Santa Monica Sustainable City Plan Linking Government and Community Performance for Sustainability

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Santa Monica Sustainable City PlanLinking
Government and Community Performance for
Sustainability

• Dean Kubani
• City of Santa Monica
• Sustainable City Coordinator
• December 1, 2005

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Santa Monica Sustainable City Plan

• Purpose
• The Sustainable City Plan was created to enhance
  our resources, prevent harm to the natural
  environment and human health, and benefit the
  social and economic well-being of the community
  for the sake of current and future generations

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Santa Monica - Background

• Population 84,000
• Land Area 8.3 sq. mi. (13.4 sq. km.)
• Economy Tourism, Entertainment and High Tech
  Industries
• Development Primarily Infill Development
  and Remodels

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Santa Monica - Background

• Governance City Manager
• City employees 1800
• Budget 350 million
• City provided services include Police, Fire,
  Water and Wastewater Utility, Solid Waste
  Collection, Municipal Bus System

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Sustainable City Plan - Background

• ? Proposed by City staff and the Task Force on
  the Environment in 1992
• ? Adopted by City Council in September 1994
• ? Progress Reports Completed in 1996, 1999 and
  2002
• Comprehensive Program Update and Expansion in
  2001-02
• Update Sustainable City Plan Adopted by Council
  February 2003

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1994 Sustainable City Program

• Eight Guiding Principles Statement of
  Commitment
• Goal Areas
• Resource Conservation
• Transportation
• Pollution Prevention and Public Health Protection
• Community and Economic Development
• Indicators and Targets
• 16 Indicators Measure Progress Toward Goals
• Targets Established for 2000 (1990 Baseline)
• Targets Represent Commitments for City Govt and
  Community

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1994 Sustainable City Program - Indicators
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Sustainable City Program - Update

• Need to update targets for 2010
• Task Force recognized the need to update and
  expand the goals and indicators to provide better
  picture of community sustainability
• Update to build on success of original program
• Process developed to increase awareness, buy-in
  and participation by community stakeholders

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Sustainable City Plan Update Process

• July 2001 through September 2002
• Sustainable City Working Group - High-level
  representatives from the following groups
• Neighborhood Organizations
• Business Organizations
• School District (K-12)
• Community College
• Other Community Groups
• Appointed Officials - Housing, Planning,
  Recreation and Parks, and Social Services
  Commissions
• Council Members
• City Staff from All Departments

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Sustainable City Plan Update Process

• Four facilitated half-day meetings with entire
  SCWG
• Several additional facilitated meetings with SCWG
  subcommittees
• SCWG prepared Draft SCP (Guiding Principles,
  Goals, Indicators and Targets)
• Draft presented to boards, commissions, task
  forces, and interest groups for comment
• Final public meeting to obtain input on draft
  plan prior to Council adoption

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SCP Update Process - Outcomes

• ? Goal Areas Increased from 4 to 8
• ? Goals More specific and comprehensive
• Indicators Increased from 18 to 66. More
  directly linked to goals
• System Level Goals and Indicators Assess
  community level sustainability
• Program Level Goals and Indicators Assess City
  government progress toward system level goals

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SCP Update Process - Outcomes

• Among City Departments and Community
  Stakeholders
• Raised Awareness
• Generated (or Increased) Buy-in and Support
• Set the Stage for Future Collaboration

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Sustainable City Plan Goal Areas Goals represent
commitments for both municipal operations and the
community as a whole

• Resource Conservation
• Environmental and Public Health
• Transportation
• Economic Development

• Housing
• Open Space and Land Use
• Community Education and Civic Participation
• Human Dignity

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HousingGoals Provide a mix of affordable,
livable and green housing types for people of all
socio-economic, cultural and household groups

• Indicators
• System Level
• Availability and distribution of affordable
  housing
• Affordable housing for special needs groups
• Program Level
• of new housing units in non-residential zone
  districts
• of new units within ¼ mile of transit / open
  space / grocery store
• of new and rehab units that meet green
  building requirements

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Resource ConservationGoals Decrease consumption
of non-local, non-renewable, non-recyclable
energy, water, materials and fuels and promote
renewable resource use

• Indicators
• System Level
• Energy consumption
• Water consumption
• Solid Waste generation and diversion
• GHG Emissions
• Ecological Footprint
• Program Level
• LEED Certified Buildings as of New Construction

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SCP Oversight

• Sustainable City Task Force
• 11 member community panel
• Advise Council and staff during development and
  adoption of SCP Implementation Plan
• Assist with outreach to various community
  constituencies on SCP goals to promote community
  action

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SCP Oversight

• Sustainability Advisory Team
• Interdepartmental staff team
• Oversee development of SCP Implementation Plan
  with a focus on City operations
• Facilitate implementation of actions at all
  levels to help achieve SCP goals

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Sustainable City Progress Report
www.smepd.org/scpr
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Sustainable City Report Card

• First Annual Report on Progress Toward Meeting
  Sustainable City Goals
• Based on Indicator Data Presented in Sustainable
  City Progress Report Website www.smepd.org/scpr
• Grades developed by independent of experts in
  each goal area

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TransportationGoals Maximize mobility and
access / Reduce traffic and pollution associated
with transportation

• Grade C- (Level of Effort B)
• AVR for business far exceeds regional levels
• Bus ridership has steadily increased over past
  decade
• Over 70 of residents report using alternative
  modes of transportation occasionally
• SM is leading advocate for Expo line
• Traffic is bad in many parts of the city
• Only 3 of arterial streets have bike lanes

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Sustainable City Plan Moving Forward

• Sustainable City Task Force facilitating
  ongoing community involvement
• Sustainability Advisory Team facilitating
  interdepartmental communication and action
• Linking SCP to
• General Plan
• City Budget
• Performance Evaluations
• Staff Reports

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Sustainable City Plan Involving the Community

• Sustainable Works Residential and Student
  Sustainability Programs
• Business Greening Program
• Sustainable Quality Awards
• Green Business Certification
• Sustainable Tourism
• Sustainable Schools

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Sustainable City Plan Outreach

• Constant drumbeat
• Articles
• Events
• Awards
• Advertising
• Cross Marketing

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Challenges

• Community Awareness and Buy-in
• Bureaucratic Inertia
• Funding
• Implementation Challenges
• Requires changes in well established processes
• Requires extensive training

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Elements of Success

• Involve Stakeholders from Beginning
• Identify Champions (within Government and the
  Community)
• Establish goals and targets and track progress
• Provide adequate staffing and funding to ensure
  follow through
• Constant drumbeat

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For More Information
www.smepd.org