Pittsburgh City

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LEED certification is required for development projects receiving a public incentive (TIF, abatement, etc.).

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The municipal comprehensive plan contains an energy conservation element.

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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 an updated Public Safety comprehensive plan to be sure staffing and financial resources keep pace with municipal needs for Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Services.

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

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Newly elected officials participate in Local Government Academy or other orientation training for public officials.

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

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Low impact and green development projects, as well as techniques (pervious pavement, bioswales, cisterns, woodland and steep slope protection) are fostered through incentives, ordinances and design guidelines.

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Written policies exist and ordinances and incentives have been enacted to conserve environmentally and ecologically sensitive places (for example, slopes over 25%, slide prone soils and geology, springs and vernal pools, mature woodlands, Natural Heritage Areas, etc.) in order to protect public safety and natural resources while using green infrastructure for stormwater management.

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The municipality and its municipal waste hauler service are exploring ways to reduce emissions from vehicles and trucks beyond anti-idling.

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A clean construction emissions policy for all publically subsidized projects has been adopted and is enforced.

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Municipality supports public education regarding reducing air pollution and emissions.

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The municipality is engaged in programs to communicate that the community is welcoming to persons who represent diversity (sister city relations, diversity sensitivity training, multilingual signage, etc.)

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Water provider(s) prioritize improving service to existing developed areas as opposed to opening up new areas to development.

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Municipality purchases energy for municipal facilities from renewable energy sources (or has installed renewable energy sources) such that at least 10% of all municipal energy comes from renewable sources.

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

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The municipality utilizes an Integrated Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater Planning Approach (as described by EPA) to identify the municipality?s priorities for projects and includes a description of how the proposed priorities reflect the relative importance of adverse impacts on human health and water quality and the municipality?s financial capability. See: http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/integratedplans.cfm

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The municipality actively encourages water conservation and efficiency measures in the community and among businesses.

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Low impact development and onsite stormwater infiltration is encouraged.

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Up-to-date ordinances for zoning and subdivision/land development are in place to implement the comprehensive plan.

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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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A program exists (perhaps in partnership with an outside agency) to facilitate home ownership: homebuyer incentives, employer-assisted housing, community land trust, etc.

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A program is being implemented to put blighted, abandoned properties back into productive use: smart rehab code, conservatorship, demolition, acquisition, green lot strategies, etc.

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

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A current inventory of vacant and blighted/blighting properties is maintained and mapped.

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The community is tracking and reporting annually to the public on results toward affordable housing for residents.

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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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A community-wide recycling program is maintained at 5% above the state stipulated goal of 35 percent.

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

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

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

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

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Trails for walking and bicycling are being developed or maintained

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Public transportation and ride sharing are promoted and facilitated, as is transit-oriented development (where applicable).

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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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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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Police are trained on the rights and responsibilities of bicyclists and state law on passing bicycles.

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

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Green vehicle fleet assessment has been initiated toward: using greener fuels and/or vehicles, vehicle right?sizing for the job/trip, retrofit or replace older diesel trucks or equipment with cleaner technology, or driver education about driving techniques for fuel economy

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

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The municipality has established goals from the energy audit findings and is methodically implementing the energy audit findings.

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The municipality has recently completed an energy audit of all municipal buildings and operations. The audit includes findings and recommendations and establishes a baseline of energy usage

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An executive/management level municipal staff person has responsibility for management of the municipal sustainability program expressly included in their job description.

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

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

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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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A program to promote safe walking to school is in place.

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Outdoor recreation opportunities, amenities, and lifestyles are promoted.

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New construction and major renovations at municipal facilities incorporate (sufficient to achieve) LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver principles.

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There is a written green building policy/standard for new construction/major renovations of municipal buildings such as the International Green Construction Code (IgCC).

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The greenhouse gas inventory has been expanded to include the entire community (not just the municipality) and a mitigation plan has been developed.

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Municipal support is provided to a public program (throughout the community and for businesses) to conserve energy, promote renewable energy sources, and mitigate carbon emissions.