Erie City

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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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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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A community produce garden(s) is available.

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

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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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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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Municipality is reporting yearly to the public on progress and results made in implementing recommendations/findings contained in the municipal energy study

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

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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 is an active participant in a Council of Governments.

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

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

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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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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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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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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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Low impact development and onsite stormwater infiltration is encouraged.

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

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

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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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Professional staff are employed or retained to manage the land use 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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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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The Comprehensive Plan identifies environmentally sensitive, ecologically significant, and civic/historic places.

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

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

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

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

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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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Waste and recycling ordinances and regulations are in compliance and enforced per Act 101, or if not a mandatory-Act 101 municipality, a municipal recycling program is conducted.

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There is a curbside and/or drop-off recycling program.

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

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

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

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