Harrisburg City

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

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

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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.).

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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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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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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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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.

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

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An Environmental Advisory Council is active.

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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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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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Intergovernmental Cooperative Agreements include conflict resolution provisions.

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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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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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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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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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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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The municipality has provided diversity training for municipal employees.

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

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The municipality reports annually to the public on progress in creating a more diverse workforce.

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

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

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

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

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

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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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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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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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All municipal buildings have an active recycling program.

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

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

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

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

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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.