CitiesGoGreen - November 2008 - (Page 22)

Community partnerships in 2005 the two organizations hosted a lent Technologies, and those companies focus group composed of academic and were hit hard by the downturn. The Fort This kind of community partnership bebusiness leaders to explore the possibil- Collins area lost about 4,000 high-paying tween city staffers and engaged citizens ity. Out of this was born the Northern manufacturing and technology related seems to happen a lot in Fort Collins, and Colorado Clean Energy Cluster, a group of positions, which had an enormous impact more than one initiative has resulted. One businesses and other organiza- on the local economy. Simultaneously, the communities around tions (including the City of Fort Surprisingly, these economic challenges did Collins) involved with renew- Fort Collins were starting to develop their able energies, energy efficient own local economies. The regional mall not greatly affect Fort Collins in its drive technologies and green build- in Fort Collins began to decline and City towards sustainability. ing. The Clean Energy Cluster revenue from sales tax fell dramatically. currently supports a number “That restructuring was very painful,” said of clean energy projects in the region and Freeman. “We had the double whammy of day Colorado State University President has been a prime source of staff, tools and losing all the tech based positions, which Dr. Larry Penley and City Manager Darin were very high-paid jobs that had enorexpertise for FortZED. Atteberry were bicycling together and Fort Collins is also pioneering an inno- mous spillover, and simultaneously the began talking about creating better convative transportation initiative that will retail sales market in the area was changnections between the City and the Unimake it one of the few cities in the United ing negatively for Fort Collins. So we had a versity. That sparked a series of meetings, States to have a Bus Rapid Transit system. pretty tough adjustment period that startout of which UniverCity Connections was BRT is a bus system optimized for rapid ed about 2004.” born, a collaboration between the City, Surprisingly, these economic challengtransport, and is considered more envithe University, the Downtown Developronmentally friendly than many electric es did not greatly affect Fort Collins in its ment Authority and citizens. “It was really drive towards sustainabilquite an effort,” said Diane Jones, Fort Colity. “I think that from a city lins Deputy City Manager. “People were Over the past eight years, ClimateWise partners organization standpoint, coming together once a month for a two we certainly don’t have or three hour meeting, then looking at have saved the city three billion gallons of water, the kind of resources we goals and pulling together all of the sub69,000 tons of waste and enough electricity to had around the end of the committees—150 people each month re1990s and early 2000s,” said committed and were there.” equal the annual energy use of 18,000 homes. Freeman. “But I’d say that Out of the UniverCity group’s visioning sustainability is a real high process came the inspiration for FortZED, transportation systems. In Fort Collins, policy objective for the Council. They set a zero-energy district encompassing the the Mason MAX system will traverse a strategy and we implement, and so we’ve downtown and university areas and the five-mile north-south corridor, linking been pretty consistent in maintaining a Poudre River corridor. The FortZED project downtown with the university and the high quality community and focusing on aims to turn the district into a net-zero enFoothills Mall. The bus system will also the kinds of businesses that make sense ergy user, creating all the energy it needs link to a new bicycle and pedestrian trail. here, like clean energy, biotechnology within a 50-mile radius from renewable The project is funded primarily through and chip design.” sources. The Department of Energy reWith this track record of prioritizing the FTA’s Small Starts program, with the cently awarded the project $6.3 million in remaining money coming from the state sustainability, it is perhaps not surprising federal grant money, and the Fort Collins of Colorado, the Fort Collins community has raised $4.9 million so far. Downtown Development Au“I think it’s important to begin the “While the city played a key role in develthority and the City. Currently oping the grant application, this project is in the engineering and design conversation with talking about values and another success story about community phase, the project is scheduled partnerships,” said Atteberry. “In true Fort to put the first Mason MAX bus purpose, because if you don’t have a common Collins fashion, a diverse group of comon the road in 2011. understanding and a common commitment, it munity partners quickly stepped up to the plate to bring this project to life.” becomes much more difficult.” In yet another citizen/city partnership Economic challenges effort, the City Council formed an Eco- Like many cities in recent years, Fort that Fort Collins was chosen by ICLEI to be nomic Vitality and Sustainability Advisory Collins has faced economic challenges. one of four pilot cities for their Climate ReGroup in 2004, which recommended that “Around 2000, when the bubble burst silient Communities campaign, an initiabusinesses falling under the umbrella of on the tech economy, we started seeing tive that assists local government in pre“clean energy” be investigated with an some real problems in the local economy paring for the effects of climate change. eye toward future economic develop- here,” said Mike Freeman, the City’s Chief Although funding for the program is curment for the region. The Fort Collins Area Financial Officer. At the time, much of the rently uncertain, Fort Collins is considerChamber of Commerce and the Northern Fort Collins economy was based around ing the possibility of adopting it as an Colorado Economic Development Corpo- a small number of very large technology independent city-run program, much the ration came on board with the idea, and companies like Hewlett-Packard and Agisame way as it did ClimateWise. 22 November 2008 http://www.nccleanenergy.com http://www.nccleanenergy.com http://univercityconnections.org/ http://www.univercityconnections.org/page/12/title/sustainable%20energy-%20FortZED/ http://www.ci.fort-collins.co.us/mason/max.php http://www.fta.dot.gov/planning/newstarts/planning_environment_222.html http://www.iclei.org/index.php?id=6687 http://www.iclei.org/index.php?id=6687 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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