TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Minnella, Alex
DATE: June 28, 2019
SUBJECT:title
An informational presentation of the Sustainable Aurora Advisory Board on the 2019 Aurora Sustainability Plan to update the existing 2009 Aurora Sustainability Plan. (City of Aurora- 19-0570 / KDWK-19.104-PZ/S - AM)
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PURPOSE:
The Sustainable Aurora Advisory Board to update the 2009 Aurora Sustainability Plan.
BACKGROUND:
The Sustainability Plan is a long-range plan for enhancing the quality of life for present and future generations of Aurorans through sustainable practices.
The existing comprehensive plan outlined goals to reduce emissions, emphasized energy efficiency and local economy. It consists of two documents, the first document identified six areas of focus and goals to guide sustainable practices. The second document instead, identified projects the City had already completed or were ongoing in 2009, and a detailed collection of proposed projects which helped shape the framework of the plan.
Back in 2009 the City's Green Team, comprised of representatives from all City's departments, helped draft the framework of the existing plan by surveying what sustainable practices the City already had and brainstormed new ideas.
The existing plan identified six focus areas with goals for each to guide future decision making for the City. The six focus areas included: 1) Community Development and Land Use; 2) Transportation and Infrastructure; 3) Energy Efficiency, Conservation and Management; 4) Waste Minimization, Reuse and/or recycling; 5) Water Quality and Conservation; and 6) Education and Engagement.
Thanks to this document and the continued efforts the City has made, Aurora has been recognized and continues to be recognized as a leader in sustainability with a long successful history of awards, programs, initiatives, and partnerships. Why stop here?
To a prospect reader the plan may appears obsolete in its structure, references, management practices, and also not easy to navigate.
For these reasons, in 2015, the Sustainable Aurora Advisory Board took on a very important and complex task: updating the comprehensive sustainability plan.
To do so, each member of the advisory board extensively researched state, national and international best practices, frameworks, and laws and decided to pursue the proposed changes before you.
From a task oriented structure the Plan moves to a more strategic approach that could lead the City to track its continued efforts over time.
The proposed changes also entail a simplified structure, additional sections to reflect the worldwide sustainability culture; and three additional focus areas: Climate, Resilient Community and Social Justice.
The Plan, although primarily focused on Aurora, embraces trends, best management practices and frameworks of the Chicago Metropolitan Region. In order to undertake the task, the Sustainable Aurora advisory board used the Greenest Region Compact 2 report from the Metropolitan Mayor’s Caucus as a template.
The plan itself will be presented in detail once support is secured. The next steps will be the following:
- Planning Commission (Public Hearing)
- Building, Zoning and Economic Development Committee (BZE)
- Committee of the Whole
- City Council
DISCUSSION:
The Sustainability Plan update will help fostering ecological sustainability, intellectual renewal, equity, resiliency, and will enhance greater opportunities to present to future generations.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
The impact on the City will be minimal and will be outweighed by the positive benefits to be achieved by the implementation of the sustainability strategies and goals:
- Some staff time will be required to assist the Sustainable Aurora advisory board promoting sustainability goals, and to gather data that the advisory group will publish in an annual Sustainability Report.
Upon implementation, the plan is expected to increase awareness, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and continue to develop our community’s Environmental, Social and Economic resources using Best Practices for Our Region.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
No action is required, this is a presentation for informational purposes only.
cc: Committee of the Whole