ProGov21 Policy Library

The Case for Parks and Affordable Housing Joint Development

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2018

Level City or Town, County

State(s) California

Source Los Angeles Regional Open Space and Affordable Housing Collaborative

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Health, Public Spaces

This guide outlines how coordinating affordable housing development with park expansions can help municipal park agencies serve low-income households without raising concerns about gentrification and displacement. It recommends targeting these coordinated projects in transit-rich...

TOD and Carsharing: A Natural Marriage

Type Article

Year 2009

Level City or Town

State(s) California

Source ACCESS Magazine, University of California Transportation Center

Policy Areas Community Development, Environment & Natural Resources, Transportation & Mobility

The issue of increased traffic congestion in areas with Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) due to dense development and the need for parking despite higher transit use. The city should integrate carsharing options within TODs to reduce the necessity for personal vehicle ownership...

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...

The Power of Parks to Promote Health

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2023

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source The Trust for Public Land

Policy Areas Community Development, Health, Public Spaces

Parks and natural spaces promote mental, physical, and environmental wellbeing, and many parks departments are leveraging parks and recreational resources to improve health outcomes. This report outlines the benefits of preserving access to parks and green spaces and provides policy...

The Excellent City Park System: What Makes it Great and How to Get There

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2013

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source The Trust for Public Land

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Public Spaces

This report outlines best practices for effective park development and recommends that cities take inventory of their land assets, prioritize park safety and equity, and regularly engage with the public. It also highlights case studies that have implemented successful park development...

Net Zero Energy Roadmap for the City of Burlington, Vermont

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2019

Level City or Town

State(s) Vermont

Source City of Burlington, Vermont

Policy Areas Community Development, Energy, Transportation & Mobility

Pollution and energy inefficiency are exacerbating the global climate crisis, but cities can pass local policies to address these issues. The City of Burlington, Vermont launched the net-zero-energy program in 2018 to eliminate fossil fuel use by the ground transportation and heating...

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...

Complete Parks Playbook

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2018

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States, Pennsylvania, Texas

Source ChangeLab Solutions

Policy Areas Education, Environment & Natural Resources, Health, Public Spaces

Parks enhance communities by promoting physical, mental, and social health. This guide outlines the 'complete parks approach', which helps local governments promote parks improvements by engaging communities who have historically been overlooked during parks planning discussions,...

Fueling the Fire: Why Any Fossil Fuel Industry Bailout Will Be Disastrous for Communities of Color

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2020

Level City or Town, State, National

State(s) All States

Source Partnership for Working Families

Policy Areas Civil Rights, Environment & Natural Resources, Health

Environmental racism and the subsequent chronic exposure to air pollution has been identified as one of the biggest contributing factors to higher rates of severe illness and death from COVID-19 within Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities. Fossil fuel plants are among the top...

11th Street Bridge Park Equitable Development Plan

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2018

Level City or Town

State(s) District of Columbia

Source Building Bridges Across the River

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Housing, Public Spaces

The 11th Street Bridge Park will expand pedestrian mobility, incorporate educational resources, and provide a public venue for arts and cultural programming. This equitable development plan outlines the project's community engagement emphasis and highlights its strategies for developing...

Seattle Bicycle Master Plan

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2007

Level City or Town

State(s) Washington

Source Seattle City Council

Policy Areas Community Development, Public Spaces, Transportation & Mobility

The Seattle Bicycle Master Plan outlines the city's plan for tripling the amount of bicycle ridership in the city and implementing new safety measures. This document includes graphics detailing potential bike lane networks, cost estimates, a biannual progress schedule, and more. ...

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...

Live-Work Units

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2018

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Sustainable Development Code

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Public Spaces, Transportation & Mobility

Live-work units are properties that combine residential and nonresidential uses in either commercial or residential zoned areas. This memo explains how live-work units reduce car usage and greenhouse gas emissions, minimize urban sprawl, and encourage local economic development. It...

Cuyahoga County Community Benefit and Opportunity Initiative

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2014

Level City or Town, County, City or Town

State(s) All States, Ohio

Source Policy Matters Ohio

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Civil Rights

The Cuyahoga County Community Benefit and Opportunity Initiatives are designed to enhance the local economy through county-funded construction projects. These initiatives prioritize the creation of living wage jobs, workforce diversity promotion, and improved building efficiency....

Twin Cities Region Equitable Development Principles & Scorecard

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2014

Level City or Town, County

State(s) Minnesota

Source Community Engagement Steering Committee Equitable Development

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Civil Rights, Environment & Natural Resources, Community Development, Public Spaces, Energy, Housing, Public Safety, Democracy & Governance, Transportation & Mobility

The principles and practices of equitable development, environmental justice, and affordability are guides for all communities: suburban cities, rural communities and urban neighborhoods. This equitable development tool will help guide development projects to 1) become economically...

Purchase of Development Rights

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, Environment & Natural Resources, Public Spaces

Local governments prevent environmentally damaging land development by developing purchase of development rights (PDR) programs. PDR programs enable landowners to sell the development rights of their land to a trust while keeping ownership and use. This brief outlines best practices...

Local Sustainability: A menu of policy options greening communities

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2011

Level City or Town, County, City or Town

State(s) Ohio

Source Policy Matters Ohio

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Economic Justice, Civil Rights, Energy

This policy brief provides an overview of "The Oberlin Project," a partnership between the City of Oberlin and Oberlin College exemplifying energy, waste, transit, industrial, and workforce development policies designed for sustainable economic growth. Among a variety of interventions...

2013 New Orleans Ordinance to Procure Environmentally Preferable Products and Services

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2013

Level City or Town

State(s) Louisiana

Source City of New Orleans

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Community Development, Energy

This ordinance prioritizes environmental sustainability in procurement spending and creates an environmental purchasing committee. It establishes an assessment system for environmentally preferable purchases and explains the city's plans for promoting the policy will be promoted to...

Local Technical Assistance Toolkit: Energy Efficiency in Water and Wastewater Facilities

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2011

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, Economic Justice

This toolkit recommends local governments improve the efficiency of their water facilities by requiring energy audits, updating regulations on equipment management, and providing financial incentives for energy-efficient projects. It also includes links to relevant resources and features...

Promoting Energy Efficiency with ENERGY STAR

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2011

Level City or Town, County, State

State(s) All States

Source U.S. Department of Energy

Policy Areas Energy, Environment & Natural Resources, Public Spaces

Municipal buildings and infrastructure present opportunities for public savings through energy efficiency improvements. This guide outlines best practices for energy efficiency benchmarking and emphasizes the benefits of the Department of Energy's ENERGY STAR program, which helps...

Using Special Assessments for Community Development in North Carolina

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2012

Level City or Town, County, State

State(s) Florida, Georgia, North Carolina

Source University of North Carolina

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement, Transportation & Mobility

This report outlines types of special assessments in North Carolina designed to collect public revenue on properties in exchange for public benefits. It highlights critical infrastructure assessments that allow for a wide range of community development uses. It also features examples...

How to Issue a Green Muni Bond

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2015

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Green City Bonds Coalition

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Energy, Transportation & Mobility, Democracy & Governance

This report outlines the process for issuing green municipal bonds; including earmarking funds, identifying eligible projects, setting up administrative and reporting systems, and arranging independent certifications. The report argues that green bonds are useful for allocating funds...

Sonoma County Green Purchasing Policy

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year -

Level County

State(s) California

Source Sonoma County

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Environment & Natural Resources, Finance & Procurement

Local governments can promote sustainability in their communities by pursuing environmentally friendly and sustainable purchasing practices. Sonoma County's green purchasing policy requires the county purchasing department to promote the purchase of environmentally preferable or recycled...

Lighting a SPARCC Under Equitable Transit-Oriented Development

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2018

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source SPARCC

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Environment & Natural Resources, Housing, Public Safety, Health, Transportation & Mobility

This publication by SPARCC offers a definition of equitable Transit-Oriented Development (eTOD) and spotlights work underway in various US cities. Successful eTOD requires planning not just for transit but coordinating how this type of investment will advance larger community needs...

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