Springfield Township

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

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

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

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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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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 has provided diversity training for municipal employees.

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

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

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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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Owners and tenants in the retail area are engaged with the municipality to provide attractive sidewalks, trees, and street furniture and make the area safe for pedestrians and bicyclists.

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The municipality has assessed Main Street program options and opportunities for possible applicability and implementation.

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The municipality maintains and supports an initiative to encourage residents to buy local.

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

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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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Trails for walking and bicycling are being developed or maintained

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

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All municipal buildings have an active recycling program.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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 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 is an active participant in a Council of Governments.

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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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All municipal-sponsored events have a sustainability-awareness component

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

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A Historic Review Commission is active.

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An Environmental Advisory Council is active.

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

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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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Municipal building operations could meet LEED O&M Silver principles or better.

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

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The municipal comprehensive plan contains an energy conservation element.

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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.

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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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A community produce garden(s) is available.