Sustainable Economic Development

Sustainable "Green" Economic Development combines environmental improvement and traditional economic development into one discipline. Traditional economic development can be employed to increase employment while improving our environment. Economic Development and “Green” Development should be synergistic, improving our overall quality of life.

Sustainable Development – Definitions

"Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." United Nations

http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd/review.htm

"We believe sustainable development begins at home and is supported by effective domestic policies, and international partnerships. Self-governing people prepared to participate in an open world marketplace are the very foundation of sustainable development."

US State Department http://www.state.gov/g/oes/sus/

"We pledge to transmit this city not only not less, but far greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us." Oath written by Pericles. From 594 to 404 B.C., literature, science, philosophy, and the arts flourished in Athens. The birthplace of democracy had its golden age during the rule of statesman Pericles (c. 495-429 B.C.), who made sweeping political reforms and actively supported the arts. Pericles is credited with the Athenian oath of fealty.

"Leave your campground better than you found it." Scouting Principle

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“Leave your community better than you found it.” Our Principle.

Traditional Economic Development

Economic development is the increase in the amount of people in a nation's population with sustained growth from a simple, low-income economy to a modern, high-income economy. Its scope includes the process and policies by which a nation improves the economic, political, and social well-being of its people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_development

Gonçalo L Fonsesca at the New School for Social Research defines economic development as "the analysis of the economic development of nations.

http://www.newschool.edu/nssr/het/contact.htm

The University of Iowa's Center for International Finance and Development states that: "'Economic development' or 'development' is a term that economists, politicians, and others have used frequently in the 20th century. The concept, however, has been in existence in the West for centuries. Modernization, Westernization, and especially Industrialization are other terms people have used when discussing economic development. Although no one is sure when the concept originated, most people agree that development is closely bound up with the evolution of capitalism and the demise of feudalism. 

http://www.uiowa.edu/ifdebook/

The Canadian Center for Community Renewal defines “Community Economic Development as the process by which local people build organizations and partnerships that interconnect profitable business with other interests and values - for example, skills and education, health, housing, and the environment. In CED a lot more people get involved, describing how the community should change. A lot more organizations look for ways to make their actions and investments reinforce the wishes and intentions of the whole community. Business becomes a means to accumulate wealth and to make the local way of life more creative, inclusive, and sustainable - now and 20 or 30 years from now.” 

http://www.cedworks.com/CEDdefinition.html

Sustainable Economic Development

KISS (Keep it Sweet and Simple)

Our simple rule set and acronym is:

KEEP

Keep the businesses and jobs that you have

Expand the businesses you have

Enhance your community to attract new businesses

Protect and continuously improve the environment

Sustainable Economic Development is the art of keeping and expanding your businesses while continually improving the Environment. As economic developers we provide information and assistance to companies who create new jobs. We create the policies and incentives to retain our existing businesses and support expansion. A good economic development office strives to have the most comprehensive and current information available on the following subject matter areas:

• Local demographics

• Quality of life

• Public infrastructure

• Business assistance

• Real estate

• Taxes, fees, regulations

• Market the community to targeted business industries

Both successful economic development and continuing improvement to the environment are a hallmark of a quality community. Some people still think that economic development is chasing smokestacks and that economic development hurts the environment.

But that view is outdated. Working intelligently, business and government can expand the economy and retain and attract quality jobs while enhancing and improving the environment.

Sustainable Economic Development Strategy

Feel free to use this adapt this brief strategy to your own local situation.

VISION

Our communities will provide quality jobs at good wages while improving our environment.

MISSION STATEMENT

We are committed to providing an environment in which our natural resources, our people, and our economy are balanced. We will not compromise the future by focusing solely on the needs of today. We aspire to make our communities regional leaders who develop, promotes, and improves the quality of our community through sustainable practices.

Recommended Improvements

The following are our recommended improvements to "Green" our communities that we will pursue that are aimed at retaining and expanding our businesses and jobs:

· We will retain our existing businesses and jobs

· We will help our existing businesses expand

· We will attract new businesses

· Energy efficiency in all businesses is encouraged

· Developers are encouraged to create green buildings

· Mixed use development will be emphasized

· Historic buildings will be adaptively reused

· Walk ability of the city will be encouraged

· Incentives will be employed to support improvements

· Energy efficient buildings will be required

· Sedimentation and erosion controls will be enforced

· The ecology of waters edge areas will be enhanced

· Bike trails and racks will be emphasized

· Transit will be maintained

· Trees and natural landscaping will be planted

· Renewable energy sources will be sought

· Recycling will be supported

· Air and water quality will be improved

· We will ensure a just and fair society

· We will seek to provide jobs for all of our citizens

We will follow the principles below:

Promote efficient buildings

Use recycled material in buildings

Recycle building material waste

Encourage rain harvesting and irrigation

Use passive solar orientation of buildings

Encourage solar and wind energy systems

Employ green roofs

Support the use of natural landscaping

Improve municipal staff knowledge of “green” techniques

Support quality construction for long lived buildings

Encourage mixed use development

Support walk to work programs

Encourage development that supports transit

Support efforts to redevelop older communities

Permit Live / Work Space development

Support natural open space and parks

Use open surface natural drainage where feasible

Design wetlands, drainage ways and retention into parks

Support the local production of “green” technology equipment

Incorporate bikeways and pedestrian path

Minimize pavement widths & cost & material

Update codes to encourage “green” development

Encourage geothermal energy

Require street trees

Sustainable Land Use Planning

Smart Growth, New Urbanism, and Mixed Use Development

Sustainable Economic Development is consistent with the principles of Smart Growth, New Urbanism, and Mixed Use Development. Growth presents a tremendous opportunity for progress and change. Communities around the country are looking for methods to optimize development and to amend zoning rules that make it difficult to place workplaces, homes, and services closer together. Citizens are faced with economic pressures and seek ways to save on car and gas use and on commuting time.

To address these challenges we must make a commitment to sustainable land use planning, often called "smart growth." Taking steps such as preserving open space, providing a variety of transportation choices, encouraging compact building designs and creating walk able communities will help the city choose smart growth strategies that encourage social, cultural and physical activity. Smart growth is a way to offer more choices to citizens in terms of deciding where to live, how to get around, and will protect the environment while stimulating economic growth.

Mixed use development and new urbanism both emphasis reducing travel times between work and home. This is certainly consistent with sustainable development.

Sustainable Economic Development operates within a social and economic context. Smart growth also strongly supports the revitalization and/or redevelopment of established and emerging urban neighborhoods. It promotes neighborhood-centric activity centers that employ a smart growth development template that integrates a mix of uses, multi-modal circulation options, public spaces and other elements.

Environmental sustainability is a part of this operation and is best achieved when integrated with other components. A sustainable economic development organization seeks to participate within its community, integrate economic development with environmental protection, and minimize the impacts of development on the community. Through seeking balance, an organization will take into account the needs of future generations.

With financial difficulties and environmental concerns facing the global and national economy, we will place a high priority on sustainable economic development, energy efficiency, and responsible growth management.

CONCLUSION

Sustainable Economic Development will be the standard for future economic development and “green” environmental improvement efforts. We can and will improve our environment while providing jobs and tax base for our community.

This Article Can Be Found At:

http://sustainableeconomicdevelopment.blogspot.com

References

http://greencitydevelopment.blogspot.com

http://sustainableeasternwillcounty.blogspot.com

http://riverssedgeredevelopmentiniative.blogspot.com

http://rivertraildrive.blogspot.com

http://greenedgepeoria.blogspot.com

http://greenpeoria.blogspot.com

http://sustainablepeoria.blogspot.com/

http://greencitydevelopment.blogspot.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_development

http://sustainablepeoria.blogspot.com/

http://greencitydevelopment.blogspot.com/

http://peoriastrategy.blogspot.com/

http://www.renaissanceparkpeoria.com/

http://www.ilapa.org/news/2010/Apr10/greeninf.html

About the authors –

Dr. Amir Al-Khafaji is a Professor and Chairman of the Department of Civil Engineering and Construction at Bradley University Dr. Al-Khafaji is the only active faculty member on the Bradley University campus to have won both the Putnam Award for Teaching Excellence and the Rothberg Award for Research Excellence. He is Chairman of the City of Peoria Commission on Sustainability and Green Technology.
http://www.bradley.edu/academics/eng/Civil/Html/Faculty/A_Al-Khafaji.htm

Chuck Eckenstahler is 35 year veteran of municipal planning, economic development and real estate consultant serving clients in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, and a past contributor to the Illinois Municipal Review. He teaches economic development subjects in the Graduate School of Business at Purdue North Central, Westville, Indiana and serves on the faculty of the Lowell Stahl Center for Commercial Real Estate Studies at Lewis University, Oakbrook Illinois. Find out more about him at

http://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckeckenstahler 

He can be contacted at pctecken@comcast.net or by phone at             219-861-2077      .

Craig Hullinger AICP has 35 years of experience in economic development, city planning, and transportation planning. He is a Partner in the consulting firm Ruyle Hullinger and Associates. He was the Economic Development Director of the City of Peoria, Illinois, and a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and Lamda Alpha. He was formerly Planning Director of Will County. He publishes a number of blogs on economic development, planning, and sustainability which can be found at http://craighullinger.com/. He can be contacted at craighullinger@gmail.com or by phone at             309-634-5557      .

Watch Aircraft Flights

Very cool program shows all the flights in your area.  Click on the link below to see the aircraft flights.

flightradar24.com

Technology never ceases to amaze me.

Thanks to Albert Linsenmyer for sharing.

Zip Car Plays in Peoria

Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois has partnered with Zipcar to launch a car-sharing program to provide a convenient transportation option for its students, staff and members of the community. Drivers can join Zipcar for as a little as a $25 annual membership fee, with vehicle rates starting at $7.50/hour or $69/day. Two vehicles will be available on-demand, 24/7 on Bradley’s campus, and can be reserved at zipcar.com/bradley.

zipcar.com Clever video on how zip car works

Homicide in America

The good news is that the homicide rate in America continues to drop.

The Atlantic has an excellent article on this issue


"Violent crime rates of all types have been steadily decreasing since the early 1990s. No one is quite sure what is causing this decrease, though there are many theories, ranging from tighter gun control laws to more innovative policing and changes in the drug market."

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/tables/table-1

The bad news is that America's rate is much higher than the rest of the world.

"Whatever the cause of this decline, America still has a homicide rate of 4.7 murders per 100,000 people, which is one of the highest of all developed countries (see: international comparison)."

Click to read the Atlantic Article

Privatization

Another interesting article by 

Aaron M. Renn of the Urbanophile - this one about Privatization.

"Privatization – and in this case I am referring to items like long term asset leases, not shorter term operating contracts – can actually be a great thing. For example, Governing magazine just ran a piece on the effectiveness of public-private partnerships in British Columbia and elsewhere. They highlight having a professional staff that is able to properly evaluate deal structures."

"But another thing is to make sure we understand what it is we should potentially privatize. I won’t claim to have the entire answer, but it’s something that every city and state should be thinking through. What attributes make something a good candidate for privatization versus a bad one?"

Click to read the article

Nuclear Catastrophe Planner

I was working as the Planning Director of Will County, Illinois (Joliet, Naperville, Park Forest, Tinley Park) in 1976 when a man came in to see me. He gave me a business card which indicated that he was an NCP.

"What is an NCP", I asked? "Nuclear Catastrophe Planner", he replied.

I have another live one, I thought.  He proceed to show me a large old colorfully printed document that showed the areas that would be destroyed by a nuclear attack.  All of the six County Chicago metro area would be destroyed except a small corner in the southwest corner of Will County. 

"Interesting and depressing", I said. And glad that a small part of my County will survive.  "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Prepare an evacuation plan." he said.  

"You want to evacuate the entire Chicago metro area before an attack?" I said. "Won't you have only 15 minutes or so to evacuate 8 million people?  Where would they go?" The roads would be impassable.

"They will go to rural areas outside of the metro area." He said. The evacuation can take several days.

And then what he said made some sense. He told me that the Soviet Union had plans and actually practiced evacuation of their large cities.  If we got into a toe to toe confrontation with the USSR or PRC, as we did over the Cuban missile crisis, things could once again get very tense.  

"If we see they are evacuating their cities it would be best to start evacuating our cities. Otherwise we would be pressured to strike first." he said. Both the USSR and USA might take several days to evacuate their cities.

Our NCP seemed to be a free lance individual rather than a representative of a government agency. I asked if any of the other planning agencies were preparing such plans or if there was a Federal agency coordinating or funding this effort.  There was no funding or agency.

We never did prepare evacuation plans.

__________________

Click to see a fun video on nuclear fallout from 1955.  Anytime you get depressed about how things are doing now politically, think back to fun times of the cold war.

And it is a wonderful thing that the USA, USSR, and the PRC avoided blowing the world up. Lets keep up the good work, guys.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saLwgBKJT7o

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread349950/pg1

The map above is not from the NCP Document. The one the NCP showed me had a much larger destruction zone - probably from multiple bombs. Which would facilitate significant urban renewal

You probably recall the old joke

What to do in the event of nuclear attack?

Bend over, put your head between your legs, and kiss your ass goodbye.

Guns and the Prevention of Tyranny

The dialogue below is from a discussion about privately owned guns and their value in preventing government tyranny.  It is excerpted from a Yahoo Group discussion. My response to my friend RV is in bold italics.  

I think that the private ownership of governments has little to do with the preservation of freedom in this country.  Each little Village and City and County has a police department that is capable.  They are somewhat nervous of heavily armed citizens because not because they think they will rise up against the country but because they know that some people are lunatics who may use those guns to murder people. 

And I spent 32 years in the Marine Corps. I never heard anyone talk about overthrowing the government. We all swore to protect and defend the Constitution. And we were not worried about a few folks with AR-15's other than nervous that someone might go crazy and murder people.

There are numerous divisions of power in our country. In some countries the military and police are one super organization.  In our country the military is divided into numerous branches, and police power is divided into a myriad of local, State, and Federal agencies.  

I think that your perspective is somewhat clouded by your experience, not that I demean or belittle it.

Yes, of course it is. All of us base our opinions on our experience and education, and the latest web site or email that we have read.

Here are some other thoughts. What if there was absolutely no armed citizens and then the capabilities of a obsessive government in 50 years a 100 years from now? Then would there be any possibility at all?

Anything is possible.  But democratic governments have been taking over the world.  Look at South America and the former Communist countries.  And the Arab world is in the process. 

Can an armed citizen overthrow a government? I don't think so, but they also represent a very very strong deterrent to some actions.

I don't think an armed citizenry is much of a deterrent to government tyranny.  I served in the Marine Corps. I never heard anyone seriously talk about desiring the country to be run by a dictatorship. We all grew up in a vibrant democracy and most of like it just fine - even if we get frustrated with all the fussing and fighting.  And everyone in the military on promotion or reenlistment takes an oath of office swearing to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.

I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.^[1] 


Did anyone think that the USSR would ever fall like they did? Was that not brought about by a strong citizenary?

Most people were surprised when European Communism fell apart so quickly.  These were horrible governments who ruled through fear and murder - argue with the government and you would end up dead or in prison.

I met Brent Skowcroft in the Tokyo Airport a few years after the fall of Communism. He was the National Security Adviser under President Bush 41. A very knowledgeable and nice man. I had read the book he and George Bush had written.

I asked him if he had seen the fall of communism coming. "No one saw it." he laughed.  Ronald Regan talked about the fall, but everyone was shocked and pleasantly surprised when it fell so quickly."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Scowcroft

So horrible dictatorships have fallen in many places, with very few changed from democracy back to dictatorship, particularly where democracy has been in place for some time.

If there was a situation in 50 or 100 years that arose from a oppressive government, you assume that the military would fully back this government. Maybe they would want or need the help of an armed public.

The military is sworn to preserve and protect the Constitution and would do so without reservation.  They would not support or back a takeover of the government and an elimination of democracy. Our military is very much a mirror of our greater society.

This looks at a practical view of today's situation but to me does not look in the future. Also, I don't think it takes in the values, courage and strength of the America citizen.

The values, courage and strength of the American citizen is important and directly reflected in our military. After all, all of our military were civilians before and after they enter the military.

If things were bad enough, I believe you would be one of those to take a leadership role to protect and defend the original values of this country and you would want to be armed.

I have sworn numerous times to support and defend the Constitution and would do what I swore to do, which is also the right thing to do.

There is an excellent article in the Atlantic on this issue. I agree with the author.

Click to Read the Article