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Sustainable Pennsylvania

Sustainable Pennsylvania

Municipal Certification Project

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Home › Participating Municipalities

South Middleton Township

Cumberland County

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Municipal Website
Population:14,663
Key Action:
Current Assessment:
12/31/2018
Assessment History:

Education

Engagement
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.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:

Healthy Communities

Local Food
Question:
A community produce garden(s) is available.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
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:
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:
Question:
Outdoor recreation opportunities, amenities, and lifestyles are promoted.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:

Energy Use, Conservation and Green Building

Municipal Energy Use
Question:
The municipality has established goals from the energy audit findings and is methodically implementing the energy audit findings.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
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
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Community Energy Use
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:
Question:
Incentives exist for establishment of farms and gardens within the municipality.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
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:

Governance and Community Engagement

Community Engagement
Question:
Civic engagement, public participation and transparency are regularly assessed and facilitated.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
A Historic Review Commission is active.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
An Environmental Advisory Council is active.
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:
Question:
All municipal-sponsored events have a sustainability-awareness component
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Local and Regional Cooperation
Question:
Municipality is an active participant in a Council of Governments.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Sustainability
Question:
Municipal energy use has declined overall at least 15% from the baseline year established in the energy audit.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
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:
Newly elected officials participate in Local Government Academy or other orientation training for public officials.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Sustainability policies, goals, and principles have been adopted.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
A municipal sustainability program (in name) has been developed and departmental goal setting and budget processes are used to advance it.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Public Safety
Question:
Municipality maintains updated public safety mutual aid agreements with neighboring municipalities and shares resources.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
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:
Municipal Operations
Question:
Professional staff are employed or retained, in the areas of budgeting and finance.
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:
Obligations for pensions/other post-employment benefits are funded for the long-term to at least 80%.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
5-10 percent of operating funds are carried over year to year.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Taxation takes a balanced approach applicable to all sectors of municipal services provided and fees satisfy cost recovery.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:

Environmental Stewardship

Green Infrastructure
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:
Water Use, Conservation and Quality
Question:
The municipality annually assesses, and reports to the public, diversity of all boards, employees, volunteers, committees, etc.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Low impact development and onsite stormwater infiltration is encouraged.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Water provider(s) prioritize improving service to existing developed areas as opposed to opening up new areas to development.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
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:
The municipality has provided diversity training for municipal employees.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:

Land Use and Transportation

Green Space
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:
Mobility
Question:
All municipal buildings have an active recycling program.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Police are trained on the rights and responsibilities of bicyclists and state law on passing bicycles.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
The municipality contracts for solid waste collection as opposed to individual home owners contracting for the same.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Community
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:
Comprehensive land use/development plan is current, addresses impacts to neighboring communities, and incorporates sustainability principles.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
Professional staff are employed or retained to manage the land use program.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:

Local Economy

Material Use, Waste, and Recycling
Question:
There is a curbside and/or drop-off recycling program.
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:
A community-wide recycling program is maintained at 5% above the state stipulated goal of 35 percent.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Thriving Local Green Business
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:

Housing

Affordability
Question:
The Comprehensive Plan and ordinances protect farmland and/or promotes community gardens and infill green space.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
The greenspace/open space plan has benchmarks and results are reported annually to the public.
Answer:
A. Yes
Notes:
Question:
A program exists (perhaps in partnership with an outside agency) to facilitate home ownership: homebuyer incentives, employer-assisted housing, community land trust, etc.
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:
Sustainable Neighborhoods
Question:
A program is being implemented to put blighted, abandoned properties back into productive use: smart rehab code, conservatorship, demolition, acquisition, green lot strategies, etc.
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 has adopted the International Property Maintenance Code within the last 6 years per good, safe rental housing.
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:

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Human Resources
Question:
The municipality has a written municipal policy prohibiting discrimination and valuing diversity and inclusion.
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 call Leslie Rhoads from PML at 717-236-9469 *237 or Jim Price from Sustainable Pittsburgh at 412-259-5331

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