Last month we announced that the Greener Glendale Plan had received the Award of Excellence for Innovation in Green Community Planning from the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Planning Association (read announcement). So, what sets the Greener Glendale Plan apart from those in other cities? Here's a more detailed look at why we think the plan is so special.What is the Green Glendale Plan?
Greener Glendale is an innovative plan that sets a new standard for climate action and sustainability planning. It is designed to be replicated by other local governments with limited staff resources. The community benefits from the plan because it directs future City programs and policies to improve environmental quality of life in Glendale. These policies address air and water quality, parks and trees, more transportation choices, better planned land uses and more.
The Greener Glendale Plan is composed of three documents:
- Greener Glendale: 2010 Report, which provides an assessment of existing conditions and initial promotion of the project.
- Greener Glendale for Municipal Operations, which addresses sustainability of the internal operations of the local municipal government, the City of Glendale. This included participation from every City department within the organization.
- Greener Glendale for Community Activities, which addresses how the City of Glendale could best assist the community to be more sustainable. Community Activities involved a multitude of community groups including schools, non-profits, corporations, small businesses, community groups, and individuals of varying demographics.
• EnergyThe Greener Glendale Plan is being implemented in various ways, including
• Water
• Waste
• Transportation
• Urban Design
• Urban Nature
• Environmental Health
• GWP Energy & Water Conservation ProgramsResults and Next Steps
• Community Plans
• Green Building Standards
• Zero Waste Plan
• Mobility Plan
• Safe & Healthy Streets Plan
• Farmers’ Markets
• Community Gardens
• Fresh Air Ordinance
• Energy & Water Conservation
The key changes that have come about due to the Greener Glendale Plan’s adoption are inclusion of sustainability policies within the North and South Glendale Community Plans and Housing Element, and the execution of the transit-oriented development study for the Tropico Station. It has also provided a formal environmental City policy statement which helps guide City activities and provides support for City green programs/projects such as adopting the plastic bag ban, expanding the recycling program and pedestrian/bicycle infrastructure. The City has also been successful in getting transportation planning grants, in part because of the Greener Glendale Plan. As a result, the Plan has yielded statistics showing that the City’s existing green policies (e.g. GWP’s energy and water saving programs) have reduced energy and water consumption and air pollution emissions over the past few years. The Plan recommends follow-up measurements in 5 years to assess Glendale’s progress.
