CitiesGoGreen - November 2008 - (Page 18)

are the home of Paynes Prairie, which still has bison and other large animals on it that you would never picture in Florida. So we’re trying to recognize the importance of this place. If everybody could be just a little more respectful of people in their communities, of their heritage and background, of what they bring to the table, and be respectful of the places that exist in our communities, that respect would tend to create a more sustainable place. Part of the dialogue managers have to take part in is trying to build that respect, whether it’s between the Sierra Club and the Chamber of Commerce, or the Chamber of Commerce and the NAACP. Sustainability gives you a larger vision of why you’re doing it. Green infrastructure In Alachua County we don’t have the strip development you see in much of Florida. We still have green spaces between our communities. You can go out to what planners call “the edge.” You can drive out of an urban area into something that’s clearly agricultural, or clearly natural, and drive through that, and then go back into a more urbanized setting. That was one of Protecting Green Infrastructure in Alachua County Alachua County’s Green Infrastructure Investment Program received the National Association of Counties (NACO) 2008 “Best in Category” Award in the Planning Category (pdf ). A central piece of the plan is Alachua County Forever. From the Alachua County website: In 1999, 84% of Alachua County voters polled felt that if natural lands are not protected now they will be lost forever. A citizen-led effort … developed the ordinance and bond referendum for this program. The initiative was strongly supported by many different facets of the community. The Alachua County Commission…adopted the ordinance on July 25, 2000. The referendum passed with 60% of the popular vote on November 7, 2000. Voters agreed to raise up to $29 million through a property tax to fund Alachua County Forever land acquisitions. Results so far: 13,000 acres saved, strategically chosen in many cases to protect even more land. A proposed ballot measure will make the land safe for perpetuity, requiring a vote of the people to rescind protected status. the key principles in our vision plan. Every community wanted to preserve “the edge.” They didn’t want the next city’s entrance sign right across from theirs. That’s unique. Not to speak negatively—there are places that are wonderful metropolitan areas with distinct cities back-to-back, borderto-border. But in our case, that’s not who we are, that’s not what our future vision is. We just got an award from NACO, the National Association of Counties, here in Alachua County for our green infrastructure. We created an environmental lands acquisition program to buy large tracts of environmental land through an environmental property tax, to keep them in public ownership. It’s all done through voluntary purchases; we don’t use condemnation. The properties are recommended and screened by a committee, so we don’t buy just anything; we buy properties that are environmentally sensitive. That program is one way we’re trying to implement those overall vision goals. We also have very strong controls here to preserve our wetlands, which are just essential in Florida. We see that element being inserted into our land development regulations, which encourage green infrastructure. We call it “green infrastructure” because it’s just as important as manmade infrastructure. Update: A survey in the summer of 2008 by the Trust for Public Lands and the Globalization and localization Almost all of our decisions are impacted by globalization, and the local answer to that is think globally, act locally. It’s not just a cutesy phrase. It truly is something we need to think about, because we have a collective power to change things. One of the real tricks is getting away from the fluff to get to the meaning. For example, everyone wants to tell you that yes, we have a farmer’s market. The real issue is, how can you make that a truly meaningful farmer’s market, with truly local produce grown by people who may not be full-time farmers but who are currently in the web of food production? Chamber of Commerce to gauge support among likely voters for a ½ cent “qualityof-life” sales tax showed 62% support. Specific components were then tested with “No” and “might vote for” voters to see if they would enhance the chances of passage. Five of the top seven components were in line with the existing Alachua County Forever program, indicating continued strong support for the program. % of voters much more likely to vote “yes” on the ½ cent “quality of life” sales tax if tax was linked to specific components. Preserving land to protect drinking water sources Protecting water quality of our river, lakes and creeks Increasing the use of clean energy such as solar in public buildings 57% Protecting environmentally sensitive lands 47% 57% 53% 47% Protecting natural areas Contact: Chris Bird, Director Environmental Protection 201 SE 2nd Ave., Suite 201 Gainesville, FL 32601 Phone: (352) 264-6800 More information and current updates are at alachuacountyforever.us An ethical way of life Yes, we need a farmer’s market. Yes, we need to be aware of energy efficiency in our building design. But then you start thinking in terms of ethics, and you move to a level where it becomes an ethical way of life. From my standpoint, sustainability is part of an ethical way of living. It’s gone November 2008 49% Protecting wildlife habitat Extending useful life of school buildings through repairs and upgrades 18 47% http://www.alachua.fl.us/assets/uploads/images/Communications/pr_images/Green_Infrastructure_Entry.pdf http://www.alachua.fl.us/assets/uploads/images/Communications/pr_images/Green_Infrastructure_Entry.pdf http://www.alachuacountyforever.us http://citiesgogreen.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of CitiesGoGreen - November 2008

CitiesGoGreen - November 2008 Contents In Motion Disaster Housing for $200: The Hexayurt Coming Soon: A Code-Ready Green Building Standard from ASHRAE ICMA Embraces Sustainability Fort Collins, Colorado Interview: ClimateWise, Business Smart 12-for-1 Parking: Bike Corrals Fresno County More Biking and Walking for Better Communities

CitiesGoGreen - November 2008

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