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Home My WebLink About04/05/2005, COMMUNICATION#1 - PROPOSAL TO ADOPT AHWAHNEE PRINCIPLES RECEIVED °��iiu��lllllllli' Ilillll MAN 0 0 213,3:; communication SLO CITY CLERK March 30, 2005 TO: Council Colleagues \� FROM- Christine Mulholland SUBJECT: Proposal to Adopt Ahwahnee Principles I attended the 14th annual Local Government Commission Building Livable, Sustainable Communities Conference in March. It is this conference that created the Ahwahnee Principles for smart growth. This year we adopted the Ahwahnee Principles for Water. I am sharing these with you and ask your consideration in adopting these principles as guidelines for our community. Various cities in California have done just that, and I think we should be among them.. I believe that many of our policies already reflect the forward-thinking that the Principles express, so it does not seem out of line to sign on to the language worked out by attendees from throughout the state. I ask your consent to agendize my request for further discussion. h ca o:CI RED FILE CAO �=1N DIR ACAO rZ =IRE CHIEF MEETINGAGENDA ZATTORNEY 2-PW DIR �7 l ITEM # ��v �CLERK`CRiG �OLICECHF DATE D T HEADS Te- REC DIR 1 TIL DIR Pl--- �R DIR - - The Ahwahnee Principles - -- Preamble: Existing patterns of urban and suburban development seriously impair our quality of life. The symptoms are: more congestion and air pollution resulting from our increased dependence on automobiles,the loss of precious open space,the need for costly improvements to roads and public services,the inequitable distribution of economic resources,and the loss of a sense of community. By drawing upon the best from the past.and the present,we can plan communities that will more successfully serve the needs of those who live and work within them. Such planning should adhere to certain fundamental principles. Community Principles: 1. All planning should be in the form of complete and integrated communities containing housing, shops,work places,schools,parks and civic facilities essential to the daily life of the residents. 2. Community size should be designed so that housing,jobs,daily needs and other activities are within easy walking distance of each other. 3. As many activities as possible should be located within easy walking distance of transit stops. 4. A community should contain a diversity of housing types to enable citizens from a wide range of economic, evels and age groups to live within its boundaries. 5. Businesses within the community should provide a range of job types for the community's residents. 6. The location and character of the community should be consistent with a larger transit network. 7. The community should have a center focus that combines commercial,civic;cultural and recreational uses. 8. The community should contain an ample supply of specialized open space in the form of squares, greens and parks whose frequent use is encouraged through placement and design. 9. Public spaces should be designed to encourage the attention and presence of people at all hours of the day and night. 10. Each community or cluster of communities should have a well defined edge,such as agricultural greenbelts or wildlife corridors,permanently protected from development. 11. Streets,pedestrian paths and bike paths should contribute to a system of fully-connected and interesting routes to all destinations. Their design should encourage pedestrian and bicycle use by being small and spatially defined by buildings,trees and lighting;and by discouraging high speed traffic. 12. Wherever possible,the natural terrain,drainage,and.vegetation of the community should be preserved with superior examples contained within parks or greenbelts. 13. The community design should help.conserve resources and minimize waste._ 14. Communities should provide for the efficient.use of water through the use of natural drainage, drought tolerant landscaping and recycling. 15. The street orientation,the placement of buildings and the use of shading should contribute to the energy efficiency of the community. Regional Principles` 1. The regional land use planning structure should be integrated within a larger transportation network built around transit rather than freeways. 2. Regions should be bounded by and provide a continuous system of greenbelt/wildlife corridors to be determined by natural conditions. 3. . Regional institutions and services(government,stadiums,museums,etc.)should be located in the urban core. 4. Materials and methods of construction should be.specific to the region,exhibiting continuity of history and culture and compatibility with the climate to encourage the development of local character and community identity. Implementation Strategy: 1. The general plan should be updated to incorporate the above principles. 2. Rather than allowing developer-initiated,piecemeal development, local governments should take charge of the planning process. General plans should designate where new growth,infill or redevelopment will be allowed to occur. 3. Prior to any development,a specific plan should be prepared based on the planning principles. With the adoption of specific plans,complying projects could proceed with minimal delay. 4. Plans should be developed through an open process and participants in the process should be provided visual models of all planning proposals. Authors: Peter Calthorpe Editors: Peter Katz • Michael Corbett Judy Corbett Andres Duany Steve Weissman Elizabeth Moule Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk Stefanos Polyzoides For more information,contact the LGC Center for Livable Communities: 916-44871198 © Copyright 1991,Local Government Commission,Sacramento,CA The Ahwa,hnee Water Principles for Resource Efficient Land Use Preamble Cities and counties are facing major challenges with water contamination, storm . water runoff, flood damage liability, and concerns about whether there will be enough reliable water for current residents as well as for new development... These issues impact city and county budgets and taxpayers. Fortunately there are a number of stewardship actions that cities and counties can take that reduce costs and.improve the reliability and quality of our water resources. The Water Principles below complement the Ahwahnee Principles for Resource- Efficient Communities that were developed in 1991. Many cities and counties are already using them to improve the vitality and prosperity of their communities. Community Principles 1. Community design should be compact, mixed use,walkable and transit-oriented so that automobile=generated urban runoff pollutants are minimized and the open lands that absorb water are preserved to the maximum extent possible. (See the Ahwahnee Principles for Resource-Efficient Communities) 2. Natural resources such as wetlands, flood plains,recharge zones, riparian areas, open space, and native habitats should be identified,preserved and restored as valued assets for flood protection,water quality improvement, groundwater recharge, habitat, and overall long-term water resource sustainability. 3. Water holding areas such as creek beds, recessed athletic fields,ponds, cisterns, and other features that serve to recharge groundwater,reduce runoff, improve water quality and decrease flooding_ should be incorporated into the urban landscape. 4. All aspects of landscaping from the selection of plants to soil preparation and the installation of irrigation systems should be designed to reduce water demand, retain runoff, decrease flooding, and recharge groundwater. 5. Permeable surfaces should be used for hardscape. Impervious surfaces such as driveways, streets, and parking lots should be minimized so that land is available to absorb storm water, reduce polluted urban runoff;recharge groundwater and reduce flooding. 6. Dual plumbing that allows grey water from showers, sinks and washers to be reused for landscape irrigation should be included in the infrastructure of new development. i 7. Community design should maximize the use of recycled water for appropriate applications including outdoor irrigation, toilet flushing, and commercial and industrial processes. Purple pipe should be installed in all new construction and remodeled buildings-in anticipation of the future availability of recycled water. 8. Urban water conservation technologies.such as low-flow toilets, efficient clothes washers, and more efficient water-using industrial equipment should be incorporated in all new construction and retrofitted in remodeled buildings. 9. Ground water treatment and brackish water desalination should be pursued when necessary to maximize locally available, drought-proof water supplies. Implementation Principles 1. Water supply agencies should be consulted early in the land use decision-making process regarding technology, demographics and growth projections. 2. City and county officials, the watershed council,LAFCO, special districts and other stakeholders sharing watersheds should collaborate to take advantage of the benefits and synergies of water resource planning at a watershed level. 3. The best, multi-benefit and integrated-strategies and projects should be identified and implemented before less integrated proposals,unless.urgency demands otherwise. 4. From start to finish, projects and programs should involve the public, build relationships, and increase the sharing of and access to information. The participatory process should focus on ensuring that all residents have access to clean, reliable and affordable water for drinking and recreation. 5. Plans,programs,projects and policies should be monitored and evaluated to determine if the expected results are achieved and to improve future practices. Authors: Celeste Cantu Martha Davis Jennifer Hosterman Susan Lien Longville Jonas Minton Mary Nichols Virginia Porter Al Wanger Kevin Wolfe Editor: Judy Corbett For more information, contact the LGC Center for Livable Communities: 916-448-1198, ext 321. 0 Copyright 2005, Local Government Commission, Sacramento CA 95814