Agenda Item - 2010-09-20 Back Page
Add Sustainability Facts and Resources Planning for a Sustainable Lake Oswego
What does it mean? How will we do it?
A sustainable Lake Oswego is a community that The i y o Lake •swego used The Natural Step(TNS)
meets the vital human needs of the present without sustainability framework as the basis for the 2007 City
compromising our ability to meet future needs. It of Lake Oswego Sustainability Plan for City operations
is about more than green buildings,green streets, and will use TNS to inform the Comprehensive Plan
and recycling. Planning in a sustainable way means update. Based on international scientific consensus
looking at the community as an interrelated system on the conditions needed to sustain life on earth,The
that includes places around us(the natural and built Natural Step Four System Conditions provide science-
environment),people that live and work here,and based direction on how Lake Oswego can move
the local economy that supports society's needs.The forward in a sustainable way,and inform the following
health of the community and these elements depend four Sustainability Principles:
on one another;none can be considered apart from 1. What we take can be restored.
the others. 2. What we make does not build up in and harm
Places nature.
(Environment) 3. We protect natural systems from degradation.
4. We support people to meet their own needs.
People
(Society)
Strategic Questions:
Prosperity
(Economy)
As the community plans for the future,the following
questions will help to ensure the decisions we make
respond to the Community Vision and the triple-bottom-
line (people, places,and prosperity)of sustainability:
The environment,or earth,forms the basis for this
community system because it provides the air,water 1. Does the proposal move Lake Oswego toward
and land that we as people depend on to meet our the Community Vision?
life-sustaining needs. Community prosperity is also 2. Is the proposal consistent with the Sustainability
dependent upon the services and products the earth Principles?
provides,from healthy agricultural soils to abundant 3. Is the proposal a good financial investment?
water and reasonably stable climates. 4. Does the proposal provide a stepping stone
toward the Vision and sustainability?
Current demand for the earth's services(clean air,
clean water,food) is increasing, but because of how
we're living and an increasing population,its ability
to provide those services is decreasing. As a result,
we are destroying the system that we,as humans,are
completely dependent upon. wE
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Fortunately,it's not too late. The community has the Planning for People,Places and Prosperity
ability to change this. Sustainability is a process of
continuous,ongoing improvement,and a realignment , 7
of community goals and practices to grow in a more �i i7 In
fr
responsible and resilient manner.
Decision-Making Filter Comprehensive Plan Update
To understand potential synergies,barriers, trade-offs,and other constraints or opportunities of a proposal,a detailed set As the City and community develop the following key elements of the Comprehensive Plan update,proposals
of questions provide the underlying analysis used with the filter. The following is a general description of the key elements will be filtered through the decision-making filter at the left. The filter is used to evaluate proposals to determine
of the decision-making filter with some examples of questions to be considered. if they help move the community toward the Community Vision and sustainability principles.Economic
M considerations and future flexibility are also included in the filter to provide a complete assessment.
• Does the proposal move Lake Oswego toward the Community Vision?
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J Draft Community Vision: Describes in words what the community
1 aspires Lake Oswego to be like in 2035. Structured around seven plan action areas.
0 Is the proposal consistent with the Sustainability Principles? o
Sustainability Principle 1:What we take can be restoredft, *Ali'
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Reduce and ultimately eliminate our community's dependence on fossil fuels and wasteful use of 11(77 t U. N
scarce metals and minerals. Use renewable resources whenever possible. Nye ri, 4
• Help the community reduce or eliminate use of fossil fuels in buildings or from transportation,such as Healthy Healthy Safe A Connected Inspiring Economic Complete Community
safe,convenient options to driving alone and access to an electrified transportation infrastructure? Ecosystems People Community Spaces& Vitality Neighborhoods Culture
• Support local economic development, markets for locally manufactured goods and services,or Places &Housing
encourage businesses with sustainable practices? Ppp\y filter to Comprehensive plan
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• Increase efficiency(energy,water,materials),reliability,or connectivity in essential public infrastructure?
Sustainability Principle 2:What we make does not build up in and harm nature or people Scenario Options: Depicts in words and generalized maps different ways
Reduce and ultimately eliminate our community's dependence upon persistent chemicals and wasteful use of that Lake Oswego could implement the vision.
synthetic substances.Use biologically safe products whenever possible. ® OO ® O
cN• Encourage use of chemical-free and toxic-free building materials? N
• Establish standards that minimize the use of pesticides and herbicides. 00
• Reduce risks to human and environmental health from exposure to toxins?
Sustainability Principle 3:We protect natural systems from degradation
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Reduce and ultimately eliminate our community's contribution to new encroachment upon nature(e.g.land,
water,wildlife,forests,soil,ecosystems). Protect natural,life-sustaining ecosystems. Preferred Scenario: Community supported option for how Lake Oswego a,
• Encourage infill and redevelopment using low impact development practices? will develop in the future. Integrates elements from the seven action areas and E
• Incorporate design and development patterns that respect natural systems such as watersheds and provides the foundation for updating Comprehensive Plan goals and policies. = N
wildlife corridors? 0
• Support growth management policies linked to carrying capacity of natural systems and the
community's ability to provide services?
Sustainability Principle 4:We support people to meet their own needs
Reduce and ultimately eliminate conditions that systematically undermine people's capacity to meet their own Comprehensive Plan: Updated goals and policies for each of the seven a,
needs.• Provide a range of housing choices to meet the diverse needs of the community? action areas provide direction on how to implement the vision and preferred scenario. £ c
• Increase people's sense of community and foster connections to become resilient and self-reliant? Adopted by City Council. N
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• Involve citizens in decision-making in a meaningful way?
• Is the proposal a good financial investment? \
7• Does it reduce long-term operating and maintenance costs? If so,what is the return on investment? Action Plan: Specific, measurable steps the community will take to implement
• Have non-market costs,or externalities,been considered in the financial assessment? the Goals and Policies; includes metrics, indicators, benchmarks, priority level/ E
• What is the level of risk associated with taking the action (or failing to take the action)? timeline, responsibility and funding mechanisms for each action. A separate E N
• Will it promote resource sharing between City and another entity or leverage external funds? J document from the Comprehensive Plan. ,.n
óDoes the proposal provide a stepping stone toward the Vision and sustainability? : ._
• Is it a first step in phasing in more sustainable approach?
• Is it flexible and adaptable approach to accommodate future innovation?
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• Does it involve a financial investment that locks community into an unsustainable situation for many years? Planning for People,Places and Prosperity