Sustainability Complete Streets and Sub-Regional Master Planning

1. SustainabilityComplete Streets and Sub-Regional Master Planning NASTO June, 2010

2. Sustainability is • “… development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” Brundtland Commission, United Nations, 1987

3. Goals • Move toward a more sustainable lifestyle: • Affordable housing • Viable agriculture • Desirable communities • More transportation options • People can age in community • More opportunity for physically active recreation • Preserved open space • Less consumption of scarce natural resources • Less non-renewable energy consumption

4. Affordable Housing? • By ‘Affordable’ we mean: • Cost to create, maintain, and conduct life from • One measure that is offered: the cost of mortgage and taxes should be no more than 30% of the income of a family earning 80% of median household income – (Ruiz) • In Sussex County median HH income for 2008 was $47,727.00

5. To Help Make a Place Sustainable Master (detailed) Planning A strong Planning Process as well as a strong Implementation process. Make it Walkable and Transit Ready With the right mix of Homes and Businesses

6. Planning in Delaware • State Planning Office - LUPA • Local Governments • 3 counties • 57 municipalities • Local governments must have comprehensive plans that must have a “Circulation” element (22 Delaware Code §702)

7. DelDOT • Responsible for: • Providing an adequate road system • 13,000 lane miles (90% of total lane miles) • Protecting the safe and smooth flow of traffic • Is and has often been unrecognized as a true partner • Has sometimes been the “lightning rod” • Can help bring good things to fruition • Has enjoyed an improving relationship with local governments

8. The Land Use - Transport Relationship • Flip sides of the same coin: • No transportation, no land use • No land use, no transportation • Challenges: • Coordinating the decision making • Vision or lack thereof • Differing decision horizons • Conflicting preferences

9. Immediate service by emergency personnel A variety of recreation activities Maximum return on real estate investments On demand transit (mostly trains) Sidewalks that they don’t have to shovel and that no one else can use Easy access to the goods and services they need Preferences are in Conflict • Spacious lands that they control as private • Minimal government “interference” • Lowest possible “taxes” • Affordable living

10. A Panoply of Plans:With a Piece Missing County Comprehensive Plan Sub-regional Master Plans Municipal Comprehensive Plans Site plans

11. Master Plans Include • Total package of: • Mix of housing options and necessary goods and services • Utility infrastructure • Transit ready/friendly • Universal design inside and out • Quality materials Aesthetically pleasing design • Implementation plan including financing and operations

12. Master Planning Process

13. Master Plan Efforts • Glasgow/Pencader Micro Study • Churchman’s Crossing • Wilmington Riverfront • SR1 Grid Study • SR1 Land Use and Transportation Plan • Westown • Eden Hill Farm • Eastown • Southern New Castle County • Milford • Georgetown Many more to come 

14. Results have been: Higher housing / living costs Higher transportation expenditures More automobile dependence More energy consumption Less sustainability Recent Development Trends • Tendency has been: • Larger lots • Larger houses • Less multi-family • Less mixed use

15. More Hopeful Options • Master planning • “Smart Code” approach • Clear and consistent direction to property owners and developers • Good examples of the preferred approach • Inclusionary, mixed use, walkable, transit ready communities • Complete Streets (Executive Order # 6)

16. Smart Code http://www.dpz.com

17. Complete Streets

18. Complete Streets Challenges • Maintenance • Design standards • ADA/accessability/Universal Design • Lighting • Public perceptions

19. So… Focus on the Complete Picture DUs /acre and LOS miss the real issues. How to: • Use land more efficiently • Plan communities, not subdivisions • Allow a mix of uses • Put schools at the heart of the community • Design for walkablility • Design for transit readiness • Use Universal Design principles • Demand quality construction • Achieve affordability through inclusion

20. Details Matter: The Effect of Design, Materials, Construction Quality on Livability • We have connected land use and transportation planning but the building code and construction components have been left out of the equation • Effect: • Cost to create homes/communities • Costs of home maintenance • Long term quality of life • Real and perceived safety and security • Weather related expenses and inconveniences • Long term physical and mental wellbeing

21. Special Governance Entities • Can be a means of achieving these ideals • Need to have the full range of land use responsibility and authority • Need to include the ability to collect fees for lighting, snow removal, storm water management, grounds maintenance, etc. • Need to be charged with focusing on the complete picture, not just DUs and LOS

22. Plan Implementation Requires • Strong local government leadership/vision • Active involvement and commitment from land owners • Strong written agreements • Money • Courage • Creativity • Tenacity • Attention to details