Capitol Ideas for 21 Century Comprehensive...

Capitol Ideas for

21st Century Comprehensive

Plans APA National Conference – Los Angeles

April 16, 2012

1. Background / Current Trends in Comprehensive Planning

David Rouse, AICP – Principal, WRT

2. Albany 2030 Comprehensive Plan

Doug Melnick, AICP – Planning Director, Albany, NY

3. Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan

Greg Guernsey, AICP – Planning Director, Austin, TX

The 21st Century Comprehensive Plan

Values-driven

Collaborative

Thematic based

Linking process and outcome

Regional in focus

Beyond paper

Source: The 21st Century Comprehensive Plan, presentation and paper by David Rouse, Michael Chandler, and Jon Arason, 1999 APA National Conference, Seattle, WA

• An APA initiative to define the role of planning in

addressing human settlement issues relating to

sustainability

• Initiated by APA President Bruce Knight and CEO Paul

Farmer in March 2010

• Task Force formed to focus on the comprehensive plan

as the leading policy document to help communities

achieve sustainable outcomes

Sustainability: the Defining Challenge of the 21st Century

Issues

• Resource depletion

• Climate instability

• Energy production

• Economic stress

• Social inequity

• Community health

The Role of the Comprehensive Plan

The Role of the Comprehensive Plan

Sustaining Places Defined

Planning for sustaining places is a dynamic, democratic process

through which communities plan to meet the needs of current and

future generations without compromising the ecosystems upon which

we depend by balancing social, economic, and environmental

resources, incorporating resiliency, and linking local actions to global

and regional concerns.

APA PAS Report 567, January 2012

Eight Principles Derived from Best Practices

• Livable Built Environments

• Resilient Economy

• Healthy Community

• Authentic Participation

• Harmony with Nature

• Interwoven Equity

• Responsible Regionalism

• Accountable Implementation

The Role of the Comprehensive Plan

Healthy Communities Principle

• Improve safety, health, and wellness, especially for at-risk populations

• Reduce barriers to physical activity and active lifestyles

• Locate parks, greenways, and open space accessible to neighborhoods

• Encourage access to locally grown, healthy food

• Design for walking and biking to destinations

• Environmental justice: reduce expose to environmental pollution

The Role of the Comprehensive Plan

Accountable Implementation Principle

• Timeframes and responsibilities

• Departmental buy-in

• Coordination with capital program and operating budget

• Public and private sector partners / champions

• Metrics / indicators of success

• Public involvement

• Measure progress and communicate results

• Recognize milestones to maintain community support

The Role of the Comprehensive Plan

Albany 2030 Comprehensive Plan

Community “Scorecards”

Low Moderate High

Livable Built Environment x

Harmony With Nature x

Resilient Economy x

Interwoven Equity x

Healthy Community x

Responsible Regionalism x

Authentic Participation x

Accountable Implementation X

Low Moderate High

Livable Built Environment x

Harmony With Nature x

Resilient Economy x

Interwoven Equity x

Healthy Community x

Responsible Regionalism x

Authentic Participation x

Accountable Implementation ?

Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan

How does Austin measure up?

Two Capitol Cities…

Albany, NY Austin, TX

Capitol Ideas for

21st Century Comprehensive

Plans APA National Conference – Los Angeles

April 16, 2012

David Rouse, AICP – Principal, WRT

drouse@wrtdesign.com

Doug Melnick, AICP – Planning Director, Albany, NY

MelnickD@ci.albany.ny.us

Greg Guernsey, AICP – Planning Director, Austin, TX

Greg.Guernsey@austintexas.gov

The Albany 2030 Plan

Capitol Ideas for 21st Century Comprehensive Plans

2012 National Planning Conference - April 16, 2012

project history & process.

1st Comprehensive Plan in

400 year history

30+ member board (30+ meetings)

3 year start-up

2 year plan

Thousands of participants

Grant-Funded

•NYS DOS–Quality Comm.

•NYS DOS–BOA

•NYS DOS–LWRP

•US DOE–EECBG

•Hudson River Greenway

•Capitalize Albany Corp.

we do a lot of planning.

the systems approach.

objective.

To develop a resilient, sustainable community-based, long-

term plan that utilizes a series of systems containing

policies and actions developed and organized in a

manner that allow for implementation based upon

interrelationships.

Transportation

systems

Community

Form Systems

Economy

Systems

Social

Systems

Transportation

Systems

Natural

Resources

Systems Housing &

Neighborhood

Systems

Institutions

Systems

Resiliency Energy

Mobility Stewardship

Equity

engaging the community. (the whole community)

traditional/no-brainer

Dozens of neighborhood association meetings

Radio PSAs

Posting in City Hall and newspapers

1,000+ member distribution list

30+ Board meetings

Department head meetings

Stakeholder interviews

Targeted emails

Email address

Thousands of Fliers

3 rounds of public forums.

social media & website.

supplemental direct address.

how we did. (by the numbers)

integrating climate & sustainability.

climate action plan.

“Sustainable Development is development that meets the

needs of the present without compromising the ability of

future generations to meet their own needs.“

- Brundtland Commission, 1987

+

the Albany 2030 Systems

systems and strategy overview.

Community Form

Economy

Social

Transportation

Natural Resources

Housing & Neighborhoods

Utilities & Infrastructure

Institutions

system interrelationships.

projects.

prioritizing implementation projects.

Implementation projects prioritized based on four filters:

1. Alignment with vision component and system priorities

2. Combinations of strategies that yield the most direct

relationships among systems and that leverage change most

effectively and efficiently toward achieving plan goals and

objectives

3. Leadership capacity, staff capacity, partnerships and financial

capacity

4. Time required to initiate and complete the project

developing implementation projects.

plan monitoring.

metrics & targets.

current implementation.

progress & keys to success.

VEH-4 Promote efficient, hybrid, or alternative-fueled vehicles

EV Infrastructure Feasibility Study

BIC-1 Promote and implement the Bike Master Plan

10 miles of new marked routes & Bike Share Feasibility Study

SW-1 Create a Green Infrastructure System

GI Demonstration Projects

Green Business Program & Downtown Matching Grant Program

EN-4 Incentivize energy-efficiency and renewables in construction/rehabs

RP-4 Position the City as a leader in regional cooperation

Capital District Regional Sustainability Plan

PS-6 Enhance resiliency against climate change

Vulnerability Assessment & Climate Adaptation Plan

Douglas R. Melnick, AICP, Director of Planning

Director, Mayor's Office of Energy & Sustainability

City of Albany Department of Development & Planning

518.434.2532 x15

melnickd@ci.albany.ny.us

Find us online

www.Albany2030.org

albany2030@ci.albany.ny.us

follow @Albany2030

www.facebook.com/Albany2030

contact.