Lancaster City

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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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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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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 municipal comprehensive plan contains an energy conservation element.

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Procedures are in place to measure and track the impacts of the sustainability program (and yearly reporting to the public on results is conducted).

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

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

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Municipality supports public education regarding reducing air pollution and emissions.

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

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

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Municipality purchases energy for municipal facilities from renewable energy sources (or installed renewable energy sources) such that at least 40% of all municipal energy comes from renewable sources.

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

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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 zoning ordinance has inclusionary housing provisions/incentives

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

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

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

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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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Provide an on-line link to description of a second 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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Land use and development decisions are assessed to ensure they do not have negative fiscal, stormwater, traffic, infrastructure, or service demands, or quality of life impacts on neighboring municipalities.

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Municipality has an active litter prevention/clean-up program.

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

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An expanded material recycling program is being advanced, i.e., e-waste, composting, pharmaceuticals, and household hazardous waste for community-wide collection.

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

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All municipal buildings have an active recycling program.

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For municipal facilities, a recent waste management assessment has been conducted with municipal employees trained in waste reduction and recycling.

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The municipality contracts for solid waste collection as opposed to individual home owners contracting for the same.

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There is a written waste reduction and recycling ordinance for residential, commercial and institutional facilities.

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

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

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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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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 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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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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A municipal sustainability program (in name) has been developed and departmental goal setting and budget processes are used to advance it.

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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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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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All municipal-sponsored events have a sustainability-awareness component

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

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A community produce garden(s) is available.

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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.

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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.).