ProGov21 Policy Library

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2018

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Sustainable Development Code

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Food, Health, Public Spaces

Localities can promote farm stands by allowing them as by-right uses across zoning districts and streamlining permitting processes. This memo outlines how farm stand-friendly ordinances expand economic opportunities for small producers and increase the availability of fresh produce....

Community Gardens on Private Property as a By-Right or Permitted Use

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2018

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source Sustainable Development Code

Policy Areas Community Development, Democracy & Governance, Environment & Natural Resources, Public Spaces

Local governments can facilitate community gardens by passing ordinances that classify them as permitted or by-right uses on private property. This memo explains how permitting community gardens on private land can promote healthy lifestyles, improve access to fresh produce, encourage...

Transition roadmaps for sustainable and resilient cities

Type Fact Sheet or Infographic

Year -

Level -

State(s) All States

Source Sustainable Justice EU

Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Environment & Natural Resources

This database contains a compilation of guides to green energy transitions and climate mitigation and adaptation policies from cities around the world making transitions to green energy and implementing climate mitigative and adaptive policies. Policies included come from Rotterdam,...

Minimum Width and Buffer Requirements for Sidewalks

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2018

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Sustainable Development Code

Policy Areas Community Development, Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice, Environment & Natural Resources, Public Spaces, Transportation & Mobility

Local governments should update zoning codes to mandate sidewalk vegetation buffer zones that separate pedestrians from vehicles. This policy memo highlights how these buffers improve pedestrian mobility and safety, reduce stormwater management costs, increase access to public transportation,...

County of Sacramento Climate Action Plan

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2024

Level County

State(s) California

Source County of Sacramento

Policy Areas Community Development, Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice, Education, Energy, Environment & Natural Resources, Finance & Procurement, Public Safety

Cities must develop strategic planning frameworks to mitigate emissions and prepare for the impacts of climate change. This climate action plan outlines carbon emission inventories, mitigation approaches, and reduction targets for Sacramento County. It provides an overview of the...

Green Roofing

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2020

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Sustainable Development Code

Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Environment & Natural Resources, Public Spaces

Cities can use their zoning codes to mandate sustainable development practices like green roofing, which promotes heat absorption, increases stormwater filtration, and provides recreational opportunities. This policy brief outlines how municipalities have leveraged incentives like...

Demanding Better Energy Information: Cities address market failure for energy upgrades

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2012

Level City or Town, City or Town

State(s) Ohio

Source Policy Matters Ohio

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Economic Justice, Energy, Democracy & Governance

This report emphasizes the importance of providing better energy information to renters, buyers, owners, and operators of buildings. By arming them with this information, they can make more informed choices, differentiate between properties, and determine whether energy upgrades are...

Public Water Energy Efficiency

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2014

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Journal of Science Policy & Governance

Policy Areas Energy, Community Development, Public Spaces, Environment & Natural Resources

There is significant potential for gains in energy efficiency (EE) in the U.S. water sector that, if realized, would support the security of water supply for its various uses at a lower cost over the long run than business as usual. This paper specifically examines the potential benefits...

A Short Guide to Setting Up a City-Scale Retrofit Program

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2009

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Center on Wisconsin Strategy, Green for All

Policy Areas Energy, Environment & Natural Resources

This policy brief explains how local governments can design and implement retrofitting and/or renovation programs that make homes more energy efficient. It also presents strategies for capturing financial savings from retrofits, creating high-quality green jobs, and ensuring that...

2021 New York City Local Law Int. No. 2478 Office of Climate Resiliency

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2021

Level City or Town

State(s) New York

Source New York City Council

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources

This local law would establish an Office of Climate Resiliency, headed by a Director of Climate Resiliency. The Director would be responsible for developing policies and programs relating to climate resiliency measures in the City, educating the public about such climate resiliency...

A Survey of Energy Use in Water Companies

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2015

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

Policy Areas Energy, Community Development, Public Spaces, Environment & Natural Resources

The relationship between water and energy is a close one. Water requires a tremendous amount of energy to move from a reservoir or well, through the treatment process, and out into a distribution system. In addition, energy is required to process wastewater and recycle or discharge...

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2014

Level City or Town

State(s) North Carolina

Source City of Raleigh

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Energy, Environment & Natural Resources

This report outlines total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from all activities within city limits and includes a separate inventory of all emissions generated by local government operations to help develop effective GHG reduction strategies. It analyzes emissions from vehicles, municipal...

Case Study - Sheboygan, WI: Energy Efficiency in Wastewater Treatment Plant

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2011

Level City or Town

State(s) Wisconsin

Source American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

Policy Areas Energy, Community Development, Environment & Natural Resources

This brief provides an overview of the Sheboygan Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), a nationwide leader in energy efficiency in the water and wastewater treatment sector. Sheboygan WWTP has implemented numerous energy-saving measures, mostly by replacing aging equipment with energy-efficient...

Building Resiliency Through Green Infrastructure: A Community Wealth Building Approach

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2019

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source The Democracy Collaborative

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Community Development

Those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change are those without living wages or access to political power. As a result, it is necessary for climate resiliency strategies to adopt a framework of community wealth building. Cities have recently integrated more green infrastructure...

How Circular Economies Will Drive a New Urban Metabolism

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2019

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Meeting Of The Minds

Policy Areas Energy, Transportation & Mobility, Finance & Procurement

Although the traditional linear economy brought much prosperity, it has functioned by taking primary resources, turning them into products, and disposing of the waste. In the face of the global climate change crisis, cities need to transit to circular economy. In a city with a circular...

The Value of Green Infrastructure: A Guide to Recognizing Its Economic, Environmental and Social Benefits

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2010

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source Center for Neighborhood Technology

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Energy, Community Development

The guide aims to inform decision-makers and planners about the multiple benefits green infrastructure (GI) delivers to communities. It examines the steps necessary to calculate a variety of performance benefits gained by implementing GI strategies and, where possible, demonstrates...

Rivers & Roads: Opportunities to Better Integrate Green Infrastructure and Transportation Projects in Atlanta, GA and Toledo, OH

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2015

Level City or Town

State(s) Georgia, Ohio

Source American Rivers

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Finance & Procurement

When rainwater hits hard surfaces like roads and parking lots, it runs along the surface till it flows into a storm drain, river, or stream. Known as stormwater runoff, this water picks up pollutants such as heavy metals, brake linings, and deicing salts which contaminate local waters....

King County GreenTools Roadmap to a Green Building Program

Type Roadmap

Year 2012

Level County

State(s) Washington

Source King County Solid Waste Division

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources

This report provides guide to creating green municipal building codes and practices that improve energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, and environmental and economic performance more broadly. The roadmap guides cities through foundational steps such as conducting...

2015 Chicago Ordinance 1741015 Providing Zoning Incentives for Green Roofs

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2015

Level City or Town

State(s) Illinois

Source City of Chicago

Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Environment & Natural Resources, Public Spaces

Chicago's zoning code awards a Floor-Area Ratio (FAR) bonus for green roofs that cover more than 50 percent of the roof area in downtown mixed-use districts. Developments with larger green roof plots can earn higher bonuses which incentivizes more green roof development without large...

2011 New York City Local Law 2011-01 Promoting Energy Conservation

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2011

Level City or Town

State(s) New York

Source The City of New York

Policy Areas Energy, Environment & Natural Resources

This ordinance amends the existing New York administrative code to permit the use of innovative approaches and techniques for energy conservation. It additionally presents new standards for alternative materials and construction methods, construction documents, and inspection procedures....

D.C Clean and Affordable Energy Act of 2008

Type Act or Session Law

Year 2008

Level City or Town

State(s) -

Source Council Of The District Of Columbia

Policy Areas Energy, Community Development, Public Spaces, Environment & Natural Resources

This act establishes the authority to contract with the Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU) to administer sustainable energy programs in the district of Columbia. It also sets up an advisory board for the SEU and defines their responsibilities. The act includes provisions for a renewable...

Green Building and Green Points Guideline Booklet

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2013

Level City or Town

State(s) Colorado

Source City of Boulder

Policy Areas Community Development, Housing

The Green Building and Green Points Guideline Booklet include updates to Boulder's residential building guide that seek to keep up with the many developments within sustainable construction practices and continue an effort to make the building regulatory process work toward overall...

The Impact of the Built Environment on Mental Wellness

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2018

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Urban Habitat

Policy Areas Civil Rights, Environment & Natural Resources, Community Development, Public Spaces, Housing, Public Safety, Health, Transportation & Mobility

The physical landscapes of places and the sociocultural context in which people live and build communities have direct and indirect effects on mental wellness. This report looks at how factors related to the built environment, such as exclusionary land use practices, green spaces,...

Seattle’s Transportation Electrification Blueprint

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2020

Level City or Town

State(s) Washington

Source Seattle Department of Transportation

Policy Areas Energy, Transportation & Mobility

Fossil fuel-dependent transportation systems produce greenhouse gas emissions, harming air quality and disproportionately affecting low-income communities and communities of color. This report details Seattle's plan to electrify public transit systems and convert a significant portion...

The Water Reuse Roadmap

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2016

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Water Environment Federation

Policy Areas Energy, Community Development, Public Spaces, Environment & Natural Resources

The goal of the Reuse Roadmap is to develop a high-level approach to help guide utilities and industry decision-makers in issues to address when considering water reuse Like the Energy and Nutrients roadmaps, the Water Reuse roadmap is brief and high level to be accessible to all...

ProGov21 Policy Library

Remove Entry

There was an error communicating with the server.

There was an error while saving your data.

Error

Update Page Content

You are leaving the page