New Garden Township

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

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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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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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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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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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There is a municipal policy ensuring Minority Business Enterprise and Women Business Enterprise are considered in municipal purchasing, bids and contracts

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Low impact development and onsite stormwater infiltration is encouraged.

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

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The Comprehensive Plan identifies environmentally sensitive, ecologically significant, and civic/historic places.

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Developers are required to submit a comprehensive and detailed fiscal impact analysis including long-term fiscal impacts such as road repair, school infrastructure needs and other public services with their development applications.

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

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

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

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Municipal action plans for promoting minority and women-owned business are being advanced, including seeking proposals from the same for purchasing, services, etc.

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The Comprehensive Plan and ordinances protect farmland and/or promotes community gardens and infill green space.

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

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

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A multi-municipal comprehensive plan has been adopted as has an official map.

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

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

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

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Trails for walking and bicycling are being developed or maintained

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The municipality has a PA Dept of Agriculture Agricultural Security Area (ASA).

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The Comprehensive Plan includes a parks/recreation and open space component with proposed passive or active greenways, parks and trails and the zoning and subdivision ordinances support the vision.

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

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

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A revenue-expenditure trend analysis is conducted annually.

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

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

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Outdoor recreation opportunities, amenities, and lifestyles are promoted.

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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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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.).