CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP: SUSTAINABILITY PLANNING

APWA CONFERENCE JUNE 27, 2012

Learning Objectives:

1. Assemble the right individuals

and knowledge base to evaluate

your operation.

2. Engage citizens and business

owners to participate in the

process.

3. Educate staff on the plan and

develop action list.

About Cranberry Township

18.9% Growth 2000-2010

In addition to 28,582 people, Cranberry Township is home to 18,500 jobs

The Cranberry Plan

Thousands of hours of research and analysis, debate and open dialogue among residents, Township planners and consultants are summarized in The Cranberry Plan – a strategic roadmap for Cranberry to follow as it grows and matures over the next 25 years.

Page 6

Planning for Sustainability

Good planning results in

tangible benefits for everyone

who lives, works, and does

business in the Township.

The Cranberry Plan

• Began with the community’s Vision

• 25 Year timeframe

• Over 200 action strategies

• Plan involved input from thousands of residents and

thousands of hours of volunteer and staff time

• Adopted in April 2009

Community

Visioning

Background

Information

& Research

Growth

Management

Analysis

Growth

Management

Plan

Implementation

2005 Summer / Fall 07 Spring / Summer 08 Fall 08 Spring 09

The Cranberry Plan

Planning for a long-term Healthy Community

• Beginning with the end in mind – the

Township conducted an extensive Citizen Survey, which produced a

50%+ response rate.

Citizen Advisory Panel in action

• Citizens Advisory Panel (The CAP)

– 80 people representing a diverse cross-section of residents

– Met monthly to help planners focus on issues of greatest interest

– Formed Task Forces to dig deeper into

those issues

Engaging Shareholders in the Process

Task Forces Dig into the Details

SUSTAINABLE CRANBERRY

Board of Supervisors

Boards, Commissions

and Committees

Residents, Business

Owners, and Employees

Citizen Advisory

Panel

Steering Committee

Staff & Citizen Roles in the Cranberry Plan Process

Township Staff

From the beginning, we knew that successful implementation would rely upon:

Public Support and Education

Involvement of Elected Officials

Intergovernmental Cooperation

Financial Support

Volunteer Efforts

The Cranberry Plan

Cranberry’s Goal for Sustainability:

The Cranberry Township principles for

sustainable development will be

integrated and fully implemented in all

facets of municipal operations to

create an atmosphere of sustainability

in the Township.

Cranberry’s Five Principles of Sustainability

Be

Distinctive

Be

Prosperous

Be

Healthy

Be

Engaged

Be

Committed

The Sustainability Assessment

Cranberry Township enlisted Sustainable Pittsburgh to conduct a Sustainability Assessment of the township’s physical plant, municipal programs, policies, and planning processes.

Planning for the long-term health of the

community became the #1 goal of the Cranberry

Plan.

The CAP and the Cranberry Plan Steering Committee set out to

collaborate with Sustainable Pittsburgh to develop our set of

Sustainability Principles and complete a Township-wide

Sustainability Assessment.

• Sustainable Pittsburgh is a public-policy advocacy group that links economic prosperity, ecological health, and social equity

• Sustainable Pittsburgh provided specific recommendations related to sustainability, including costs and benefits

Sustainable Pittsburgh

“Cranberry Township is

well on its way to

becoming a model for

integrating the process of

sustainability as the new

business as usual for

municipal governance.”

- Sustainable Pittsburgh

Goals of Sustainability Assessment

Become a better

environmental steward

Increase efficiencies &

conserve resources

Save or make money

Assessing Sustainability

Physical Plant

• Energy Efficiency & Conservation • Municipal Center Parking • Stormwater & Sewer & Water planning/budgeting • Waste & Recycling • Environmentally Preferable Purchasing • Renewable Energy • Communications • Systems Integration • Carbon Dioxide Mitigation Strategies • Certifications and Evaluation Systems (ISO

14001, LEED, and Audubon International Certifications)

Municipal Programs, Policy,

and Planning

• Municipal Fiscal Health & Operating Budget & Preferred Scenario Fiscal Considerations

• Human Resources

• Land Use Management Program

• Affordable Housing

• Capital Improvement Program

• Sustainability Goals & Measures

• Evaluate Comp Plan Alternate Scenarios

• Public Education

Multidimensional, Multidisciplinary Scope / Team

Conducting a Nuts-and-Bolts Assessment

Assessing Sustainability

Achievable Recommendations throughout Municipal operations

Pa

yb

ac

k (

Ye

ars

)

Time to Implement (Years)

Tier 3

“Principles Leadership”

Tier 1

“Easy Money”

Tier 2

“No Regrets”

Savings Examples

Tier 1

$3,600 / year

100,000 pounds of CO2

Tier 1 + Tier 2

$8,500 / year

202,000 pounds of CO2

Assessing Sustainability: Focus On Energy

-

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

20,000

Ene

rgy

Use

d (

mm

btu

)

Kerosene

Diesel

Gasoline

Natural Gas

Electricity

Large Energy Uses

Municipal Operations (2007)

Assessing Sustainability: Focus On Energy

Local Government GHG Pilot Grant Program

• Internal – Township Emissions – Building on Sustainability Assessment

– Energy billing

– Township vehicle fleet

• External – Community-Wide Emissions – Utility companies

– Local businesses

– Traffic study

– Waste disposal

• Sustainability Action Team – Members from community, businesses &

educational institutions

– Develop community stake in project

Energy Reduction Plan

• Examples of Recommendations – Residential

• Lighting Upgrades

• Home Energy Competition

• Loan Watt Meters to Residents

– Commercial & Industrial

• ENERGY STAR Challenge

• Create Sustainable Business Label

– Transportation

• Encourage Ridesharing & Telecommuting

– General

• Encourage Thermostat Setbacks

• Purchase ENERGY STAR devices

• Provide Energy Improvement Resources

Energy Reduction Action Plan Recommendations

Assessing Sustainability: Focus On Energy

• Other • Waterless urinals

• Encourage smart

township growth

• Partner with schools

• Energy • LED exit signs

• Put computers to sleep nightly

• Purchase clean/renewable energy

• LED street lights

PROGRESS • Implemented 23 sustainability recommendations

• Mostly Tier 1

• Focus on Waste, Energy & Land Use

• Additional 21 planned or in progress

• Most are Energy reductions (cost reductions)

• Tracking progress and associated savings

Assessing Sustainability

Rooted in sustainability and guided by community involvement

the Township took a holistic approach, focusing on:

Township Physical Plant

Community & Residents

Businesses

Our logo connects residents and

employees with our sustainability

projects and progress.

RESULTS: Township Transportation

Policy, Planning and Action Produce RESULTS

Hybrid Vehicles – Many of the vehicles

purchased as part of the Township’s

vehicle replacement program are now

hybrids, getting 15 – 20 miles per gallon

more than conventional vehicles.

Roundabout - A traffic circle,

completed in 2008, reduces idle time

and fuel use by 30% according to the

Insurance Institute for Highway

Safety

RESULTS: Residents & Community Integrated Waste Management Program Components

Single

Stream

Recycling

Yard Waste

Collection

Variable

Disposal Rates

Solar

Cardboard

Compactor

RESULTS: Winter Maintenance

Reducing Material Usage

Snow Plows – GIS

tracking of fleet has

shown more efficient

routing, reducing

material usage

Liquid Brine – Began automated

production of liquid brine, which will

reduce the need for rock salt by up to

30% and a potential savings of up to

$80k; entered into Inter-municipal

agreements to sell brine to

surrounding communities

Pre- Wetting –

Current practice of

MgCl or CaCl as a

pre-wetting agent

produces extensive

environmental

benefits

RESULTS: Increased recycling volumes

RESULTS: Increased recycling volumes

Cranberry recycles about 43% of the residential waste stream, with

each person averaging about 256 pounds of waste recycled – a 200%

increase from 2004.

RESULTS: Increased Recycling Volumes

Savings Trending Upwards

Average customers serviced 8,229

Tons of waste land filled 7,412

Tons recycled (not including yard waste) 2,967

Tons of yard waste 2,692

Tons of Christmas Trees 11.8

Pounds recycled per person (at 2.81 people per household) 256

Residential recycling 23%

Waste stream recovery 43%

Customers participating in recycling 98%

RESULTS: Water Leak Detection and

Water Meter Testing

Reducing Water Loss and Costs

Leak Detection –

• Performed system-wide

twice per year

• Detected leaks are

scheduled for repair

• Resulted in both public

and private leaks

detected, reducing water

loss and costs

significantly

Over 10x savings of

cost of test each time!

Water Meter Testing –

• Water meters age and

slow over time

• Tests show percentage

loss and acceptance

threshold

• Meters replaced if past a

certain percentage water

loss resulting in more

accurate water usage

RESULTS: Traffic Signal Re-Timing

Increased Traffic Efficiency

Coordinated Traffic Signal System – • Multi-municipal effort to maximize

efficient use of infrastructure

• 21% reduction in vehicle stops

• More than 8% reduction in emissions

• Total daily fuel consumption savings of

over 100 gallons

• Benefit to cost ratio of 30:1

RESULTS: Environmentalism

Irrigation - Irrigated with effluent water treated at

Township plant

Sanctuary – Certified by Audubon International for

Environmental Planning and its participation in the

wildlife sanctuary program

Presented by

Fifth Graders

Water Conservation

Storm Water Control

Installation

Use of Rain Barrels

RESULTS: Engaged Residents

Over 115 residents have

participated.

More than 1,500 residents use

the free composting bins.

RESULTS: Irrigation Management

Decreasing Water Use

Automated Rain Gauges – Prevents

system from operating after specified

amounts of rainfall, only using water

when needed

RESULTS: Work Order/Fueling System

Keeping Assets in Top Form

Automatic Work Order – Automated

fueling system tied directly to our

work order system

Employee provides

odometer reading and vehicle

number

Step #1

Preventative Maintenance

Schedules for oil, transmission, etc. are automatically

generated

Step #2

Schedules automatically

sent to mechanics for vehicle follow-

up

Step #3

• A program of the sewer and water department to protect the environment and the public

• The program educates the public about what can go down the drain and what should be thrown away

• The program uses codes and best management practices to reduce water pollution and sewer overflows

FOG (Fats, Oils & Grease) Program

Page 38

Healthy Cranberry Website

Page 39

• Gain commitment from local leaders and residents – take time to educate Become a leader

• Quantify savings and share results. Validate business/resident input.

Serve residents and businesses

• Lead by example - foster and project an internal culture of sustainability

Demonstrate in everyday decision-

making

Critical Success Factors

Page 40

• The Cranberry Plan: Chester Engineers, Sustainable

Pittsburgh, Delta Development Group, HRG, Three Rivers Workforce

Investment Board, URS, Citizen Advisory Panel

• Sustainability Assessment: Collective Efforts LLC,

Sustainable Pittsburgh, Clear View Strategies, Strategic Energy,

PGHR Consulting, Local Government Academy, PA Resources

Council, Reaves & Associates, G.A. Wozniak & Associates

• Energy Reduction Plan: Sustainable Pittsburgh, G.A.

Wozniak & Associates, PA DEP, Sustainability Action Team

• Greenhouse Gas Inventory: Sustainable Pittsburgh, G.A.

Wozniak & Associates, Sustainability Action Team

Important Partnerships

Questions?

John Trant Chief Strategic Planning Officer

Cranberry Township

John.Trant@cranberrytownship.org

Jason Dailey Director of Public Works

Cranberry Township

Jason.Dailey@cranberrytownship.org

@cranberry_twp

facebook.com/cranberrytwp