The Sustainable Cities: PLUS Planning Cycle

2008 Biennial ConferenceDurban South Africa

Dr. Nola-Kate SeymoarSustainable Cities (ICSC)

September 2008

The Sustainable Cities: PLUS Planning Cycle is:

A generic summary of principles and stages

Drafted by Secretariat and Steering Committee

Discussed/revised at several peer exchanges in 2007, 2008

The framework for Durban Biennial Conference 2008

Context

Ground truthing: Have we got it right?

Is the cycle relevant in the North and the South? Can it apply to small and large cities and communities? Is it broad enough to encompass most frameworks? Can it be translated into different languages and cultural

contexts? Is it valuable: is it worthy of our efforts to refine and

develop a manual and support documents? Who else might value this work and finance it? How will you make use of it?

Questions

Six Principles

1. Adopting a long-term lens

Vision 50 to 100 years, requires backcasting not forecasting from current trends

Strategy 20-30 years, requires collaboration

Plan(s) 5 years, requires aligning budgets, workplans and mandates

Vision

Strategy

Plans

2. The City as A Complex System

Organic Metaphor Roots - sustainability (four) Stem - governance (stability) Leaves -transformation Petals direct/show change Centre sustainability Pollinators transfer knowledge

Is this a valuable metaphor?Would you use it?

Six Principles

3. Integrated and Comprehensive

Six Principles

Water

TransportSolid Waste

Natural Gas Wastewater

4. Adaptive Management and Collective Learning

Resiliency anticipatechange

Learning sharing experience the good and the bad

Six Principles

5. Considers bioregion, ecological footprint and neighbours

Impact of decisions beyondpolitical jurisdictions

Ecological footprint area of land &water to produce, consume & absorbcitys waste

Neighbours First Nations

Six Principles

6. Participatory Engagement

Multi-sectoralMulti-stakeholderMulti-disciplinary

Different approaches for different purposes

Six Principles

The Sustainable Cities: Planning Cycle

Six Stages Not linear Adaptive Learning Spiral

Six Stages

1. Awareness and Scoping

Fear and hope (why)

Key decisions: who where whatwhen how

Six Stages

2. Visioning

Two approaches

Large scale public participation

Multi-sectoral teams

Complementary not exclusive

Six Stages

3. Establishing Baselines and Exploring Options

Where are we now? Where do we want to be?

(targets and timeframes) What are the options?

(what have others done) Does this preclude future

options?

Six Stages

4. Develop Strategies

Multi-use spaces and convertible structures

Protect and connect blueribbons and green webs

Green and Clean the Import & Export

Chains

Enhance the Diversity of Choices

Experiment and Learn as we go

Plan Short Loops &Integrated Infrastructure

Become Net Contributors

Create Shock Resilient Cells

6. Implementation

Who will do whatWhenDecision Matrix

Six Stages

6. Monitoring and Reporting

Measuring ProgressRevising PlansCelebrating Success

Six Stages

The Sustainable Cities: Planning Cycle

1. Awareness and Scoping

Fear and hope (why)

Key decisions: who wherewhat when how

Six Stages

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