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Chapter 5 Environment for Everyone was unanimously adopted by City Council on February 10, 2020.
In 2022, the Environmental Programs Coordinator presented an overview of chapter five sponsored by the League of Women Voters and Citizens for a Better City, available in the recording below.
Chapter 5 Overview Video - League of Women Voters Event
Urban planning for the future should address how environmental goals can be incorporated in the development of the City’s thriving urban activity center. This should be done in such a way that the community is able to reap the maximum benefit from integrating natural resources with the built environment while also ensuring natural resources are protected and improved.
The revised chapter is framed in the context of adapting to anticipated change. Increasing population and significant land redevelopment are driving vibrant growth in the City. Demographic projections indicate that the City’s population will grow by 42 percent by 2045. Redevelopment affects an average of almost eight acres of commercial and residential property each year, and more than 180 acres of commercial property and 1000 homes may be candidates for future redevelopment. Changes in demographics and land use are taking place at a time when the climate is also changing. Climate models for the Metropolitan Washington region predict gradually increasing average temperatures, greater temperature extremes, increased precipitation, and more frequent and severe storm events. The review of the Natural Resources and Environment chapter of the comprehensive plan was an opportunity to consider how development and investment in the City should respond to the City’s changing environment.
The vision statement for the chapter, which is a general statement of what we want to achieve, is as follows:
Increase the resiliency and environmental sustainability of the City by protecting, enhancing and expanding the City’s natural resources; increasing the use of green infrastructure; reducing consumption and waste of both energy and materials; and using all possible means to achieve beneficial environmental impacts and enhance community quality of life.
The following goals, which should be integrated across all City policies, programs and projects, are based on the vision statement above:
The public engagement process included more than 35 opportunities to learn and give feedback about the Environment for Everyone Chapter. See the schedule below.
Date | Group | Event |
May 7, 2018 | Planning Commission | Project Launch Link to document | Link to video@0:53m |
May 16, 2018 | Tree Commission | Regular Meeting |
May 17, 2018 | Environmental Sustainability Council | Regular Meeting |
June 18, 2018 | City Council | Work Session Link to document | Link to video@0:22m |
June 20, 2018 | Tree Commission | Regular Meeting |
June 21, 2018 | Environmental Sustainability Council | Regular Meeting |
August 18, 2018 | General public | Community Meeting |
August/September 2018 | General public | Farmer’s Market pop-ups |
April 15, 2019 | Planning Commission | Work Session Link to document | Link to video@1h19m |
April 18, 2019 | Arts & Humanities Council | Regular Meeting |
May 1, 2019 | Recreation & Parks Board | Regular Meeting |
May 5, 2019 | Citizens Advisory Committee on Transportation | Regular Meeting |
May 9, 2019 | Village Preservation & Improvement Society | Regular Meeting |
May 16, 2019 | Chamber of Commerce | Regular Meeting |
May 20, 2019 | City Council | Work Session Link to document | Link to video@1h47m |
June 4, 2019 | Economic Development Authority | Regular Meeting |
June 6, 2019 | Environmental Sustainability Council | Regular Meeting |
June 27, 2019 | Historical Commission and Historic Architectural Review Board | Regular Meeting |
September 3, 2019 | Planning Commission | Work Session Link to document | Link to video@2h57m |
September 4, 2019 | Architectural Advisory Board | Regular Meeting |
September 16, 2019 | City Council | Work Session Link to document | Link to video@13m |
September 18, 2019 | Library Board | Regular Meeting |
September 19, 2019 | Environmental Sustainability Council | Regular Meeting |
October 8-31, 2019 | General Public | Survey (on-line) |
October 23-31, 2019 | General Public | Survey (paper, at MRSP Library) |
October 17, 2019 | Human Services Advisory Council | Regular Meeting |
October 17, 2019 | General Public | Regular Meeting of Environmental Sustainability Council |
October 23, 2019 | General Public | Pop-up in Mr. Brown’s Park |
December 2, 2019 | Planning Commission | Work Session Link to document | Link to video@1hr49m |
January 6, 2020 | City Council | Work Session Link to document | Link to video@1h2m |
February 3, 2020 | Planning Commission | Chapter adoption by resolution Link to document | Link to video@3m |
February 10, 2020 | City Council | Chapter adoption by resolution Link to document | Link to video@1h6m |