Doylestown Township

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

Question:
There is on-going training for municipal employees and officials and the HR function is closely engaged in advancing objectives of the municipal sustainability program.

Question:
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.

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

Question:
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.

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

Question:
A revenue-expenditure trend analysis is conducted annually.

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

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

Question:
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).

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

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

Question:
A Historic Review Commission is active.

Question:
An Environmental Advisory Council is active.

Question:
All municipal-sponsored events have a sustainability-awareness component

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

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

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

Question:
Municipality supports public education regarding reducing air pollution and emissions.

Question:
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

Question:
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.

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

Question:
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.

Question:
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

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

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

Question:
Low impact development and onsite stormwater infiltration is encouraged.

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

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

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

Question:
The greenspace/open space plan has benchmarks and results are reported annually to the public.

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

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

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

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

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

Question:
Trails for walking and bicycling are being developed or maintained

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

Question:
A Transfer Development Rights (TDR) program is in place to incentivize development where infrastructure currently exists and to protect important green space.

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

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

Question:
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.).

Question:
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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Question:
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.

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

Question:
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.)

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

Question:
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.

Question:
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.

Question:
Outdoor recreation opportunities, amenities, and lifestyles are promoted.

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

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

Question:
Incentives exist for establishment of farms and gardens within the municipality.

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

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