#2 Authorize to enter into agreement with Dept of Natural Resources to become a Green Tier Legacy Community (File Res. #2012-917)City Manager’s Office Memorandum
May 29, 2012
TO: Janesville City Council
FROM: Al Hulick, Management Analyst
SUBJECT: Action on a Proposed Resolution authorizing the City of Janesville
to enter into an Agreement with the Wisconsin Department of
Natural Resources to become a Green Tier Legacy Community.
(File Resolution 2012-917)
Summary
In June 2010, the City Council endorsed the Sustainable Janesville Committee’s
(SJC) priority project of creating a Green Action Plan for the City of Janesville. In
order to accomplish that goal, the City Administration and Sustainable Janesville
Committee seek Council approval to join the Green Tier Legacy Program through
the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to create a sustainably plan for
the City.
Staff Recommendation
The Sustainable Janesville Committee recommends the City Council approve
File Resolution 2012-917 authorizing the City Administration to join the Green
Tier Legacy Program with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
City Manager’s Recommendation
In weighing the pros and cons of moving forward in becoming a Green Tier
Legacy Community, I believe it would benefit the City long-term by creating a
closer relationship with the DNR that would enable the City to gain enhanced
resources in becoming a more sustainable City.
Even though I believe the positives outweigh the negatives, one negative to be
aware of is that the City would need to enter into an agreement committing to
moving forward with some form of sustainable action plan.
Background
On June 14, 2010, the Sustainable Janesville Committee and City Council held a
joint study session to discuss the role and goals of the SJC. At the conclusion of
that meeting, the Council and the SJC agreed upon three priority projects that the
Committee could complete within the next 12-18 months.
One of the final priority projects yet to be completed was the creation of a Green
Action Plan. This plan would then be used to guide future decisions to ensure
the goals objectives of the City’s Eco-Municipality Resolution (2008-508) are met.
The creation of this action plan was to be funded through a portion of the City’s
2009 EECBG Allocation ($25,000). These funds were obligated for this purpose
in September 2011, and must be fully expended by September 2012.
In May 2011, the SJC and City Council hosted a presentation by Mr. Steve
Hinkier, Executive Director of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, regarding the Green
Tier Legacy Program. That presentation provided the SJC and the City Council
an overview of the program. At the culmination of this presentation, the SJC
agreed that the Green Tier Legacy Program would satisfy the committee goal of
creating a Green Action Plan while receiving direct benefits and consultation from
the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources during the planning and
implementation process.
At that time, the Green Tier Legacy Program was not able to accept new
communities to participate. However, in January 2012, the Executive Committee
of the Legacy Program agreed to expand their program to serve additional
communities and would consider Janesville’s inclusion in the program upon the
City Council’s adoption of a resolution authorizing their commitment to the
program.
Program Background
The Green Tier Legacy Program is a collaboration between the Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), the Wisconsin League of
Municipalities, the Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation, the UW Center
on Wisconsin Strategy (COWS), 1000 Friends of Wisconsin and five Wisconsin
municipalities. The program is designed to foster and provide technical
assistance for sustainable practices implemented in participating municipalities.
In return for their participation, communities receive recognition, technical
assistance and regulatory flexibility from the WDNR through their Green Tier
program.
The program was launched in December of 2010 with five communities
participating: the cities of Appleton, Bayfield, Fitchburg and Middleton and the
village of Weston. The cities have pledged to implement sustainable practices as
outlined in the charter and its appendices. In January of 2012, the GTLC was
opened to allow more communities to participate.
Participating communities select the policies and strategies that fit within local
priorities and needs. Progress is marked by change within the individual
community, not by comparison with other Legacy communities. However,
communities meet regularly to discuss policies and what barriers may exist that
impede progress. Program participants meet quarterly to share strategies, learn
new and developing sustainability practices, and develop strategies with the
WDNR that reduce paperwork and streamline regulatory actions.
By participating in the Green Tier Legacy Program, local governments commit to
the goal of meeting the economic and infrastructure needs of today's residents
while conserving resources so that future generations can enjoy the same
community benefits. Actions within this program can address a broad range of
“variables” that could include reducing municipal energy use, developing and
implementing a transportation system that provides energy-efficient travel
choices, supporting local business development such as increased access to
local foods and other products and services, etc (See Attached Program
Baseline Checklist). Communities establish a baseline of these “variables” and
then create a Sustainability Implementation and Monitoring Plan.
By agreeing to perform this baseline analysis and creating a Sustainability
Implementation and Monitoring Plan, the City will be assigned a liaison from the
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources who will work directly with the City
to help establish the baseline information and create the Implementation and
Monitoring Plans. In order to continue to receive this hands on assistance from
the WDNR, the City would have to agree to sign an agreement with the WDNR
that they would indeed establish this baseline information, create the
Implementation and Monitoring Plan, and continue to show those plans are being
followed and implemented accordingly.
The only costs associated with this program would be the additional staff time
required to collect, analyze, and establish the baseline information. This
additional staff time would be paid for through the City’s approved 2009 EECBG
Work Plan.
cc: Eric Levitt
Jacob Winzenz
RESOLUTION NO. 2012-917
A Resolution authorizing the City of Janesville to enter into an Agreement with
the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to become a Green Tier Legacy
Community
WHEREAS, at their May 27, 2008 meeting, the City Council adopted File Resolution
No. 2008-508 establishing the City of Janesville as an Eco-Municipality; and
WHEREAS, the Eco-Municipality Resolution states that the City of Janesville endorses
the principles of sustainability as outlined in the Eco-Municipality guidelines to:
1. Reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and extracted underground metals and
minerals.
2. Reduce dependence on chemicals and other manufactured substances that can
accumulate in Nature.
3. Reduce dependence on activities that harm life-sustaining ecosystems.
4. Meet the hierarchy of present and future human needs fairly and effectively.
WHEREAS, the City Council endorsed the Sustainable Janesville Committees priority
project to create a sustainability plan for the City of Janesville; and
WHEREAS, the Center on Wisconsin Strategy, the Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources (DNR), and 1000 Friends of Wisconsin have created a Green Tier Legacy
Program with the goals of:
1. Assisting municipalities in achieving superior environmental performance,
2. Improving the quality of life and economic vitality of communities, and
3. Helping municipalities and the DNR address water management issues in a
holistic, watershed-based manner, and
4. Assisting municipalities in preparing, implementing and improving an overall
watershed plan that integrates the municipality’s full range of water resources
issues, and
5. Assisting municipalities in preparing, implementing and improving over time a
sustainability plan that reduces a municipality’s impact on the environment, and
6. Facilitating access to state and federal funding for projects and activities related
to this charter, and
7. Realizing taxpayer savings through reduced municipal expenditures on motor
vehicle fuels and energy resulting from efficient development patterns, and
8. Helping municipalities comply with various water regulations in a more efficient,
cost effective and flexible manner, and
9. Achieving other demonstrable and measureable environmental improvements
beyond what is required by local, state, or federal law; and
WHEREAS, the Green Tier Legacy Communities Program is seeking partnerships with
local units of government in furtherance of the Green Tier Charter goals; and
WHEREAS, the City of Janesville will benefit from such a partnership with the Green
Tier Legacy Communities Program; and
NOW THEREFOR BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED, that the Common Council of the City of
Janesville hereby declare themselves a signatory to the Green Tier Charter for Legacy
Communities and authorize the City Administration to sign the necessary documents on
behalf of the Common Council;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that City staff are directed to assist with meeting the
Charter goals and to submit an annual report to the Organizational Signatories; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that upon adoption, the City Administration is hereby
directed to send a copy of this resolution to the Wisconsin DNR and the Legacy
Communities Green Tier Steering Committee.
ADOPTED:
Motion by:
Second by:
APPROVED:
Councilmember Aye Nay Pass Absent
Dongarra-Adams
Farrell
Eric J. Levitt, City Manager
Kealy
Liebert
ATTEST:
Severson
Steeber
Voskuil
Jean Ann Wulf, City Clerk-Treasurer
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Wald Klimczyk, City Attorney
Proposed by: City Manager’s Office
Prepared by: City Manager’s Office (ACH)