies, through
employee policy and training, encouraging Township-wide adoption in
public and private sectors.
2. Establish new and improve existing recycling programs.
3. Increase the use of composting in the Township.

17. reduction target.
NEW JERSEY EMISSIONS TARGET for Cherry Hill Hill
New Jersey Emissions Target for Cherry
1,200,000
GHG Emissions in MTCO2E
1,000,000
800,000
2005 Emission
600,000 Level =
1,066,594
400,000
200,000
0
1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050

18. current initiatives.

19. What does the adoption of this mean? How does it affect the Planning Board?
 State law (NJSA) is untested as to how a Sustainability Plan is applied.
 Planning goals of the Township; part of criteria as a basis for decisions.
 Specificity
 Basis for sustainable zoning ordinance (i.e. green building, solar, wind, etc.)
Nicole Hostettler, PP, AICP nhostettler@chtownship.com