Mount Lebanon

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

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

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The municipal comprehensive plan contains an energy conservation element.

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

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

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

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

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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 municipality contracts for solid waste collection as opposed to individual home owners contracting for the same.

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

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

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

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The zoning ordinance has inclusionary housing provisions/incentives

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

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

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

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Sustainability policies, goals, and principles have been adopted.

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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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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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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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Outdoor recreation opportunities, amenities, and lifestyles are promoted.

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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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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.