East Goshen Township

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Outdoor recreation opportunities, amenities, and lifestyles are promoted.

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The municipality has reviewed ordinances, resolutions, and other policies to remove impediments to the use of alternative energy (wind, solar, geothermal) installations or green buildings.

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The municipal comprehensive plan contains an energy conservation element.

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Municipal energy use has declined overall at least 15% from the baseline year established in the energy audit.

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Municipality works with schools and local nonprofits/community organizations to engage students about community issues such as waste reduction and recycling, public safety, wellness, conservation, nature, etc.

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The municipality and local public schools cooperate to share facilities and other resources. (For example, the municipality assists with the cost of evening lifeguards for community use of a school swimming pool or for provision of crossing guards.)

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Municipal planning is coordinated with the school district and the two meet together at least once per year.

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Low impact development and onsite stormwater infiltration is encouraged.

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Cooperation is occurring with neighboring municipalities to manage water and sewer supply, treatment and distribution, sewage and stormwater, in the most cost-efficient way.

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Sufficient investments are being made to the water, sewer, and stormwater systems per real costs and keeping pace with maintenance and operations.

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Drinking water and sanitary sewer rates are based on the real cost of providing service.

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Tree and woodlands protection and management policies are in place (for example, community forestry plan and canopy goal; tree planting programs; tree maintenance programs; tree hazard and health assessment projects; computerized assessment of municipal trees, Tree/woodland replacement criteria in ordinances, etc.).

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Policies, plans and ordinances protect wetlands and waterways and their buffers.

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PA State anti-idling law is enforced and compliance is promoted.

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A burn ban has been formally adopted and made part of municipal ordinance, and State or County outdoor wood fired boiler construction and operation is in accordance with state law

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The municipality has provided diversity training for municipal employees.

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The municipality has a written municipal policy prohibiting discrimination and valuing diversity and inclusion.

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Measures are taken to ensure a wide range of candidates are interviewed for all municipal job openings i.e., the Rooney Rule.

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Provide an on-line link to description of a sustainability innovation that the Municipal Manager/Secretary feels strongly is deserving of additional recognition and is not covered by any of the above criteria options.

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The comprehensive plan and ordinances promote pedestrian-oriented, dense, walkable, mixed-use development (in existing and proposed development), and redevelopment in the core or town center.

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The municipality has adopted the International Property Maintenance Code within the last 6 years per good, safe rental housing.

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The municipality has elected to administer and enforce PA's statewide Uniform Construction Code (UCC).

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The zoning ordinance provides for or accommodates a full range of housing opportunities throughout the community.

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Alternate transportation (e.g. transit, inter-modal, multi-modal, bicycle/pedestrian) are accommodated and promoted.

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Comprehensive land use/development plan is current, addresses impacts to neighboring communities, and incorporates sustainability principles.

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Bicycle lanes or shared roadways are being developed and a ?Share the Road? education campaign is being advanced

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There is an active public informational program to encourage citizens to reduce waste and recycle.

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Professional staff are employed or retained to manage the land use program.

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Trails for walking and bicycling are being developed or maintained

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The municipality utilizes a system for collection of delinquent taxes and fees in order to mitigate blight and abandonment.

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Staffing is in place sufficient to enforce building and maintenance codes.

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A natural resource inventory has been developed for the community within the last 7 years as part of the comprehensive plan.

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Traffic calming techniques, "complete streets" projects, access management and congestion management programs have been evaluated and are being implemented.

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The comprehensive plan addresses the community benefits of and need for expanding housing choice.

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Sustainable landscape maintenance practices are in place for parks and municipal grounds.

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Taxation takes a balanced approach applicable to all sectors of municipal services provided and fees satisfy cost recovery.

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5-10 percent of operating funds are carried over year to year.

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Professional staff are employed or retained, in the areas of budgeting and finance.

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Obligations for pensions/other post-employment benefits are funded for the long-term to at least 80%.

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Funds for capital-related borrowing are not used for day to day expenses.

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A revenue-expenditure trend analysis is conducted annually.

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Municipality routinely evaluates ability to ensure that revenue is sufficient to maintain public infrastructure, i.e., road, water, sewer, stormwater (community has an asset management based budget system).

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Municipality participates in a regional service program or contracts services to or through other municipalities for fire, police, or EMS.

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Municipality maintains updated public safety mutual aid agreements with neighboring municipalities and shares resources.

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The municipality is committed to passing a resolution (within six months of enrolling) to affirm participation in the Sustainable Community Essentials Certification Program.

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Municipality has or is in the process of retrofitting street lights and traffic signals to LED bulbs.

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Professional development for municipal personnel and officials includes participating (at a minimum, per year) in quarterly Local Government Academy, PA DCED or other professional training association programs.

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Intergovernmental Cooperative Agreements include conflict resolution provisions.

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The municipality utilizes Intergovernmental Cooperative Agreements (ICA) to engage in multi-municipal endeavors.

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Municipality is an active participant in a Council of Governments.

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An Environmental Advisory Council is active.

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A Historic Review Commission is active.

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Civic engagement, public participation and transparency are regularly assessed and facilitated.

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Municipality communicates with the public via a regularly scheduled newsletter or regularly updated web based communications.

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A program exists to actively pursue and match residents and local businesses to volunteer opportunities to better the community and assist the local government.

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The use of pesticides and herbicides is being monitored and reduced by all municipal departments which use them

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Programs by local government, or in cooperation with the non-profit and private sector, exist to address community health concerns, i.e. exercise programs, feeding programs for children and the elderly, crime watches, accessible health care, exercise away from areas of air pollution, etc.

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The municipality supports a program (or cooperates with neighboring communities) to engage residents in strengthening sustainable food systems to link local foods, farms and people (ex. Buy Fresh Buy Local initiative, Good Food Neighborhood, etc.).

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Education programs are made available for residents on the benefits of organic, locally-purchased food; farmers? markets and farm stands are facilitated.