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Sustainable Pennsylvania

Sustainable Pennsylvania

Municipal Certification Project

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Home › Participating Municipalities

Ohio Township

Allegheny

—

Municipal Website
Population:4,757
Key Action:
Current Assessment:
07/29/2014
Assessment History:

Energy Use, Conservation and Green Building

Green Buildings
Question:
A program to promote safe walking to school is in place.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Community Energy Use
Question:
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.).
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
The municipal comprehensive plan contains an energy conservation element.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Municipal Energy Use
Question:
Newly elected officials participate in Local Government Academy or other orientation training for public officials.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
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.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:

Education

Engagement
Question:
A sustainability assessment has been conducted to evaluate municipal facilities, operations, plans and regulations relative to conserving resources, saving money, and implementing policies and procedures that simultaneously advance the environment, economy, and social equity.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Cooperation
Question:
Sustainability policies, goals, and principles have been adopted.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Municipal planning is coordinated with the school district and the two meet together at least once per year.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:

Environmental Stewardship

Water Use, Conservation and Quality
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.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Sufficient investments are being made to the water, sewer, and stormwater systems per real costs and keeping pace with maintenance and operations.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Drinking water and sanitary sewer rates are based on the real cost of providing service.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Low impact development and onsite stormwater infiltration is encouraged.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
The municipality actively encourages water conservation and efficiency measures in the community and among businesses.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
The municipality has provided diversity training for municipal employees.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Green Infrastructure
Question:
The Comprehensive Plan identifies environmentally sensitive, ecologically significant, and civic/historic places.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
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.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
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.).
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
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.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
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.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Policies, plans and ordinances protect wetlands and waterways and their buffers.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Air Quality
Question:
The municipality and its municipal waste hauler service are exploring ways to reduce emissions from vehicles and trucks beyond anti-idling.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Municipality supports public education regarding reducing air pollution and emissions.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
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
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Economy
Question:
There is a municipal policy ensuring Minority Business Enterprise and Women Business Enterprise are considered in municipal purchasing, bids and contracts
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Human Resources
Question:
The municipality has a written municipal policy prohibiting discrimination and valuing diversity and inclusion.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Measures are taken to ensure a wide range of candidates are interviewed for all municipal job openings i.e., the Rooney Rule.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:

Other Sustainability Innovation

Additional Initiative
Question:
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.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:

Housing

Sustainable Neighborhoods
Question:
There is a curbside and/or drop-off recycling program.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
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.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
The municipality has adopted the International Property Maintenance Code within the last 6 years per good, safe rental housing.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
The municipality has elected to administer and enforce PA's statewide Uniform Construction Code (UCC).
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
The municipality maintains and supports an initiative to encourage residents to buy local.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
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.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Affordability
Question:
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.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
The Comprehensive Plan and ordinances protect farmland and/or promotes community gardens and infill green space.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
The zoning ordinance has inclusionary housing provisions/incentives
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
The municipality has a PA Dept of Agriculture Agricultural Security Area (ASA).
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
The community is tracking and reporting annually to the public on results toward affordable housing for residents.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:

Local Economy

Material Use, Waste, and Recycling
Question:
All municipal buildings have an active recycling program.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
There is a written waste reduction and recycling ordinance for residential, commercial and institutional facilities.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:

Land Use and Transportation

Community
Question:
A Transfer Development Rights (TDR) program is in place to incentivize development where infrastructure currently exists and to protect important green space.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
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.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
A community-wide recycling program is maintained at 5% above the state stipulated goal of 35 percent.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
An expanded material recycling program is being advanced, i.e., e-waste, composting, pharmaceuticals, and household hazardous waste for community-wide collection.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Municipality has an active litter prevention/clean-up program.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Mobility
Question:
The municipality contracts for solid waste collection as opposed to individual home owners contracting for the same.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
There is an active public informational program to encourage citizens to reduce waste and recycle.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
For municipal facilities, a recent waste management assessment has been conducted with municipal employees trained in waste reduction and recycling.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
An Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program has been implemented for municipal operations.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:

Governance and Community Engagement

Municipal Operations
Question:
Taxation takes a balanced approach applicable to all sectors of municipal services provided and fees satisfy cost recovery.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Obligations for pensions/other post-employment benefits are funded for the long-term to at least 80%.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
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).
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Funds for capital-related borrowing are not used for day to day expenses.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
A revenue-expenditure trend analysis is conducted annually.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Professional staff are employed or retained, in the areas of budgeting and finance.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Public Safety
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.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Municipality participates in a regional service program or contracts services to or through other municipalities for fire, police, or EMS.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Sustainability
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.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
An executive/management level municipal staff person has responsibility for management of the municipal sustainability program expressly included in their job description.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
The municipality is committed to passing a resolution (within six months of enrolling) to affirm participation in the Sustainable Community Essentials Certification Program.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Local and Regional Cooperation
Question:
The municipality utilizes Intergovernmental Cooperative Agreements (ICA) to engage in multi-municipal endeavors.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Municipality is an active participant in a Council of Governments.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Community Engagement
Question:
A program exists to actively pursue and match residents and local businesses to volunteer opportunities to better the community and assist the local government.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Civic engagement, public participation and transparency are regularly assessed and facilitated.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Municipality communicates with the public via a regularly scheduled newsletter or regularly updated web based communications.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:

Healthy Communities

Healthy People
Question:
The use of pesticides and herbicides is being monitored and reduced by all municipal departments which use them
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Outdoor recreation opportunities, amenities, and lifestyles are promoted.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
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.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Local Food
Question:
Education programs are made available for residents on the benefits of organic, locally-purchased food; farmers? markets and farm stands are facilitated.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:

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About Sustainable Pennsylvania

Sustainable Pennsylvania, a joint project of the Pennsylvania Municipal League and Sustainable Pittsburgh, is a voluntary performance recognition program designed to help municipalities set and achieve sustainability goals, save money, conserve resources, and foster a vibrant community.

Pennsylvania Municipal League

The Pennsylvania Municipal League is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization established in 1900 as an advocate for Pennsylvania’s 3rd class cities. Today, The League represents participating Pennsylvania cities, boroughs, townships, home rule communities and towns that all share The League’s municipal policy interests.

The mission of the Pennsylvania Municipal League is to strengthen, empower and advocate for effective local government.

Sustainable Pittsburgh

Sustainable PGH is a nonprofit committed to building the knowledge, perspective, and ability needed to create a better tomorrow for our region.

Contact us

Email info@sustainablepa.org or reach out directly to Bailey Rocco (PML) at brocco@pml.org or (717) 236-9469, or contact Sawyer Sidelinger (Sustainable Pittsburgh) at ssidelinger@sustainablepittsburgh.org or by phone at (412) 258-6642.

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